To "seal the sum" is to make up the whole measure of perfection. Compare the Septuagint

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.

Take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus,.... Who is before called the prince of Tyre; and who he was See Gill on Ezekiel 28:2, the bishop of Rome was first only a "nagid", a prince, ruler, governor, and leader in the church; afterwards he became a king, a head, even over other kings, princes, and states; perhaps this may also point to his twofold power, secular and ecclesiastical, and so he is represented by two beasts, Revelation 13:1, here a lamentation or funeral ditty is ordered to be taken up and said for him, to denote his certain destruction and ruin; though some have thought the fall of the angels, and others the fall of Adam, is referred to; several passages are interpreted of Adam in the Talmud (l):

and say unto him, thus saith the Lord God, thou sealest up the sum; or "pattern" (m); of everything that is excellent; thou art in all things, consummately so, as that nothing could be added; that is, in his own esteem and account. Junius thinks it refers to the sealing of goods exported, for which a duty was to be paid, without doing which merchandise was not allowed. Antichrist would not suffer any to buy or sell but such as receive his mark or seal on their right hand, or in their forehead, Revelation 13:16. Cocceius renders it, "the sealer of the measure" (n); and takes it to be an allusion to the custom of sealing measures, used in buying and selling; and that it respects the man of sin, who takes upon him the power of making rules and canons for faith and practice:

full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty; a most accomplished man for parts and person in his own conceit: antichrist assumes to himself a perfect knowledge of the Scriptures, and sets up himself as an infallible judge of controversies; and glories in the splendour and order of his church, and the government of it.

(l) T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 75. 1.((m) "exemplar, sive specimen", Tigurine version: Castalio. (n) "Signator mensurae", Cocceius, Starckius.

Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of {d} wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

(d) He derides the vain opinion and confidence that the Tyrians had in their riches, strength and pleasures.

28:12 Thou sealest up - Thou fanciest that fulness of wisdom, and perfection of beauty are in thee.

[1] Thou

Here (Ezek 28:12-15), as in Isa 14:12 the language goes beyond the king of Tyre to Satan, inspirer and unseen ruler of all such pomp and pride as that of Tyre. Instances of thus indirectly addressing Satan are: Gen 3:14,15 Mt 16:23. The unfallen state of Satan is here described; his fall in Isa 14:12-14. See Scofield Note: "Rev 20:10". But there is more. The vision is not of Satan in his own person, but of Satan fulfilling himself in and through an earthly king who arrogates to himself divine honours, Song that the prince of Tyrus foreshadows the Beast. Dan 7:8 Rev 19:20.

12. sealest up the sum-literally, "Thou art the one sealing the sum of perfection." A thing is sealed when completed (Da 9:24). "The sum" implies the full measure of beauty, from a Hebrew root, "to measure." The normal man-one formed after accurate rule.

28:1-19 Ethbaal, or Ithobal, was the prince or king of Tyre; and being lifted up with excessive pride, he claimed Divine honours. Pride is peculiarly the sin of our fallen nature. Nor can any wisdom, except that which the Lord gives, lead to happiness in this world or in that which is to come. The haughty prince of Tyre thought he was able to protect his people by his own power, and considered himself as equal to the inhabitants of heaven. If it were possible to dwell in the garden of Eden, or even to enter heaven, no solid happiness could be enjoyed without a humble, holy, and spiritual mind. Especially all spiritual pride is of the devil. Those who indulge therein must expect to perish.