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Ezekiel 27
New Catholic Bible
Ezekiel 27
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 27
Lamentation over Tyre. 1 This word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son of man, raise lament over Tyre, 3 and say to Tyre which is enthroned at the entrance to the sea and serves as the center of trade between the nations and many coastlands: Thus says the Lord God:
O Tyre, you often used to declare,
“I am a ship perfect in beauty.”
4 Your frontiers bordered the high seas,
and your builders perfected your beauty.
5 They used cypress from Senir[a]
to construct all your planks;
they took cedar of Lebanon
to make a mast above you.
6 From oaks of Bashan,
they made your oars;
they constructed your deck with cypress[b]
from the coasts of Kittim.
7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt
was used for your sail
and also for your flag.
Purple and scarlet from the coasts of Elishah[c]
served as your awnings.
8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad
served as your oarsmen.
Skilled men of Zemer were aboard
to act as your sailors.
9 The elders and craftsmen were available
to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea with their sailors
came to you to trade for your wares.
10 Men from Persia and Lud and Put[d]
served as warriors in your army.
They proudly displayed on your walls
their shields and helmets to bring you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helech
guarded your walls on every side,
while the men of Gamad manned your towers.
They hung their shields all around your walls,
thereby perfecting your beauty.
12 [e]Tarshish[f] traded with you because of the vast abundance of your wealth, exchanging silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares. 13 [g]Javan, Tubal, and Meshech also traded with you, exchanging slaves and articles of bronze for your merchandise.
14 Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, steeds, and mules for your wares. 15 The Rhodians dealt with you; many islands engaged in trade with you and paid you with ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Edom traded with you because of the large variety of your products; for your wares they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat, figs, honey, oil, and balm.
18 Damascus traded with you because of your great wealth, offering to you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19 [h]Danites and Javanites traded wrought iron, cassia, and aromatic cane from Uzal for your wares, 20 while Dedan traded with you for saddle blankets.
21 Arabia and all the sheikhs of Kedar were your customers, paying you with lambs, rams, and goats. 22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah traded with you, offering in exchange the finest spices, every kind of precious stones, and gold.
23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you,[i] 24 offering in return rich garments, embroidered purple cloaks, and materials of many colors bound with cords that were firmly woven.
25 The ships of Tarshish were employed
as carriers for your wares.
Therefore, you were filled and heavily laden
as you sailed the high seas.
26 Your oarsmen rowed through deep waters
on their journey home.
But the east wind[j] wrecked you
when you were far out at sea.
27 Your riches, your goods, your cargo,
your sailors and your crew,
your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,
and all their warriors and passengers
sank into the depths of the sea
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The coasts will begin to quake
upon hearing the cries of your sailors.
29 Then those who handle the oars
will begin to desert their ships.
The sailors and all the seafaring people
will remain ashore.
30 They will mourn aloud over you
and weep bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads
and roll in ashes.
31 They will shave their heads for you
and put on sackcloth.
For you, they will weep in anguish
and with heartfelt bitterness.
32 In their mourning, they will raise a dirge
and lament over you:
Who was ever destroyed like Tyre
in the midst of the sea?
33 When your goods were unloaded,
you satisfied a multitude of peoples.
You enriched the kings of the earth
with your abundant wealth and merchandise.
34 Now you have been demolished by the sea
in the watery depths.
Your merchandise and all your crew
have gone down with you.
35 All who dwell on the coastlands
are aghast at your fate.
Their kings are horrified;
their faces are convulsed.
36 The merchants among the nations
now hiss at you.
Destruction has overwhelmed you,
and you will be no more.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:5 Senir: the massif of Mount Hermon.
- Ezekiel 27:6 Cypress: in Hebrew, Kittim. The name is used here in a broad sense to include the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean.
- Ezekiel 27:7 Coasts of Elishah: identification uncertain; elsewhere described as near places on the Mediterranean.
- Ezekiel 27:10 Put: in Africa, near the Indian Ocean.
- Ezekiel 27:12 A section in prose is introduced into the middle of the lament; it provides valuable information on international trade in the sixth century B.C., especially in the Palestinian area.
- Ezekiel 27:12 Tarshish: a city founded on the Spanish coast by people from Tyre; it symbolizes the far-off places of the then known world.
- Ezekiel 27:13 Tubal, and Meshech: south of the Caucasus. Beth-togarmah: in Armenia. Rhod[es]: the Hebrew has “Dedan” (v. 20), which was in Arabia. Helbon: an Assyrian city.
- Ezekiel 27:19 References are to tribes in southern Arabia.
- Ezekiel 27:23 Mesopotamian cities.
- Ezekiel 27:26 East wind: the Babylonians, who, like the wind, destroy every country and people.
Ezekiel 27
New International Version
Ezekiel 27
New International Version
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(A) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(B) situated at the gateway to the sea,(C) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(D)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(E)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[a];(F)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(G)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(H) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[b] from the coasts of Cyprus(I)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(J) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(K)
from the coasts of Elishah.(L)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(M) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(N)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(O) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(P) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(Q) Lydia(R) and Put(S)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(T) 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.(U)
12 “‘Tarshish(V) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(W) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(X) Tubal and Meshek(Y) did business with you; they traded human beings(Z) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(AA) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[c](AB) traded with you, and many coastlands(AC) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(AD) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[d](AE) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(AF) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(AG) coral(AH) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(AI) from Minnith(AJ) and confections,[e] honey, olive oil and balm(AK) for your wares.(AL)
18 “‘Damascus(AM) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(AN) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(AO) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(AP) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(AQ) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(AR) and all the princes of Kedar(AS) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(AT) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(AU) and precious stones, and gold.(AV)
23 “‘Harran,(AW) Kanneh and Eden(AX) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(AY) 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(AZ) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(BA)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(BB) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(BC) 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(BD)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(BE)
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(BF) on their heads
and roll(BG) in ashes.(BH)
31 They will shave their heads(BI) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(BJ) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(BK)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(BL) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(BM)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(BN)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(BO) 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.(BP)
35 All who live in the coastlands(BQ)
are appalled(BR) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(BS)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(BT)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(BU)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
- Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
- Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
New International Version (NIV) 
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