Ezekiel 27

A Lament for Tyre

1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre.

3 Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty.

5 They constructed all your planking with cypress ^[a] from Senir. ^[b] They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6 Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of wood from the coasts of Cyprus ^[c] they made your deck, inlaid with ivory.

7 Of embroidered fine linen from Egypt they made your sail, which served as your banner. Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah they made your awning.

8 The men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your men of skill, O Tyre, were there as your captains.

9 The elders of Gebal were aboard as shipwrights, repairing your leaks. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to barter for your merchandise.

10 Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.

11 Men of Arvad and Helech manned your walls all around, and the men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they perfected your beauty.

12 Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.

13 Javan, ^[d] Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.

14 The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.

15 The men of Dedan ^[e] were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

16 Aram ^[f] was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.

17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.

18 Because of your many products and your great wealth of goods, Damascus traded with you wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar,

19 and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. ^[g] Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane ^[h] were exchanged for your merchandise. ^[i]

20 Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats.

22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.

23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden traded with you, and so did the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad.

24 In your marketplace they traded with you fine garments of blue, embroidered work, and multicolored rugs with cords tightly twisted and knotted.

25 The ships of Tarshish ^[j] carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea.

26 Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea.

27 Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

28 The countryside will shake when your sailors cry out.

29 All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore.

30 They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

31 They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning.

32 As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?

33 When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.

34 Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you.

35 All the people of the coastlands are appalled over you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

36 Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Ezekiel 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

The merchandise of Tyre. (1-25) Its fall and ruin. (26-36)

Verses 1-25 Those who live at ease are to be lamented, if they are not prepared for trouble. Let none reckon themselves beautified, any further than they are sanctified. The account of the trade of Tyre intimates, that God's eye is upon men when employed in worldly business. Not only when at church, praying and hearing, but when in markets and fairs, buying and selling. In all our dealings we should keep a conscience void of offence. God, as the common Father of mankind, makes one country abound in one commodity, and another in another, serviceable to the necessity or to the comfort and ornament of human life. See what a blessing trade and merchandise are to mankind, when followed in the fear of God. Besides necessaries, an abundance of things are made valuable only by custom; yet God allows us to use them. But when riches increase, men are apt to set their hearts upon them, and forget the Lord, who gives power to get wealth.

Verses 26-36 The most mighty and magnificent kingdoms and states, sooner or later, come down. Those who make creatures their confidence, and rest their hopes upon them, will fall with them: happy are those who have the God of Jacob for their Help, and whose hope is in the Lord their God, who lives for ever. Those who engage in trade should learn to conduct their business according to God's word. Those who possess wealth should remember they are the Lord's stewards, and should use his goods in doing good to all. Let us seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or pine or juniper or fir
• [b]. That is, Mount Hermon
• [c]. Hebrew Kittim
• [d]. That is, Greece
• [e]. Hebrew; LXX Rhodes
• [f]. Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
• [g]. Probable reading; MT—and Dan and Javan from Uzal (traded) for your wares
• [h]. Or calamus
• [i]. Or were among your merchandise
• [j]. Or A fleet of trading ships

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 27

This chapter contains a lamentation on Tyre; setting forth her former grandeur, riches, and commerce; her ruin and destruction; and the concern of others on that account. The prophet is bid to take up his lamentation concerning it, Eze 27:1,2, observing her situation and magnificence, of which she boasted, Eze 27:3,4, describing the excellency of her shipping and naval stores, Eze 27:5-7, declaring who were her mariners, pilots, and caulkers, Eze 27:8,9, her military men, Eze 27:10,11 her several merchants, and the things they traded in with her in her fairs and markets, Eze 27:12-25, then follows an account of her destruction, Eze 27:26,27, the lamentation of pilots and mariners because of it, Eze 27:28-32, and of the kings and inhabitants of the isles, and merchants of the people, Eze 27:33-36.