Ezekiel 28

month, &c.] This and the three following chapters are joined together, because they treat of the same subject; though they consist of prophecies uttered at very different periods of time. The period assigned at the head of this chapter is during the siege of Jerusalem, and, agreeably to ver. 6, 7, may be immediately after Pharaoh’s retreat, foretold by Jeremiah, chap. xxxvii. 7. Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 28:2

2. — against Pharaoh] Pharaoh being a common name to all the kings of Egypt, this prince was called Pharaoh-hophra by Jeremiah, chap. xlv. 30: and Apries by Herodotus. W. Louth.

Ezekiel 28:3

3. Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel: ] In thy own conceit. Bp. Hall. The fame of Daniel’s wisdom was quickly spread over Chaldea upon his being advanced to several posts of honour and dignity by Nebuchadnezzar; see Dan. ii. 48. The Phoenicians, of whom the Tyrians were a colony, valued themselves for their wisdom and ingenuity, as being the inventors of navigation, of letters, and sciences; compare Zech. ix. 2. W. Lowth.

4. — the great dragon] The crocodile is alluded to. Bochart remarks, that the word Pharaoh signifies a crocodile in the Arabick tongue. Among the ancients it was a symbol of Egypt, and appears so in Roman coins. W. Louth, Michaelis. — that lieth in the midst of his rivers.] Memphis is thought to have been the residence of the ancient kings of Egypt. There were large lakes to the north and west of Memphis, which made the strength of the place surprising; and Dr. Pococke saw some near Aletrahenny, which he supposes were these very lakes. Nothing then could be more natural than these words of Ezekiel. Harmer. The expression however is to be understood figuratively: and, as Pharaoh is intended by the “great dragon,” so the power, riches, and forces of his kingdom are denoted by “his rivers:” as it follows, “My river is mine own,” that is, all the strength and glory of Egypt are mine. Poole. — I have made it for myself.] This vaunting language agrees with what Herodotus relates of Pharaohhophra, (see Jer. xlv. 30, 1 or Apries. This is said to have been the persuasion of Apries, that no God was

Ezekiel 28:4

4. But I will put hooks in thy jaws, &c.] But I will put the hooks of the king of Babylon into thy jaws, and will drag thee out of those watery forts of thine to the dry land; and for thy princes and people, which are as the lesser sort of fishes, they also, as sticking to thy scales, shall be plucked out with thee. Bp. Hall. This prophecy may also relate to the unsuccessful expedition of Apries against the Cyrenians. W. Louth. To the inutiny of his own people, and to his defeat by Amasis. Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 28:5

5. — thrown into the wilderness.] This seems to be a plainer allusion to the heavy loss which Apries and his Egyptian army sustained amongst the deserts of Libya and Cyrene. Apries did not perish there, he was strangled afterwards in his palace. Abp. Newcome, W. Louth. Thrown upon the shore. Calmet.

Ezekiel 28:6

6. — a staff of reed] A deceitful and untrusty stay to the house of Israel. Canes or reeds abounded on the banks of the Nile. Abp. Newcome, W. Louth. 7. When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder:] Or their arm. The sharp fragment pierced the arm that leaned on it. The king, who was Zedekish’s confederate, came with a great army to raise the siege of Jerusalem; but durst not venture a battle with the Chaldeans, and in a little time returned into his own country, deserting Zedekish, whom he had engaged to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar; whereby they became the occasion of his own and his people’s ruin, chap. xvii. 15; Jer. xxxvii. 5. 7. W. Louth. — and madest all their loins to be at a stand.] Or, “and didst strain all their loins.” Abp. Newcome.

Ezekiel 28:8

8. — of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. ] And thou, that hast fondly imagined thyself a god, shall die the death of thine ordinary vassals, notwithstanding thy strong forts and bulwarks of the sea. Bp. Hall.

9. — a sword] This may be understood of Nebuchadnezzar, who, taking advantage of Amasis’ revolt, overran that country, and made a prey of the whole kingdom. W. Louth. Before CHRIST 589. of the field. b 2 Kings 18. 21. Isa. 36. 6.

Ezekiel 28:9

9. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? ] A keen taunt or sarcasm. What will become of thy divinity then? Wilt thou then dream of immortality and almighty power, when thine enemy is killing thee? Appear thou to thyself and others to be a mortal, weak, conquered man, who dieth a sacrifice to the conqueror’s pride and cruelty. Poole.

