The Prince of Tyre

Ezekiel 28

The Lord condemns the prince of Tyre for the pride that led him to claim to be a god, and pronounces a lament for the king of Tyre as one who was once in the beauty and splendor of Eden but was cast down for his sin. He then pronounces judgment on Sidon and promises to gather Israel safely back to their own land.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAGAIN a word of the Lord came to me, saying,

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,

KJVThe word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,

JPSAnd the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

Thomsonand thou, son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus saith the Lord: Because thy heart is elated, and thou hast said, I am a god. I inhabit the dwelling of a god in the heart of the sea. Now as for thee, thou art man and not God; though thou hast set thy heart as the heart of a god.

BrentonAnd thou, son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord; Because thine heart has been exalted, and thou hast said, I am God, I have inhabited the dwelling of God in the heart of the sea; yet thou art man and not God, though thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God:

GreekΚαὶ σὺ υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου εἰπὸν τῷ ἄρχοντι Τύρου, τάδε λέλει Κύριος, ἀνθʼ οὗ ὑψώθη σου ἡ καρδία, καὶ εἶπας, Θεός εἰμι ἐγὼ, κατοικίαν Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν Θεοῦ.

KJVSon 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:

JPS’Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyre: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Because thy heart is lifted up, And thou hast said: I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, In the heart of the seas; Yet thou art man, and not God, Though thou didst set thy heart as the heart of God—

ThomsonArt thou wiser than Daniel? Have not wise men taught thee with their knowledge?

Brentonart thou wiser than Daniel? or have not the wise instructed thee with their knowledge?

GreekΜὴ σοφώτερος εἶ σὺ τοῦ Δανιήλ; ἢ σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσάν σε τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ αὐτῶν;

KJVBehold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

JPSBehold, thou art wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that they can hide from thee!

ThomsonDidst thou by thy knowledge, or thine own understanding, procure for thyself power and gold and silver in thy treasuries?

BrentonHast thou gained power for thyself by thine own knowledge or thine own prudence, and gotten gold and silver in thy treasures?

GreekΜὴ ἐν τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου ἢ τῇ φρονήσει σου ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ δύναμιν, καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς σου;

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

JPSBy thy wisdom and by thy discernment Thou hast gotten thee riches, And hast gotten gold and silver Into thy treasures;

ThomsonBy thy great skill and thy traffic thou hast increased thy wealth; and with thy wealth thy heart is elated;

BrentonBy thy abundant knowledge and thy traffic thou hast multiplied thy power; thy heart has been lifted up by thy power.

GreekἘν τῇ πολλῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου καὶ ἐμπορίᾳ σου ἐπλήθυνας δύναμίν σου, ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία σου ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου.

KJVBy thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:

JPSIn thy great wisdom by thy traffic Hast thou increased thy riches, And thy heart is lifted up because of thy riches—

Thomsontherefore, Thus saith the Lord, Since thou hast set thy heart as the heart of a god;

BrentonTherefore thus saith the Lord; Since thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

GreekΔιατοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἐπειδὴ δέδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν Θεοῦ,

KJVTherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

JPSTherefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Because thou hast set thy heart As the heart of God;

Thomsonfor this, behold I will bring against thee strange ravagers from the nations, and they shall unsheath their swords against thee and against the beauty of thy wisdom;

Brentonbecause of this, behold, I will bring on thee strange plagues from the nations; and they shall draw their swords against thee, and against the beauty of thy knowledge,

Greekἀντὶ τούτου ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ἐπὶ σὲ ἀλλοτρίους λοιμοὺς ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἐκκενώσουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ σὲ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς ἐπιστήμης σου, καὶ στρώσουσιν τὸ κάλλος σου εἰς ἀπώλειαν,

KJVBehold, 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.

JPSTherefore, behold, 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. .

Thomsonand they shall bring down thy beauty to destruction and trample thee down; and thou shalt die the death of wounded men in the heart of the sea.

