Biblical Hebrew Forum

["George Athas" <gathas AT hotkey.net.au>]

The fiery stones seem to be the equivalent of "masseboth" or "Bethel stones" 
-- standing stones
that had cultic significance by being representations of deities. Many of 
these stones can be found
at the city gates of many excavation sites in Palestine, such as Dan and 
Bethsaida. Some of these
stones may well have been meteors, or were seen to be imbued with magical 
powers.

You might want to check the Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible 
(DDD) and look under such
entries as BAETYL and BETHEL.

By comparing the King of Tyre with these stones, Ezekiel is probably saying 
that the king was just
like a deity. In Ezek 28:14, they might be identified as icons of the divine 
council members.

Best regards,

GEORGE ATHAS
(Sydney, Australia)