Ezekiel 28:10

10. — of the uncircumcised] Circumcision being the rite which distinguished God’s people from the heathen, “uncircumcised” is equivalent in sense to “wicked or profane.” W. Lowth. So the Greeks gave other nations the contemptuous name of “Barbarians;” see 1 Sam. xvii. 36. Abp. Newcome.

that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that || slayeth thee.

Ezekiel 28:12

12. — Thou sealest up the sum, &c. ] In thine own opinion thou art the perfect pattern of wisdom and all other excellencies. The expression is taken from vessels and other repositories, which when full were sealed in order to preserve their contents. See Deut. xxxii. 32; Job xiv. 17. W. Lowth.

Ezekiel 28:13

13. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God: ] Thou aboundest in all delicacies, as if thou hadst lived in paradise. Bp. Hall.

This expression, as well as the whole context, alludes to the complete happiness which Adam enjoyed in paradise before his apostasy and fearful fall. W. Lowth.

— every precious stone was thy covering. ] In the canopy of thy throne; or, thy garments have been adorned with them. Abp. Newcome.

— the workmanship of thy tabrets — was prepared in thee] The Prophet here notices the enjoyments of the Tyrians, their musick and songs, on instruments of the most exquisite workmanship: with allusion probably either to those solemnities, with which the birth of princes is celebrated, or to those which accompany the coronation of a king, and his investiture with the royal dignity. Poole.

Ezekiel 28:14

14. Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth: ] The particle of similitude “like” is understood; the two cherubim of beaten gold were part of the ark, and therefore anointed, Exod. xxv. 18. 21; xx. 26; the two cherubim covered the mercy seat with their wings. In this lamentation, wisdom, beauty, magnificence, splendour, and perfection are attributed to the king of Tyre; he likewise bore an exalted and sacred office: on these accounts he is compared to one of the angelick orders. Abp. Newcome.

— thou wast upon the holy mountain of God: ] The image of the cherub is pursued; such was thy eminent

A lamentation of his great glory. The judgment of Zidon. Before CHRIST 588.

Ezekiel 28:16

16. By the multitude of thy merchandise &c.] By the confluence of much people upon the occasions of thy merchandise, and the oppressive bargains that are used therein, thou art full of fraud and violence, and art thereupon grown exceedingly sinful; therefore will I cast thee out from those vainly pretended rights which thou claimest in the temple of God: I will destroy thee, O thou false cherub, from the ark whose covering thou wouldest resemble, and strike thee down from those clouds where thou affectest to walk among the fiery meteors. Bp. Hall.

Ezekiel 28:17

17. — by reason of thy brightness:] That height of glory to which I had advanced thee has perverted thy judgment, and made thee abuse thy wisdom to craft and deceit. W. Louth.

— I will lay thee before kings.] I will make thee a spectacle and a warning or object of contempt to other princes. W. Louth, Poole.

Ezekiel 28:18

18. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries] By the multi-

Ezekiel 28:21

21. — against Zidon,] Zidon was the mother city of Tyre; and possessed for a long time the empire of Phenicia and of the sea. Afterwards Tyre became more powerful than the mother country, and obtained the sovereignty, both of Zidon and the other cities of Phenicia. We learn from Josephus, that Zidon revolted from Tyre, and submitted herself to Shalmaneser. They were however generally partakers of the same fate in prosperity and adversity, and the destruction of Zidon followed close upon that of Tyre. Calmet, W. Louth.

Ezekiel 28:24

24. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, &c.] I will put an end to the sorrows of my Church; these heathens shall no more gall and grieve them; neither shall the nations round about insult upon their miseries, and trample upon them. Bp. Hall.

Ezekiel 28:25

25. — When I shall have gathered &c.] These expressions refer to the times of the Gospel, and are to be understood in a spiritual sense. Junius. Or if we follow the literal sense of the words, it is a plain prophecy, either of the comparative safety and happiness which the Jews enjoyed after the seventy years’ captivity; (Poole,) or, of the general restoration of the Jews, and their future return into their own land; as will appear by comparing the words with the parallel texts of this Prophet, namely, chap. xi. 17; xx. 38. 41; xxxiv. 13; xxxvi. 24; xxxvii. 12. 14. 21. 25; xxxix. 27. Compare Isa. lxv. 9, 10; Jer. xxx. 18; xxxii. 41; in which pre-

Before CHRIST 588. The judgment of Pharaoh for his treachery to Israel. Before CHRIST 588.