Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezekiel 28

2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, thus saith the Lord GOD; because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said I am a god , I sit in the seat of GOD , in the midst of the seas, yet thou art a man , and not GOD, though thou set thine heart as the heart of GOD:

Of.

King, whose name was either Ethbaal, or Ithoba[illegible: 2 letters].

Thou art waxen proud, and aspirest above all reason, and boastest extravagantly in thy self, state, policy and power.

Thought, imagined, or flattered thy self.

Or the mighty and strong one, for so the Heb. is, and perhaps were better so rendred, he gloried in his strength, as if he were a God, the like you have, Isai. 14.14.

As a Magistrate he did bear the name, and authority of God, but he thought not of this, he dreams of the stateliness strength, convenience, safety, and inaccessibleness of his seat, as if he were safe and impregnable as heaven it self.

Subject to all the casualties, sorrows, and distresses of mans state and life, thou art Adam of Earth, not El, nor like unto the mighty one in Heaven.

Thou hast entertained thoughts, which become none but God, thou hast projected things, which none but God can effect, thou hast promised thy self perpetual peace, safety, riches, and happiness in thy self, and from thy self.

Marginal references: Heb. heart.; Isa. 31.3.

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

In thy own thoughts of thy self.

Who was then famous for his wisdom, which was imparted to him from Heaven, chap. 14.20. Dan. 1.20. and 2.20, 48.

That any sort of men can conceal, that thine adversaries shall contrive against thee to thy danger, or hurt; all this Ironically said.

Marginal references: Zech. 9.[illegible: 1 letter].

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

By thy policy in Government, and by thy skill in Trading, for he speaks of that kind of prudence, to which these names are given.

Or made, so the word.

Power, and might, so the Heb. as well as wealth, and riches, and so the Gall. Version reads puissance, the Princes of Tyrus had been prudent, and so increast their power, and interest.

Or made, procured.

Into both his own private purse, and into the publick Treasuries too.

5 By thy great wisdom, and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches , and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches .

Here the eminent degree of this Princes Wisdom is owned.

And, might as well be spared, for, as 'tis not in the Heb. so it rather obscures, then clears the Text, let it be read by thy great Wisdom in thy Traffick, and 'tis very plain, and so the French reads it.

Made great or enlarged.

Thy Power, as ver. 4. let. n.

Exalts it self, carrieth it loftily, and proudly above thy Neighbours, which is not good, above thy self, which is worse, and above God too, which is worst of all, as ver. 2.

Thy puissance at home, and abroad by Nature and Art.

Marginal references: Heb. by the greatness of thy wisdom.

6 Therefore, thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God ;

Vide ver. 2. let. b.

Who doth, as justly he may, design himself, his own glory in all he designeth and worketh, and take the glory to himself, thou hast done so too, designed thy own greatness, and gloried in it.

7 Behold therefore, I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations : and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.

Cause to come.

A forreign People, called strangers for their multitude in the plural, and to intimate how little regard they would have to the Tyrian glory; these strangers were the Babylonian Forces.

A fierce, violent, and cruel Nation, Hab. 1.7, 8.

Pour contempt and stain.

Thy Royal dignity, depose thee from thy Throne, and kill thy Autority and thy Person.

Marginal references: chap. 30.11. and 31.12. and 32.12.; Those beautiful things, in which thy wisdom appeared; either thy noble regular, and strong buildings, or thy beautiful well stored Arsenal, and Army, or the unparallel'd rarities, which all but rudest Souldiers, would esteem, and spare these Monuments of thy Wisdom.

8 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.

These strangers shall s[illegible: 1 letter]ay thee, which is a blemish to the honour of a King thus to be brought to the Pit.

A usual periphrasis of Death and the Grave.

In the plural, because of the many Terrors, Dangers, and Wounds such mee[illegible: 1 letter] with, the successive deaths s[illegible: 1 letter]ain, drowned, eat of fish, cast upon shoar, and become meat to Sea Fowl.

If literally understood, Thou shalt dye as other common Marriners, and be cast overboard, if figuratively; Seas for great distresses, then amidst multitude of deep distresses thou shalt meet with more than one death, be often dying.

9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee I am God: but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.

A cutting taunt, or sarcasm, what will become of thy Godship then?

Wilt thou then dream of Immortality, and Almighty power, when thine Enemy is cutting thy Throat?

Appear then to thy self, and others to be a mortal, weak, conquered man, who dieth a Sacrifice to the Conquerors pride and c[illegible: 1 letter]uelty.

Marginal references: Or, woundeth.

10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised , by the hand of strangers; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD .

Ver, 8. let, h. A Twofold Death, Temporal, and Eternal.

