therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to read this as just about being proud, but notice it says the heart was set "like the heart of a god." This isn't just thinking too highly of oneself, but actually adopting the motivations and ambitions that belong only to the Creator, making self-glory the ultimate goal. This verse reveals that the core of this sin is a deep-seated desire to be the source and center of everything, just like God Himself.
therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage zeroes in on the king of Tyre, who, puffed up by his city's wealth and power, has begun to think of himself as divine. The prophet Ezekiel is delivering God's judgment against him, and this verse explains the core of the king's offense: he has made his own heart aspire to the thoughts and authority belonging only to God. This prideful self-exaltation, a direct challenge to God's sovereignty, sets the stage for the severe pronouncements that follow.
What does it mean to have a heart like God's? It's not about power, but about ultimate purpose and glory.
When the text says the prince of Tyre set his heart 'like the heart of God,' it's pointing to a perverted ambition. God's heart is rightly focused on His own glory and His purposes. He designs and works all things for His own renown. The prince, however, twisted this divine focus into self-worship. He mirrored God's self-centeredness, but for his own aggrandizement, seeking his own greatness and glory above all else. This isn't about possessing divine attributes, but about imitating God's ultimate concern – just in the wrong direction, towards self instead of the Creator.
Pride is like a hall of mirrors, reflecting a distorted image of greatness. See how it deceived the mighty prince.
The prince of Tyre’s downfall wasn't a sudden fall, but a deep-seated issue rooted in pride. He became so inflated by his own wisdom and power that he began to see himself as divine. This inner deception, fueled by his success, blinded him to reality. He started entertaining thoughts and purposes fit only for the Almighty. It's a stark reminder that genuine wisdom, the kind that leads to true happiness and security, comes only from God. When we let pride take root, it whispers lies, convincing us that we are the ultimate arbiters of our own destiny, much like the prince who thought he could secure his people by his own might.
Understand the original words
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Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The Sovereign Lord; a title emphasizing God's absolute authority, covenant faithfulness, and rule over all creation. It represents the personal name Yahweh combined with the title Adonai.
lebab · Hebrew Noun
The core of a person, representing the intellect, will, emotions, and moral character; it is the center of decision-making and the seat of human pride or humility.
el · Hebrew Noun
A title for the one true Creator, but here used by the king of Tyre to describe his own prideful claim to divine status, representing idolatrous self-exaltation.
The prophet Ezekiel delivers this message during the Babylonian exile, a period of profound national trauma for Judah after the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. His prophecy against the King of Tyre highlights the destructive nature of pride and self-deification, contrasting it with God's sovereignty, especially in the context of Judah's suffering and judgment.
c. 597 BC
First Siege of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, deports King Jehoiachin and many citizens, and installs Zedekiah as a puppet king. This event marks a significant shift in power in the region.
c. 588-586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Besieges Tyre
After Jerusalem rebels, Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to the island city of Tyre for thirteen years. The city eventually capitulates, suffering greatly.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Davidic monarchy and initiating the Babylonian exile of the remaining Jewish population.
c. 585 BC
Ezekiel's Prophecies Begin
Ezekiel, among the exiles in Babylon, begins to receive prophetic visions and messages from God, often addressing the dire situation of Judah and the surrounding nations.
This verse directly repeats the thought, emphasizing that the prince of Tyre's self-exaltation is the core issue leading to judgment.
Obadiah 1:3This passage highlights how 'the pride of your heart' deceives, mirroring the Tyre's prince's delusion that led him to think like God.
Isaiah 14:13-14This prophecy against the king of Babylon beautifully illustrates the same desire to ascend above God and sit on His throne, a parallel to the heart attitude described here.
Genesis 3:5The serpent's temptation in Eden, promising that knowing good and evil would make them 'like God,' directly connects to the dangerous aspiration of setting one's heart to be like God.
Romans 1:22This New Testament passage describes those who 'became futile in their thinking' and 'exchanged the truth about God for a lie,' reflecting the same kind of heart-deception seen in Ezekiel's description.
gillEzekiel 28:6: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;"
Therefore thus saith the Lord God,.... Now follows the punishment threatened, because of all this pride, haughtiness, and blasphemy: because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; seeking thine own glory; setting up thyself above all others; assuming that to thyself which belongs to God; and making thyself equal to him, or showing thyself as if thou wast God; See Gill on Ezekiel 28:…
ellicottEzekiel 28:6: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;"
(6) Set thine heart as the heart of God. —The same expression as in Ezekiel 28:2 . (Comp. Obadiah 1:3 , “The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee.”) The meaning is plain: thou hast entertained thoughts and purposes fitting only to the Supreme.
It's easy to read this as just about being proud, but notice it says the heart was set "like the heart of a god." This isn't just thinking too highly of oneself, but actually adopting the motivations and ambitions that belong only to the Creator, making self-glory the ultimate goal. This verse reveals that the core of this sin is a deep-seated desire to be the source and center of everything, just like God Himself.
This passage zeroes in on the king of Tyre, who, puffed up by his city's wealth and power, has begun to think of himself as divine. The prophet Ezekiel is delivering God's judgment against him, and this verse explains the core of the king's offense: he has made his own heart aspire to the thoughts and authority belonging only to God. This prideful self-exaltation, a direct challenge to God's sovereignty, sets the stage for the severe pronouncements that follow.
This passage zeroes in on the king of Tyre, who, puffed up by his city's wealth and power, has begun to think of himself as divine. The prophet Ezekiel is delivering God's judgment against him, and this verse explains the core of the king's offense: he has made his own heart aspire to the thoughts and authority belonging only to God. This prideful self-exaltation, a direct challenge to God's sovereignty, sets the stage for the severe pronouncements that follow.
"therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you make your heart like the heart of a god," — It's easy to read this as just about being proud, but notice it says the heart was set "like the heart of a god." This isn't just thinking too highly of oneself, but actually adopting the *motivation…
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Last reviewed October 2026