Brentonand they shall bring down thy beauty to destruction. And they shall bring thee down; and thou shalt die the death of the slain in the heart of the sea.

Greekκαὶ καταβιβάσουσί σε, καὶ ἀποθανῇ θανάτῳ τραυματιῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης.

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

JPSThey shall bring thee down to the pit; And thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain, In the heart of the seas.

ThomsonWilt thou say, I am God, in the presence of them who are slaying thee? Thou indeed art but man, and not God.

BrentonWilt thou indeed say, I am God, before them that slay thee? whereas thou art man, and not God.

GreekΜὴ λέγων ἐρεῖς, Θεός εἰμι ἐγὼ, ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀναιρούντων σε; σὺ δὲ εἶ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐ Θεός.

KJVWilt 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.

JPSWilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee: I am God? But thou art man, and not God, In the hand of them that defile thee.

ThomsonAmong a multitude of uncircumcised thou shalt die by the hand of strangers, for I have spoken, saith the Lord.

BrentonThou shalt perish by the hands of strangers among the multitude of the uncircumcised: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord.

GreekἘν πλήθει ἀπεριτμήτων ἀπολῇ ἐν χερσὶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐλάλησα, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVThou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

JPSThou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised By the hand of strangers; For I have spoken, saith the Lord GOD.’

ThomsonThen a word of the Lord came to me, saying,

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,

KJVMoreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

JPSMoreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

ThomsonSon of man, take up a lamentation for the prince of Tyre and say to him, Thus saith the Lord God: Thou wast an impression of resemblance and a crown of beauty.

BrentonSon of man, take up a lamentation for the prince of Tyre, and say to him, Thus saith the Lord God; Thou art a seal of resemblance, and crown of beauty.

Greekυἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, λάβε θρῆνον ἐπὶ τὸν ἄρχοντα Τύρου, καὶ εἰπὸν αὐτῷ, τάδε λέγει Κύριος Κύριος, σὺ ἀποσφράγισμα ὁμοιώσεως,

KJVSon 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.

JPS’Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Thou seal most accurate, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,

ThomsonIn the delightful paradise of God thou wast born. Thou hast been adorned with every precious stone, the sardis and topaz and emerald and carbuncle and sapphire and jasper, and with silver and gold and the ligure and agate, and amethyst and chrysolite and beryl and onyx; and hast filled thy treasuries and thy stores with gold.

BrentonThou wast in the delight of the paradise of God; thou hast bound upon thee every precious stone, the sardius, and topaz, and emerald, and carbuncle, and sapphire, and jasper, and silver, and gold, and ligure, and agate, and amethyst, and chrysolite, and beryl, and onyx: and thou hast filled thy treasures and thy stores in thee with gold.

Greekκαὶ στέφανος κάλλους ἐν τῇ τρυφῇ τοῦ παραδείσου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγενήθης· πᾶντα λίθον χρηστὸν ἐνδέδεσαι, σάρδιον καὶ τοπάζιον, καὶ σμάραγδον καὶ ἄνθρακα, καὶ σάπφειρον καὶ ἴασπιν, καὶ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, καὶ λιγύριον καὶ ἀχάτην, καὶ ἀμέθυστον καὶ χρυσόλιθον, καὶ βηρύλλιον καὶ ὀνύχιον, καὶ χρυσίου ἐνέπλήσας τοὺς θησαυρούς σου καὶ τὰς ἀποθήκας σου ἐν σοί.

KJVThou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, 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.

JPSthou wast in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy 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 thy settings and of thy sockets was in thee, in the day that thou wast created they were prepared.

ThomsonFrom the day thou wast created thou wast with the cherub. On the holy mountain of God I placed thee, thou wast born in the midst of sparkling stones.

BrentonFrom the day that thou wast created thou wast with the cherub: I set thee on the holy mount of God; thou wast in the midst of the stones of fire.

GreekἈφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας ἐκτίσθης σὺ μετὰ τοῦ χερούβ, ἔθηκά σε ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ Θεοῦ, ἐγενήθης ἐν μέσῳ λίθων πυρίνων.

KJVThou 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.

JPSThou wast the far-covering cherub; and I set thee, so that thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of stones of fire.

ThomsonThou in thy days wast spotless from the day thou wast created, until iniquities were found in thee.

BrentonThou wast faultless in thy days, from the day that thou wast created, until iniquity was found in thee.

GreekἘγενήθης σὺ ἄμωμος ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου, ἀφʼ ἧς ἡμέρας σὺ ἐκτίσθης ἕως εὑρέθη τὰ ἀδικήματα ἐν σοί.

KJVThou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

JPSThou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till unrighteousness was found in thee.

ThomsonBy reason of thine abundant traffic thou didst fill thy stores with iniquity and commit sins; therefore thou art cast out slain from the mountain of God; and from amidst the sparkling stones the cherub hath dragged thee.

BrentonOf the abundance of thy merchandise thou hast filled thy storehouses with iniquity, and hast sinned: therefore thou hast been cast down wounded from the mount of God, and the cherub has brought thee out of the midst of the stones of fire.

GreekἈπὸ πλήθους τῆς ἐμπορίας σου ἔπλησας τὰ ταμεῖά σου ἀνομίας, καὶ ἥμαρτες, καὶ ἐτραυματίσθης ἀπὸ ὄρους τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἤγαγέ σε τὸ χεροὺβ ἐκ μέσου λίθων πυρίνων.

KJVBy 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.

JPSBy the multitude of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned; therefore have I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; and I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

ThomsonThy heart was elated because of thy beauty; with thy beauty thine understanding was perverted. For the multitude of thy sins I have dashed thee on the ground; in the presence of kings I have made thee a public example.

BrentonThy heart has been lifted up because of thy beauty; thy knowledge has been corrupted with thy beauty: because of the multitude of thy sins I have cast thee to the ground, I have caused thee to be put to open shame before kings.

GreekὙψώθη ἡ καρδία σου ἐπὶ τῷ κάλλει σου, διεφθάρη ἡ ἐπιστήμη σου μετὰ τοῦ κάλλους σου· διὰ πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν σου ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἔῤῥιψά σε, ἐναντίον βασιλέων ἔδωκά σε παραδειγματισθῆναι.

KJVThine 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.

JPSThy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee before kings, that they may gaze upon thee.

ThomsonFor the multitude of thy sins and the iniquities of thy traffic I have defiled thy sanctuaries; and from the midst of thee I will bring out a fire which shall devour thee. And I will make thee like ashes on the ground, in the sight of all them who behold thee.

BrentonBecause of the multitude of thy sins and the iniquities of thy merchandise, I have profaned thy sacred things; and I will bring fire out of the midst of thee, this shall devour thee; and I will make thee to be ashes upon thy land before all that see thee.

GreekΔιὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν σου καὶ τῶν ἀδικιῶν τῆς ἐμπορίας σου, ἐβεβήλωσα τὰ ἱερά σου, καὶ ἐξάξω πῦρ ἐκ μέσου σου, τοῦτο καταφάγεταί σε· καὶ δώσω σε σποδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σου ἐναντίον πάντων τῶν ὁρώντων σε.

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

JPSBy the multitude of thine iniquities, in the unrighteousness of thy traffic, thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of thee, it hath devoured thee, and I have turned thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

ThomsonAnd all that knew thee among the nations shall lament over thee. Thou art utterly destroyed and never to be any more.

BrentonAnd all that know thee among the nations shall groan over thee: thou art gone to destruction, and thou shalt not exist any more.

GreekΚαὶ πάντες οἱ ἐπιστάμενοί σε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι στενάξουσιν ἐπὶ σέ· ἀπώλεια ἐγένου, καὶ οὐχ ὑπάρξεις ἔτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

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

JPSAll they that know thee among the peoples shall be appalled at thee; thou art become a terror, and thou shalt never be any more.’

