Ezekiel 28 16

Ezekiel 28:16 kjv

By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Ezekiel 28:16 nkjv

"By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.

Ezekiel 28:16 niv

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.

Ezekiel 28:16 esv

In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Ezekiel 28:16 nlt

Your rich commerce led you to violence,
and you sinned.
So I banished you in disgrace
from the mountain of God.
I expelled you, O mighty guardian,
from your place among the stones of fire.

Ezekiel 28 verses

Ezekiel 28 16 Meaning

Ezekiel 28:16 details the reason and consequence for the downfall of the figure addressed, often understood to be the King of Tyre, but with profound allegorical or typological resonance with Satan's expulsion from heaven. The verse attributes the figure's corruption to the excessive pursuit of commerce, which led to internal violence and sin. This transgression resulted in a divine judgment: God declared the figure profane, casting it out from the holy "mountain of God" and destroying it from its glorious dwelling "amidst the stones of fire." The imagery explicitly identifies this fallen entity as a "covering cherub," denoting a high-ranking angelic being stripped of its privileged status due to its iniquity.

Ezekiel 28 16 Context

Ezekiel 28 is part of a larger section (chapters 25-32) containing prophecies against various surrounding nations. Chapters 26-28 specifically focus on Tyre, a powerful Phoenician maritime city renowned for its wealth, trade, and architectural splendor. Within chapter 28, there's a progression:

• Verses 1-10 are a divine indictment and lament specifically against the King of Tyre, portraying his self-exaltation ("I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods") and promising his violent end by the hands of ruthless foreign armies.
• Verses 11-19, which includes verse 16, shifts to a highly symbolic and allegorical "lament over the King of Tyre." The imagery used in this section (Eden, precious stones, mountain of God, covering cherub) transcends that of a mere human monarch, pointing to a primeval, celestial, pre-fall existence. This strongly suggests a dual interpretation where the earthly King of Tyre acts as a type or proxy for a more ancient, significant rebellion – often understood as the fall of Satan. The passage details his original perfect state, his pride and corruption resulting from his commercial activity or innate spiritual flaw, and his consequent expulsion from the divine presence and utter destruction.

Historically, Tyre's immense commercial success led to arrogance, self-sufficiency, and exploitative practices. The prophetic message condemns this pride and self-worship, whether it's the city-state, its ruler, or the deeper spiritual force operating behind such earthly kingdoms.

Ezekiel 28 16 Word analysis

• By the abundance (בְּרֹ֣ב - bə·rōḇ): From the root רב (rav), meaning "much, great, abundant." Signifies an overflowing, excessive quantity. The problem wasn't trade itself, but the sheer excess and obsession with it, implying a shift in primary allegiance.
• of your trade (רְכֻלָּתְךָ֔ - rə·ḵul·lā·ṯə·ḵā): From the root רכל (rakal), "to go about for trade, traffic, peddle." Refers to commerce, merchant activity, or goods. This identifies the catalyst for corruption. It speaks of worldly enterprise and material acquisition.
• you became filled with (מָלְא֣וּ תֽוֹכְךָ֤ - mā·lə·’ū ṯō·wḵ·ḵā): From מלא (mala'), "to fill, be full." "תֽוֹכְךָ֤" (tōwkekhā) means "your inward part" or "your midst." This denotes a deep, internal saturation; the inner being was completely permeated, not superficially affected, but truly corrupted from within.
• violence (חָמָס֙ - ḥā·mās): A strong Hebrew term referring to wrongful conduct, injustice, oppression, cruelty, and actively inflicted injury, often born from malevolence. It signifies a profound moral failure beyond simple mistakes, touching upon malevolent acts against others. This indicates the active expression of corruption rooted in self-interest.
• and you sinned (וַֽתֶּחֱטָ֑א - wat·te·ḥĕ·ṭā'): From חטא (chaṭa'), "to miss the mark, err, sin." A direct declaration of transgression against divine standards. This states the ultimate result of the inner corruption manifesting as concrete actions that violated God's holy requirements.
• therefore (וָאַֽחֶלֶּלְךָ֞ - wā’a·ḥel·le·lə·ḵā): Establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship: sin leads directly to judgment.
• I cast you as profane (וָאַֽחֶלֶּלְךָ֞ - wā’a·ḥel·le·lə·ḵā): From חלל (ḥalal), "to profane, desecrate, defile, pollute." This is a severe act of declaring something no longer sacred or fit for sacred use, effectively removing it from a state of holiness or privilege. It marks a decisive rejection from divine favor and a sacred domain.
• from the mountain of God (מֵהַ֨ר אֱלֹהִ֜ים - mê·har ’ĕ·lō·hîm): A symbolic, exalted place of divine presence, holiness, and dwelling (e.g., Eden, Mount Sinai, Zion). Being cast from it signifies expulsion from a place of intimate relationship with God, protection, and privilege. It symbolizes a loss of a sacred status and location.
• and I destroyed you (וָֽאַבֶּדְךָ֛ - wā’ab·beḏ·ḵā): From אבד (abad), "to perish, be lost, vanish, destroy." This emphasizes the finality and totality of the divine judgment and undoing. It's not just removal, but destruction, signifying a catastrophic and irreversible downfall from glory.
• O covering cherub (כְּר֨וּב מִמְשַׁ֥ח - kərūḇ mimšach): "Cherub" (כְּר֖וּב - kərūḇ) is a specific type of celestial being, often depicted with wings and guarding sacred spaces (Gen 3:24; Exod 25:20). "מִמְשַׁ֥ח" (mimšaḥ) often translated as "anointed" or "who covers/guards." This detail strongly pushes the interpretation beyond a mere human king, suggesting a super-human entity. It describes a being with significant responsibility in a divine context, possibly guarding God's presence or holy items. The cherub was once an elite figure in God's cosmic order.
• from the midst of the stones of fire (מִתּ֖וֹךְ אַבְנֵי־אֵֽשׁ - mit·tōwḵ ’ab·nê-’êš): This evocative phrase suggests a primordial, glorious, and perhaps cosmic setting associated with divine majesty and purity. "Stones of fire" can allude to precious stones (mentioned in 28:13 as its covering) infused with divine light or presence, representing an ethereal, splendid environment, perhaps Eden-like, or a celestial domain. Being cast out signifies complete removal from a state of radiant glory and proximity to God's burning holiness.

