Ezekiel 28:14-16

Thou art the anointed cherub, &c.— Peters observes upon these verses, that the king of this proud city, who it seems affected divine honours, is compared to an anointed cherub, or one of the chiefs and rulers of the angelical host, thus remarkably described, as one that was perfect in his ways from the day that he was created, till iniquity was found in him. Ezekiel 28:15 one who had his place of residence upon the holy mountain of God, and walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire, or among the stars. But now to be cast down, &c. See Ezekiel 28:16. Whoever compares this place in Ezekiel with the parallel place in Isaiah 14:12; Isaiah 14:32 where the downfal of the king of Babylon is foretold in the same prophetic language, will soon perceive that they throw a reciprocal light upon each other; and that the fall of angels is alluded to in both. The beauty and propriety of these allusions of the prophets will appear with greater lustre, when it is considered that the host of heaven were the objects of the heathen idolatry; both the visible and invisible host, as well angels, as the lights of heaven; for the superstition seems to have been originally the same, as the worship of the heavenly bodies terminated in the worship of those angels or intelligences who were believed to animate and conduct them: and hence we see a reason why the angels are called stars and morning stars in Scripture; as in Job 38:7 and so here the covering cherub is the same with Lucifer, son of the morning, in Isaiah. Thus, while the prophets describe the overthrow of an idolatrous prince or state by a fallen angel, or a falling star, they only make their gods to tumble with them. See Dissert. on Job, p. 374. Houbigant renders the 16th verse, From the multitude of thy merchandize, the midst of thee hath been filled with iniquity, and thou art become guilty. Therefore will I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God, and I will take thee, O cherub, and thy shadow away from the midst of the sparkling stones.