’Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord Hashem: Because your heart is lifted up, And you have said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, In the heart of the seas; Yet you are man, and not God, Though you did set your heart as the heart of God—
verse value 4874
Insights
Verse structure: 25 words, 95 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Tyre" (צֹ֜ר, 2 letters) and the longest is "son·of·man" (בֶּן־אָדָ֡ם, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 97: son·of·man, to·leader·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "to·leader·of" (לִנְגִ֨יד), "and·she·said" (וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙), "I·have·dwelt" (יָשַׁ֖בְתִּי). The root לב appears 4 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·not·God" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'seas', dividing the verse into phrases of 18 and 7 words.
Rashi
“Throne of God.” he made for himself in the air over the sea, with mechanisms, something like seven firmaments, and he sat upon the uppermost one.
Radak
“Son of man.” Thus far, the verse spoke concerning the city; now it speaks concerning the king.
“I am a god.” That is to say, just as [he said] “I am a god,” meaning that no person can harm me or do evil to me.
"I sat upon the throne of God in the midst of the seas." For I sat in a strong place, for I am in the midst of the seas, and the seas surround me. Who can touch me, like God who sits in the heavens? And all the merchants of the nations serve me and bring me offerings. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "I am a god; I sit in the seat of the mighty in the midst of the seas."
Metzudat David
“Concerning the governor of Tyre.” This refers to the ruler of Tyre.
"I am a god." This means: One who possesses great power, like God.
“I sat in the seat of God.” This means that since I have a separate and guarded place of residence, apart from people, just as God sits in the heavens above, so too I, like Him, sat in the midst of the sea, and no one can come to me.
"And you." But you are a human being, and you do not have power like that of God. How then did you set your heart to equate it with the heart of God? As if to say, "What did you see to engage in this folly?"
Malbim
He said to the ruler of Tyre: Abarbanel has already raised the question that “the ruler of Tyre” is not the king of Tyre who will be mentioned subsequently, and his opinion is that the “ruler” is an official in charge of state affairs, whereas “king” is a different matter. And my opinion on this you will hear subsequently. “Because your heart is lifted up” – the lifting up of the heart is that a person considers himself to be in a degree far superior to what he truly is, and it is an abomination before the Lord, as it is stated, “An abomination to the Lord is everyone whose heart is proud.” Therefore, He said that the punishment destined for him will be because his heart was lifted up to the extent that he attributed divinity to himself, due to his pride of heart, and due to the place where he dwelt, he was separated from human beings, for he sat in the midst of the seas like God, sitting apart from the creatures. And you are a man, not a god – meaning that there were human beings in whom there was divinity due to their soul, such as Moses, the man of God, and Daniel, in whom the spirit of the gods was, but you are only a man and not a god, in whom no divinity is found. Only, “you set your heart like the heart of God” – you assign yourself to this, yet there is no divine emanation in you.
Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that they can hide from you!
verse value 1557
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "than·Daniel" (מִדָּֽנִיֵּ֑אל, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "wise" (חָכָ֛ם), "than·Daniel" ((מדנאל)), "than·Daniel" (מִדָּֽנִיֵּ֑אל). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 213x in Ezekiel); "they" (root הן, 73x in Ezekiel); "you" (root אתה, 62x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'than·Daniel', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: הִנֵּ֥ה [they] (60) + חָכָ֛ם [wise] (68) + אַתָּ֖ה [you] (406) + (מדנאל) [than·Daniel] (125) + מִדָּֽנִיֵּ֑אל [than·Daniel] (135) + כׇּל־סָת֖וּם [every·secret] (556) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + עֲמָמֽוּךָ [they·dimmed·you] (176) = 1557.
Rashi
“Behold, you are wise like Daniel.” Nebuchadnezzar came to make Daniel a god — “and to Daniel he bowed, and an oblation and sweet odors he commanded to offer to him” (Daniel 2:46) — but Daniel did not accept it. And you make yourself a god.
"Every hidden thing is not from your people." This does not mean that they are obscure to you; rather, these are words of taunting — they speak in sarcasm, as if to say: perhaps you are as wise as Daniel, of whom it is said, "No secret is hidden from you" (Daniel 6).
Radak
Behold, you are wiser than Daniel. Daniel is remembered because his wisdom was known in Babylon. "Daniel" is spelled without a yod, and it is pronounced with a dagesh in the letter dalet with a tsere vowel. Even though it is not like the yod in "Jerusalem," which is pronounced with a chirik vowel and is not contained within the word, it says: "Behold, you are wise in your own eyes, more than Daniel."
“Every concealed thing is not hidden from you.” The matters that are obscure and hidden are not concealed from you. The word “hidden” (עממוך) pertains to the concept of concealment and covering, as in “The cedars did not conceal him” (meaning they did not cover him), indicating that this one is transitive, while this one is intransitive; similarly, “How the gold has become dim, its splendor has been hidden and covered” (Lamentations 4:1); and likewise, Jonathan the Aramaic translator rendered it: “And every secret shall not be covered from you.”
Metzudat David
"Behold, a wise man..." – omit the interrogative heh, as if to say: "Are you wiser than Daniel; is there any matter that is obscure and concealed that is not hidden from you?" This is akin to what is stated regarding Daniel: "No secret shall be hidden from you" (Daniel 7:22).
Metzudat Zion
"Conceal you." The matter of concealment and covering is like [the verse] "The cedars have not concealed it" (below, 31):
Malbim
Behold, that is to say: could you possibly compare yourself to Daniel, whom Nebuchadnezzar called by the name of a deity on account of his wisdom, as it is stated, “To Daniel, sacrifice and incense” (Daniel 2:46), saying, “Let them make an offering to him,” and he did not accept this upon himself? And are you so wise, more than Daniel, that no hidden matter eludes you? That is, it will not be found with you that anything is hidden, in a tone of astonishment.
By your wisdom and by your discernment You have gotten you riches, And have gotten gold and silver Into your treasures;
verse value 3945
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לְּךָ֖, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·your·treasuries" (בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶֽיךָ, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "in·your·wisdom" (בְּחׇכְמָֽתְךָ֙), "and·in·your·understanding" (וּבִתְבוּנָ֣תְךָ֔), "in·your·treasuries" (בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶֽיךָ). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·did" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel); "to·you" (root לך, 29x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּחׇכְמָֽתְךָ֙ [in·your·wisdom] (490) + וּבִתְבוּנָ֣תְךָ֔ [and·in·your·understanding] (886) + עָשִׂ֥יתָ [you·did] (780) + לְּךָ֖ [to·you] (50) + חָ֑יִל [strength] (48) + וַתַּ֛עַשׂ [and·you·did] (776) + זָהָ֥ב [gold] (14) + וָכֶ֖סֶף [and·silver] (166) + בְּאוֹצְרוֹתֶֽיךָ [in·your·treasuries] (735) = 3945.
Rashi
“You have made for yourself wealth.” You have acquired for yourself property:
"And she made gold and silver." And the Targum [renders it]: "And she gathered."
Radak
“With your wisdom.” And you thought that with your wisdom and your understanding you acquired for yourself might, just as the king of Assyria boasted, saying, “With the strength of my hand I have done it, and with my wisdom, for I am endowed with understanding.”
