Definition: Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Ezekiel 28:12. It's a really interesting and symbolic passage with a lot of layers! Here’s what it means, explained simply: The Basic Idea: This verse is about God setting a serious warning to King Cyrus of Tyrus – a city on the coast of modern-day Israel – about the dangers of his own pride and lack of humility. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “Ezekiel 28:12” : This tells us where this verse comes from, in a prophecy written by Ezekiel, a prophet in ancient Jerusalem. It’s a message from God to a king. “Son of man” : This refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as described in the Bible. It's a way for God to talk about Himself and His role. “Take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus…” : Ezekiel is telling Cyrus to feel sorry or to express sorrow about something he’s doing. He’s saying, “You are in a difficult situation, and you need to acknowledge it.” “and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” : This is the most important part. It's a long, poetic description. Let’s break down what each phrase means: "Thou sealest up the sum..." : This is a fancy way of saying “You are holding something very important.” It refers to God’s plan and purpose for the world – everything that will happen. It's like He’s carefully crafting a big picture. "...full of wisdom..." : This means God has a great deal of understanding and knowledge about everything. "...and perfect in beauty." : This is incredibly powerful. It means God’s plan, His actions, and even the world itself are beautiful and good. It's not random or chaotic; it’s ordered and purposeful. So, putting it all together: Ezekiel is saying that God sees Cyrus as arrogant and self-centered. He’s reminding him that he has a divine plan for the whole world – a grand design – and he needs to be humble enough to recognize that his actions are part of that plan. He needs to acknowledge his own pride and lack of wisdom, because those things can lead to trouble. What's the message? The verse is essentially a call to humility and recognizing our place in God’s plan. It’s about being aware of our limitations and seeking guidance from a higher power. In short: This verse warns Cyrus to be humble, recognize his own fallibility, and understand that God's plans are bigger than him. --- Do you want me to: Explain another part of the verse? Connect it to a specific biblical story or concept?