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Downfall of Tyre

26 On the first day of the month in the eleventh year, the word of Adonai came to me saying: “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha, she is shattered, the gateway of the peoples—she is turned over to me! I will be filled, now that she is laid waste!’ Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim: Behold, I am against you, Tyre. I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down her towers. I will sweep her dust from her and make her a bare rock. She will be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. For I have spoken it.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “She will become plunder for the nations, and her daughters in the field will be slain by the sword. So they will know that I am Adonai.”

For thus says Adonai Elohim: “Behold, from the north I will bring against Tyre Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, with horsemen and a vast army of troops. He will slaughter your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build siege works against you, cast up an assault ramp against you and raise up shields against you. He will thrust his battering engines against your walls. He will tear down your towers with his weapons. 10 You will be covered with dust from the multitude of his horses. At the noise of the horsemen, wheels and chariots, your walls will shake, when he enters your gates, as men enter a breached city. 11 With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword. The pillars of your strength will come down to the ground. 12 They will rob your riches and plunder your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your fine houses. They will cast your stones and your lumber and your dust into the midst of the sea. 13 I will put an end to the sound of your songs. The sound of your lyres will no longer be heard. 14 I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place for the spreading of nets, you will be built no more; for I, Adonai, have spoken.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

15 Thus says Adonai Elohim to Tyre: “Will the coastlands not shake at the sound of your downfall—when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made in your midst? 16 Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones. They will cast aside their robes. They will take off their richly woven garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground. They will tremble every moment and be appalled at you. 17 They will lift a lament for you and say to you:

‘How you have perished
—you who were inhabited from the seas,
the renowned city, strong in the sea,
you and your inhabitants,
who spread their terror
for all your inhabitants!
18 Now the coastlands will tremble in the day of your downfall.
The islands of the sea will be terrified at your demise.’”

19 For thus says Adonai Elohim: “When I make you a desolate city, like the cities that are uninhabited, when I bring the flood upon you and the great waters cover you— 20 then I will bring you down with them who descend into the Pit, to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the lowest parts of the earth, like the waste places of old, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you will not be inhabited or radiate splendor in the land of the living. 21 I will make you a horror, and you will no longer exist. Though you are sought for, you will never be found again.” It is a declaration of Adonai Elohim.

27 The word of Adonai came to me saying: “You, son of man, lift up a lament for Tyre.

Say to Tyre, dwelling at the entrance of the sea,
the merchant to the people of many coastlands,
thus says Adonai Elohim:
‘Tyre, you said: “I am perfect in beauty!’
Your borders are in the heart of the seas,
your builders perfected your beauty.
All your planks have been fashioned
from cypress trees of Senir.
They took a cedar from Lebanon
to make a mast for you.
They made your oars from Bashan’s oaks.
Of boxwood from the islands of Kittim
they made your decks, inlaid with ivory.
Fine Egyptian linen was your sail,
serving as a banner for you.
Your awning was blue and purple
from the coasts of Elishah.
The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers.
Your skilled men, Tyre, were on you
—they were your sailors.
The elders of Gebal and her experts were within you,
caulking your leaks.
All the ships of the sea with their sailors
were with you to trade for your wares.
10 Persia, Lud and Put were in your army,
our men of war.
They hung the shield and helmet in you;
they gave you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helech were all
around on your walls,
the Gammadim were in your towers.
They hung their shields all around on your walls.
They perfected your beauty.

12 “‘Tarshish was your trading partner because of the abundance of all riches. With silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded for your merchandise. 13 Javan, Tubal and Meshech were your traffickers—they gave lives of people and vessels of bronze for your wares. 14 Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your merchandise with horses, steeds and mules. 15 The men of Dedan traded with you; many coastlands were your customers; they brought you horns of ivory and ebony as your payment. 16 Aram was your customer because of your abundant goods—they traded for your merchandise with emerald, purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your customers; they traded for your wares with wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil and balm. 18 Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your goods and all your great wealth, with the wine of Helbon and wool of white[a]. 19 Vedan and Javan from Uzal traded for your wares—ironwork, cinnamon and spices were bartered for your merchandise. 20 Dedan was your dealer in saddlecloth for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored trading partners in lambs, rams and goats; in these they were your customers. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your vendors—they traded for your wares with the finest spices, all precious stones and gold. 23 Haran and Canneh and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad traded with you. 24 They traded for your merchandise with gorgeous fabrics, garments of blue and richly woven work, carpets of multi-colored material, with cords twisted and tightly knotted. 25 The ships of Tarshish serve as carriers for your wares.