“עשית, ותעש” – The meaning is gathering and collecting, as in “ותעש הארץ” (the land brought forth), and “עשה לי את החיל הזה” (make for me this army): “חיל” here refers to property, as in “את החיל הזה” (this property).
Metzudat David
"In Your wisdom." And did You create for Yourself strength and might through Your wisdom, and gather gold and silver into Your treasuries?
Metzudat Zion
Chayil. The meaning is strength and might, as in “He girded me with strength” (Psalms 18:33).
And she made. The sense is of gathering and assembling, as in “and the souls that they had acquired in Haran” (Genesis 12:5).
Malbim
“With your wisdom” — as if you have acquired your strength through your wisdom? Even your wealth, in which you boast, because you have amassed it as one who performs a task through practical wisdom, so that you turn gold and silver into your treasuries, knowing the craft of alchemy or the power of hidden things, such that the lesser metals placed in your treasuries are transformed into gold and silver, or that gold and silver are produced there according to hidden wisdom and talismans — no, you have not gathered your wealth in this manner. Rather, through the great wisdom of your mercantile dealings, it is through your “wisdom,” which is nothing more than the trade of buying and selling, that you have increased your strength. And this is not wisdom at all, but rather deceit, fraud, and swindling, by means of which you draw the money of others to yourself. Every merchant knows this. How then has your heart become haughty over your strength? Is this any proof at all that there is a divine manifestation in you?
In your great wisdom by your traffic Have you increased your riches, And your heart is lifted up because of your riches—
verse value 2199
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. Notable word values: "and·it·was·lifted·up" (וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·abundance·of" (בְּרֹ֧ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "by·your·traffic" (בִּרְכֻלָּתְךָ֖, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "by·your·traffic" (בִּרְכֻלָּתְךָ֖), "be or become great" (הִרְבִּ֣יתָ), "and·it·was·lifted·up" (וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ). The root חיל appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·abundance·of" (root רב, 52x in Ezekiel); "and·it·was·lifted·up" (root גבה, 22x in Ezekiel); "be or become great" (root רבה, 21x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·strength', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּרֹ֧ב [in·abundance·of] (204) + חׇכְמָתְךָ֛ [your·wisdom] (488) + בִּרְכֻלָּתְךָ֖ [by·your·traffic] (672) + הִרְבִּ֣יתָ [be or become great] (617) + חֵילֶ֑ךָ [your·strength] (68) + וַיִּגְבַּ֥הּ [and·it·was·lifted·up] (26) + לְבָבְךָ֖ [your·heart] (54) + בְּחֵילֶֽךָ [in·your·valor] (70) = 2199.
Radak
In the majority. It is clear:
“Your host,” “in your host.” This refers to either your property or your military forces. And so did Jonathan render it: “from your camp.”
Metzudat David
"ברוב" (In abundance). And indeed, "in the abundance of your wisdom," in the great quantity of merchandise that you have traded, and indeed, by this have you increased your wealth, so that your heart has become haughty because of your wealth, as if to say: "Do not all things come from the hand of the Lord? What do you have to boast about in this?"
Metzudat Zion
Your wealth. The matter of wealth, as it is said, “He shall carry up the wealth of Damascus” (Isaiah 40:2).
Therefore thus says the Lord Hashem: Because you have set your heart As the heart of God;
verse value 2000
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֑ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 2000 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֥ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "your·heart" (אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·setting" (תִּתְּךָ֥), "your·heart" (אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֕ן [therefore] (100) + כֹּ֥ה [thus] (25) + אָמַ֖ר [said] (241) + אֲדֹנָ֣י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִ֑ה [Hashem] (26) + יַ֛עַן [because] (130) + תִּתְּךָ֥ [your·setting] (820) + אֶת־לְבָבְךָ֖ [your·heart] (455) + כְּלֵ֥ב [as·heart·of] (52) + אֱלֹהִֽים [God] (86) = 2000.
Metzudat David
"Your heart has led you astray." You have set your heart to liken it to the heart of God.
Malbim
Therefore, thus says the Lord: Because you have given [your heart], as it is written, "Every proud heart is an abomination to the Lord," assuredly, he shall not go unpunished.
Therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you, The terrible of the nations; And they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, And they shall defile your brightness. .
verse value 3425
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "therefore" (לָכֵ֗ן, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·shall·draw" (וְהֵרִ֤יקוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "against·beauty" (עַל־יְפִ֣י), "your·splendour" (יִפְעָתֶֽךָ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "bringing" (root בוא, 175x in Ezekiel); "their·swords" (root חרב, 102x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root עריץ ("awe-inspiring") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: לָכֵ֗ן [therefore] (100) + הִנְנִ֨י [they] (115) + מֵבִ֤יא [bringing] (53) + עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ [upon·you] (130) + זָרִ֔ים [strangers] (257) + עָרִיצֵ֖י [awe-inspiring] (380) + גּוֹיִ֑ם [nations] (59) + וְהֵרִ֤יקוּ [and·they·shall·draw] (327) + חַרְבוֹתָם֙ [their·swords] (656) + עַל־יְפִ֣י [against·beauty] (200) + חׇכְמָתֶ֔ךָ [your·wisdom] (488) + וְחִלְּל֖וּ [and·they·shall·profane] (80) + יִפְעָתֶֽךָ [your·splendour] (580) = 3425.
Rashi
“And they drew their swords.” According to its plain meaning, and in an aggadic exposition: “Lying with a male” refers to those who were sexually penetrated like women. Three individuals made themselves into gods and were sexually penetrated like women: Joash, son of Ahaziah, as it is stated (2 Chronicles 24:25), “And they executed judgments on Joash”; Hiram; and Nebuchadnezzar.
“Your beauty.” “Your appearance” is an expression denoting the countenance of the face, and the Midrash interprets it as “the beauty of your time.”
Radak
Therefore, "upon the beauty of your wisdom." The yod is written with a shva, and its meaning is: "And they emptied their swords upon the beauty of your wisdom," by way of metaphor, meaning that your wisdom will be ruined by your sword; or according to its literal meaning, upon the army that he multiplied through the abundance of his wisdom.
“Your beauty.” Your radiance, from [the verse] “He shone forth from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2); [the noun] yif'ah is on the pattern of simlah (garment).
Metzudat David
"Strangers." These are foreign nations, mighty peoples: the Chaldeans.
"And they emptied." "They will draw their sword" – meaning, you will not be helped to escape by the beauty of your wisdom; rather, they will draw their sword against you.
"And they shall profane it." They shall despise the splendor of your understanding, and they shall not withhold their sword from blood, on account of the wisdom found in you.
Metzudat Zion
Strangers. Non-Jews:
Arutz. The matter is one of strength, as it is written: “Like a mighty, tyrannical warrior” (Jeremiah 20:11).
“and they emptied.” From the language of “empty,” meaning they will draw out and empty from its sheath. And similarly, “and I will empty the sword” (above 5:13).
Your splendor. The meaning is a radiant glow, and similarly, “He appeared from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2).
Malbim
“Strangers will not have pity on your honor, and the tyrants of the nations—you will not be able to stand against them. They will empty their swords upon the beauty of your wisdom, which is your wealth; and they will also profane your splendor, the divine manifestation that you attribute to yourself, by bringing it into the realm of the profane.”
