Book of Ezekiel Chapter 28 Vs. 3

August 30, 2025

Prophecy Against the Prince of Tyre

Eze 28:3 Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:

Behold,...

הִנֵּה

hinnēh: A interjection meaning behold, look, now; if. It is used often and expresses strong feelings, surprise, hope, expectation, certainty, thus giving vividness depending on its surrounding context. Its main meanings can only be summarized briefly here: It stresses a following word referring to persons or things (Gen. 12:19; 15:17; 18:9). It is used to answer, with the first person suffix attached, when one is called (Gen. 22:1, 22:7; 27:1; Exo. 3:4; 1Sam. 3:4). It is used of God's response (Isa. 52:6; 58:9; 65:1). It indicates a call to realize something God or others have done (Gen. 1:29; 17:20). It is followed with a particle of entreaty nā’ when a request is involved (Gen. 12:11; 16:2; 1Kgs. 20:31). It can call attention to something about to happen, a future reference (Exo. 32:34; 34:10). It is used to announce the Lord's sending of a child as a sign (Isa. 7:14). The word adds vividness and emotional involvement for the reader: "Behold, it was very good" (NASB) (Gen. 1:31; 6:12; 8:13; 18:2; 37:7; Amos 7:1; 8:1). Finally, it is used to introduce a formula of challenge (Jer. 21:13). In a few passages, it has the sense of if (Lev. 13:5-6, 13:8; Deu. 13:14, 15; 1Sam. 20:12).

thou...

אַתָּה

’attāh: A personal pronoun meaning you. It is also written ’attā in a few places (1Sam. 24:18,19; Psm. 6:3,4). Its basic use is as the independent personal pronoun meaning you (Num. 11:15; Deu. 5:27,24; 2Chr. 14:11,10; Eze. 28:14). It is used for emphasis before finite verb forms and then may mean you, yourself. It may also be used after (appended) a verb for emphasis (Exo. 18:19; 1Sam. 17:56; 20:8). Used after a previous suffix referring to you, it is again emphatic (2Chr. 35:21).

art wiser...

חָכָם

ḥāḵām: An adjective meaning wise. This word is used to describe one who is skilled or experienced. It was used in the physical arena to describe those men who were skilled as builders (Exo. 31:6; 36:1-2); as craftsmen of all sorts (1Chr. 22:15); as precious metal workers (2Chr. 2:7,6); those women who could spin fabrics (Exo. 35:25). This word was used in the social arena to express those who were the leaders of the day (Jer. 51:57); who could interpret dreams (Gen. 41:8; Exo. 7:11); who were able to rule (Deu. 1:13, 1:15); who knew the law (Est. 1:13); who were counselors (Est. 6:13; Jer. 18:18). In the personal arena, this word denoted skill in living, which was embodied in Solomon like no other before or since (1Kgs. 3:12). The wise person is the one who learns (Pro. 1:5; 9:9; 13:1); who heeds a rebuke (Pro. 9:8; 15:31); and who speaks properly (Pro. 14:3; 15:2; 16:23). See the verb ḥāḵam, meaning to be wise, and the noun ḥoḵmāh, meaning wisdom.

than Daniel;...

מִן

min, מִנִּי

minniy, מִנֵּי

minnēy: A preposition used to indicate from, out of, away from; more than: after, since; immediately; because of, since, so that; without; direction as southward, etc.). Its spelling varies according to its location and usage. Its basic meaning is from, away from, out of. Its basic meanings only can be noted here, but its exact meaning is easily discerned from its context: (1) With verbs, it expresses separation spatially or figuratively (Exo. 19:14; Deu. 22:8; Jos. 10:7). It can be used with a verb not indicating separation, e.g., to stay away from strife (Pro. 20:3; Isa. 14:19). (2) With the basic sense of out of, from (Gen. 3:22-24; 4:10; 34:26; Exo. 2:10; 8:9,5; Jdg. 15:7; Psm. 40:2,3), it often indicates what something is made of or formed from (Gen. 2:19; Hos. 13:2). With a pronominal suffix meaning from it, it means of one piece with it (Exo. 25:19, 25:31). It indicates a cause for something, on account of, because (Exo. 2:23; 6:9; 1Kgs. 14:4; Pro. 20:4; Isa. 53:5). (3) It is used to mean something is a part of something else, a part or share of it (Gen. 6:19; 7:8; 39:11; Num. 16:2). It indicates some of in an indefinite sense (Exo. 16:27; Lev. 25:49; Psm. 137:3). When repeated it means some . . . others or its equivalent expression (1Chr. 9:28-29). (4) It is used to mark time: from, since (Deu. 9:24), from a certain day or time (Lev. 22:27; Num. 15:23; 1Sam. 18:9). It is used in phrases to mean from ancient times, antiquity (Hab. 1:12); from of old (Isa. 42:14). It indicates right after a certain time (Gen. 38:24; Jos. 23:1; Eze. 38:8). (5) Paired with ‛aḏ it usually means from . . . even to, as far as (Gen. 10:19; 15:18; Exo. 11:7; Jer. 51:62). In a figurative sense, this same construction can mean e.g., from young . . . to old, both inclusive (Gen. 19:4; 1Sam. 5:9; Jer. 6:13). (6) It may further indicate than, in comparisons (Lev. 21:10; Jdg. 14:18). (7) Prefixed to an infinitive, it is often translated as from (Gen. 16:2); a few times as on account of or because (Deu. 7:7-8); or temporally as since or after (Num. 24:23; Isa. 44:7). (8) It is often attached to other words in compounds and is sometimes used in front of infinitives of verbs: e.g., with ‛āḇaḏ meaning from serving (Exo. 14:5); with bāla‛ meaning from destroying (Lam. 2:8). (9) It is used in front of a verb form once as a conjunction indicating a negative purpose, "that . . . not" (Deu. 33:11). Other uses almost always fall under one of the above categories.

