Ezekiel 27

A Lament Over Tyre

1 The word of the LORD came to me:

2 “Son of man, take up a lament concerning Tyre.

3 Say to Tyre, situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘You say, Tyre, “I am perfect in beauty.”

4 Your domain was on the high seas; your builders brought your beauty to perfection.

5 They made all your timbers of juniper from Senir^[a] ; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

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

7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail and served as your banner; your awnings were of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah.

8 Men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.

9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos were on board as shipwrights to caulk your seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to trade for your wares.

10 “ ‘Men of Persia, Lydia and Put served as soldiers in your army. They hung their shields 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.

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

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

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

15 “ ‘The men of Rhodes^[c] traded with you, and many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

16 “ ‘Aram^[d] did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies for your merchandise.

17 “ ‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith and confections,^[e] honey, olive oil and balm for your wares.

18 “ ‘Damascus did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods. They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar

19 and casks of wine from Izal in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia and calamus.

20 “ ‘Dedan traded in saddle blankets with you.

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

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

23 “ ‘Harran, Kanneh and Eden and merchants of Sheba, Ashur 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 serve as carriers for your wares. You are filled with heavy cargo as you sail the sea.

26 Your oarsmen take you out to the high seas. But the east wind will break you to pieces far out at sea.

27 Your wealth, 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 on the day of your shipwreck.

28 The shorelands will quake 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 on their heads and roll in ashes.

31 They will shave their heads because of you and will put on sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and with bitter mourning.

32 As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament concerning you: “Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea?”

33 When your merchandise went out on the seas, you satisfied many nations; with your great wealth 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.

35 All who live in the coastlands are appalled at you; their kings shudder with horror and their faces are distorted with fear.

36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’ ”

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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.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Cross References 74

1. S Ezekiel 19:1
2. S Psalms 83:7
3. ver 33; Hosea 9:13
4. S Isaiah 23:9; S Ezekiel 16:15; Ezekiel 28:2
5. Ezekiel 28:12
6. S Deuteronomy 3:9
7. S Isaiah 2:13
8. Numbers 21:33; S Psalms 29:9; Jeremiah 22:20; Zechariah 11:2
9. S Genesis 10:4; Isaiah 23:12
10. S Exodus 26:36; S Isaiah 19:9
11. Exodus 25:4; Jeremiah 10:9
12. Genesis 10:4
13. Genesis 10:18
14. 1 Kings 9:27
15. S Joshua 13:5; 1 Kings 5:18
16. S Psalms 104:26
17. 2 Chronicles 36:20; Ezra 1:1; Ezekiel 38:5; Daniel 8:20
18. S Isaiah 66:19
19. S Genesis 10:6; Ezekiel 30:5; Nahum 3:9
20. Song of Songs 4:4
21. ver 27
22. S Genesis 10:4
23. ver 18,33
24. Joel 3:6
25. Genesis 10:2; Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel 32:26; Ezekiel 38:2; Ezekiel 39:1
26. Revelation 18:13
27. S Genesis 10:3; Ezekiel 38:6
28. S Genesis 10:7
29. S Jeremiah 25:22
30. 1 Kings 10:22; Revelation 18:12
31. Judges 10:6; Isaiah 7:1-8
32. Exodus 28:18; Exodus 39:11; Ezekiel 28:13
33. S Ezekiel 16:10
34. Job 28:18
35. S 1 Kings 5:9
36. Judges 11:33
37. S Genesis 43:11
38. Acts 12:20
39. S Genesis 14:15; Ezekiel 47:16-18
40. S ver 12
41. S Genesis 10:2
42. Genesis 10:27
43. S Exodus 30:24
44. S Genesis 10:7
45. S 2 Chronicles 9:14
46. S Genesis 25:13; Isaiah 21:17; Isaiah 60:7
47. S Genesis 10:7,28; 1 Kings 10:1-2; Isaiah 60:6
48. S Genesis 43:11
49. Revelation 18:12
50. S Genesis 11:26; 2 Kings 19:12
51. S Isaiah 37:12
52. S Genesis 10:22; S Numbers 24:24
53. S Genesis 10:4; Isa 2:16 "fn"
54. Revelation 18:3
55. S Genesis 41:6; Psalms 48:7; Jeremiah 18:17
56. Proverbs 11:4
57. Ezekiel 28:8
58. S Jeremiah 49:21; Ezekiel 26:15
59. S Joshua 7:6; S 2 Samuel 1:2
60. S Jeremiah 6:26
61. Revelation 18:18-19
62. S Leviticus 13:40; S Job 1:20; S Isaiah 3:17; S Jeremiah 48:37
63. S Isaiah 16:9; Revelation 18:15
64. S Esther 4:1; Job 3:20; Isaiah 22:12; Jeremiah 6:26; S Lamentations 2:10; S Ezekiel 7:18
65. S Ezekiel 19:1; Ezekiel 26:17
66. Isaiah 23:1-6; Ezekiel 26:5
67. S ver 3
68. S ver 12; Ezekiel 28:4-5
69. Zechariah 9:4
70. S Ezekiel 26:15
71. S Leviticus 26:32; S Job 18:20
72. S Ezekiel 26:17-18; Ezekiel 32:10
73. Jeremiah 18:16; Jeremiah 19:8; S Jeremiah 49:17; S Jeremiah 50:13; Zephaniah 2:15
74. S Psalms 37:10,36; S Ezekiel 26:21

Footnotes 5

[a]. That is, Mount Hermon
[b]. Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
[c]. Septuagint; Hebrew "Dedan"
[d]. Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac "Edom"
[e]. The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

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.