Ezekiel 28 18

Ezekiel 28:18 kjv

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

Ezekiel 28:18 nkjv

"You defiled your sanctuaries By the multitude of your iniquities, By the iniquity of your trading; Therefore I brought fire from your midst; It devoured you, And I turned you to ashes upon the earth In the sight of all who saw you.

Ezekiel 28:18 niv

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.

Ezekiel 28:18 esv

By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you.

Ezekiel 28:18 nlt

You defiled your sanctuaries
with your many sins and your dishonest trade.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it consumed you.
I reduced you to ashes on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.

Ezekiel 28 verses

Ezekiel 28 18 Meaning

Ezekiel 28:18 describes the climactic judgment upon the King of Tyre. It asserts that his immense transgressions, particularly those stemming from the injustice and corruption inherent in his vast commercial endeavors, led to the defilement of his sacred position and influence. As a consequence of this internal spiritual decay and profanity, divine judgment manifests as a devastating fire emanating from within his own being, utterly consuming him. This judgment transforms him into ashes upon the earth, a public and definitive display of his utter destruction and humiliation witnessed by all who once beheld his grandeur.

Ezekiel 28 18 Context

Ezekiel chapter 28 presents a lamentation and prophecy against the prince (verses 1-10) and the king (verses 11-19) of Tyre. This chapter immediately follows prophecies against Sidon, Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city, was renowned for its vast wealth, extensive sea trade, and strategic impregnability, often personifying pride and self-sufficiency.

Verses 1-10 address the "prince of Tyre," highlighting his arrogance, claim to be a god, and reliance on his wisdom and riches rather than the Lord. God promises his demise through a foreign army.

Verses 11-19, where Ezekiel 28:18 resides, escalate the prophecy to the "king of Tyre." This section is often understood on two levels: first, as a direct indictment of the earthly king's (likely Itthobaal III's) exceptional pride, wisdom, beauty, and corruption; second, and more profoundly, as an allegorical description of a powerful, exalted being—often interpreted as Satan or a high angelic figure—who fell from a place of glory and intimate proximity to God. The language used, particularly descriptions of being "in Eden, the garden of God," covered in precious stones, and an "anointed cherub," transcends an earthly king's historical reality. This "king" was perfect until "iniquity was found in" him, specifically linked to the "multitude of his merchandise" and his "violence." Thus, the fall described in verse 18 is the ultimate consequence of this internal corruption and rebellion.

