Ezekiel 28:11

King James Version (KJV)

Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

Verses 11-19

The dirge of the prince of Tyre, answering to the dirge of the state. The passage is ironical; its main purpose is to depict all the glory, real or assumed, of “the prince of Tyrus,” in order to show how deplorable should be his ruin.

Ezekiel 28:12

To “seal the sum” is to make up the whole measure of perfection. Compare the Septuagint

Ezekiel 28:13

Thou hast been in Eden - “Thou” wast etc. The prince of Tyrus is ironically described as the first of creation; but at the same time the parallel is to be maintained in his fall from glory. Like Adam in the enjoyment of paradise, he shall be like Adam in his fall.

Every precious stone - All the stones here named are found in the High priest‘s breastplate Exodus 28:17-20, but their order is different, and three stones named in Exodus (the third row) are wanting. The prophet may purposely have varied the description because the number twelve (that of the tribes of Israel) had nothing to do with the prince of Tyrus, and he wished to portray, not a high priest, but a king, having in view a figure which was to a Jew, especially to a priest, the very type of magnificence.

Tabrets - (or, drums) and “pipes” were a common expression for festivity and triumph.

Ezekiel 28:14

Thou art - Better,” Thou” wert. “the anointed cherub that covereth” In the temple the cherubim and all holy things were consecrated and anointed with oil (Exodus 30:26 ff). The prince of Tyre was also anointed as a sovereign priest - covering or protecting the minor states, like the cherubim with outstretched wings covering the mercy-Seat.

Thou wast upon the holy mountain - As the cherub was in the temple on the holy mountain, so the prince of Tyre was presiding over the island-city, rising like a mountain from the deep.

Stones of fire - i. e., bright and shining. Decked with bright jewels, the prince walked among jewels in gorgeous splendor.

Ezekiel 28:15

The “perfection” was false, unsuspected until the “iniquity” which lay beneath was found out.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Ethbaal, or Ithobal, was the prince or king of Tyre; and being lifted up with excessive pride, he claimed Divine honours. Pride is peculiarly the sin of our fallen nature. Nor can any wisdom, except that which the Lord gives, lead to happiness in this world or in that which is to come. The haughty prince of Tyre thought he was able to protect his people by his own power, and considered himself as equal to the inhabitants of heaven. If it were possible to dwell in the garden of Eden, or even to enter heaven, no solid happiness could be enjoyed without a humble, holy, and spiritual mind. Especially all spiritual pride is of the devil. Those who indulge therein must expect to perish.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

12. King of Tyrus. Verses 11-19, though presented as a dirge upon the king of Tyrus, can hardly be limited in its application to the Tyrian prince. The imagery so far transcends such a local reference that designations such as “extreme irony” fail to answer the problems created if a wholly local application is given to the passage.

The following statements seem particularly difficult to apply to any literal “king of Tyrus”: (1) “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God,” v. 13; (2) “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ thou was upon the holy mountain of God,” v. 14; (3) “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee,” v. 15; (4) “I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub,” v. 16. It seems that as Ezekiel beheld the character and activities of the literal king of Tyre in vision, Inspiration lifted the veil between the seen and the unseen and the prophet was permitted to see the invisible yet powerful being whom the king of Tyre served. Similarly, Isaiah had been permitted to see beyond the literal king of Babylon (ch. 14:4) to Satan, whose character and policies the king of Babylon carried out (vs. 12-16).

It thus appears simpler to consider the passage as digressing from the prophecy upon the prince of Tyre to present a history of him who was indeed the real king of Tyrus, Satan himself. So understood, this passage provides us with a history of the origin, initial position, and downfall of the angel who later became known as the devil and Satan. Apart from this passage and the one in Isa. 14:12-14, we would be left without a reasonably complete account of the origin, primeval state, and causes of the fall of the prince of evil. The NT references to this being (Luke 4:5, 6; 10:18; John 8:44; 1 John 3:8; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6; Rev. 12:7-9; etc.), though fully consistent with these ancient prophecies, in themselves do not supply the complete history.

It was the Holy Spirit who planned and unified the Scriptures, and it was He who saw to it that sufficient information was given on all essential matters, including the history of Satan. Furthermore, it was He who determined when, how, and by whom the revelation should be given. The occasion under consideration was especially appropriate in that the prince of Tyrus had so remarkably imitated the example of his true leader, the devil. In the light of the great controversy, Tyre, together with all heathen nations, was controlled by the principles of this great rebel leader, and his influence in their history needed to be appropriately exposed.

For a discussion of the history of the origin and destiny of Satan see PP 33-43 and GC 492-504.

Sealest up the sum. The word translated “sum” is found only here and in ch. 43:10, where it is rendered “pattern.” An alternative translation of the clause is, “You set a seal to your completeness.” The general meaning is clear. Lucifer was clothed with wisdom, glory, and beauty above all other angels.

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Ellen G. White
The Great Controversy, 672

Saith the Lord: “Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit.” “I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.... I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.... I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.... Thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.” Ezekiel 28:6-8, 16-19. GC 672.1

“Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.” “The indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter.” “Upon the wicked He shall rain quick burning coals, fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.” Isaiah 9:5; 34:2; Psalm 11:6, margin. Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10. The earth's surface seems one molten mass—a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men—“the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.” Isaiah 34:8. GC 672.2

The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. Proverbs 11:31. They “shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 4:1. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished “according to their deeds.” The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches. The full penalty of the law has been visited; the demands of justice have been met; and heaven and earth, beholding, declare the righteousness of Jehovah. GC 673.1

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Ezekiel 28:11