Ezekiel 28

1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre this is what the Lord God says: You are so proud of yourself, saying, ‘I'm a god! I sit on my throne like a god in the middle of the sea.’ But you're only a man. You're not a god, even though you think you are one.

“Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the middle of the seas;’ yet you are man, and no god, though you set your heart as the heart of a god—

3 You even think you're wiser than Daniel and there's no secret that's hidden from you!

behold, you are wiser than Daniel. There is no secret that is hidden from you.

4 Yes, you have used your wisdom and cleverness to make yourself rich, collecting plenty of gold and silver for your treasury.

By your wisdom and by your understanding you have gotten yourself riches, and have gotten gold and silver into your treasuries.

5 You became wealthy through your superb trading skills, but your wealth only made you proud.

By your great wisdom and by your trading you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches—”

6 So this is what the Lord God says: Because you think that you're a god,

“‘therefore the Lord GOD says: “Because you have set your heart as the heart of God,

7 watch as I bring foreigners to attack you. They are more cruel than any other nation. They will use their swords to destroy you and your wonderful wisdom; they will humble your proud glory.

therefore, behold, I will bring strangers on you, the terrible of the nations. They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom. They will defile your brightness.

8 They will drag you down into the grave. You will die horribly out there in the sea.

They will bring you down to the pit. You will die the death of those who are slain in the heart of the seas.

9 Are you still going to claim, ‘I'm a god,’ to those who are killing you? You'll just be another human victim, not a god, in the eyes of your attackers.

Will you yet say before him who kills you, ‘I am God’? But you are man, and not God, in the hand of him who wounds you.

10 You will be killed like some vile person by these foreigners. I myself have spoken, declares the Lord God.”

You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers; for I have spoken it,” says the Lord GOD.’”

11 Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

12 “Son of man, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre and tell him this is what the Lord God says: Once you were complete and perfect, full of wisdom and flawless in beauty.

“Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, ‘The Lord GOD says: “You were the seal of full measure, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

13 You were there in Eden, God's garden. You wore all kinds of precious stones: carnelian, topaz, and amethyst; beryl, onyx, and jasper; lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald. They were placed in gold mountings and settings using skilled craftsmanship, and were made on the day when you were created.

You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Gold work of tambourines and of pipes was in you. They were prepared in the day that you were created.

14 I gave you the position of guardian cherub, and I anointed you. You lived on God's holy mountain and you walked among the stones of fire.

You were the anointed cherub who covers. Then I set you up on the holy mountain of God. You have walked up and down in the middle of the stones of fire.

15 You were innocent in everything you did from the day you were created until you were found to be doing evil.

You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.

16 You were so busy with all your trading schemes that they destroyed you inside, leading you to sin and filling you with violence. So I sent you away in disgrace from God's mountain, and I removed you from your position as guardian cherub from your place among the stones of fire.

By the abundance of your commerce, your insides were filled with violence, and you have sinned. Therefore I have cast you as profane out of God’s mountain. I have destroyed you, covering cherub, from the middle of the stones of fire.

17 You became proud because of your beauty, you ruined your wisdom because you thought you were so wonderful. So I threw you down to the ground and I made sure kings saw what happened to you.

Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty. You have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendour. I have cast you to the ground. I have laid you before kings, that they may see you.

18 By all your sins and your dishonest trading you have made your sanctuaries unclean. So I had fire come from inside you, and it burned you up. I turned you into ashes on the ground as everybody there watched.

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your commerce, you have profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought out a fire from the middle of you. It has devoured you. I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you.

19 All who know you among the nations are horrified at what happened to you. Disaster has brought you down and you're finished forever.”

All those who know you amongst the peoples will be astonished at you. You have become a terror, and you will exist no more.”’”

20 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

21 “Son of man, face towards Sidon and prophesy against her.

“Son of man, set your face towards Sidon, and prophesy against it,

22 Tell them this is what the Lord God says: Watch out, Sidon, for I'm condemning you, and I will be vindicated by what happens to you. People will know that I am the Lord when I punish her and show my holy character through her experience.

and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Sidon. I will be glorified amongst you. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have executed judgements in her, and am sanctified in her.

23 I'm going to send a disease to plague her, and have people killed in her streets. Those who are killed will fall inside the city as the enemy attacks with swords from every side. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

For I will send pestilence into her, and blood into her streets. The wounded will fall within her, with the sword on her on every side. Then they will know that I am the LORD.

24 The people of Israel will no longer have to put up with these people who are thorns in their side, painful brambles and sharp thorns who treat Israel with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.

“‘“There will no longer be a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them that scorned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”

25 This is what the Lord God says: When I bring back the people of Israel from the nations where they've been scattered. I will show my holy character through them as everyone watches. Then they will live in their own country, which I gave to my servant Jacob.

“‘The Lord GOD says: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples amongst whom they are scattered, and am shown as holy amongst them in the sight of the nations, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to my servant Jacob.

26 They will live there in safety, building houses and planting vineyards. They will live there in safety when I punish all those around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.”

They will dwell in it securely. Yes, they will build houses, plant vineyards, and will dwell securely when I have executed judgements on all those around them who have treated them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.”’”