“‘So you were filled and heavily loaded
in the heart of the seas.
26 Your rowers have brought you
into great waters.
But the east wind will break you
in the heart of the seas.
27 Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,
your sailors, your pilots, your caulkers,
the traders of your merchandise,
all your men of war that are in you,
with all your company in your midst
will fall into the heart of the seas
on the day of your downfall.
28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots
the countryside will shake.
29 All the oarsmen, the sailors
and all the mariners of the sea
will come down from their ships
to stand on the ground.
30 They will raise their voices over you
and cry bitterly.
They will throw up dust on their heads.
They will roll themselves in ashes.
31 They will shave themselves bald for you
and put on sackcloth.
They will weep for you with bitter soul,
with bitter lament.
32 In their wailing they will take up a lament for you.
They will mourn over you:
“Who was like Tyre—
silenced in the midst of the sea?”
33 When your merchandise came out from the seas,
you satisfied many people.
With the abundance of your wealth and your wares
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the seas
in the depths of the waters.
Your merchandise and all your company
have fallen in your midst.
35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands
are appalled at you.
Their kings are horribly afraid,
their faces are convulsed.
36 The merchants among the people hiss at you.
You have become a horror
and will be no more.’”

Pride for Tyre

28 The word of Adonai came to me saying: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, thus says Adonai Elohim:

‘So your heart is exalted
and you say, “I am a god!
I sit in the seat of the gods
in the heart of the seas!”
Yet you are human, not a god,
even if you set up your heart like the heart of a god.
See, you are wiser than Daniel!
No secret is hidden from you!
By your wisdom and by understanding
you have made wealth for yourself
and have gathered gold and silver
into your treasuries.
In your great skill, by your trade,
you have increased your wealth,
so your heart is exalted
by your wealth.’”
Therefore thus says Adonai Elohim:
“Because you have set up your heart
like the heart of God,
behold, I will bring strangers against you,
the ruthless of the nations.
They will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom.
They will defile your splendor.
They will bring you down to the Pit.
You will die the death of those slain
in the heart of the seas.
Will you still say, ‘I am a god’
before the one who slays you?
Yet you are man, and not a god,
in the hand of those who pierce you.
10 You will die the deaths of the uncircumcised
at the hand of strangers.
For I have spoken.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.

Lament for Tyre

11 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 12 “Son of man, lift up a lament for the king of Tyre. Say to him, thus says Adonai Elohim:

‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God.
Every precious stone was your covering
—ruby, topaz and diamond, beryl, onyx
and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and emerald—
your settings and your sockets a workmanship of gold
—in the day you were created they were prepared.
14 You were an anointed guardian cheruv.
I placed you on the holy mountain of God.
You walked among stones of fire.
15 You were perfect in your ways
from the day that you were created,
until unrighteousness was found in you.
16 By the abundance of your trade
they filled you within with violence.
So you have sinned.
So I threw you out as a profane thing
from the mountain of God.
I made you vanish, guardian cheruv,
from among the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was exalted because of your beauty.
You corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.
I threw you down to the earth.[b]
Before kings I set you up as a spectacle.

18 “‘By the multitude of your iniquities,
in the injustice of your trade,
you profaned your sanctuaries.
So I brought fire out from within you,
and it has consumed you.
I have turned you to ashes on the earth
in the eyes of all who saw you.
19 All who know you among the people
will be appalled at you.
You have become a horror
and will be nothing forever.’”

20 The word of Adonai came to me saying: 21 “Son of man, set your face toward Sidon and prophesy against her. 22 Say, thus says Adonai Elohim:

‘Behold, I am against you, Zidon. I will be glorified in your midst. They will know that I am Adonai, when I execute judgments in her, and show my holiness through her. 23 I will send a plague to her and blood in her streets. The wounded will fall in her midst by the sword on every side. So they will know that I am Adonai.’

24 “Never again will there be a briar pricking at the house of Israel or a piercing thorn from any around them who scorn them. They will know that I am the Lord Adonai.”

25 Thus says Adonai Elohim: “When I have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered and show my holiness through them in the eyes of the nations, then they will live in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. 26 They will live safely there, and they will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live securely when I have executed judgments on all those around them that treated them with contempt. So they will know that I am Adonai their God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 27:18 Heb. Zahar.
  2. Ezekiel 28:17 cf. Luke 10:18.

A Prophecy Against Tyre

26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[a] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, because Tyre(B) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(C) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea(D) casting up its waves. They will destroy(E) the walls of Tyre(F) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. Out in the sea(G) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(H) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(I) for the nations,(J) and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar[b](K) king of Babylon, king of kings,(L) with horses and chariots,(M) with horsemen and a great army. He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(N) against you, build a ramp(O) up to your walls and raise his shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.(P) 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots(Q) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(R) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(S) will fall to the ground.(T) 12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.(U) 13 I will put an end(V) to your noisy songs,(W) and the music of your harps(X) will be heard no more.(Y) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(Z) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.

15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(AA) tremble(AB) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(AC) and the slaughter takes place in you? 16 Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered(AD) garments. Clothed(AE) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(AF) trembling(AG) every moment, appalled(AH) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(AI) concerning you and say to you:

“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
    peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
    you and your citizens;
you put your terror
    on all who lived there.(AJ)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(AK)
    on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
    are terrified at your collapse.’(AL)

19 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths(AM) over you and its vast waters cover you,(AN) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(AO) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place[c] in the land of the living.(AP) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(AQ) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(AR)

A Lament Over Tyre

27 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament(AS) concerning Tyre. Say to Tyre,(AT) situated at the gateway to the sea,(AU) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘You say, Tyre,
    “I am perfect in beauty.(AV)
Your domain was on the high seas;
    your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(AW)
They made all your timbers
    of juniper from Senir[d];(AX)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(AY)
    to make a mast for you.
Of oaks(AZ) from Bashan
    they made your oars;
of cypress wood[e] from the coasts of Cyprus(BA)
    they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
Fine embroidered linen(BB) from Egypt was your sail
    and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(BC)
    from the coasts of Elishah.(BD)
Men of Sidon and Arvad(BE) were your oarsmen;
    your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(BF)
Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(BG) were on board
    as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(BH) and their sailors
    came alongside to trade for your wares.

