Original Word: יִפְעָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: yiph`ah
Pronunciation: yif-haw'
Phonetic Spelling: (yif-aw')
KJV: brightness
NASB: splendor
Word Origin: [from H3313 (יָפַע - shine)]

1. splendor
2. (figuratively) beauty

splendor or beauty of

From yapha'; splendor or (figuratively) beauty:

see HEBREW yapha'

Word Origin
from yapha
Definition
brightness, splendor
NASB Translation
splendor (2).

[יִפְעָה] noun feminine brightness, splendour, יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ Ezekiel 28:7,17 of prince and king of Tyre.

Occurrences in Scripture

יִפְעָה (Strong’s 3314) appears twice, both times in Ezekiel 28 (verses 7 and 17). In each verse the prophet rebukes the ruler of Tyre, exposing the fragility of human magnificence before the Lord’s judgment.

Context within Ezekiel’s Oracles

Ezekiel 26–28 forms a triad of prophecies against Tyre. Chapter 28 shifts from the city to its proud “prince” (verses 1–10) and then to a lament over the “king” (verses 11–19). יִפְעָה punctuates this lament. Tyre’s ruler had amassed wealth, trade routes, maritime defenses, and artistic brilliance that dazzled surrounding nations. Yet, when the Lord summons “strangers… the most ruthless of the nations” (Ezekiel 28:7), swords pierce the very charm that once shielded Tyre. Prideful radiance becomes the point of divine assault.

Historical Background

During Ezekiel’s exile in Babylon (early sixth century BC), Tyre was the Mediterranean’s trading powerhouse. Its offshore island fortress appeared impregnable. Nebuchadnezzar II laid siege for thirteen years (circa 586–573 BC). Later, Alexander the Great’s causeway (332 BC) finally conquered the island. Ezekiel’s oracle anticipates these devastations, portraying external armies as instruments dismantling Tyre’s ostentatious splendor (יִפְעָה).

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty over Nations: Human aesthetics and engineering cannot shield against Yahweh’s decree.
2. The Peril of Pride: יִפְעָה embodies everything the king of Tyre treasured, yet that very treasure becomes the target. “Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor” (Ezekiel 28:17).
3. The Reversal Motif: Scripture often portrays what seems glorious being overturned—Egypt’s chariots (Exodus 14:17-18), Babylon’s might (Isaiah 14:12-15), and, here, Tyre’s radiance (יִפְעָה).

Literary Significance

Ezekiel pairs aesthetic terms—“beauty,” “wisdom,” “splendor”—to heighten irony. The prophet’s usage of יִפְעָה is rare, intensifying the rhetorical sting; a unique vocabulary word spotlights a unique downfall.

Intertextual Connections

• Isaiah 14:12–15 parallels the hubris-to-humbling trajectory.
• Proverbs 31:30 cautions that “beauty is fleeting,” a timeless echo of Ezekiel’s critique.
• Revelation 18 revisits commercial Babylon, whose “luxuries and splendor” collapse in a single hour, an eschatological replay of Tyre’s fate.

Christological Foreshadowing

The proud “king” of Tyre is sometimes viewed as a type pointing forward to ultimate satanic arrogance (compare Ezekiel 28:12-17 with Revelation 12:9). In contrast, Jesus Christ, “though He was in the form of God… humbled Himself” (Philippians 2:6-8). Where Tyre’s יִפְעָה provoked judgment, Christ’s self-emptying brings redemption.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Personal Examination: Leaders and churches must weigh whether outward success or attractional polish has supplanted wholehearted dependence on the Lord.
• Culture Engagement: Believers can affirm artistic excellence yet warn that aesthetic brilliance divorced from humility invites collapse.
• Counseling the Afflicted: Ezekiel’s imagery offers hope; if God can dismantle unholy splendor, He can also rebuild lives on true glory (1 Peter 5:10).

Summary

יִפְעָה occurs sparingly but speaks volumes. In Ezekiel it names the glittering façade that lured a nation into self-deification and destruction. Its rarity underlines a singular message: any glory not anchored in the fear of the Lord will be stripped away, while those who humble themselves under His mighty hand will share in an unfading crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4).

יִפְעָתֶ֑ךָ יִפְעָתֶֽךָ׃ יפעתך יפעתך׃ yifaTecha yip̄‘āṯeḵā yip̄·‘ā·ṯe·ḵāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts