יחזקאל, פרק כ״ח, פסוק ד׳

A ruler at the height of his power often falls into the trap of believing his own brilliance is the sole reason for his vast wealth and success. A piercing question challenges this arrogance, asking whether such fortune was truly acquired through personal wisdom and understanding alone [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם]. This specific brand of arrogance echoes the historical boastfulness of the Assyrian king, who similarly claimed that his power and intellect were the true sources of his achievements [רד״ק].

The nature of this ruler's achievement is understood in a few ways. The primary approach among commentators views his success in terms of material assets, property, and immense wealth [רש״י, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ], while another perspective suggests it refers to raw power and courage [מצודות]. When considering how this fortune was amassed, the primary approach among commentators explains that the ruler simply gathered and collected existing gold and silver into his treasuries [רש״י, רד״ק, מצודת ציון].

However, a different approach suggests the ruler boasts of actually creating this wealth. In his arrogance, he acts as if he possessed a hidden, practical wisdom that allowed him to transform simple metals into gold and silver, or to create them out of nothing inside his vaults. Yet, the reality is entirely different. His fortune was not the result of divine intervention or supreme wisdom, but rather mundane trade and peddling. This daily business of buying and selling frequently involved deceit, forgery, and taking money from others. Because his riches were built on such corrupt foundations, the ruler has absolutely no reason to take pride in his wealth or to claim a divine status for himself [מלבי״ם].