Book of Ezekiel Chapter 28 Vs. 4

                          Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre


Eze. 28:4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:

חָכְמָה

ḥoḵmāh: A feminine noun meaning wisdom, skill, experience, shrewdness. This is one of the wisdom words that cluster in Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and other wisdom literature scattered throughout the Old Testament. The high point of this word and its concept is reached in Pro. 8:1, 8:11-12. In Pro. 8:22-31, wisdom is personified. It is God's gracious creation and is thus inherent in the created order. God alone knows where wisdom dwells and where it originates (Job 28:12, 28:20); no other living being possesses this knowledge about wisdom (see Job 28:21). For humans, the beginning of wisdom and the supreme wisdom is to properly fear and reverence God (Job 28:28; Pro. 1:7; cf. Pro. 8:13); God is the master, creator, and giver of wisdom (see Job 28:27; Pro. 8:22-23). He employed wisdom as His master craftsman to create all things (Psm. 104:24; Jer. 10:12). Rulers govern wisely by means of wisdom provided by God (1Kgs. 3:28; cf. Pro. 8:15-16). Wisdom keeps company with all the other virtues: prudence, knowledge, and discretion (Pro. 8:12). The portrayal of wisdom in Pro. 8:22-24 lies behind Paul's magnificent picture of Christ in Col. 1:15-16, for all the treasures of wisdom are lodged in Christ (cf. Col. 2:3).

Wisdom, ordained and created by God, manifests itself in many ways in the created universe. It is expressed as a technical capability (Exo. 28:3; 31:3, 31:6; 1Kgs. 7:14). It becomes evident in experience and prudence as evidenced in a wise woman (2Sam. 20:22) who fears the Lord (see Pro. 31:30) or in a wise king (1Kgs. 2:6). Wisdom in general, and worldly wisdom in particular, was universal to humankind created in the image of God; Babylonians, men of the East, Egyptians, and Edomites could obtain it or be found with it (Isa. 47:10; Jer. 49:7). Wrongly used, however, for self-adulation or self-aggrandizement, this wisdom could be deadly. For unbelievers, wisdom led to piety, holiness, and devotion to the Lord and His will. The psalmist asked God to give him a wise heart (Psm. 90:12). God imparted wisdom to His people by His Spirit (Exo. 31:3), but His Anointed One, the Messiah, the Branch, would have His Spirit rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom (Isa. 11:2), in abundance. Wisdom is also personified as a woman who seeks whoever will come and listen to her, thus receiving a blessing (Pro. 1:20; 2:2; 3:13, 3:19). Wisdom ends its presentation in Proverbs 8 with the striking assertion that all who hate wisdom love death.

and with thy understanding...

תְּבוּנָה

teḇûnāh: A feminine noun meaning understanding, insight. It occurs primarily in the Wisdom Literature and is associated with both wisdom and knowledge (Exo. 35:31; Pro. 8:1; 21:30); and is contrasted with foolishness (Pro. 15:21; 18:2). A person of understanding is slow to wrath and walks uprightly (Pro. 14:29; 15:21). God has understanding and gives it (Job 12:13; Psm. 147:5; Pro. 2:6; Isa. 40:28). On the other hand, idolaters, who fashion idols by their own understanding, have no understanding at all (Isa. 44:19; Hos. 13:2).

thou hast gotten...

עָשָׂה

‛āśāh: A verb meaning to do, to make, to accomplish, to complete. This frequently used Hebrew verb conveys the central notion of performing an activity with a distinct purpose, a moral obligation, or a goal in view (cf. Gen. 11:6). Particularly, it was used in conjunction with God's commands (Deu. 16:12). It described the process of construction (Gen. 13:4; Job 9:9; Pro. 8:26); engaging in warfare (Jos. 11:18); the yielding of grain (Hos. 8:7); observing a religious ceremony (Exo. 31:16; Num. 9:4); and the completion of something (Ezra 10:3; Isa. 46:10). Provocatively, the word appears twice in Ezekiel to imply the intimate action of caressing or fondling the female breast (Ezk. 23:3, 23:8).

thee riches,...