They shall bring you down to the pit; And you shall die the deaths of them that are slain, In the heart of the seas.
verse value 2133
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "slain" (חָלָ֖ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·shall·bring·you·down" (יוֹרִד֑וּךָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "they·shall·bring·you·down" (יוֹרִד֑וּךָ), "and·you·will·die" (וָמַ֛תָּה), "deaths·of" (מְמוֹתֵ֥י). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "slain" (root חלל, 67x in Ezekiel); "and·you·will·die" (root מות, 48x in Ezekiel); "seas" (root ים, 34x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·shall·bring·you·down', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: לַשַּׁ֖חַת [to·corruption] (738) + יוֹרִד֑וּךָ [they·shall·bring·you·down] (246) + וָמַ֛תָּה [and·you·will·die] (451) + מְמוֹתֵ֥י [deaths·of] (496) + חָלָ֖ל [slain] (68) + בְּלֵ֥ב [in·heart·of] (34) + יַמִּֽים [seas] (100) = 2133.
Radak
To corrupt, and it died. There is in it from the root only the mem, and its base is "matat" on the pattern of “shabat” and “qamat”, and the tav of the verb is absorbed in the dagesh of the tav that is found and written in it; and the quiescent letter after the tav is written in it.
"Deaths." This is a noun following the pattern of the plural construct, as in the entrances of a breached city. The reason for the plural is that it says, "You shall die many deaths," meaning through many piercings, like the deaths of a slain person who is pierced with many piercings until he dies. Likewise, one who drowns does not die all at once. Therefore, it says, "in the heart of the seas." Or its interpretation is: "And you, who were arrogant in the heart of the seas, shall die by the hand of the tyrants of the nations, a strange death, through many piercings."
Metzudat David
"To destroy. The enemy will cast you down into the pit of the grave, and you will die as well, like the death of the rest of the slain, even though you are in the heart of the seas, in a guarded place."
Metzudat Zion
To the Pit. The pit of the grave:
Malbim
"To the Pit they shall bring you down, that you be slain; and this is proof that you are not eternal. And you shall die the death of a slain person in disgrace, for this is proof that there is in you no honor nor divine manifestation."
Will you yet say before him that slays you: I am God? But you are man, and not God, In the hand of them that defile you.
verse value 2111
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 45 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֣ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "I" (אָ֔נִי, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·defilers" (מְחַלְלֶֽיךָ, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "indeed" (הֶאָמֹ֤ר), "you·shall·say" (תֹּאמַר֙), "your·slayer" (הֹרְגֶ֑ךָ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "indeed" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "and·not·God" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·slayer', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 5 words. Full calculation: הֶאָמֹ֤ר [indeed] (246) + תֹּאמַר֙ [you·shall·say] (641) + אֱלֹהִ֣ים [God] (86) + אָ֔נִי [I] (61) + לִפְנֵ֖י [to·face·of] (170) + הֹרְגֶ֑ךָ [your·slayer] (228) + וְאַתָּ֥ה [and·you] (412) + אָדָ֛ם [man] (45) + וְלֹא־אֵ֖ל [and·not·God] (68) + בְּיַ֥ד [in·hand·of] (16) + מְחַלְלֶֽיךָ [your·defilers] (138) = 2111.
Rashi
"Your desecrator." Like "your killer":
Radak
"Will you indeed say?" [Regarding] 'your profaner'—it is like 'your slayer,' and it is from the Piel binyan, and its dagesh has fallen away, and it comes from [the root] chalal, as in chalalim (the slain).
Metzudat David
That which is stated. And is it only before those who come to kill you that you would say, “I am God,” and “Why would you kill me?”—as if to say, “If you are God, they will not be able to kill you.”
"And you." But in truth, you are a human being and not a God, in the hands of those who make you a corpse and kill you.
Metzudat Zion
Those who slay you. From the language of "slain" and "killing":
Malbim
Will you say [that you are a god]? “Is it not the case that, since they kill you, you will be unable to claim, ‘I am God’? And since they desecrate you and expose you to the profane through humiliation, this will serve as proof that you are a human being and not a deity, for no divine spirit is found in you, as you are merely a human being with no divine power mixed within you.”
You shall die the deaths of the uncircumcised By the hand of strangers; For I have spoken, says the Lord Hashem.’
verse value 2814
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 41 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "by·hand·of·strangers" (בְּיַד־זָרִ֑ים, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "deaths·of" (מוֹתֵ֧י). The root מות appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel); "I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root ערל ("forbidden") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'by·hand·of·strangers', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: מוֹתֵ֧י [deaths·of] (456) + עֲרֵלִ֛ים [forbidden] (350) + תָּמ֖וּת [you·shall·die] (846) + בְּיַד־זָרִ֑ים [by·hand·of·strangers] (273) + כִּ֚י [for] (30) + אֲנִ֣י [I] (61) + דִבַּ֔רְתִּי [I·have·spoken] (616) + נְאֻ֖ם [utterance] (91) + אֲדֹנָ֥י [my·lord] (65) + יֱהֹוִֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2814.
Radak
“With the death of the uncircumcised shall you die.” There, he said that the word “death” (mot) is in the construct state (smikhut), like “from guilt, guilts” (min avon avonim); and nearby it says “my death” (moti), and similarly, “and the rich in his deaths” (ve’et ha’ashir b’motav).
"Uncircumcised." As its Targum [renders it]: "wicked ones," meaning: uncircumcised in heart.
Metzudat David
"Your death shall be like that of the uncircumcised." Just as the death of the wicked, who are uncircumcised in heart, [is so], so too you shall die at the hands of strangers, and not by your own hand.
"For I have spoken. And it is in My power to fulfill My words:"
Metzudat Zion
"Uncircumcised." Uncircumcised of heart, and so too the Targum: "wicked ones."
Malbim
“Your death shall be like the death of the uncircumcised; they shall not kill you as a king and a man of God are killed, but rather as the uncircumcised are killed, in disgrace.”
’Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him: Thus says the Lord Hashem: You seal most accurate, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,
verse value 4169
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לּ֗וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "forgive" (שָׂ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "son·of·man" (בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם, 5 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "for·king" (עַל־מֶ֣לֶךְ), "seal" (חוֹתֵ֣ם), "measurement" (תׇּכְנִ֔ית). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Tyre', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 13 words.
Rashi
"You seal the plan, etc. You are full of wisdom to seal and stamp every pattern and form:"
Plan. In Old French: "Poyntur."
Radak
"Son of man." You are the seal of the plan. It completes the plan, because the totality is complete in you, and the plan is a noun on the pattern of gofrit [sulfur], because the letter tav is a root letter. And similarly, "and they measured the plan" means the content of all wisdom, honor, and wealth. And so he explained, "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." And Jonathan translated, "of the measure of the form that is perfected in wisdom and is completed in its beauty."
“In Eden, the garden of God.” This implies: You were like Eden, the garden of God, lacking nothing. And Jonathan rendered it: “In the abundance of your good things and your delicacies, you were pampered,” as if to say: “In Eden, the garden of the Lord, you were established; all wealth, majesty, and honor were given to you.”
“Eden, the garden.” This is equivalent to “in Eden, in the garden,” where the letter bet in “be’Eden” stands in place of two words. Alternatively, “Eden” may be written adjacent to “garden,” even though in most instances “garden” is written adjacent to “Eden,” and these were two distinct places, as it is written: “A river went forth from Eden to water the garden.”
