Ezekiel 26

A Prophecy against Tyre

1 In the eleventh month of the twelfth year, ^[a] on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ¹

2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’

3 therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.

4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock.

5 She will become a place to spread nets in the sea, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. She will become plunder for the nations,

6 and the villages on her mainland will be slain by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’

7 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar ^[b] king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.

8 He will slaughter the villages of your mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp to your walls, and raise his shields against you.

9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes.

10 His multitude of horses will cover you in their dust. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.

11 The hooves of his horses will trample all your streets. He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground.

12 They will plunder your wealth and pillage your merchandise. They will demolish your walls, tear down your beautiful homes, and throw your stones and timber and soil into the water.

13 So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard.

14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread the fishing nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the LORD, have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.’

15 This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: ‘Will not the coastlands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan at the slaughter in your midst?

16 All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled over you.

17 Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men— she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples! ^[c]

18 Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are dismayed by your demise.”’

19 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When I make you a desolate city like other deserted cities, and when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you,

20 then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the earth below like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor ^[d] in the land of the living.

21 I will make you an object of horror, and you will be no more. You will be sought, but will never be found,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

Ezekiel 26 Commentary

Chapter 26

A prophecy against Tyre.

Verses 1-14 To be secretly pleased with the death or decay of others, when we are likely to get by it; or with their fall, when we may thrive upon it, is a sin that easily besets us, yet is not thought so bad as really it is. But it comes from a selfish, covetous principle, and from that love of the world as our happiness, which the love of God expressly forbids. He often blasts the projects of those who would raise themselves on the ruin of others. The maxims most current in the trading world, are directly opposed to the law of God. But he will show himself against the money-loving, selfish traders, whose hearts, like those of Tyre, are hardened by the love of riches. Men have little cause to glory in things which stir up the envy and rapacity of others, and which are continually shifting from one to another; and in getting, keeping, and spending which, men provoke that God whose wrath turns joyous cities into ruinous heaps.

Verses 15-21 See how high, how great Tyre had been. See how low Tyre is made. The fall of others should awaken us out of security. Every discovery of the fulfilment of a Scripture prophecy, is like a miracle to confirm our faith. All that is earthly is vanity and vexation. Those who now have the most established prosperity, will soon be out of sight and forgotten.

Cross References

• 1. (Isaiah 23:1–18)

Footnotes

• [a]. Likely reading of the original Hebrew text; MT In the eleventh year
• [b]. Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a variant of Nebuchadnezzar (king of Babylon). The latter spelling is used throughout Ezekiel for consistency.
• [c]. Or on all her inhabitants
• [d]. LXX or take your place

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 26

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of Tyre. The time of the prophecy, Eze 26:1, the cause of the destruction of it, rejoicing at the ruin of Jerusalem, Eze 26:2, the instruments of it, many nations, particularly the king of Babylon, Eze 26:3-7, the manner in which it shall be done, Eze 26:8-14, the lamentation of other isles, and the princes of them, on account of it, Eze 26:15-18, the utter destruction of it, so as never to be found any more, Eze 26:19-21.