חַיִל

ḥayil: A masculine noun meaning strength, wealth, army. This word has the basic idea of strength and influence. It can be used to speak of the strength of people (1Sam. 2:4; 9:1; 2Sam. 22:40); of horses (Psm. 33:17); or of nations (Est. 1:3). God is often seen as the supplier of this strength (2Sam. 22:33; Hab. 3:19). When describing men, it can speak of those who are strong for war (Deu. 3:18; 2Kgs. 24:16; Jer. 48:14); able to judge (Exo. 18:21, 18:25); or are righteous in behavior (1Kgs. 1:52). When describing women, it speaks of virtuous character (Ruth 3:11; Pro. 12:4; 31:10). This idea of strength often is used to imply a financial influence (i.e., wealth) (Job 31:25; Psm. 49:6,7; Zec. 14:14); a military influence (i.e., an army) (Exo. 14:9; 2Chr. 14:8-9; 7-8; Isa. 43:17); or a numerical influence (i.e., a great company) (1Kgs. 10:2; 2Chr. 9:1).

and hast gotten... see thou hast gotten above.

gold...

זָהָב

zāhāḇ: A masculine noun denoting gold. The word is used to refer to gold in several ways: in a raw or natural state (Gen. 2:11-12; Jer. 10:9); as wealth in general (Gen. 13:2; 24:35); or as a precious metal (Job 28:17; Psm. 19:10,11; Pro. 22:1). It is referred to in its man-made form as bars (Jos. 7:21). Gold is referred to as booty or spoil from war (Jos. 6:19) and as merchandise (Ezk. 27:22). It was used to create money, shekels of gold (Gen. 24:22). Gold was used in jewelry (Gen. 24:22; Exo. 32:2; Jdg. 8:24), and some offerings of gold were given (Exo. 35:22; Num. 31:52). It was used in weight (Num. 7:14; Jdg. 8:26).

and silver...

כֶּסֶף

kesep̱: A masculine noun referring to silver, money. It refers to silver used as a metal (Job 28:1; Pro. 2:4; Zec. 13:9; Mal. 3:3); silver used in making various vessels (Gen. 24:53; Ezk. 27:12); silver as a medium of exchange (Gen. 23:9; 44:1-2, 44:8). It was a sign of wealth (Gen. 13:2). Some silver was more choice, more pure (Pro. 8:19; 10:20). It was used in a system of weights and measures, especially shekels (Exo. 21:32; Lev. 5:15; Num. 18:16); and talents (ca. 75 lbs. in wt.) of silver (Exo. 38:27; 1Kgs. 20:39). It was used as a means of atonement and ransom for the lives of individual Israelites (Exo. 30:16; Num. 3:49). It was used in idioms and figurative senses: a figure of a dove's wings (Psm. 68:13,14); standing for a slave (Exo. 21:21); the tongue of a righteous person (Pro. 10:20). It is often found with verbs indicating refining and buying silver: to refine (Isa. 48:10; Zec. 13:9); to weigh out silver (Gen. 23:16; Ezra 8:25; Jer. 32:9); to buy something with silver (Jer. 32:25, 32:44; Amos 8:6. In Num. 18:16 only, it is used with the verb to redeem. The phrase miqnaṯ kesep̱ indicates a person purchased for money (Gen. 17:12-13, 17:23, 17:27; Exo. 12:44; or kesep̱ miqnaṯ in Lev. 25:51).

into thy treasures:...

אוֹצָר

’ôṣār: A masculine noun meaning treasure or storehouse. Various items were stored up, such as supplies (Neh. 12:44) or treasures of a palace or temple (1Kgs. 7:51; Jer. 15:13). The Lord also has treasures in the heavens (Deu. 28:12) and in the winds (Jer. 10:13). The word refers to storehouses themselves (Neh. 13:12-13).


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