Ezekiel 28 8

Ezekiel 28:8 kjv

They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:8 nkjv

They shall throw you down into the Pit, And you shall die the death of the slain In the midst of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:8 niv

They will bring you down to the pit, and you will die a violent death in the heart of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:8 esv

They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:8 nlt

They will bring you down to the pit,
and you will die in the heart of the sea,
pierced with many wounds.

Ezekiel 28 verses

Ezekiel 28 8 Meaning

Ezekiel 28:8 pronounces a decisive and humiliating judgment upon the "prince of Tyre." It signifies his absolute downfall from a position of imagined divinity and invulnerability to a common, violent, and inglorious end. The verse describes him being forcefully dragged into the grave or abyss (the "pit"), where he will suffer the fate of those who perish in battle, specifically "the death of those slain." This ignoble demise is particularly significant because it is prophesied to occur "in the heart of the seas," turning Tyre's very source of pride, wealth, and security—its maritime power and island location—into the scene of its utter destruction. It starkly contrasts his earlier self-exaltation to god-like status (Eze 28:2) with the grim reality of a mortal and condemned existence, highlighting the ultimate sovereignty of God over human arrogance.

Ezekiel 28 8 Context

Ezekiel 28:8 is part of a prophetic lament and judgment against Tyre, specifically addressed to its "prince" (Hebrew: nāśî’, ruler). This oracle (Eze 28:1-19) immediately follows pronouncements against surrounding nations and culminates in a particularly strong denunciation of Tyre. The broader historical context is the Babylonian period, with Nebuchadnezzar poised to lay siege to the prosperous Phoenician city of Tyre (a siege which historically lasted for 13 years, 586–573 BC). Tyre was known for its immense wealth, trade, maritime dominance, and fortified island position, leading its leadership to a profound sense of pride and self-sufficiency.

Chapter 28 begins by quoting the prince of Tyre's blasphemous self-exaltation: "Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the heart of the seas...’" (Eze 28:2). He believes his wisdom and wealth made him god-like and invulnerable. The subsequent verses refute this, reminding him that he is but a man and demonstrating God's knowledge of his wickedness. Verse 8, then, directly contrasts this claim of divinity and invincibility with a decree of utter destruction and a mortal, ignoble death. The subsequent verses (Eze 28:9-10) reinforce that he will know he is a man, not God, when he is slain and buried. Following this specific judgment on the human "prince," the oracle expands to address the "king of Tyre" (Eze 28:11-19), often interpreted as a symbolic, deeper spiritual entity behind the earthly ruler, reflecting the cosmic rebellion against God.

Ezekiel 28 8 Word analysis

• They will bring you down (יוֹרִדֻ֙ךָ֜ - yô-ri-ḏu-ḵā):

  • Hebrew: The verb is Hiphil, meaning "to cause to descend" or "to bring down." It emphasizes external force and divine agency, rather than a voluntary or honorable descent. The impersonal "they" refers to God's instruments of judgment, specifically the Babylonian invaders led by Nebuchadnezzar.
  • Significance: This directly negates the prince's self-proclaimed ascent to divine status ("I am a god... in the seat of God"). Instead of ascending, he will be forcibly brought down. It underscores the irreversible trajectory of pride leading to humiliation.

• to the pit (אֶל־שַׁחַת - ’el-šaḥaṯ):

  • Hebrew: Shaḥat often refers to a grave, a pit for decay, corruption, or the underworld (Sheol). It implies not just death but a descent into dishonor and destruction, far from a glorious burial or an eternal, divine abode.
  • Significance: This contrasts sharply with the prince's perceived security in "the heart of the seas" (v. 2). His supposed elevated status will end in the lowest, most undignified place for mortal remains.

• and you will die (וָמַ֗תָּ - wā-mat-tā):

  • Hebrew: wā-mat-tā is a Waw-consecutive Perfect form, indicating a sure and completed action as a direct consequence of previous events.
  • Significance: This simple statement is profoundly powerful. It shatters the illusion of immortality held by the one who proclaimed himself a god. His mortality is reasserted definitively, emphasizing his human frailty despite his great power.

• the death of those slain (מ֤וֹת חֲלָלִים֙ - mōṯ ḥălā-lîm):

  • Hebrew: Mot halalim literally "death of the pierced ones" or "death of the violently slain/wounded." This is a particularly inglorious death, not a natural passing, nor the dignified demise of a king in his bed, but the common, brutal, and often unburied fate of those killed in battle.
  • Significance: This is a polemic against the prince's exalted self-image. For a ruler so proud of his wisdom and power, such a death is the ultimate indignity. It further negates any lingering shred of divine authority he may have claimed.

• in the heart of the seas (בְּלֵ֣ב יַמִּֽים - bə-lêḇ yam-mîm):

  • Hebrew: Belev yamim literally means "in the heart/midst of the seas." This phrase connects directly back to Eze 28:2, where the prince boasted of sitting in the "heart of the seas" as God.
  • Significance: This is poetic irony and direct retributive justice. The very place where Tyre found its strength, protection, and source of pride and wealth—its impregnable island position surrounded by its navy—becomes the setting for its shameful demise. The waters that provided security will witness his end, illustrating that God's judgment can reach even the most secure human strongholds.

Ezekiel 28 8 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis on the prince's humanity, despite his claims of divinity, sets a strong contrast for the subsequent prophecy concerning the "King of Tyre" in Eze 28:11-19. While verse 8 directly addresses the mortal ruler and his ignoble end, the shift in address and description in the later verses (mentioning Eden, blamelessness, wisdom, and later violence and profaning the sanctuaries) suggests a deeper spiritual force at play. Many scholars interpret the "King of Tyre" as an allegory for Satan, whose fall from glory due to pride is seen mirrored in the description, thus adding a cosmic dimension to the theme of judgment against hubris. In this context, the death in the pit of the seas, though specifically for the human prince, symbolically points to the ultimate and irreversible demise awaiting all spiritual and earthly powers that rebel against God and claim divine prerogative.

Ezekiel 28 8 Commentary

Ezekiel 28:8 serves as a chilling denouement to the inflated pride of Tyre's human ruler. Having dared to elevate himself to divine status, secure in his wisdom, wealth, and island fortress, the prophecy reveals his true, vulnerable nature as a mortal. The verse strips away all pretension, not just foretelling death, but a particularly ignoble one: to be violently brought down to the grave like common battle casualties. The pronouncement "in the heart of the seas" is laden with tragic irony, turning the city's greatest asset and perceived defense into the stage for its judgment. This is more than a prediction; it is a profound theological statement affirming Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over all human pride, wealth, and strategic might. It underscores the recurring biblical theme that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, providing a timeless warning against hubris and the delusion of self-sufficiency. This prophecy was concretely fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar's lengthy siege and the subsequent decline of mainland Tyre, with island Tyre later falling to Alexander the Great, proving that no earthly power, however mighty, can withstand divine judgment.