Ezekiel 28 3

Ezekiel 28:3 kjv

Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

Ezekiel 28:3 nkjv

(Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!

Ezekiel 28:3 niv

Are you wiser than Daniel? Is no secret hidden from you?

Ezekiel 28:3 esv

you are indeed wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you;

Ezekiel 28:3 nlt

You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel
and think no secret is hidden from you.

Ezekiel 28 verses

Ezekiel 28 3 Meaning

Ezekiel 28:3 delivers a powerfully sarcastic statement from the LORD through the prophet Ezekiel, addressing the Prince of Tyre. It highlights the prince's extreme arrogance and self-delusion by hyperbolically proclaiming him "wiser than Daniel" and capable of discerning all secrets. This is not a genuine compliment but a sharp, ironic jab at his hubris, which borders on claiming divine omniscience and thereby usurping God's exclusive attributes of boundless wisdom and complete knowledge.

Ezekiel 28 3 Context

Ezekiel 28 begins with a divine oracle against the "prince of Tyre." This verse, specifically, is a direct retort to the prince's boast in verse 2: "Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God... Yet you are a man, and not a god." The prince of Tyre, likely Ithobaal III, due to Tyre's immense prosperity, strategic location, and intellectual sophistication from trade, had developed an overweening pride, viewing himself as possessing superhuman wisdom and even divine authority. Ezekiel's prophecy is not just against a man, but against the spirit of arrogance and self-exaltation that typified the commercial superpower. While the initial verses target a human ruler, the language and escalation of judgment later in the chapter (v. 11-19 against the "king of Tyre" described as an "anointed cherub") broaden the scope to include a deeper, pre-Adamic spiritual rebellion often understood to refer to Satan's fall. Verse 3 sarcastically undermines the very foundation of the prince's self-proclaimed divinity—his supposed unrivaled wisdom—by sarcastically placing him above Daniel, a renowned, divinely gifted figure of wisdom contemporary with Ezekiel himself, making the irony poignant.

Ezekiel 28 3 Word analysis

• Behold (Hebrew: הִנֵּה, hinnēh): An interjection that draws attention, often signifying something remarkable, ironic, or of profound importance. Here, it introduces a pointed and heavily sarcastic observation.
• thou art wiser (Hebrew: חָכָם אַתָּה, ḥāḵām ’attāh - literally "wise are you"):
  • Ḥāḵām (wise): This term denotes skill, understanding, and profound insight. Applied to God, it refers to His omniscience. Here, it is ironically attributed to the Tyrian prince.
  • The structure emphasizes the attribute of "wisdom" placed upon "you," highlighting the self-perception of the prince.
• than Daniel (Hebrew: מִדָּנִיֵּאל, mi-dāniyēl - mi- 'than' + Daniel):
  • Daniel was a well-known contemporary prophet, renowned in his own lifetime for extraordinary wisdom, especially in interpreting dreams and discerning secrets, a wisdom acknowledged as directly from God (e.g., Dan 1:20, 2:27-28, 5:11-12).
  • The comparison is a hyperbole used for biting irony, indicating the Prince of Tyre believed his own understanding surpassed even that of a man divinely gifted. This was an exceptionally audacious claim given Daniel's reputation.
• there is no secret (Hebrew: כָּל־רָז לֹא, kol-rāz lō - literally "all secret not"):
  • Kol (all, every): Implies absoluteness.
  • Rāz (secret, mystery): This is an Aramaic loanword, frequently used in the Book of Daniel for deep, hidden matters or divine mysteries (e.g., Dan 2:18-19, 27-30). Its use here may be deliberate, underscoring the kind of hidden knowledge Daniel was known for.
  • Lō (not, no): A negation, signifying absence.
• that can be hidden from thee (Hebrew: נֶעְלָם מִמְּךָ, neʿĕlām mimmeḵā - literally "hidden from you"):
  • Neʿĕlām (hidden, concealed): From the verb ’ālam 'to hide,' often implies something obscure or kept from human knowledge, typically known only to God.
  • Mimmeḵā (from you): Indicates the complete inability for anything to escape his supposed knowledge.
  • This phrase emphasizes the absolute and universal extent of the prince's self-attributed knowledge, claiming an attribute exclusively belonging to an omniscient God (Heb 4:13).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel": This opening phrase is the core of the ironic condemnation. It directly addresses the prince's inflated self-perception by setting up a ludicrous comparison to an undeniably wise figure, emphasizing the profound depth of his spiritual pride and delusion. The phrase hints at the blasphemous nature of such self-exaltation.
• "there is no secret that can be hidden from thee": This extension of the opening statement articulates the full scope of the prince's arrogant claims. By declaring that no mystery or hidden truth is beyond his grasp, the prince essentially attributes omniscience to himself. This encroaches directly upon God's unique attribute of possessing all hidden knowledge, thus cementing his self-deification.

Ezekiel 28 3 Bonus section

The direct reference to "Daniel" in this verse, a historical figure contemporary with Ezekiel, not only personalizes the divine critique but also sharpens its ironic edge. Daniel's wisdom was recognized as supernatural, granted directly by God, making the Tyrian king's self-comparison not just arrogant, but deeply blasphemous in claiming to possess such insight inherently or by human effort. This verse also implicitly foreshadows the broader spiritual reality explored in Ezekiel 28:11-19. The human pride expressed by the Prince of Tyre in desiring ultimate wisdom and autonomy mirrors the primeval pride and fall of the "anointed cherub," Satan. The prince's ambition to be "wiser than Daniel" and to possess all secrets is, in a human sphere, a reflection of that original rebellion against God's supreme authority and knowledge.

Ezekiel 28 3 Commentary

Ezekiel 28:3 functions as divine satire, a searing indictment of the Prince of Tyre's towering arrogance. Instead of a compliment, the comparison to Daniel—a man famous for a divinely bestowed wisdom to understand mysteries—is a biting taunt. It underscores the king's self-deceptive belief that his acquired knowledge and human acumen had elevated him beyond mere humanity, endowing him with god-like omniscience, capable of uncovering any hidden truth. This verse brilliantly captures the essence of pride: the fatal flaw of exalting oneself to the position of God, appropriating divine attributes, and forgetting one's creaturely limitations. It sets the stage for the inevitable judgment against such hubris, revealing that genuine wisdom, the ability to discern truly profound secrets, ultimately belongs to God alone and is granted only through humble dependence on Him. The prince's boast exposes his fundamental blindness to the true source of all wisdom, rendering his worldly sagacity foolish in God's eyes.