דָּנִאֵל

dāni’ēl, דּנִיֵּאל

dāniyyē’l: A proper noun designating Daniel:

A. The second son of David, born to Abigail, former wife of Nabal from Carmel (1Sam. 25; 1Chr. 3:1).

B. A descendant of Ithamar who was a family head who returned from the Babylonian exile under Ezra and who sealed Nehemiah's pact to serve the Lord (Ezra 8:2; Neh. 10:6).

C. Daniel, the prophet, exiled in ca. 605 B.C. to Babylon, where he remained into the reign of Cyrus of Persia (Dan. 10:1-3; ca. 535 B.C.). His name meant "God has judged." He refused to be absorbed into Babylonian culture. He was gifted to understand and interpret dreams and visions. He was faithful to the Law of Moses even in exile. He interpreted dreams and visions of pagan kings and himself (by the help of divine intermediaries) that reported the course of world history and the divine establishment of the kingdom of God. He died and awaits the resurrection to receive his own allotment and reward (Dan. 12:1-13). His wisdom was also proverbial because of the way he handled himself in the court of Nebuchadnezzar.

D. The name may refer to the righteous Daniel mentioned in an ancient Ugaritic Epic of Aqhat (ca. 1450 B.C.). It is more likely that the prophet here refers to the biblical Daniel, since the other two persons are biblical characters and all three men were "delivered" from a crisis situation, as Daniel's name indicates.

there is no...

לֹא

lō’, לוֹא

lô’, לֹה

lōh: An adverb meaning no, not. The term is primarily utilized as an ordinary negation, as in Genesis 3:4: "You will not surely die" (NIV cf. Jdg. 14:4; Psm. 16:10). Often it is used to express an unconditional prohibition, thus having the force of an imperative: "You shall not (= do not ever) steal"(Exo. 20:15 NIV; cf. Jdg. 13:5). Frequently, it functions as an absolute in answer to a question (Job. 23:6; Zec. 4:5). The word is also employed in questions to denote that an affirmative answer is expected (2Kgs. 5:26; Jon. 4:11). When it is prefixed to a noun or adjective, it negates that word, making it have an opposite or contrary meaning (e.g., god becomes non-god; strong becomes weak; cf. Deu. 32:21; Pro. 30:25). When prefixed by the preposition b^e, meaning in or by, the combined term carries the temporal meaning of beyond or before (Lev. 15:25); the meaning without is also not uncommon for this combination (Job. 8:11). A prefixed preposition l^e, meaning to or for, gives the term the meaning of without (2Chr. 15:3) or as though not (Job. 39:16). Occasionally, the word suggests the meaning not only, on account of the context (Deu. 5:3).

secret...

סָתַם

sāṯam, שָׂתַם

śāṯam: A verb meaning to stop, to stop up. It means to plug up, to stop the function of a well by filling the well cylinder with dirt and debris (Gen. 26:15, 26:18). It describes the filling in of springs as well (2Kgs. 3:19, 3:25); or gaps in a broken wall (Neh. 4:7 [1]). It is used, with b^e on the front, as an adverb to mean secretly, in secret (Psm. 51:6,8). It means to hide or to keep something hidden, secret (Dan. 8:26; 12:4).

that they can hide...

עָמַם

‛āmam: A verb meaning to grow dim, to be hidden. It refers to losing brightness, to lose the glowing shining feature of gold, etc. (Lam. 4:1). It has the sense of to be hard, difficult for someone to solve (Eze. 28:3); and the meaning of to equal, to compare to, to match (Eze. 31:8). Some scholars consider the word in Ezekiel to be from a different root with the same spelling.

from thee:

This does not mean that he was wiser than Daniel in reality—only wiser in his own eyes; and he thought that nothing could be hidden from him. He did have wisdom and understanding enough to rule Tyre and oversee the affairs in that city for the purpose of making riches (Eze. 28:4-5). His heart was lifted up because of his prosperity (Eze. 28:5), as Lucifer’s was lifted up in pride over his beauty and authority as sole ruler of the earth before the days of Adam (Eze. 28:11-17).

book of Ezekiel