---
title: "Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation"
author: "Adam Clarke"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Commentaries"
section: 38 of 769
url: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/38/
cite: "Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation, section 38. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/38/"
---

# Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible · Volume 2: Lamentations to Revelation

*Adam Clarke*

Clarke's learned notes on the Hebrew and Greek, verse by verse, from Genesis to Revelation: volume 2 of 2.

## 38. Ezekiel · 29 of 47

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/38/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/adam-clarke-commentary-volume-2-lamentations-to-revelation/38/#p-N

### Verse 3

[¶1] Thou art wiser than Daniel - Daniel was at this time living, and was reputable for his great wisdom. This is said ironically. See [Eze 14:14]; [Eze 26:1].

### Verse 5

[¶3] By thy great wisdom - He attributed every thing to himself; he did not acknowledge a Divine providence. As he got all by himself, so he believed he could keep all by himself, and had no need of any foreign help.

### Verse 7

[¶5] I will bring strangers upon thee - The Chaldeans.

### Verse 9

[¶7] Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee - Wilt thou continue thy pride and arrogance when the sword is sheathed in thee, and still imagine that thou art self-sufficient and independent?

### Verse 10

[¶9] The deaths of the uncircumcised - Two deaths, temporal and eternal. Ithobaal was taken and killed by Nebuchadnezzar.

### Verse 12

[¶11] Thou sealest up - This has been translated, "Thou drawest thy own likeness." "Thou formest a portrait of thyself; and hast represented thyself the perfection of wisdom and beauty." I believe this to be the meaning of the place.

### Verse 13

[¶13] Thou hast been in Eden - This also is a strong irony. Thou art like Adam, when in his innocence and excellence he was in the garden of Eden!

[¶14] Every precious stone was thy covering - For a description of these stones see the note on [Exo 28:17].

### Verse 14

[¶16] Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth - The irony is continued; and here he is likened to the Cherub that guarded the gates of Paradise, and kept the way of the tree of life; or to one of the cherubs whose wings, spread out, covered the mercy-seat.

[¶17] Thou mast upon the holy mountain of God - The irony is still continued; and now he is compared to Hoses, and afterwards to one of the chief angels, who has walked up and down among the stones of fire; that is, thy floors have been paved with precious stones, that shone and sparkled like fire.

[¶18] Lucan, describing the splendor of the apartments of Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, speaks in nearly a similar language: -

[¶19] Nec summis crustata domus, sectisque nitebat

[¶20] Marmoribus, stabatque sibi non segnis achates,

[¶21] Purpureusque lapis, totusque effusus in aula

[¶22] Calcabatur onyx;

[¶23] Pharsal. lib. x.

[¶24] Rich as some fane by slavish zealots reared,

[¶25] For the proud banquet stood the hall prepared:

[¶26] Thick golden plates the latent beams infold,

[¶27] And the high roof was fretted o'er with gold.

[¶28] Of solid marble all the walls were made,

[¶29] And onyx e'en the meaner floor inlaid;

[¶30] While porphyry and agate round the court

[¶31] In massy columns rose, a proud support.

[¶32] Of solid ebony each post was wrought,

[¶33] From swarthy Meroe profusely brought.

[¶34] With ivory was the entrance crusted o'er,

[¶35] And polished tortoise hid each shining door;

[¶36] While on the cloudy spots enchased was seen

[¶37] The trusty emerald's never-fading green.

[¶38] Within the royal beds and couches shone,

[¶39] Beamy and bright with many a costly stone,

[¶40] The glowing purple rich.

[¶41] Rowe.

### Verse 15

[¶43] Thou wast perfect in thy ways - The irony seems still to be kept up. Thou hast been like the angels, like Moses, like the cherubs, like Adam, like God, till thy iniquity was found out.