Ezekiel 28:13

Ezekiel 28:13

Thou 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.

a. NLT: You were in Eden, the garden of God. Your clothing was adorned with every precious stone—red carnelian, pale-green peridot, white moonstone, blue-green beryl, onyx, green jasper, blue lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald—all beautifully crafted for you and set in the finest gold. They were given to you on the day you were created.

b. NIV: You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: carnelian, chrysolite and emerald, topaz, onyx and jasper, lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.

c. YLT: In Eden, the garden of God, thou hast been, Every precious stone thy covering, Ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle, and gold, The workmanship of thy tabrets, and of thy pipes, In thee in the day of thy being produced, have been prepared.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the carnelian, topaz, jasper, chrysolite, beryl, onyx, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald; and your settings and your sockets and engravings were wrought in gold. On the day that you were created they were prepared.

e. Septuagint: Thou 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.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Were you in Eden, the garden off God; Was your canopy of every precious stone—Odem, pitedah and yahalom; tarshish, shoham and yashfeh; sapir, nophech and barkas—and gold?

1. “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God…”

a. hast been [Strong: 1961 * hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. in Eden [Strong: 5731 * `Eden ay'-den the same as 5730 (masculine); Eden, the region of Adam's home:--Eden.]

c. the garden [Strong: 1588 * gan gan from 1598; a garden (as fenced):--garden.]

d. of God [Strong: 430 * 'elohiym el-o-heem' plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

1). Though he began the address with the king of Tyrus, a man in (Ezekiel 28:11, 12), he clearly is addressing the spirit who is inspiring the rebellion of the earthly king, that spirit is Lucifer. In Ezekiel 28:14 Ezekiel also refers to him as a cherub, clearly not a man. As the Hebrew definitions bear out he was created to be in ministry, employment of music. Some scholars teach he was the angelic leader of praise and worship of God in heaven before his rebellion against God.

 2. “…every precious stone was thy covering…

a. every [Strong: 3605 * or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]

b. precious [Strong: 3368 * yaqar yaw-kawr' from 3365; valuable (obj. or subj.): -brightness, clear, costly, excellent, fat, honourable women, precious, reputation.]

c. stone [Strong: 68 * 'eben eh'-ben from the root of 1129 through the meaning to build; a stone:--+ carbuncle, + mason, + plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-)stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).]

d. thy covering [Strong: 4540 * mcukkah mes-ook-kaw' from 5526; a covering, i.e. garniture:--covering.]

3. “…the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold…”

a. the sardius [Strong: 124 * 'odem o'-dem from 119; redness, i.e. the ruby, garnet, or some other red gem:--sardius.]

b. topaz [Strong: 6357 * pitdah pit-daw' of foreign derivation; a gem, probably the topaz:--topaz.]

c. [and] the diamond [Strong: 3095 * yahalom yah-hal-ome' from 1986 (in the sense of hardness); a precious stone, probably onyx:--diamond.]

d. the beryl [Strong: 8658 * tarshiysh tar-sheesh' probably of foreign derivation (Compare 8659); a gem, perhaps the topaz:--beryl.]

e. the onyx [Strong: 7718 * shoham sho'-ham from an unused root probably mean to blanch; a gem, probably the beryl (from its pale green color):--onyx.]

f. and the jasper [Strong: 3471 * yashpheh yaw-shef-ay' from an unused root meaning to polish; a gem supposed to be jasper (from the resemblance in name):--jasper.]

g. the sapphire [Strong: 5601 * cappiyr sap-peer' from 5608; a gem (perhaps used for scratching other substances), probably the sapphire:--sapphire.]

h. the emerald [Strong: 5306 * nophek no'-fek from an unused root meaning to glisten; shining; a gem, probably the garnet:--emerald.]

i. [and] the carbuncle [Strong: 1304 * bareqeth baw-reh'-keth or barkath {baw-rek-ath'}; from 1300; a gem (as flashing), perhaps the emerald:--carbuncle.]

j. and gold [Strong: 2091 * zahab zaw-hawb' from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky:-- gold(-en), fair weather.]

1). This is a very curious statement. As we shall see He is addressing Lucifer and reminding him and instructing us of what he was before he fell. Lucifer was in the garden of Eden before he fell. Where was man? I don’t know for sure, but I tend to believe this was before the creation of man. There are nine stones mentioned in this verse and some are the same as in the High Priest’s breastplate given in Exodus 28.

a). Exodus 28:17-20 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.