Ezekiel 28 18 Word analysis

• By the multitude of thine iniquities:
  • מֵרֹ֣ב עֲוֹנֶיךָ֙ (meirov avoneykha): "from the abundance of your iniquities." רֹב (rov) signifies abundance or plenitude. עָוֹן (avōn) refers to iniquity, guilt, moral perversion, or punishment for sin. It implies a deeply ingrained corruption, not just isolated acts, suggesting a character profoundly distorted by transgression. This highlights the extensive nature and accumulation of wrongdoing, deeply rooted in the being.
• by the iniquity of thy traffick, (ESV: in the unrighteousness of your trade):
  • בְּרֹ֣ב רְכֻלָּֽתְךָ׃ (berov rekhullatekha): "in the abundance of your merchandise/traffic/trade." רְכֻלָּה (rekhullah) specifically refers to commercial activity, trade, or goods. This explicitly links the source of the "iniquity" (עָוֹן) to his mercantile endeavors. For Tyre, trade was its lifeblood, but here it's depicted as a conduit for sin, driven by greed, exploitation, and dishonest practices, polluting his inner being. The link to 'unrighteousness' here signifies that his business was conducted not in fairness or justice but for selfish gain, leading to oppression.
• thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries;
  • חִלַּ֣לְתָּ מִקְדָּשֶׁיךָ֙ (chillalta miqdasheykh): "you have profaned your sanctuaries." חָלַל (halal) means to profane, defile, pollute, or make common/unholy. It is the direct opposite of קָדַשׁ (qadash - to make holy). מִקְדָּשׁ (miqdash) refers to a holy place, a sanctuary. The plural, "sanctuaries," is crucial. If referring to Tyre, it could imply their pagan temples or their special position as a leading city, desecrated by their immorality. In the allegorical interpretation, it suggests profaning his own inherent sanctity, the sacredness of his being or position given by God, possibly his holy dwelling place or relationship with the divine. It implies an internal corruption that turned his holy endowments into something defiled and common.
• therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee,
  • וָאוֹצִ֣א אֵ֤שׁ מִתּוֹכְךָ֙ (vaotzi esh mittovekhah): "so I brought forth fire from your midst." This is highly significant. אֵשׁ (esh) is fire, often an instrument of divine judgment. The phrase מִתּוֹכְךָ֙ (mittovekhah), "from your midst/within you," points to an internal source of destruction. It is not an external force or enemy, but the fire of judgment originates from the King's own inner being, fueled by his iniquities and profanation. This emphasizes that sin and rebellion carry within them the seeds of their own destruction. It's an outworking of his self-corrupted nature.
• it shall devour thee,
  • הִ֣יא אֲכָלַ֔תְךָ (hi achalatekha): "it consumed you." The feminine pronoun הִיא (hi) refers back to "fire." אָכַל (akal) means to eat, consume, or devour. The fire utterly consumes the King, implying a complete and total destruction, not just external damage.
• and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth
  • וָאֶתֶּנְךָ֙ לְאֵ֥פֶר עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ (va'etnəkha l'efer al-ha'aretz): "and I will turn you into ashes on the earth." אֵפֶר (epher) means ashes, symbolizing complete destruction, nothingness, and humiliation. עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ (al-ha'aretz) "upon the earth" emphasizes his demotion from exalted heights to the lowest state, ground into the dust, completely annihilated.
• in the sight of all them that behold thee.
  • לְעֵינֵי֙ כָּל־רֹאֶ֔יךָ (l'eyney kol-ro'eicha): "in the eyes/sight of all who see you/behold you." This public aspect of judgment ensures that the downfall is not only thorough but also observed, serving as a deterrent and a vindication of God's righteous judgment before others who witnessed his former glory and pride.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "By the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick...": This grouping explicitly states the root causes of the king's downfall. "Multitude of iniquities" covers the breadth of his moral failings, while "iniquity of thy traffick" zeroes in on the primary means through which his sin manifested and expanded – through the exploitation and greed inherent in his extensive commercial empire. It's a progressive cause-effect chain: rampant iniquity expressed through corrupt trade.
• "...thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee...": This powerful causal statement links the King's internal defilement ("profaned thy sanctuaries") directly to God's ensuing judgment. The consequence is severe and tailored: the internal corruption (sanctuaries implying intrinsic or spiritual sacredness) leads to an internal consuming judgment (fire from the midst of thee). It is a self-generated destruction, orchestrated by divine decree.
• "...it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.": This phrase encapsulates the total, visible, and humiliating nature of the judgment. From initial consumption ("devour") to ultimate reduction ("ashes upon the earth"), the judgment is complete. The added phrase "in the sight of all them that behold thee" emphasizes the public spectacle and undeniable finality, marking the irreversible fall from splendor to nothingness, observed by the very people who admired his past eminence.

Ezekiel 28 18 Bonus section

The allegorical interpretation of Ezekiel 28, especially concerning verses 11-19, often identifies the "King of Tyre" as a veiled reference to Satan. The language of being "in Eden," "perfect in beauty," an "anointed cherub," and the focus on an internal origin of sin before being cast out resonates strongly with biblical descriptions and traditional understandings of Satan's fall (e.g., Isa 14:12-15; Lk 10:18). In this context, "thy sanctuaries" could refer to his celestial abode, his sacred position as a high-ranking angelic being, or even his own intrinsic sanctity, all profaned by his ambition and desire for godhood. The "iniquity of thy traffick" might then be reinterpreted metaphorically as his corrupt dealings and machinations within the heavenly realms or with humanity, leading to violence and spiritual exploitation. The "fire from the midst of thee" would then signify the inherent consuming nature of his pride and rebellion, leading to his eventual eternal torment. This adds a cosmic dimension to the consequences of sin, extending beyond an earthly king to an arch-spiritual adversary.

Ezekiel 28 18 Commentary

Ezekiel 28:18 provides a stark summary of the King of Tyre's downfall, whether literal or allegorical, underscoring fundamental spiritual truths. The verse emphasizes that judgment is fundamentally a consequence of deeply rooted internal corruption and rebellion. The "multitude of iniquities" signifies an overwhelming burden of sin, not just isolated acts, while the "iniquity of thy traffick" specifies how his ambition for wealth, power, and prestige, detached from divine justice, became a primary source of this corruption.

His "profaning thy sanctuaries" speaks to a desecration of that which was inherently sacred—whether his own position and endowments bestowed by God, or his intrinsic dignity. This internal defilement sets the stage for the dramatic and self-generated judgment: "fire from the midst of thee." This phrase is profound, indicating that sin carries within it the seeds of its own destruction; the judgment isn't merely an external attack but the culmination of internal decay erupting destructively. God, in His justice, allows this self-consumption.

The outcome, reduction "to ashes upon the earth," signifies total obliteration, public humiliation, and an irreversible descent from exalted pride to abject non-existence, witnessed by those who once marveled at his splendor. It serves as a timeless warning against the perils of pride, materialism, and internal corruption that lead to ultimate self-destruction and divine judgment.