Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.

EZEKIEL 28:9KJV
Know the Bible

Ezekiel 28:9 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 28:9 mean?

Ezekiel 28:9 warns that the person claiming to be a god will not be able to maintain that claim when facing death at the hands of another; in that moment, he will be shown to be just a human, not divine. The verse points out the limits of human pride and power, especially when confronted by mortality.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to the ruler of Tyre, who had become arrogant and thought of himself as a god. The setting is a message of judgment: the king’s claim to divinity will be exposed as false when he is killed by another person. The verse highlights the difference between God and humans, especially those who put themselves above others.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 28:9

  • אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, transliterated "Elohim") is the word for "God" here, often used for the true God but sometimes for powerful beings or rulers. Its use emphasizes the king’s blasphemous claim to divine status.
  • אָדָם (’adam, transliterated "adam") means "man" or "human." The contrast between אֱלֹהִים ("God") and אָדָם ("man") underlines the king’s mortality and limits.
  • יָד (yad, transliterated "yad") means "hand," referring to power or control. "In the hand of him that slayeth thee" stresses that the king’s fate is in human hands, not divine ones.

Why Ezekiel 28:9 matters

  • This verse clears up any misunderstanding that human power or status can make someone equal to God; even the mightiest ruler is still mortal.
  • Ezekiel 28:9 is a key part of a larger passage where God rebukes pride and self-exaltation, especially among leaders who forget their humanity.
  • The verse connects to the theme throughout Ezekiel that God alone is sovereign, and all people—even kings—are accountable to Him.

Where else these words appear

“slayeth” Hebrew H2490 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
  • Judges 20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.
  • Isaiah 56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;