Words-group Analysis

• "By the abundance of your trade you became filled with violence, and you sinned": This sequence establishes a direct trajectory from economic overindulgence to internal corruption (violence) and culminating in direct transgression against God (sin). It highlights how worldly ambition, when unchecked and excessive, breeds internal decay and leads to outright rebellion against divine order.
• "therefore I cast you as profane from the mountain of God": This emphasizes God's immediate and righteous response to sin. The expulsion signifies a severe spiritual degradation – the revered is now reviled, the holy is now common. This rejection from God's sacred dwelling is a loss of unique status and divine protection.
• "and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire": This clarifies the identity and scale of the judgment. The "covering cherub" was a magnificent, powerful being, likely occupying a privileged position. Its "destruction" and removal from the "stones of fire" speaks of a cosmic fall from an inherently glorious and divinely illuminated domain, marking a permanent and catastrophic demotion or ruin.

Ezekiel 28 16 Bonus section

The debate surrounding whether Ezekiel 28 refers to the earthly king of Tyre or directly to Satan has profoundly influenced Christian theology. While the immediate historical context applies to Tyre, the descriptive elements—particularly in verses 12-19—like being in Eden, being "the anointed cherub," and residing on "the holy mountain of God," exceed the typical descriptions of human kingship and point towards an angelic being's original pre-fall glory and subsequent rebellion. Many scholars see the King of Tyre as a type, or representative, through whom God addresses the deeper spiritual power of evil (Satan) that often works through human rulers and kingdoms. The verse highlights that this primeval sin was an internal moral failing, born from a spiritual abundance or privilege, that then manifested as "violence" and sin, indicating an active rebellion rather than a passive transgression. This account echoes the broader biblical theme that ultimate spiritual authority rests with God, and rebellion against that authority, regardless of status, incurs devastating judgment.

Ezekiel 28 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 28:16 delivers a powerful indictment and explanation for a catastrophic fall. While ostensibly a lament for the King of Tyre, its highly symbolic language and cosmic scope – "mountain of God," "covering cherub," "stones of fire" – compellingly argue for a deeper allegorical meaning concerning the rebellion and expulsion of Satan from his primordial glory. The verse lays bare the root cause: the "abundance of trade," or worldly pursuits, which rather than being managed for God's glory, cultivated an internal "violence" and led to "sin." This sequence demonstrates how unchecked ambition and the lust for gain corrupt the inner being, prompting actions directly contrary to divine will. God's response is just and severe: a solemn declaration of profanity, signifying irreversible separation from His holy presence, symbolized by the "mountain of God." Furthermore, the "covering cherub," once adorned with unparalleled splendor and dwelling amidst "stones of fire," is utterly "destroyed" from its privileged, glorious cosmic position. The destruction speaks not of annihilation of being, but of ruin from its high office and removal from God's radiant presence and protection. The passage stands as a stark warning against pride, greed, and the corrupting power of material obsession, showing that even the most exalted positions offer no immunity from divine judgment when holiness is violated.