Study

28. Prophecy Against the King of Tyre and Sidon

   “‘In the pride of your heart
   you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne of a god
   in the heart of the seas.”
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
   though you think you are as wise as a god.
³ Are you wiser than Daniel Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature?
   Is no secret hidden from you?
⁴ By your wisdom and understanding
   you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
   in your treasuries.
⁵ By your great skill in trading
   you have increased your wealth,
and because of your wealth
   your heart has grown proud.

    ⁶ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “‘Because you think you are wise,
   as wise as a god,
⁷ I am going to bring foreigners against you,
   the most ruthless of nations;
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom
   and pierce your shining splendor.
⁸ They will bring you down to the pit,
   and you will die a violent death
   in the heart of the seas.
⁹ Will you then say, “I am a god,”
   in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,
   in the hands of those who slay you.
¹⁰ You will die the death of the uncircumcised
   at the hands of foreigners.

   I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD.’”

    ¹¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹² “Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “‘You were the seal of perfection,
   full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
¹³ You were in Eden,
   the garden of God;
every precious stone adorned you:
   carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
   topaz, onyx and jasper,
   lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
Your settings and mountings The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain. were made of gold;
   on the day you were created they were prepared.
¹⁴ You were anointed as a guardian cherub,
   for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
   you walked among the fiery stones.
¹⁵ You were blameless in your ways
   from the day you were created
   till wickedness was found in you.
¹⁶ Through your widespread trade
   you were filled with violence,
   and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
   and I expelled you, guardian cherub,
   from among the fiery stones.
¹⁷ Your heart became proud
   on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
   because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
   I made a spectacle of you before kings.
¹⁸ By your many sins and dishonest trade
   you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire come out from you,
   and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes on the ground
   in the sight of all who were watching.
¹⁹ All the nations who knew you
   are appalled at you;
you have come to a horrible end
   and will be no more.’”

A Prophecy Against Sidon

    ²⁰ The word of the LORD came to me: ²¹ “Son of man, set your face against Sidon; prophesy against her ²² and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

   “‘I am against you, Sidon,
   and among you I will display my glory.
You will know that I am the LORD,
   when I inflict punishment on you
   and within you am proved to be holy.
²³ I will send a plague upon you
   and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
   with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the LORD.

    ²⁴ “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.

    ²⁵ “‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. ²⁶ They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’”