10 “‘Men of Persia,(BI) Lydia(BJ) and Put(BK)
    served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(BL) and helmets on your walls,
    bringing you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helek
    guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
    were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
    they brought your beauty to perfection.(BM)

12 “‘Tarshish(BN) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(BO) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.

13 “‘Greece,(BP) Tubal and Meshek(BQ) did business with you; they traded human beings(BR) and articles of bronze for your wares.

14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(BS) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.

15 “‘The men of Rhodes[f](BT) traded with you, and many coastlands(BU) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(BV) tusks and ebony.

16 “‘Aram[g](BW) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(BX) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(BY) coral(BZ) and rubies for your merchandise.

17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(CA) from Minnith(CB) and confections,[h] honey, olive oil and balm(CC) for your wares.(CD)

18 “‘Damascus(CE) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(CF) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(CG) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(CH) and calamus.

20 “‘Dedan(CI) traded in saddle blankets with you.

21 “‘Arabia(CJ) and all the princes of Kedar(CK) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.

22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(CL) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(CM) and precious stones, and gold.(CN)

23 “‘Harran,(CO) Kanneh and Eden(CP) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(CQ) and Kilmad traded with you. 24 In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.

25 “‘The ships of Tarshish(CR) serve
    as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
    as you sail the sea.(CS)
26 Your oarsmen take you
    out to the high seas.
But the east wind(CT) will break you to pieces
    far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(CU) merchandise and wares,
    your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
    and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea(CV)
    on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(CW)
    when your sailors cry out.
29 All who handle the oars
    will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
    will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voice
    and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(CX) on their heads
    and roll(CY) in ashes.(CZ)
31 They will shave their heads(DA) because of you
    and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(DB) over you with anguish of soul
    and with bitter mourning.(DC)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
    they will take up a lament(DD) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
    surrounded by the sea?(DE)
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(DF)
    you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(DG) and your wares
    you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the sea
    in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
    have gone down with you.(DH)
35 All who live in the coastlands(DI)
    are appalled(DJ) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
    and their faces are distorted with fear.(DK)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(DL)
    you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.(DM)’”

A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre

28 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man(DN), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘In the pride of your heart
    you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(DO) of a god
    in the heart of the seas.”(DP)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
    though you think you are as wise as a god.(DQ)
Are you wiser than Daniel[i]?(DR)
    Is no secret hidden from you?
By your wisdom and understanding
    you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
    in your treasuries.(DS)
By your great skill in trading(DT)
    you have increased your wealth,(DU)
and because of your wealth
    your heart has grown proud.(DV)

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Because you think you are wise,
    as wise as a god,
I am going to bring foreigners against you,
    the most ruthless of nations;(DW)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(DX)
    and pierce your shining splendor.(DY)
They will bring you down to the pit,(DZ)
    and you will die a violent death(EA)
    in the heart of the seas.(EB)
Will you then say, “I am a god,”
    in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(EC)
    in the hands of those who slay you.(ED)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(EE)
    at the hands of foreigners.

I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament(EF) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘You were the seal of perfection,
    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(EG)
13 You were in Eden,(EH)
    the garden of God;(EI)
every precious stone(EJ) adorned you:
    carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
    topaz, onyx and jasper,
    lapis lazuli, turquoise(EK) and beryl.[j]
Your settings and mountings[k] were made of gold;
    on the day you were created they were prepared.(EL)
14 You were anointed(EM) as a guardian cherub,(EN)
    for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
    you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
    from the day you were created
    till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
    you were filled with violence,(EO)
    and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
    and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(EP)
    from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(EQ)
    on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
    because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
    I made a spectacle of you before kings.(ER)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(ES) come out from you,
    and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(ET) on the ground
    in the sight of all who were watching.(EU)
19 All the nations who knew you
    are appalled(EV) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
    and will be no more.(EW)’”

A Prophecy Against Sidon

20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(EX) Sidon;(EY) prophesy against her 22 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I am against you, Sidon,
    and among you I will display my glory.(EZ)
You will know that I am the Lord,
    when I inflict punishment(FA) on you
    and within you am proved to be holy.(FB)
23 I will send a plague upon you
    and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
    with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(FC)

24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(FD) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.

25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(FE) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(FF) I will be proved holy(FG) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(FH) 26 They will live there in safety(FI) and will build houses and plant(FJ) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(FK) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(FL)’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
  2. Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
  3. Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory
  4. Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
  5. Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
  6. Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
  7. Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
  8. Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  9. Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
  10. Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
  11. Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.