Ezekiel 28:16

Ezekiel 28:16

By 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.

a. ASV: By the abundance 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.

b. YLT: By the abundance of thy merchandise They have filled thy midst with violence, And thou dost sin, And I thrust thee from the mount of God, And I destroy thee, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire.

c. Classic Amplified: Through the abundance of your commerce you were filled with lawlessness and violence, and you sinned; therefore I cast you out as a profane thing from the mountain of God and the guardian cherub drove you out from the midst of the stones of fire.

d. Septuagint: Of 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. 

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: Because of your abundant commerce, your midst filled with injustice and you have sinned; So I desecrated you from the mountain of God and destroyed you, O sheltering cherub, from among the fiery stones.

1. “By the multitude of thy merchandise…”

a. [By the] multitude [Strong: 7230 rôb, robe; from H7231; abundance (in any respect):—abundance(-antly), all, × common (sort), excellent, great(-ly, -ness, number), huge, be increased, long, many, more in number, most, much, multitude, plenty(-ifully), × very (age).]

b. [of thy] merchandise [Strong: 7404 rᵉkullâh, rek-ool-law'; feminine passive participle of H7402; trade (as peddled):—merchandise, traffic.]

1). This same Hebrew word is translated “traffic” in Ezekiel 28:5 and Ezekiel 28:18  

a). [NKJV] “By the abundance of your trading…”

b). [NIV] “Through your widespread trade…”

2). D.C: I can’t help but believe what he was trafficking, was his rebellion, his desire to be like God. He was trafficking his rebellion and deception among the angels and one third of the angels followed him in his rebellion.

2. “…they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned …”

a. [they have] filled [Strong: 4390 mâlêʼ, maw-lay'; or מָלָא mâlâʼ; (Esther 7:5), a primitive root; to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively):—accomplish, confirm, consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, × draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, have wholly.]

1). Though added by the translators I believe the “they” refers to not only his ways that became iniquity, but also in combination with the abundance of trade, “they” both filled Lucifer with violence.

b. [the] midst [of thee] [Strong: 8432  tâvek, taw'-vek; from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre:—among(-st), × between, half, × (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), × out (of), × through, × with(-in).]

c. [with] violence [Strong: 2555 châmâç, khaw-mawce'; from H2554; violence; by implication, wrong; by metonymy unjust gain:—cruel(-ty), damage, false, injustice, × oppressor, unrighteous, violence (against, done), violent (dealing), wrong.]

d. [and thou hast] sinned [Strong: 2398 châṭâʼ, khaw-taw'; a primitive root; properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn:—bear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.]

3. “…therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God…”

a. [therefore I will cast thee as] profane [Strong: 2490 châlal, khaw-lal'; a primitive root (compare H2470); also denominative (from H2485) properly, to bore, i.e. (by implication) to wound, to dissolve; figuratively, to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin, to profane oneself, defile oneself, pollute oneself,  ritually sexually, to be polluted, be defiled, to profane, make common, defile, pollute, to violate the honour of, dishonor, to violate (a covenant) to treat as common, to profane (name of God) to let be profaned, to begin, to be begun, to wound (fatally), bore through, pierce, bore, to pierce, to be slain, to wound, pierce, to be wounded,  to play the flute or pipe.]

b. [out of the] mountain [Strong: 2022 har, har; a shortened form of H2042; a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively):—hill (country), mount(-ain), × promotion.]

c. [of] God [Strong: 430 ʼĕlôhîym, el-o-heem'; plural of H433; 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, × exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), × (very) great, judges, × mighty.]

1). [ASV] “…therefore have I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God…” 

2). [Amplified Bible] “…therefore I cast you out as a profane thing from the mountain of God…” 

3). Although Lucifer was cast out of God’s presence, lost his position, and was thrown out of heaven, he still according to Scripture could enter heaven during certain times. It appears that there were times he would go to heaven and present himself before God, and give an account of his doings. Two of those times are shown in the book of Job.

a). Job 1:6, 7 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 

1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 

b). Job 2:1, 2 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. 

2:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

4). The Scriptures describe Satan as the accuser of the brethren, and the Word goes on to say Satan accuses us before God during this present time. In the text below, though Satan and his angels will be permanently thrown out of heaven and limited to the earth and never again to have access to heaven. So it appears that he was first removed from all his ministry responsibilities and thrown out of heaven. During this time he would seemingly be required to present himself before the Lord and give an account of his actions. At which time he, as he does now, he  accuses God’s people before God. That will soon end though.

a). Revelation 12:7-12 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 

12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 

12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 

12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 

12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.     

  

4. “…and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.”

a. [and I will] destroy [thee] [6 * ‘abad] [Strong: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed, perish, die, be exterminated, perish, vanish (fig.), be lost, strayed, to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate, to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.), cause to stray, lose (Hiphil), to destroy, put to death, of divine judgment, object name of kings (fig.)]

b. [O] covering [Strong: 5526 çâkak, saw-kak'; or שָׂכַךְ sâkak; (Exodus 33:22), a primitive root; properly, to entwine as a screen; by implication, to fence in, cover over, (figuratively) protect:—cover, defence, defend, hedge in, join together, set, shut up.]

c. cherub [Strong: 3742 kᵉrûwb, ker-oob'; of uncertain derivation; a cherub or imaginary figure:—cherub, (plural) cherubims.]

1). Perhaps what is meant is the position or ministry of “covering cherub” one who walked in the presence of God “the midst of the stones of fire” is going to be destroyed. 

2). Lucifer is a cherub, a spirit being and as such will exist forever. I do not think the word “destroy” is meant in the strict sense of the word. Especially in light of what the rest of Scripture says about his end. The Bible clearly says the devil will be cast into the lake of fire and tormented forever and ever.

a). Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

d. [from the] midst [Strong: 8432 tâvek, taw'-vek; from an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. (by implication) the centre:—among(-st), × between, half, × (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), × out (of), × through, × with(-in).]

e. [of the] stones [Strong: 68 ʼeben, eh'-ben; from the root of H1129 through the meaning to build; a stone:— carbuncle, mason, plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).]

f. [of] fire [Strong: 784 ʼêsh, aysh; a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively):—burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot.