Ezekiel 28:6 kjv
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
Ezekiel 28:6 nkjv
'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Because you have set your heart as the heart of a god,
Ezekiel 28:6 niv
"?'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "?'Because you think you are wise, as wise as a god,
Ezekiel 28:6 esv
therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,
Ezekiel 28:6 nlt
"Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says:
Because you think you are as wise as a god,
Ezekiel 28 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen... you said in your heart... 'I will ascend to heaven...' " | Pride leads to fall; self-exaltation to God's place. |
| Obadiah 1:3-4 | "The pride of your heart has deceived you... Though you soar aloft..." | Pride in secure position brings downfall. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Universal principle of pride's consequence. |
| Prov 18:12 | "Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor." | Haughty heart precedes ruin. |
| Jas 4:6 | "...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | God actively resists pride. |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." | Reinforces God's opposition to pride. |
| Acts 12:21-23 | Herod received no glory for God and was struck down. | Example of a ruler accepting divine claims. |
| 2 Thess 2:3-4 | "...the man of lawlessness... opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship..." | Ultimate human blasphemy against God. |
| Ps 10:4 | "In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, 'There is no God.' " | Internal thought of no God, like a god. |
| Ps 14:1 | "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' " | Inner denial of God. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | "...became futile in their thinking... exchanged the glory of the immortal God..." | Human tendency to substitute God. |
| Jer 17:9 | "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick..." | The corrupting nature of the human heart. |
| Matt 15:19 | "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery..." | The heart as source of wicked intentions. |
| Gen 3:5 | "...you will be like God, knowing good and evil." | The original temptation to be like God. |
| Deut 8:14 | "...then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God..." | Pride in prosperity leading to forgetting God. |
| Ps 73:6-9 | Wicked's pride, eyes bulging out, boastful, setting mouth against heavens. | Depiction of the proud and their blasphemy. |
| Isa 42:8 | "I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other..." | God's exclusive claim to glory. |
| Isa 43:10 | "...that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." | God's unique deity and self-existence. |
| Isa 45:5 | "I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no God." | Reiterates God's singular status. |
| Hab 2:4 | "...behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him..." | Pride of heart as contrary to righteousness. |
| Dan 4:30 | Nebuchadnezzar's pride in Babylon, immediately followed by judgment. | Example of ruler's downfall due to pride. |
Ezekiel 28 verses
Ezekiel 28 6 Meaning
Ezekiel 28:6 states the explicit reason for the coming judgment upon the prince of Tyre: his deliberate act of elevating his inner self, his understanding, and his will to that of a deity. This is a divine declaration, an indictment from the Lord GOD, indicating that Tyre’s ruin is a direct consequence of the prince's blasphemous self-exaltation and rejection of true divine sovereignty.
Ezekiel 28 6 Context
Ezekiel 28 begins with a pronouncement of judgment against the "prince of Tyre." This specific passage (Ezek 28:1-10) describes the prince's pride, wealth, and perceived wisdom, culminating in his audacious claim to be a god sitting in God's seat (vs. 2). Verse 6 serves as the divine "therefore," explicitly linking this act of self-deification—the heart of the prince behaving "like the heart of a god"—to the subsequent and severe judgment of being overthrown by foreign nations, ending his life violently. Historically, Tyre was a wealthy, influential Phoenician city known for its maritime trade and fortifications. Its rulers, enriched by their extensive commerce and strategic location, may have developed a significant sense of invincibility and self-importance. The prophecy functions as a polemic against the prevalent ancient Near Eastern belief in deified rulers and challenges the hubris of human power and wealth in direct opposition to the unique sovereignty of YHWH.
Ezekiel 28 6 Word analysis
- Therefore (לָכֵן - lāḵēn): This adverb marks a logical conclusion or consequence. It introduces God's judgment as a direct and inescapable result of the prince's preceding actions. It emphasizes the cause-and-effect relationship in divine justice.
- thus says (כֹּה אָמַר - kōh ’āmar): A formal and authoritative declaration formula, frequently used by prophets. It signals that the following words are not human opinion but a direct, undeniable message from God Himself.
- the Lord GOD (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - ’Ăḏōnāy Yəhōwih): A powerful divine title combination, often translated as "Sovereign LORD." `’Ăḏōnāy` (Lord) signifies God's absolute mastery and ownership, while `Yəhōwih` (GOD) represents His covenant-keeping, self-existent nature. This combined name reinforces the ultimate authority and immutable character of the one who speaks.
- Because (יַעַן - ya‘an): Introduces the precise reason or justification for the impending judgment. It grounds the divine action in a clear cause, establishing God's righteous basis for His verdict.
- you make your heart (נְתָתָּ הַא לְבָבְךָ - nəṯāttā halləḇāḇəḵā):
- `נְתָתָּ` (nəṯāttā - you have given/made/set): The Hebrew verb nathan means "to give," but here carries the sense of making or setting one's heart in a particular way. It highlights the prince's active, intentional shaping of his inner disposition. This was a conscious choice, not a passive state.
- `לְבָבְךָ` (ləḇāḇəḵā - your heart): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (levav) is the seat of intellect, will, emotion, conscience, and moral choice. It represents the entirety of one's inner being and motives. The prince's innermost self was entirely consumed by this divine aspiration.
- like the heart of a god (כְּלֵב אֱלֹהִים - kəlêḇ ’ĕlōhîm):
- `כְּ` (kə- like/as): This comparative particle directly attributes the characteristic to the heart. It indicates that the prince's inner being—his thoughts, aspirations, and self-perception—has mimicked or assumed the nature of divinity.
- `אֱלֹהִים` (’ĕlōhîm - god/God): This term is singular here, likely referring to a divine being generally, or the divine attributes. The prince desired or claimed the status, prerogatives, and absolute autonomy that belongs only to a divine being, implicitly placing himself on par with or even above YHWH.
Ezekiel 28 6 Bonus section
The specific language "make your heart like the heart of a god" resonates strongly with the serpent's temptation in Genesis 3:5, "you will be like God, knowing good and evil." This highlights a perennial human temptation to transcend created limits and assume divine attributes. The prince of Tyre serves as a parabolic figure, or a type, representing not just an arrogant human ruler but also a manifestation of the "king of Tyre" in Ezekiel 28:11-19, which some scholars interpret as referring to Satan or a demonic power behind the earthly prince, amplifying the cosmic nature of this pride and rebellion. This self-deification implies an ethical dimension too: the belief that one is above accountability, free to decide good and evil, and to rule according to one's own will without reference to divine law or justice. This spiritual state invariably leads to injustice, oppression, and ultimately, divine retribution.
Ezekiel 28 6 Commentary
Ezekiel 28:6 functions as the indictment that justifies God's judgment against the prince of Tyre. His unparalleled wealth, strategic advantage, and wisdom (Ezek 28:4-5) led him not to acknowledge divine providence, but to an astonishing degree of self-aggrandizement. The critical offense is not merely acting like a god, but an internal, fundamental reordering of his "heart"—his very identity, will, and intellect—to mirror a divine being. This deep-seated spiritual pride, seeking self-sufficiency and independence from the true God, constitutes idolatry of the self, directly challenging the singular sovereignty of the Lord GOD. It is the original sin re-enacted: humanity aspiring to be "like God," taking His place. This spiritual hubris invites inevitable divine reckoning, demonstrating that God will not tolerate such usurpation of His unique position and glory.