ThomsonThen a word of the Lord came to me, saying,

BrentonAnd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

GreekΚαὶ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρὸς μὲ, λέγων,

KJVAgain the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

JPSAnd the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

ThomsonSon of man, set thy face against Sidon, and prophesy against it and say,

BrentonSon of man, set thy face against Sidon, and prophesy against it,

Greekυἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, στήρισον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπὶ Σιδῶνα, καὶ προφήτευσον ἐπʼ αὐτὴν,

KJVSon of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,

JPS’Son of man, set thy face toward Zidon, and prophesy against it,

ThomsonThus saith the Lord, Behold I am against thee, Sidon, and I shall be glorified by thee: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. When I execute judgments on thee, then shall I be hallowed by thee.

Brentonand say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I am against thee, O Sidon; and I will be glorified in thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought judgments in thee, and I will be sanctified in thee.

Greekκαὶ εἰπὸν, Τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σέ Σιδὼν, καὶ ἐνδοξασθήσομαι ἐν σοί, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί με ἐν σοὶ κρίματα, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν σοί.

KJVAnd 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.

JPSand 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.

ThomsonThere shall be blood and death in thy streets; and the victims of the sword shall fall in and around thee: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

BrentonBlood and death shall be in thy streets; and men wounded with swords shall fall in thee and on every side of thee; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

GreekΑἷμα καὶ θάνατος ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις σου, καὶ πεσοῦνται τετραυματισμέμοι μαχαίραις ἐν σοὶ περικύκλῳ σου, καὶ γνώσονται διότι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος.

KJVFor 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.

JPSFor 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 the LORD.

ThomsonAnd there shall no more be in the house of Israel a pricking briar nor a grieving thorn, by reason of those around them who despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

BrentonAnd there shall no more be in the house of Israel a thorn of bitterness and a pricking briar proceeding from them that are round about them, who dishonoured them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

GreekΚαὶ οὐκ ἔσονται οὐκέτι ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ σκόλοψ πικρίας καὶ ἄκανθα ὀδύνης ἀπὸ τῶν περικύκλῳ αὐτῶν, τῶν ἀτιμασάντων αὐτοὺς, καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος.

KJVAnd there shall be no more a pricking brier 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.

JPSAnd there shall be no more a pricking brier unto 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 GOD.

ThomsonThus saith the Lord God: When I gather Israel from among the nations where they were scattered, I shall be hallowed by them even in the sight of the peoples and nations and they shall dwell in their land which I gave to My servant Jacob.

BrentonThus saith the Lord God; I will also gather Israel from the nations, among whom they have been scattered, and I will be sanctified among them, and before the peoples and nations: and they shall dwell upon their land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος Κύριος, καὶ συνάξω τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν οὗ διεσκορπίσθησαν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἁγιασθήσομαι ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν λαῶν καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν·

KJVThus 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.

JPSThus saith the Lord GOD: 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.

ThomsonAnd they shall dwell there securely and shall build houses and plant vineyards: they shall indeed dwell securely when I have executed judgment on all who despised them—on all their neighbours around them; and they shall know that I the Lord am their God and the God of their fathers.

BrentonYea, they shall dwell upon it safely, and they shall build houses, and plant vineyards, and dwell securely, when I shall execute judgment on all that have dishonoured them, even on those that are round about them; and they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and the God of their fathers.

GreekΚαὶ κατοικήσουσι ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν, ἣν δέδωκα τῷ δούλῳ μου Ἰακὼβ, καὶ κατοικήσουσιν ἐπʼ αὐτῆς ἐν ἐλπίδι, καὶ οἰκοδομήσουσιν οἰκίας, καὶ φυτεύσουσιν ἀμπελῶνας, καὶ κατοικήσουσιν ἐν ἐλπίδι, ὅταν ποιήσω κρίμα ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἀτιμάσασιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς κύκλῳ αὐτῶν· καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν.

KJVAnd 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 despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

JPSAnd they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, 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 the LORD their God.’