Metzudat David
The seal of perfection. A form that is prepared and perfected in every matter, and it returns and interprets: full of wisdom, etc.
Metzudat Zion
Seal. This means a form, as it is said: “It is turned as clay to the seal” (Job 38:14), where the word is likened to a seal impression.
Tochnit. The word means preparation and repair, and similarly, "their ways shall not be made straight" (above 18).
And it is complete. From the language of "all," meaning: it is encompassed in all the beauty that is possible to exist.
Malbim
"Arise, lament for the king of Tyre" — our Sages of blessed memory stated in the Midrash that Hiram, Solomon’s friend, was alive until that time and was slain by Nebuchadnezzar. And there is a Midrash that Hiram entered the Garden of Eden alive. And all of this they derived from the verses found here. And according to the plain meaning, Hiram of Solomon’s days was remembered with great honor because he entered into a covenant with David and Solomon and assisted in the building of the Temple. And they believed that he merited to dwell in the lower Garden of Eden, like all the pious of the nations, and that there were ten canopies for him. And after he died, the people did not accept another king, but rather they handed over the governance of the state into the hands of a prince. And they depicted the image of Hiram as sitting on his throne with ten canopies over him of precious stones, as if he were sitting in the Garden of Eden. They also depicted his banner in the form of a cherub made of olive wood, overshadowing the Ark. Since two cherubim were made of olive wood, they said that one alludes to Solomon and the other to Hiram, who participated in its construction. And all of this they attributed either to his image, or to the fact that they placed a wise and handsome man in his stead, who did not engage in the governance of the state, as if he were Hiram sitting in the Garden of Eden, and they called him "the king of Tyre" because he was Hiram himself according to their imagination. And after prophesying against the prince of Tyre, who was engaged in the governance of the state, He prophesied against the king of Tyre, who was considered divine and holy among them. Thus says the Lord God: "You are the seal of perfection" — meaning, even though you are not Hiram himself, but only his seal, in which his form and essence are engraved in you, you are the seal of perfection, in that his form is engraved in you in a proper manner, lacking nothing. In wisdom, you are full of wisdom; in beauty, you are complete in beauty (or: the totality and crown of beauty). (And this is valid whether it refers to the one standing in his stead or to his image).
you were in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the carnelian, the topaz, and the emerald, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the carbuncle, and the smaragd, and gold; the workmanship of your settings and of your sockets was in you, in the day that you were created they were prepared.
verse value 6695
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 101 letters. Verse gematria: 6695 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "in·you" (בָּ֔ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "garden·of·God" (גַּן־אֱלֹהִ֜ים, 7 letters). 14 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "in·Eden" (בְּעֵ֨דֶן), "garden·of·God" (גַּן־אֱלֹהִ֜ים), "all·stone" (כׇּל־אֶ֨בֶן). 23 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "in·day·of" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel); "man" (root אדם, 41x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root גן ("garden·of·God") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·gold', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 7 words.
Rashi
“Like a garden of Eden” etc. “In abundance of good things and delicacies, you are made to flourish as if in Eden, the garden of the Lord; all wealth, majesty, and honor is given to you; all precious stones are arranged in order upon your garments.”
Your covering. Your canopy; another interpretation: your garment, your covering.
"Your work of tuffin and nikkvin is in you." Even though I granted you this honor, I knew that you would become arrogant, so I performed in you the work of tuffin and nikkvin—those that emit breath with a sound of song like tuffin—and in them you should have contemplated.
Radak
“Your covering.” [It means] your fence, and it is written with a samekh, like “remove its hedge” (Isaiah 5:5), and it is in the manner of hyperbole, as if the fence of his house, or his garden, or his vineyard were made of precious stone. And Jonathan rendered: “All stones, their beauty, are arranged upon your garment.”
“U’vareket.” Like the “u’vareket” mentioned in the Torah, which is in two forms:
"And gold." This is a general statement encompassing gold along with the precious stones, for it is the finest of all types of metals, and it is placed together with the stones in suitable and precious works. And the Targum translates: "set in gold," meaning that all these stones are set in gold upon your garment.
“Your work of timbrels and of perforating.” “Timbrels” is like “with timbrels and dancing.” And “perforating” refers to musical instruments that are made with perforations, perforations.
In you. That is to say, in your house are those who are unique, like whom there are none.
"On the day you were created, they were established." This is as if to say: "On the day that you were created, these vessels were established for you." The verb *kinnantah* is from a binyan in which the name of its active participle is not mentioned; it is a root whose ayin is quiescent. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum: "All these works are for Your repair," etc.
Metzudat David
"In Eden, a garden..." [The verse implies:] "You lacked nothing, as if you were in Eden, a garden, etc."
"Your covering": Upon the garment that covers you was fixed every precious stone, and they are: Adam, etc., and they are the names of precious stones.
“And gold.” Even the gold was fixed in it.
The work of your timbrels: The crafting of timbrels and other musical instruments that are perforated with holes, which were in you, as if they had been prepared for you on the day you were created. That is to say, there was no other likeness to them, and no one else was worthy to take delight in them except you.
Metzudat Zion
"Eden, the garden." In Eden, where the Omnipresent planted the Garden, as it is stated, "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden" (Genesis 2:8). And it is a place of great delight and pleasure.
"From your sukkah." From the language of covering and concealment.
Your timbrels. A name of a musical instrument, as it is written: “with timbrels and with dancing” (Exodus 15:20).
"And your hollows." Musical instruments having many holes:
They were established. From the language of preparation:
Malbim
Regarding Eden: The image [of the righteous] sits in the Eden of the Garden of God and delights there, and there he will be shaded by booths of precious stones (and these are the nine stones in the three rows of the breastplate, excluding the stones of the third row, which are Leshem, Shevo, and Achlamah, lacking because they were on the side of judgment and evil, and corresponding to them among the twelve zodiac signs are Scorpio, Cancer, and Sagittarius; and gold came in their place, indicating judgment). Regarding the workmanship, it depicts that in the Garden of Eden he will also delight in the pleasantness of song and melody. In the instruments of song, there are hollow and closed ones, which are types of drums, and there are those with holes that emit sound. And it depicts that his body, which contains these two types of instruments, will cause to be heard there the sound of all types of melodies, types of drums, and types of perforated singing, and they were established from the day you were created, to be prepared for this.
You were the far-covering cherub; and I set you, so that you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of stones of fire.
verse value 4788
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 52 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִים֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 4788 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "in·mountain·of" (בְּהַ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "you·cherub" (אַ֨תְּ־כְּר֔וּב, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "you·cherub" (אַ֨תְּ־כְּר֔וּב), "anointed" (מִמְשַׁ֖ח), "that·hedges" (הַסּוֹכֵ֑ךְ). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "and·I·will·make·you" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "in·midst·of" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'that·hedges', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 8 words. Full calculation: אַ֨תְּ־כְּר֔וּב [you·cherub] (629) + מִמְשַׁ֖ח [anointed] (388) + הַסּוֹכֵ֑ךְ [that·hedges] (111) + וּנְתַתִּ֗יךָ [and·I·will·make·you] (886) + בְּהַ֨ר [in·mountain·of] (207) + קֹ֤דֶשׁ [holiness] (404) + אֱלֹהִים֙ [God] (86) + הָיִ֔יתָ [you·were] (425) + בְּת֥וֹךְ [in·midst·of] (428) + אַבְנֵי־אֵ֖שׁ [stone·fire] (364) + הִתְהַלָּֽכְתָּ [have·you·walked] (860) = 4788.
