Ezekiel 27 presents a lamentation for Tyrus, a city renowned for its perfect beauty and vast maritime trade empire. The chapter meticulously details its elaborate shipbuilding, diverse international merchants, and extensive array of goods. Despite its immense wealth and influence, the prophecy foretells Tyrus's sudden and complete destruction by a mighty east wind, causing widespread mourning among its trading partners and mariners.
and say unto Tyre, O thou that dwellest at the entry of the sea, that art the merchant of the peoples unto many isles, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Thou, O Tyre, hast said, I am perfect in beauty.
Of fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, that it might be to thee for an ensign; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning.
The old men of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to deal in thy merchandise.
The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and valorous men were in thy towers; they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have perfected thy beauty.
Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of thy handiworks: they traded for thy wares with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and rubies.
Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy traffickers: they traded for thy merchandise wheat of Minnith, and pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm.
Damascus was thy merchant for the multitude of thy handiworks, by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.
The traffickers of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy traffickers; they traded for thy wares with the chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.
These were thy traffickers in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.
Thy riches, and thy wares, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the dealers in thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, with all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of thy ruin.
and shall cause their voice to be heard over thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads; they shall wallow themselves in the ashes:
And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, Who is there like Tyre, like her that is brought to silence in the midst of the sea?
When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many peoples; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise.
The merchants among the peoples hiss at thee; thou art become a terror, and thou shalt nevermore have any being.
Study Notes for Ezekiel 27
Verse 2
The prophet is commanded to take up a 'lamentation' (Heb. *qînāh*), a funeral dirge. This literary form emphasizes the finality and tragedy of Tyre's upcoming destruction.
Verse 3
Tyre's boast of 'perfect beauty' (or 'perfect proportion') highlights its self-sufficiency and arrogance, which the prophets often identify as the root cause of divine judgment.
Verse 4
Tyre was strategically located on an island, giving it natural protection. This verse emphasizes how the sea, its source of strength, also defines its borders and eventual isolation.
Verse 6
The specific mention of high-quality materials (oaks of Bashan, ivory from Chittim/Cyprus) illustrates the immense wealth and international scope required to build and outfit these magnificent ships.
Verse 9
Gebal (modern Byblos) was an ancient Phoenician city renowned for its skilled seamen and craftsmanship, specifically 'calkers' (those who seal the seams of ships). Tyre utilized the best regional labor available.
Verse 10
Tyre maintained its security through a large army of mercenaries (Persia, Lud/Lydia, Phut/Libya), relying on hired foreign power rather than native strength, a common practice among wealthy states.
Verse 12
Tarshish, often identified with a distant port in the western Mediterranean (perhaps Spain), signifies the extreme reach of Tyre's trade routes, bringing in precious metals like silver, iron, tin, and lead.
Verse 13
Javan (Ionian Greece) and regions like Tubal and Meshech (in Anatolia) traded in human beings ('persons of men'), highlighting the centrality of the slave trade to the ancient economy.
Verse 17
Judah and Israel, despite prophetic warnings against alliances with Tyre (Amos 1:9), provided necessary agricultural goods (wheat, honey, balm), illustrating the economic interdependence of the region.
Verse 25
The metaphor returns to the magnificent ship, summarizing Tyre's success: it was 'replenished' (filled) and 'glorious' because of its maritime trade, setting the stage for the dramatic reversal.
Verse 26
The 'east wind' is a recurring biblical metaphor for God's sudden, violent, and destructive judgment (cf. Exod 14:21; Jer 18:17), signifying that the destruction is divinely orchestrated.
Verse 27
This verse lists every component of Tyre’s success—wealth, infrastructure, personnel, and military—emphasizing that the ruin will be total and encompass everything that made the city great.
Verse 32
The lamentation emphasizes the profound shock felt by surrounding nations: Tyre’s destruction is viewed as unique and unprecedented, destroying the perception of its invincibility.
Verse 36
The final judgment pronounces that Tyre will cease to exist and become a 'terror' (a warning example). This fulfills the prophetic purpose: to demonstrate the sovereignty of the Lord GOD over all earthly powers.
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