Of the wicked, or an accursed Death, the Iews do express a vile, and miserable Death thus, or the uncircumcised; i. e. Heathens, cruel, and merciless men shall slay thee, and this suits with what follows in the verse, and this was ignominious with the Iews, 1 Sam. 31.4.

O thou proud, self-admiring Prince! Slight not what is threatned, for God, the God of truth hath spoken it.

12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the King of Tyrus, and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum , full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

See chap. 27. ver. 2. let. a, b.

Called Prince, ver. 2. let. b.

In the search into the frame of thy Government, the manage of it, the prosperity thereof, and its Glory, Power, Riches, and Confederacies thou doest think thy self but just to thy Kingdom to account it the perfect Idea of a good Government, that in the Tyrian State nothing is wanting that might be required in a good Government, in the best Government, and so sealest to the premisses; thus vainly puft up thou wilt have it, that fulness of Wisdom, and perfection of Beauty are in thee, but neither thy Wisdom shall prevent, or defeat the attempts of thine Enemies, nor thy Beauty charme their rage, thou shalt fall by them.

13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of GOD : every precious stone was thy covering , the Sardius , Topas , and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx , and the jasper , the sapphire, the emrald, and the carbuncle, and gold: The workmanship of thy tabrets, and of thy pipes, was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

Thou hast dwelt and reigned.

In the midst of all delights, and though nature made thy lot a very barren Rock; thy Art and Industry added to that of thy Progenitors have made it as Pleasant, Rich, and Beautiful, as Eden, that place of all desirable enjoyments.

This is explicative of the former, a Garden is a place of delight, and men have made some delightful to a wonder, but none ever like that God planted: This of Tyre came as near as any, and yet ungrateful, and Atheistical Tyre dreams of Divine Power, and Stability, forgetting Humane frailty, and uncertainty.

Every [illegible: 1 letter]ort of Rich Stones.

Bought to adorn thy Crown, thy Robes, thy Bed, &.c.

Of a R[illegible: 1 letter]d, and by some said to be the Ruby.

Of a yellowish Green.

Of clear, waterish, sparkling colour.

Of a Sea-Green colour, the best.

Resembles the whiteness of the nail of a mans hand.

Of divers colours, but the best Green.

Of Sky colour, or blue.

Green interspersed with Golden spots.

Of flame colour.

Beside the abundance, of which in their publick Treasures much was used about the Clothes, and Robes of this proud Prince, 'tis like these precious stones were set in Gold, that they might the safer be put upon his Garments. This was the acco[illegible: 1 letter]trement of Solemnities, especially of the Coronation, as appears in close of the verse.

Now the Prophet notes their Joys, Musick, and Songs, both to Wind, or Loud Musick, and to softer Musick, as the Lute, and Tabret in the day of their Kings Coronation, and all this Musick on Instruments of most exquisite make, and of their own Artists work too, in this they exceeded as in the other.

Either born, for birth of Princes hath been celebrated with great Joys, or rather in the day of this Kings Coronation, or investiture in the Kingdom and Royal Dignity.

Marginal references: Or, ruby.; Or, chrysolite.; Or, chrysoprase.

14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth: and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God: thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

I would rather keep the order of the words in Hebr. which the French also keep, thou art a Cherub, Anointed, a Protector, or one, who covereth for defence. For thy Wisdom, Power, and Excellency like a cherub, or Angel, for the Sacredness of thy Person, and Office, as the Anointed of God, for the exercise of thy Power and Office, as a Shield, as a Protector of the weak; thus thou art, or thinkest thy self to be, and pridest thy self herein.

I, whom thou forgettest, I have made thee so, set thee above others, this should have been matter of thanks and humility, not of pride, and Atheism. Thus the sarcasm is continued, and he is upbraided for his insolence.

Or thus, in the Holy Mountain a God thou hast been, so 'tis an Ironie. and suits the rest; or else, in pursuance of our version, thou wast advanced to Kingly Dignity, (which David calls a Mountain, Psa. 30.7. Ier. 51.25 Dan. 2.35.) a Sacred Office, and of Divine Institution, and Consecration, and thou hast in pride exalted thy self above me, as well as above men.

In proud, and stately manner.

Surrounded every way in thy Chambers, and Beds, and Clothes with stones, that sparkle like fire, thy Crown, thy Throne, thy Chariots, thy Umbrellas, or Canopies glistering, and dazling Beholders; as if thus also thou wouldest contend with God, who is clothed with light.

15 Thou wast perfect in thy waies from the day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

I think the Prophet continues his Ironie: The Prince of Tyrus would be a God, yes. Now God is perfect in all his wayes, or works: And thou, O Prince, wert so too; wert thou, and from thy Original?

But remember what a God is he, that hath a beginning that was created, that at last was found full of Iniquity? And this reproof, and taunt leads us to look with the Prophet from the proud claim of this Prince to his great miscarriages. If any else will think all these things in the 14th and 15th verses to be asserters of God's bounty to this Prince, and of his great magnificence and state in Hyperboles and allusions: Nothing I have said shall contradict them, for they have their Liberty as I have mine, to think what seems most like the truth.