Rashi
“Et keruv” – the cherub that overshadows. “Et of” – the measure of the bird, meaning the great bird that overshadows with its wings. “Sokh” – a great ruler, one who exercises great dominion. “Mimshach” – a term denoting greatness, like “men of stature” (Numbers 14), which we translate as “great men.”
"And I will place you on My holy mountain": You were a god. And I will give you a place to acquire for yourself a name in the building of My holy mountain, for you assisted Solomon with the cedar trees.
You walked among the stones of fire. You have acquired for yourself a remembrance with the kings of Israel, who are like the ministering angels.
Radak
“Like the anointed cherub that overshadows.” He compared him to the cherub due to the multitude of his exalted qualities.
Anointing. The matter is one of greatness, as it is said: “Do not touch My anointed ones.”
Regarding the term “ha-sukkeh” (the One who spreads a canopy): Since it is stated concerning the cherubim that they “spread their wings” (sukkim) in canopy-like fashion, and [the text] compares Him to the cherubim, it says of Him likewise “ha-sukkeh,” meaning that He spreads a canopy over His people. And [the word] “mashkheh” (anointing) is a descriptive epithet. Even though it has a patach vowel and is not in the construct state, it functions like one, similar to “makkhem” (a charm), “chalek” (a portion), “lashmo” (for its sake), “meremes” (crushing), and “ve-hayah ha-melatzar” (and the cupbearer shall be). And Rabbi Yonah explained that “sukkeh” is the name of the fine oil with which kings are anointed, as in [the verse] “And I did not anoint myself” (ve-soch lo sakhti). And [the word] “mashkheh” is a descriptive epithet in the construct state.
"And I will make you." I made you great in this greatness, yet you did not know Me, and you became arrogant toward My people.
“On the holy mountain of God you were.” This is said in contrast to the king of Tyre, not in contrast to this one, who was king today, as if it were saying: The king of Tyre already was good, and he was on the holy mountain, because Hiram, king of Tyre, was in Jerusalem and sent to King Solomon timber to build the Temple, as it is written in Kings.
"You walked among the stones of fire." This refers to Israel, whom He calls "stones of fire," for they were a holy people. And my master and father, of blessed memory, interpreted the verse in a tone of wonder, explaining that "among the stones of fire" means among the superior spiritual bodies of fire. He further explained it, and gave another interpretation: that you thought in your heart that you are a cherub, for you walked among precious stones, among carbuncle stones that shone like fire, which were carried before you in place of lamps to illuminate the night.
Metzudat David
The anointed cherub. A person of high rank, great in importance, who shields his people under the canopy of his wings. And since he is called "cherub" due to his great exaltedness, and it is said of the cherubim that they "spread their wings" (Exodus 25:20), therefore the language of "shielding" is used.
"And I will make you." This means: And I have granted you all honor and greatness, because you once were on the holy mountain of God. That is to say: because King Hiram, who reigned in the days of Solomon, assisted in the construction of the Temple, which was built on the holy mountain of God, namely the Mount Moriah, as it is stated: "And Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees, etc." (1 Kings 5).
Within stones of fire you walked. This means that he walked in fellowship and great love with the kings of Israel, namely David and Solomon, who were strong and radiant like stones of fire.
Metzudat Zion
“Et.” Like “atah” (you):
“Like a cherub.” Just as it is said, “The face of a man,” for a child is called ravya in Aramaic; and according to the greatness of his stature, he was called by the term “cherub,” which is mentioned in connection with the cherubim upon the Ark.
Anointing. This is a matter of greatness, as in “to His anointed” referring to Cyrus (Isaiah 45:1):
The one who covers. The term is from the root סכך, meaning to cover and protect.
Malbim
You, too, depicted your banner in the form of an anointed cherub, namely, a cherub made from olive wood, which overshadowed the Ark. “You were on the holy mountain of God”: you dwelled on the holy mountain dedicated to God, namely, in the Temple on Mount Zion. This was your state during your lifetime. And afterward, “you walked among the fiery stones,” namely, beneath the canopies in the Garden of Eden, composed of the precious stones mentioned above, which there are of fire, not of earthly matter like our stones.
You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.
verse value 2264
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 35 letters. The shortest word is "in·you" (בָּֽךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·Your·ways" (בִּדְרָכֶ֔יךָ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "in·Your·ways" (בִּדְרָכֶ֔יךָ), "until·was·found" (עַד־נִמְצָ֥א), "injustice" (עַוְלָ֖תָה). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·day·of" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel); "in·Your·ways" (root דרך, 105x in Ezekiel); "you" (root אתה, 62x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·were·created', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: תָּמִ֤ים [complete] (490) + אַתָּה֙ [you] (406) + בִּדְרָכֶ֔יךָ [in·Your·ways] (256) + מִיּ֖וֹם [from·day·of] (96) + הִבָּֽרְאָ֑ךְ [you·were·created] (228) + עַד־נִמְצָ֥א [until·was·found] (255) + עַוְלָ֖תָה [injustice] (511) + בָּֽךְ [in·you] (22) = 2264.
Rashi
It is found that iniquity was found in you. In your saying, "I am a god":
Radak
"You are perfect, from the day You were created. From the day you stood upon your own understanding, and likewise you rode upon me from your youth, from the youth when you rode upon me."
"Until iniquity is found in you." This means that you boasted against the people of God and rejoiced in their destruction.
Metzudat David
"Perfect." You too were perfect in your ways from the day of your creation. This means: from the day you attained understanding. And He spoke in the language of exaggeration. Similarly, "From my mother's womb I guided her" (Job 31:18).
"Until it is found." Until that time when injustice is found in you, [referring to] her injustice, of which you boast greatly.
Metzudat Zion
Tamim. The word is derived from the phrase "tam v'yashar" (upright and blameless).
Malbim
"You are complete": behold, initially you were blameless and worthy of all this honor, until wrongdoing was found in you, so that you are no longer worthy of this. And it explains what the wrongdoing is: "through the abundance of your trading," for through this they deceive and defraud. "Your midst was filled with violence," and through this you sinned, and thereby you forfeited the portion you had below in the Temple, which is why it says, "and I profaned you from the mountain of God." And consequently, you also lost the portion that is in the Garden of Eden. And therefore it says, "and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from among the stones of fire," for you merited the stones of fire of the Garden of Eden through your being the covering cherub; and when you lost the one, you lost the other.
