Limitless Word
Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you!
Ezekiel 28:3 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB behold, you are wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that is hidden from you;
  • KJV Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
  • NKJV (Behold, you are wiser than Daniel! There is no secret that can be hidden from you!
  • NASB Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; There is no secret that is a match for you!
  • NLT You regard yourself as wiser than Daniel and think no secret is hidden from you.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God ironically grants that the prince thinks himself wiser than Daniel, with no secret hidden from him. It rebukes his inflated self-estimate of his own wisdom.

Overview

The reference to Daniel, renowned for God-given wisdom, sharpens the irony of the prince's conceit. He prided himself on unrivaled insight, yet his wisdom was self-serving and godless. True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, and the prince's downfall shows that human cleverness divorced from God leads only to ruin.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 10

  • Dan 1:20In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
  • Dan 2:22He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.
  • Dan 2:27–28Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, enchanter, medium, or magician can explain to the king the mystery of which he inquires.
  • Job 15:8Do you listen in on the council of God or limit wisdom to yourself?
  • 1 Kgs 10:3And Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too difficult for the king to explain.
  • Dan 5:11–12There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your father he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. Your own father, the king,
  • 1 Kgs 4:29–32And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore.
  • Zech 9:2–3and also against Hamath, which borders it, as well as Tyre and Sidon, though they are very shrewd.
  • Ps 25:14The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them.
  • Dan 2:47–48The king said to Daniel, “Your God is truly the God of gods and Lord of kings, the Revealer of Mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ezekiel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ezekiel 28:3YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EzekielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.

How Ezekiel 28:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.