16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned : therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub , from the midst of the stones of fire.

By, or in, or according to (as the Gall. version) the multitude, or greatness of thy Trading, in Tyrus were Merchants, that Traded in very great Adventures, with vast Stocks, and in mighty Cargoes.

Either as one Trading among them, thou hast violated Justice to promote thine own, and their gain, or hast connived at thy Merchants, when they opprest all they could, or hast contrary to Justice, and Equity supported them in their violence, and judged for them against oppressed Strangers: Thou who wert a King, and wouldest be thought a God, is this like to God, who hates violence, loves Justice, and relieveth the Stranger, and righteth the oppressed?

Either of thy Throne, and Kingly Dignity, vid. ver. 14. let. o, p. or thy fancied and imagined Heaven where thou wouldest be a God, for such Gods of violence, and injustice deserve to be cast out with the aspirng Angels.

Utterly destroy.

Vid. ver. 14. let. n, o.

See ver. 14. let. r.

Thy Merchants have by crafts, where that would, and by violence where craft would not, compassed their unjust designs, as noted chap. 27. ver. 36. This injustice and violence grew, as their Trade did, and filled the City with guilt as fast, as that did with wealth.

These abominable things hast thou done, and now, as an abominable thing, I will throw thee out.

17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty , thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness : I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before Kings, that they may behold thee.

See ver. 2. let. c. d. e. and ver. 5. let. u.

See ver. 12. let. s.

Depraved, or lost thy Wisdom.

By reflecting and gazing on thy own Glory, State, Wealth, and Magnificence, and hast forgotten thou art a man; thou exaltest thy self above Man, above thy Neighbour Kings.

I will bring down thy pride, dethrone thee, and make thee fit in the dust, fully▪ and darken all thy brightness.

Or set thee before men of thy quality, who are, as thou, apt to forget men, themselves, and God as he, who, though he said not I am God, yet Atheist like askt, who is God that I should obey him.

Or that thou mayest be a spectacle, an example, and warning to them, or, that they see thee in chains, or an abused Captive, and despise thee.

18 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 earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

Thou who shouldest have kept all pure in Religion, as thou art King, pretending to Divinity, hast polluted it.

Still there is, as all along from the 14th verse I think there hath been, much of an Irony deriding this proud Prince, an allusion to his pretended Godship. A God hath his Sanctuaries, and thou thine, but they nasty polluted ones.

By the greatness, as as well as number.

Impieties, Irreligion, and Atheism of thy Merchants, as well as by their injustice, falsehood, and oppressions, by their perjuries, breaking Covenants confirmed in the Temples at the Altars, or in the name of their Gods, when thy Trade thrived by these, thou, and they have thought there was nothing Sacred, nor any God above thee.

Impieties, Irreligion, and Atheism of thy Merchants, as well as by their injustice, falsehood, and oppressions, by their perjuries, breaking Covenants confirmed in the Temples at the Altars, or in the name of their Gods, when thy Trade thrived by these, thou, and they have thought there was nothing Sacred, nor any God above thee.

Some civil dissension or occasion of thy injustice shall, like a fire, rise.

Among thy injured malecontents.

Which, like fire in the house, shall burn all up, and waste all, thou shalt never quench it; thy discontented Subjects applying themselves to Nebuchadnezzar with addresses for his Favour, Power, and Royal Justice to relieve them, and to right his own Subjects opprest by Tyre in their Trade, shall enkindle Nebuchadnezzar's rage, and he shall never be appeased, but in thy ruine.

Thou shalt be burnt to Ashes, these cast on the Earth to be scattered abroad, and trampled under feet.

All this done, that all about thee may see, fear; and reverence the Justice, Power, and Holiness of the God of Heaven, who ruleth among men, and knows how to abase proud Atheists.

19 All they that know thee among the people, shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terrour , and never shalt thou be any more.

All, that have heard, seen, or formerly known, thy Riches, Power, Allies, Wisdom, and Vigilance.

Be amazed at the certain news of thy great fall from greatest Glory to greatest reproach.

To all, that hear the bruit hereof, though thou hast been a terror, so the Hebr. to others by thy puissance, and Arms, thou shalt never be so again for ever, and this word hath been made good; Tyre never rose to that greatness, as to be feared by her Neighbours.

Marginal references: chap. 27.36.; Heb. terrors.

21 Son of man, set thy face against Zidon , and prophesie against it.

Vid. chap. 21.2. let. i. and chap. 20. ver. 46. let. o.

Neighbour, and Confederate of Tyrus.