By the multitude of your traffic they filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned; therefore have I cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
verse value 3550
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֤ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 3550 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "by·multitude" (בְּרֹ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·profaned·you" (וָאֲחַלֶּלְךָ֩, 6 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·midst" (תוֹכְךָ֛), "and·you·sinned" (וַֽתֶּחֱטָ֑א), "and·I·profaned·you" (וָאֲחַלֶּלְךָ֩). The root תוך appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "your·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel); "and·I·profaned·you" (root חלל, 67x in Ezekiel); "by·multitude" (root רב, 52x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·you·sinned', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: בְּרֹ֣ב [by·multitude] (204) + רְכֻלָּתְךָ֗ [your·merchandise] (670) + מָל֧וּ [they·filled] (76) + תוֹכְךָ֛ [your·midst] (446) + חָמָ֖ס [violence] (108) + וַֽתֶּחֱטָ֑א [and·you·sinned] (424) + וָאֲחַלֶּלְךָ֩ [and·I·profaned·you] (95) + מֵהַ֨ר [from·the·mountain·of] (245) + אֱלֹהִ֤ים [God] (86) + וָֽאַבֶּדְךָ֙ [and·I·destroyed·you] (33) + כְּר֣וּב [cherub] (228) + הַסֹּכֵ֔ךְ [that·hedges] (105) + מִתּ֖וֹךְ [from·midst·of] (466) + אַבְנֵי־אֵֽשׁ [stone·fire] (364) = 3550.
Rashi
Malu. Like milu:
"And I will profane you from the mountain of God" – You caused that I erase you, so that you will no longer be justified in the building of My House.
"And I will destroy you." Like "And I will destroy you."
“From among the stones of fire.” This teaches that you should not take a share with the righteous. Our Sages, in the Aggadic Midrash, expounded this matter regarding the first man. Thus the prophet said to Hiram: “In what do you boast in your exaltedness? Perhaps you were in the Garden of Eden, as was the first man, ‘every precious stone,’ etc., for all these settings were made for the first man. And the least of all of them is gold, which is listed last: ‘your workmanship of your tambourines,’ etc. ‘In this I have compared you to him, and in no other.’ And in you I gazed, and I created tambourines and perforations in the first man. ‘You are the very cherub who was anointed.’ Perhaps you are like that cherub who was great in the anointing, overshadowing entirely from the end of the heavens to the end of the heavens. And perhaps I appointed you to be in the mountains of holiness, as I appointed him.”
Radak
"In the abundance of your trade, you have filled your midst with violence." And further, because of the great amount of merchandise that was in your city, your merchants were committing violence against the merchants of other places, and you said, "Because the city has become so renowned for its merchandise, they will not refrain from coming because of this."
MLU. Like "fill" (mal'u). And it appears in the manner of those who use the letter heh.
“Your midst.” The midst of your city.
"And you sinned." You sinned in that you rejoiced over the destruction of the Land of Israel, and you sinned regarding the violence committed in your city, for you had the power to prevent it and did not prevent it.
“And I will profane you from the mountain of God, and I will destroy you.” The vav letters are written with a qamats, for the matter is in the past tense, yet it stands in place of the future tense, as is the manner of prophecies.
“And I will destroy you.” It is from the *piel* binyan, and its rule is that it should be spelled with an aleph: *ve-e’aved-cha*. But when the aleph of the first root letter falls away, to ease the reading due to the encounter of two alephs, its vowel was placed on the stable aleph. He said, “And I will profane you from the mountain of God,” meaning this good remembrance that the king of Tyre had on the mountain of God, as it is stated, “You were on the holy mountain of God.” “I will profane you” means from that holy place, so that you will not be remembered there except for curses and reproaches. And he repeated the matter in different words, saying, “And I will destroy you,” the cherub that covers, from among the stones of fire. That is to say, you are the cherub that covers; I will destroy you—meaning, I will destroy your name and your memory—from among the holy ones, who are Israel, who are compared to stones of fire.
Metzudat David
“Barov.” Because of the majority of the merchants who are in you, the inner parts of your land have become filled with robbery and oppression, for they oppressed all who came in trust; nevertheless, they will not refrain from coming, until they find in it many merchants, and there will be someone with whom to trade.
"And she sinned." And in this matter, you too have sinned, for you did not protest against them.
"And I will profane you from the mountain of God." Therefore, I will profane and despise you, to distance you from the mountain of God; that is to say, the merit of what that king had assisted in the building of the Temple will no longer be remembered for you.
"And I will destroy you." I will destroy you, you, the covering cherub, from among the company of the kings of Israel, who are compared to stones of fire. That is to say: all that you had in your high status and your protection of your people was entirely due to the merit of your having been, from of old, in the company of and loving the kings of Israel. But now, I will destroy you and remove you from that merit, and you will no longer provide protection.
Metzudat Zion
"They were filled":
"And I will profane you." The word is from the root *chalal*, meaning desecration and disgrace.
And I will destroy you. Like: And I will destroy you.
Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness; I have cast you to the ground, I have laid you before kings, that they may gaze upon you.
verse value 4690
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "upon·you" (בָֽךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "because·of·your·brightness" (עַל־יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "you·corrupted" (שִׁחַ֥תָּ), "because·of·your·brightness" (עַל־יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ), "I·cast·you" (הִשְׁלַכְתִּ֗יךָ). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·have·made·you" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "to·the·ground" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "to·face·of" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'because·of·your·brightness', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: גָּבַ֤הּ [was·lifted·up] (10) + לִבְּךָ֙ [your·heart] (52) + בְּיׇפְיֶ֔ךָ [in·your·beauty] (122) + שִׁחַ֥תָּ [you·corrupted] (708) + חׇכְמָתְךָ֖ [your·wisdom] (488) + עַל־יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ [because·of·your·brightness] (680) + עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ [to·the·ground] (391) + הִשְׁלַכְתִּ֗יךָ [I·cast·you] (785) + לִפְנֵ֧י [to·face·of] (170) + מְלָכִ֛ים [kings] (140) + נְתַתִּ֖יךָ [I·have·made·you] (880) + לְרַ֥אֲוָה [to·see] (242) + בָֽךְ [upon·you] (22) = 4690.
Rashi
“You have corrupted Your wisdom because of Your beauty.” You became arrogant because of Your beauty:
"To see it in you." To look at your shame; "to see it" is like "to witness" (i.e., to observe closely).
Radak
“Your heart has become haughty, and you have been corrupted.” Its grammatical rule is *shiḥatta* — you have corrupted.
“Concerning your beauty.” You have exalted your heart in it, and thereby you have corrupted your wisdom, for the wise man does not exalt his heart in the good of this world.
Your beauty. We have explained it:
“to look upon you.” This is like “to see in you,” meaning to see in you the opposite of what you were and what you thought in the great pride of your heart, and to marvel at you. And likewise the Targum translates it as “la’stakla bakh” (to gaze at you). And there are those who explain that “to look upon you” connotes disgrace, and similarly, “and they will gaze” means they will see in Me every arrogant person humbled, and it is not necessary to remove them from their context. And the word “la’ro’ah” is a complete root from the simple root, with the lamed of the pa’al conjugation replaced by a vav, as in “nirta’ah” (you will be seen), and its metrical pattern is like “le’ahavah et Hashem Elohekhah” (to love the Lord your God).
Metzudat David
“Because of your beauty.” On account of your beauty, your heart has grown haughty, and therefore your wisdom has perished along with the radiance of your understanding, for pride is opposed to wisdom and understanding.
“Upon the earth I cast you.” Therefore, I will cast you from the throne of kingship to sit upon the earth, and I will place you before kings to gaze at you in your disgrace, for it is the way of enemies to look upon a person’s face at the time of his disgrace, in order to humiliate him.
