Ezekiel 28 4

Ezekiel 28:4 kjv

With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:

Ezekiel 28:4 nkjv

With your wisdom and your understanding You have gained riches for yourself, And gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

Ezekiel 28:4 niv

By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.

Ezekiel 28:4 esv

by your wisdom and your understanding you have made wealth for yourself, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries;

Ezekiel 28:4 nlt

With your wisdom and understanding you have amassed great wealth ?
gold and silver for your treasuries.

Ezekiel 28 verses

Ezekiel 28 4 Meaning

Ezekiel 28:4 declares that the ruler of Tyre acquired immense material wealth, specifically gold and silver, and stored them in his treasuries. The verse explicitly attributes this accumulation to the king's own wisdom and understanding, highlighting a deep sense of self-reliance and pride in his abilities, rather than acknowledging divine providence or guidance. It sets the stage for God's judgment by revealing the source of the king's inflated self-perception and his material prosperity.

Ezekiel 28 4 Context

Ezekiel chapter 28 presents an oracle of judgment against the ruler of Tyre, often understood as a prophecy with a dual layer: referring both to the historical king (likely Ethbaal or Ittobaal II) and, allegorically, to Satan as the spiritual force behind the king's pride. This specific verse, Ezekiel 28:4, falls within the initial segment (vv. 1-10) directly addressing the king of Tyre. The city of Tyre was a powerful and wealthy Phoenician city-state, renowned for its extensive maritime trade, its strategic location on an island, and its seemingly impenetrable defenses. The king's perceived wisdom and prosperity were legendary, fueling an unparalleled arrogance that he attributed to his own divine-like nature (Ezek 28:2).

The passage directly confronts the Tyrian king's self-deification, contrasting his mortal, self-generated wisdom and wealth with the eternal, divine wisdom and sovereignty of Yahweh. The entire oracle highlights the dangers of human pride, self-sufficiency, and reliance on material riches, which inevitably lead to downfall when not aligned with God's will. It critiques the pervasive pagan belief in human capability without acknowledging a higher divine source, positing a polemic against the regional deities and human-centric power structures.

Ezekiel 28 4 Word analysis

• By your wisdom (בְּחָכְמָתְךָ, bᵉ·choch·maṯ·kā):

  • wisdom (חָכְמָה, chokmah): Refers to sagacity, skill, prudence, or intelligence. In biblical context, true chokmah often originates from God (Prov 9:10). Here, however, it is his wisdom, an internal, human-derived attribute. It signifies the shrewdness and practical intellect applied in commerce and statecraft that made Tyre a formidable power. This wisdom is depicted as earthly and self-attributed, fostering pride rather than acknowledging God.

• and your understanding (וּבִתְבוּנָתְךָ, ū·viṯ·ḇū·nāṯ·kā):

  • understanding (תְּבוּנָה, tevunah): Similar to chokmah, denoting discernment, insight, and the ability to grasp connections and implications. It often complements wisdom, referring to the practical application of wisdom. The pairing reinforces the king's reliance on his intellectual capabilities and cleverness in economic strategy.

• you have made yourself rich (וַתַּעַשׂ־חַיִל, va·ta'aś chayil):

  • made yourself rich (literally, "and you have made strength/wealth"): Chayil (חַיִל) can mean strength, might, ability, wealth, or riches. The phrase emphasizes the king's active agency and self-generation of wealth, rather than receiving it passively or as a blessing. This is a core element of his pride—he credits himself.

• and have gathered (וַתָּבֵא, va·ta·ve):

  • gathered (lit. "brought in"): Implies deliberate collection and accumulation. This word highlights the conscious effort and success in acquiring wealth through Tyrian mercantile activity.

• gold (זָהָב, za·hāv): Precious metal, symbol of ultimate material wealth, power, and luxury in the ancient world.

• and silver (וָכֶסֶף, wā·ḵe·seḵ): Another precious metal, secondary to gold, but still signifying immense riches and economic prowess. The mention of both denotes the full extent of the king's material acquisitions.

• into your treasuries (אֹצְרֹתֶיךָ, ’o·tz·ro·ṯe·ḵā):

  • treasuries (אֹצָר, ōtṣār): Storerooms, vaults for valuable items, or national reserves. This signifies not just acquisition but the secure storage and retention of this wealth, portraying a well-organized and self-sustaining empire. It is a symbol of stability and power based on accumulated resources.

• "By your wisdom and your understanding": This phrase underlines the root of the king's hubris. He views his accomplishments, particularly his wealth, as a direct outcome of his personal sagacity, cleverness, and discerning intellect. There is no mention of divine favor, ethical conduct, or righteous means—only his own internal faculties. This stands in stark contrast to biblical wisdom literature, where true wisdom begins with the fear of the LORD (Prov 9:10). This self-attributed wisdom is worldly, earthly, and driven by self-interest.

• "you have made yourself rich, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasuries": This combines the king's actions with the results, establishing the evidence for his pride. The focus is entirely on material accumulation (gold and silver) stored securely, reinforcing his belief in his own power and the self-generated nature of his wealth. This highlights the dangers of becoming consumed by material success and attributing it solely to human capability, forgetting God's ultimate ownership and sovereignty over all things (Hag 2:8).

Ezekiel 28 4 Bonus section

The concept of "wisdom" and "understanding" as used here by the king of Tyre, contrasted with true divine wisdom, is a recurrent biblical theme. While positive traits when used for God's glory (e.g., in Bezaleel for tabernacle work, Exod 31:3), they become instruments of rebellion and self-aggrandizement when attributed solely to human effort or used to bypass God's authority. This human wisdom is what Paul refers to as the "wisdom of this world" which God makes foolish (1 Cor 1:20). Furthermore, the meticulous accumulation of "gold and silver" for "treasuries" paints a picture of ultimate material security and power in the ancient world, representing the pinnacle of earthly ambition and idolatry. This earthly "treasure" becomes the rival god, competing with the Creator for allegiance, much like the broader theme in Matthew 6:24 about serving God or mammon. The passage sets the stage for a spiritual allegory, where this pride, originally displayed by a human king, mirrors the fall of an even higher being.

Ezekiel 28 4 Commentary

Ezekiel 28:4 encapsulates the king of Tyre's supreme confidence in his own faculties. It attributes the vast riches and treasures of Tyre not to divine blessing or favorable circumstances, but explicitly to the ruler's personal wisdom and understanding. This emphasis on self-reliance is critical, as it forms the basis of his subsequent claim to divine status in Ezekiel 28:2. The king saw his shrewd intellect and discerning mind as the engines of his prosperity, fueling a dangerous hubris. He amassed physical symbols of power—gold and silver—and stored them securely in his own treasuries, creating an illusion of self-sufficiency and invulnerability. This mindset stands in direct opposition to a biblical worldview where God is the ultimate source of all wealth, wisdom, and power, and crediting oneself alone leads to an inevitable fall. The verse lays the foundation for God's judgment against the pride that stems from this self-worship and trust in earthly attainments.