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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.

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)

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