Metzudat Zion
"Al." Its meaning is like "im" (with). And similarly, "And the men came with the women" (Exodus 35:22):
Your beauty. This is the radiance of your understanding:
To see it. From the language of seeing and gazing:
Malbim
You added to your sin afterward by exalting your heart through your beauty, until you corrupted your wisdom because of your beauty; that is, you corrupted both your wisdom and the divine presence that rested upon you (as it did upon the daily burnt offering). For this, you have another punishment in this world: I cast you down to the earth and placed you before kings, so that they might gaze upon you in disgrace.
By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your traffic, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you, it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you.
verse value 5131
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "from·multitude" (מֵרֹ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·brought·out·fire" (וָאוֹצִא־אֵ֤שׁ, 7 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "your·iniquities" (עֲוֺנֶ֗יךָ), "in·injustice·of" (בְּעֶ֙וֶל֙), "your·sanctuaries" (מִקְדָּשֶׁ֑יךָ). 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·gave·you" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "upon·the·earth" (root ארץ, 176x in Ezekiel); "from·your·midst" (root תוך, 111x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·sanctuaries', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 9 words.
Rashi
"You have profaned Your sanctuaries. Your holiness:"
“Fire from within you.” The words of arrogance that came from your mouth, saying, “I am a god,” another interpretation, according to the Targum: I will bring mighty nations who are, “strong as fire,” due to your intentional sins.
Radak
“Because of the multitude of your iniquity, through the injustice of your trade.” The word “be-ol” is in construct form from “ol” (injustice), and it does not follow the vocalization pattern of its counterpart.
"You have profaned Your sanctuary." Your palace is like the sanctuary of a king. He said: The oppression and injustice that you committed caused you to profane and desolate Your sanctuary.
“And I will bring forth fire from within you, and it shall devour you.” The “fire” is an allegory for sin. And since it said “and it shall devour you,” it adds “and I will make you ashes,” in the manner of an allegory, for that which is consumed by fire returns to ashes. And in stating the entire matter in the past tense, such as “I cast you out,” “I gave you,” “I will bring forth,” and “I will make you”—all of these are in the past tense in place of the future tense, as is the custom of Scripture and in the words of prophecy for the most part.
Metzudat David
"Because of the abundance of your iniquities." You have become exceedingly arrogant:
“By the injustice of your trading.” [This means:] You oppressed all who came, and did not protest against them; and because of this, you have profaned and desecrated your palace, for it is destined to be destroyed from now on.
“And I will bring forth fire.” This means: The words of arrogance, which burn like fire, I will remove from among you, for you will no longer be able to boast. That very fire will consume you, for through this sin you will be destroyed from the world.
“And I will make you like ashes.” Since the destruction was compared to being burned by fire, therefore it says, “And I will make you like ashes,” and the meaning is: you will be humbled to the dust.
"Before the eyes of all..." – "They shall all see in your shame."
Metzudat Zion
Your sanctuaries. The king’s palace is called so, and likewise: “For it is the king’s sanctuary” (Amos 7:13).
Malbim
From the multitude of your sins afterward, you added to your transgression. For because of the abundance of your iniquities, through the dishonesty of your merchandise, you profaned your sanctuaries, for you rejoiced over the destruction of the Holy Temple. And through this, you lost all merit that you had in its building. Therefore, "I will bring forth fire from within you, and it shall consume you"—measure for measure, just as you rejoiced over the burning of the Temple. And you shall become ashes upon the earth, until all who know you among the nations are appalled at you. You were like a terror, resembling a demon and a flame; for this is the meaning of the name "terror" (balahah) everywhere. And you were like a terror, suddenly vanishing and no longer found.
All they that know you among the peoples shall be appalled at you; you are become a terror, and you shall never be any more.’
verse value 2023
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "they·was·desolate" (שָׁמְמ֖וּ, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·who·know·you" (כׇּל־יֽוֹדְעֶ֙יךָ֙, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "all·who·know·you" (כׇּל־יֽוֹדְעֶ֙יךָ֙). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "you·were" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "at·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "all·who·know·you" (root ידע, 99x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'at·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־יֽוֹדְעֶ֙יךָ֙ [all·who·know·you] (170) + בָּֽעַמִּ֔ים [among·the·peoples] (162) + שָׁמְמ֖וּ [they·was·desolate] (386) + עָלֶ֑יךָ [at·you] (130) + בַּלָּה֣וֹת [terrors] (443) + הָיִ֔יתָ [you·were] (425) + וְאֵינְךָ֖ [and·you·are·not] (87) + עַד־עוֹלָֽם [for·ever] (220) = 2023.
Rashi
They were desolate. They were astonished:
Radak
"All who know you shall be confounded," like "be confounded" (tamhu):
"בלהות" – We explained it:
Metzudat David
"All who know you." All those who know and recognize You among the nations will marvel at Your downfall.
“You were a terror. You will be filled with panic, and you will not be found again, forever, to return to your former state.”
Metzudat Zion
Shemmu. The matter of astonishment:
"Balahot." It is the reverse of "behalot."
"And you are not." And there is no "you":
’Son of man, set your face toward Zidon, and prophesy against it,
verse value 977
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "put" (שִׂ֥ים, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·Zidon" (אֶל־צִיד֑וֹן, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "to·Zidon" (אֶל־צִיד֑וֹן). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "to·Zidon" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "your·face" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Zidon', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 2 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם [son·of·man] (97) + שִׂ֥ים [put] (350) + פָּנֶ֖יךָ [your·face] (160) + אֶל־צִיד֑וֹן [to·Zidon] (191) + וְהִנָּבֵ֖א [and·prophesy] (64) + עָלֶֽיהָ [on] (115) = 977.
Radak
“Son of man.” This is clear:
Metzudat David
"Set your face." Turn your face toward Sidon:
Malbim
"Set your face toward Sidon, for after Tyre is destroyed, Sidon [will be] (as it is stated in Isaiah 23):"
and say: Thus says the Lord Hashem: Behold, I am against you, O Zidon, And I will be glorified in the midst of you; And they shall know that I am Hashem, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
verse value 4673
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "thus" (כֹּ֤ה, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·be·glorified" (וְנִכְבַּדְתִּ֖י, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·be·glorified" (וְנִכְבַּדְתִּ֖י). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·say" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·your·midst', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
Radak
"And you shall say." He said, "Behold, I am against you." And it is the custom of Scripture, and in the words of prophecy for the most part, to speak both in the second person and in the third person alike.
Metzudat David
Behold, I am upon you. Behold, I will fight against you.
"And I will be honored in your midst." Through the judgment that I will execute in your midst, I will be honored.
"For I am the Lord." He is faithful to exact retribution.
In My doing. At the time that I will execute judgment upon it, then they shall know that I am the Lord; and through this, I will be sanctified in the eyes of the creatures, when they see that I recompense reward.
Malbim
"Hinei" means: Initially, "Behold, I am against you" to punish you in a manner that I will be honored through you. And afterwards, I will add to execute judgments upon her, namely, a punishment that all will recognize as being carried out in the way of justice for the evil they committed. And then they will know that I am the Lord, and they will recognize that the Lord recompenses and punishes. And "I will be sanctified through her"—at that time His Name will be sanctified, which is a higher level than honor, for He will be honored even by what they will say, that He is the "God of gods."