28:18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

28:19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

2). The ones that are exactly the same are the sardius, topaz, diamond, carbuncle, emerald, beryl, sapphire, onyx, jasper. Why there are nine for the covering of Lucifer I don’t know. The reason for the twelve stones in the High Priest’s breastplate, are for the twelve tribes of Israel. Each stone were engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

a). Exodus 28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

4. “…the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.”

a. the workmanship [Strong: 4399 mla'kah mel-aw-kaw'; from the same as 4397; properly, deputyship, i.e. ministry; generally, employment (never servile) or work (abstractly or concretely); also property (as the result of labor):--business, + cattle, + industrious, occupation, (+ -pied), + officer, thing (made), use, (manner of) work((-man), -manship).] Gesenius: service, work prescribed, of the work of the artisan, work of a smith.]

1). The term “workmanship” refers to level of artistry used in the creation of Lucifer, these items, “tabrets” and “pipes” refer to the use, ministry and purpose after they were created placed in Lucifer when he was created. God used the utmost artistry in creating Lucifer and his purpose or ministry which involved music.

b. of thy tabrets [Strong: 8596 * toph] [Strong: from #8608 contracted; a tambourine:--tabret, timbrel.] [Gesenius: a drum or timbrel, beaten in the East by women when dancing, it is made with a wooden circle and covered with membrane and furnished with brass bells, also a bezel or hollow in which a gem is set.]

c. [and of] thy pipes [Strong: 5345  neqeb neh'keb; a bezel (for a gem):--pipe] [Gesenius: a socket for setting a gem, others understand it to be a “pipe” from the root word meaning ‘to bore through’ but this is not suitable to the context.]

d. [was] prepared [Strong: 3559 kuwn koon;  a primitive root; properly, to be erect (i.e. stand perpendicular); hence (causatively) to set up, in a great variety of applications, whether literal (establish, fix, prepare, apply), or figurative (appoint, render sure, proper or prosperous):--certain(-ty), confirm, direct, faithfulness, fashion, fasten, firm, be fitted, be fixed, frame, be meet, ordain, order, perfect, (make) preparation, prepare (self), provide, make provision, (be, make) ready, right, set (aright, fast, forth), be stable, (e-)stablish, stand, tarry, X very deed.]   

1). There are two schools of thought on Ezekiel 28:13. One school of thought leans toward “settings and mountings” in respect to precious stones of Lucifer’s covering. The following translations are cited.

a). Ezekiel 28:13 [NIV] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire,* turquoise and beryl.* Your settings and mountings* were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared.

b). Ezekiel 28:13 [NASB] "You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your *settings and *sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared.

c). Ezekiel 28:13 [RSV] You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, topaz, and jasper, chrysolite, beryl, and onyx, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald; and wrought in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.

2). The other school of thought leans toward “tabrets and pipes”, that these were musical instruments.

a). Ezekiel 28:13 [ASV] Thou wast in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the 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 in thee; in the day that thou wast created they were prepared.

b). Ezekiel 28:13 [Young’s Literal Concordance]  In Eden, the garden of God, thou hast been, Every precious stone thy covering, Ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle, and gold, The workmanship of thy tabrets, and of thy pipes, In thee in the day of thy being produced, have been prepared.

c). Ezekiel 28:13 [Darby] thou wast in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was thy covering: the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the chrysolite, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the carbuncle, and the emerald, and gold. The workmanship of thy tambours and of thy pipes was in thee: in the day that thou wast created were they prepared.

3). I am persuaded that if both schools of thought are revealed in the Hebrew words, then perhaps both are meant, the craftsmanship and or ministry of the musical instruments and the settings of the stones. In line with that, some scholars believe Lucifer’s ministry before he fell, involved music, because as some of these Scriptures say, a ministry or employment of music was created in him. Personally, I not only believe that music was involved in his pre-fall ministry, I believe music was used by Lucifer in the spreading of his rebellion. I will take a closer look at that in the study of Ezekiel 28:18.

e. in the day [Strong: 3117 yowm yome; from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.]

f. thou wast created [Strong: 1254 bara' baw-raw'; a primitive root; (absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes):-- choose, create (creator), cut down, dispatch, do, make (fat).]