Ezekiel 27

Tyre as a Magnificent Ship

¹The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

²“You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre;

³and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord GOD says: “You, Tyre, have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

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

⁵They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir. They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

⁶They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan. They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.

⁷Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, that it might be to you for a banner. Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.

⁸The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men, Tyre, were in you. They were your pilots.

⁹The old men of Gebal and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you. All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to deal in your merchandise.

¹⁰“‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you. They showed your beauty.

¹¹The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, and valiant men were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around. They have perfected your beauty.

¹²“‘“Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches. They traded for your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.

¹³“‘“Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They traded the persons of men and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.

¹⁴“‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.

¹⁵“‘“The men of Dedan traded with you. Many islands were the market of your hand. They brought you horns of ivory and ebony in exchange.

¹⁶“‘“Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.

¹⁷“‘“Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.

¹⁸“‘“Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

¹⁹“‘“Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.

²⁰“‘“Dedan was your merchant in precious saddle blankets for riding.

²¹“‘“Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favorite dealers in lambs, rams, and goats. In these, they were your merchants.

²²“‘“The traders of Sheba and Raamah were your traders. They traded for your wares with the best of all spices, all precious stones, and gold.

²³“‘“Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traders.

²⁴These were your traders in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work, and in cedar chests of rich clothing bound with cords, among your merchandise.

²⁵“‘“The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise. You were replenished and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.

The Shipwreck of Tyre

²⁶Your rowers have brought you into great waters. The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.

²⁷Your riches, your wares, your merchandise, your mariners, your pilots, your repairers of ship seams, the dealers in your merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, with all your company which is among you, will fall into the heart of the seas in the day of your ruin.

²⁸At the sound of the cry of your pilots, the pasture lands will shake.

²⁹All who handle the oars, the mariners and all the pilots of the sea, will come down from their ships. They will stand on the land,

³⁰and will cause their voice to be heard over you, and will cry bitterly. They will cast up dust on their heads. They will wallow in the ashes.

³¹They will make themselves bald for you, and clothe themselves with sackcloth. They will weep for you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning.

³²In their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you, and lament over you, saying, ‘Who is there like Tyre, like her who is brought to silence in the middle of the sea?’

³³When your wares came from the seas, you filled many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.

³⁴In the time that you were broken by the seas, in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company fell within you.

³⁵All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you, and their kings are horribly afraid. They are troubled in their face.

³⁶The merchants among the peoples hiss at you. You have come to a terrible end, and you will be no more.”’”

Previous Ezekiel 26

Next Ezekiel 28

Ezekiel delivers a prophetic lament over Tyre, depicting the wealthy maritime city-state as a magnificent trading ship built from the finest materials and conducting commerce with nations across the known world. The chapter provides an extensive catalog of Tyre's trading partners and luxury goods, emphasizing the city's vast commercial network and accumulated wealth. However, this detailed description of Tyre's splendor serves as the backdrop for God's impending judgment, as the chapter transitions from celebrating the ship's beauty to prophesying its catastrophic destruction in the heart of the seas.

Context

This chapter continues the extended prophecy against Tyre begun in chapter 26, providing detailed imagery that will be followed by chapter 28's judgment against Tyre's ruler.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Introduction to the Lament God commands Ezekiel to deliver a funeral dirge over Tyre, the proud merchant city claiming perfect beauty.
4-11
The Ship's Construction and Crew Tyre is described as a magnificent ship built from premium materials by skilled craftsmen from various nations.
12-24
Tyre's Extensive Trade Network A comprehensive list of trading partners from across the ancient world and their valuable commodities.
25-27
The Ship's Destruction The east wind destroys Tyre's trading vessel, causing it to sink with all its wealth and crew.
28-36
Universal Mourning Mariners, merchants, and coastal peoples lament Tyre's fall and express terror at its sudden destruction.

Tyre as a Magnificent Ship

27:1–27:25

prophecy lament contemplative

An elaborate metaphor depicts Tyre as a magnificent trading ship, detailing its beauty, wealth, and extensive commercial networks. This lamentation sets up the contrast between Tyre's former glory and its coming destruction due to pride.

geographic

Arvad's exclusive biblical appearance as Tyre's rowers highlights how Ezekiel transforms actual Phoenician maritime alliances into poetic metaphor, making geopolitical reality serve prophetic artistry.

The Shipwreck of Tyre

27:26–27:36

prophecy lament mournful

A prophetic lament describing the destruction of Tyre as a great shipwreck, with mariners and merchants mourning the fall of this once-mighty commercial power. The passage depicts the complete devastation of Tyre's wealth and influence through vivid maritime imagery.

theme_rarity

Ezekiel transforms Tyre's maritime supremacy into a catastrophic shipwreck metaphor, where the "east wind" of divine judgment shatters both commercial empire and human pride simultaneously.

Insight Geography

Insight Rare Theme

Ezekiel transforms Tyre's maritime supremacy into a catastrophic shipwreck metaphor, where the "east wind" of divine judgment shatters both commercial empire and human pride simultaneously.