And the verse explains "and I will send," corresponding to what was stated "Behold, I am against you." This refers to what I will send into her streets: pestilence and blood, meaning there will be warfare between a man and his brother, and they will shed the blood of their brothers. And corresponding to what was stated "and they will know that I am the Lord" in "when I execute judgments upon her," namely, "and the slain shall fall in her midst"—by the sword around her. For afterwards, I will bring upon her the sword of the enemy from all sides. And by this, I will execute judgments and legal proceedings regarding the slain who fell in her midst; this will be My judicial punishment for the murders that were committed among them. And then "they will know that I am the Lord."
For I will send into her pestilence And blood in her streets; And the wounded shall fall in the midst of her By the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am Hashem.
verse value 2895
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "pestilence" (דֶּ֤בֶר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·send·into·her" (וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־בָ֞הּ, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·I·will·send·into·her" (וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־בָ֞הּ), "in·her·streets" (בְּח֣וּצוֹתֶ֔יהָ), "and·shall·fall" (וְנִפְלַ֤ל). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "that·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·around', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־בָ֞הּ [and·I·will·send·into·her] (761) + דֶּ֤בֶר [pestilence] (206) + וָדָם֙ [and·blood] (50) + בְּח֣וּצוֹתֶ֔יהָ [in·her·streets] (527) + וְנִפְלַ֤ל [and·shall·fall] (196) + חָלָל֙ [slain] (68) + בְּתוֹכָ֔הּ [in·her·midst] (433) + בְּחֶ֥רֶב [in·sword] (212) + עָלֶ֖יהָ [on] (115) + מִסָּבִ֑יב [from·around] (114) + וְיָדְע֖וּ [and·they·shall·know] (96) + כִּי־אֲנִ֥י [that·I] (91) + יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (26) = 2895.
Rashi
“And they shall fall within it by the sword all around upon it.” Because they will see the sword all around outside, the inhabitants of the city will fall and be secure in becoming corpses within it.
And we shall be judged. Like “I had not expected” (Genesis 48:11), meaning “I had not expected,” and like “our enemies are judges” (Deuteronomy 32:41), meaning they shall judge themselves to become corpses within it.
Radak
“And I will send,” and it is written “shall fall slain.” Like “shall fall,” except that the lamed of the root is doubled in it.
“With a sword upon her all around.” “With a sword shall it come upon her.”
Metzudat David
And blood. The flowing of blood from the slain:
And they shall fall. Many corpses shall fall within her by the sword of the enemy that comes upon her from all sides, and they shall know that I am the Lord, faithful to repay recompense.
Metzudat Zion
"In its streets." And similarly, it refers to the markets:
And we will fall. The word is from the root נפל (to fall), and the lamed is doubled.
And there shall be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a piercing thorn of any that are round about them, that did have them in disdain; and they shall know that I am the Lord Hashem.
verse value 3526
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִֽה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3526 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֥י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·not·will·be" (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶ֨ה, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "brier" (סִלּ֤וֹן), "pricking" (מַמְאִיר֙), "and·thorn" (וְק֣וֹץ). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·not·will·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'them', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
"And there shall be no more for the house of Israel, etc." This is because the prophecy was directed at Ammon, Moab, Philistia, Edom, Tyre, and Sidon, who are the neighbors of the Land of Israel, that they would be destroyed. And since they would all be lost, there would no longer be a thorn and a briar for Israel in all their surroundings that would hurt them and cause them harm.
Silon: It is a species of thistles and thorns.
From the word "ma'ir" [painful, malignant]. The meaning of "ke'evah" here is like "tzara'at ma'arat" (Leviticus 13:51), which is "ponayn" in the vernacular.
“The ones who despise them. The ones who scorn them:”
Radak
"And it shall not be" – a festering thorn. Like "thorn," and the matter is a doubling in different words:
"Mema'ir" – like "tzara'at mema'aret" (a persistent or stubborn leprosy); in the vernacular, "puniyont."
“Mekayev.” It is known from the word “ke'ev” (pain), and it is used here as a metaphor. Jonathan rendered it: “A king who emits a foul odor, and his officials oppress.”
“Who make them detestable.” There is a matter here of spoiling and plundering, and so did Jonathan render it, “who plunder them,” for these nations that are mentioned are neighbors to the Land of Israel and were harming Israel.
Metzudat David
"And there shall no longer be for the house of Israel..." When those idolaters fall, there will no longer be found for the house of Israel a "thorn" [of contempt] and so on, from all around them who despised them, for they will all be destroyed. And then they will know that I am the Lord, and that everything is in My hand.
Metzudat Zion
Silon. A type of thorn, as it says above (2:1), “and the silonim are with you.”
From "memair." The meaning of "ke'ivah" here is like "tzara'at mema'aret" (Leviticus 13):
The despisers. The matter of contempt:
Malbim
And there shall be nothing besides this: it shall be the ultimate cause of their downfall, so that the House of Israel shall no longer have a festering thorn from all around them, for even Sidon was a hostile neighbor to Israel and they used to oppress them. And by this they shall know that I am the Lord, who pleads the cause of Israel.
Thus says the Lord Hashem: When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob.
verse value 6683
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 92 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִה֒) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·them" (בָ֔ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·the·peoples" (מִן־הָֽעַמִּים֙, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: whom, which. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "when·I·gather" (בְּקַבְּצִ֣י). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "thus·says" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "whom" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·nations', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 6 words.
Rashi
"To My servant Jacob." Just as a heritage was given to Jacob without boundaries, extending to the sea, and to the east, to the north, and to the south (Genesis 28:14).
Radak
Thus says the Lord. This passage is clear in this promise that He promised them: their neighbors who do them evil, and the Lord, blessed be He, will execute judgments upon them, so that they will no longer be able to do evil.
Metzudat David
"And I will be sanctified through them." I will be sanctified by them through the signs and wonders that I will then perform for them.
Metzudat Zion
They were scattered. The meaning of "scattered":
Malbim
“Thus says the Lord” means: Do not ask, “Are not Israel now in exile, scattered among the nations, and are they not neighbors to Sidon?” He answers that this will be at the time when I gather them and they dwell on their land, at the time when Cyrus granted them permission to return to the Land of Israel.
And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; indeed, they shall dwell safely; when I have executed judgments upon all those that have them in disdain round about them; and they shall know that I am Hashem their God.’
verse value 4777
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 91 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·their·around" (מִסְּבִ֣יבוֹתָ֔ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 324: and·they·shall·dwell, and·they·shall·dwell. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·they·will·build" (וּבָנ֤וּ), "and·they·will·plant" (וְנָטְע֣וּ), "vineyards" (כְרָמִ֔ים). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "when·I·do" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·safety', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 11 words.
Radak
And they shall dwell. It is clear:
Metzudat David
“When I do.” By virtue of My doing judgment upon all those who despise them, they shall dwell securely around them, for there shall no longer be found anyone to harm them; and then they shall know that I am the Lord your God, who executes their judgment from the hands of the Babylonians.
Malbim
And they will dwell upon it in security, for at the beginning of their return they had enemies and oppressors, as is explained in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Afterwards, they built houses and dwelt securely, so that the settlement of the Land of Israel would increase. And this will be the case when judgment is executed against all who despise them, and then they will know that I am the Lord their God, who watches over them with a particular providence unique to them.
Radak