Declare her sins, approaching sorrows, and my Judgments against her.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 letter]sa. 23.4, 12. [illegible: 1 word]. 25.22. [illegible: 1 word] 27.3.

22 And say, Thus saith the Lord God ; behold, I am against thee , O Zidon ; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.

To these Heathen, yet Neighbours of the Jews the Prophet might well suppose the name and greatness of the God of Israel was so known, as to command their attention, when he speaketh.

Provoked by thy sins, I am an adversary to thee, and as such, determine to proceed with thee.

A City in the Northwestfrom Canaan, at the foot of Mount Liban[illegible: 1 letter]s, a Kings Seat of old, and from which Tyrus descended, as a swarm cast out of that Hive. Isa. 23.2. for 'twas a great City in Ioshua's time, Iosh. 11.8. and 19.28. and built by Sidon Canaan's Son, Gen. 10.15. and 1 Chron. 1.13. a famous Mart full of Merchants like Tyre, and as full of sin as riches.

When my Judgments make my Justice, Power, Holiness, Sovereignty, and Truth appear, both you Sidonians, and others about shall confess my Glory, and ascribe Honour to me. I will vindicate my Honour, and Glory, which by thy sins thou hast eclipsed, and I by judgments will illustrate, as Exod. 14.4, 17.

That dwell in thee, and round about thee, all that are concerned for thee.

See chap. 6. ver. 10.

So late do sinners come to any due sense of God's Power, Justice, and Majesty.

The hardned Sinners learn not by any other way, but this, and by this too in the rigours, and repeated executions of it.

Own'd as Holy, Reverenced as just, obeyed as Sovereign, and submitted to as Wise, and Mighty, and a hater of Violence.

23 For I will send into her pestilence , and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side ; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

The Pestilence is one of God's Arrows, and he sends it wheresoever it walks, 'tis one of his sore Judgments, and wasteth where it cometh.

The most dreadful of Diseases, because most deadly, swift, and comes so immediately from the Wrath of God offended with men, this Pestilence attends o[illegible: 1 letter] War, and seldom faileth to make havock in besieged Towns, or Cities.

Bloody War by an Enemy, that shall bring the War to the Gates, nay into the Streets of Zidon.

Fall, be cast down, punisht in the midst of the City.

By her Enemies Sword prevailing, and conquering.

A Description either of the Siege that Sidon should suffer by, or pointing out the multitude of her Enemies on every side agreeing against her.

24 ¶ And there shall be no more a pricking briar unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them ; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

The time intended here is, when after 70 years Captivity, loathing themselves for their Iniquities, and repenting, they return and settle in their own Land.

By these two Metaphors the Prophet points out the troublesom Neighbours of the Jews.

Such as Moab, Ammon, Edom, Tyre, and this Sidon, which on all occasions did grieve, wound, and reproach the Jews, and triumph in the fall of the Jews, and were ever ready, being near.

Contemning both in word and carriage, the Jews, their Religion, Manners, Laws, and their God.

Marginal references: Num. 33.5[illegible: 1 letter] ▪ Josh. 23.13.; See ver. 22. let. k.

25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered , and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land , that I have given to my servant Jacob .

Seventy years is expired, which is the term of their Captive State▪

Move the hearts of my people to come together upon Cyrus Proclamation, and from all parts of that vast Kingdom, prepare for a return to the Country most of them never saw, it was God, who moved Cyrus to give them leave; 'twas as much God's work to stir up the people to return.

The generality of them, those that were Israelites indeed.

Several Nations subjects to the King of Babylon.

By the Babylonish King at first, and afterward, by incident necessity, or their own choice.

Have vindicated my Name, which by them was blasphemed.

I was dishonoured by the Jews in the sight of the Heathen, and I will be honoured by the Jews in their sight, they shall be witnesses of my vindication.

Settle in peace, and for continuance.

In a Land that is theirs, their own, as 'tis often called.

Their Title is of me by deed of Gift, not of late, But

to one that was long since my Servant

To Iacob, Father to these returning Captives. The Heb. repeats the Praeposition, to my Servant, To Iacob, with an Emphasis to mind them of God's faithfulness.

26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despised them round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their GOD.

Which is to be understood comparatively, safer than before, it must be accommodated to the circumstances of Humane condition, in such safety, as excludes continual inward cares, and fears, and perplexities, as 'tis said of Laish, Iudg 18.7. or as in the dayes of Solomon, 1 King. 4.25. or as Iob 11.18, 19.

That seems to intimate, that there might be some attempts as by Sanballat, and Tobias, but God blasted these, or it may refer more properly to the destruction of Babylon, and the Nations Confederate with them, who ruined, and despised the Iews.

Returned Captives.

Shall own, and know by experience, that I am not only the Lord, but their God too.

Marginal references: Or, with confidence.; Jer. 31.5.; Or, spoil.