Ezekiel27

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.

A Lamentation for Tyre

1
The word of ADONAI came to me:
2
"You, human being, raise this lament for Tzor; ​
3
say to Tzor, located at the gateways to the sea, merchant for peoples to many coastlands, that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'Tzor, you have said, "My beauty is perfect." ​
4
Your borders are in the heart of the sea, your builders perfected your beauty. ​

The Splendor of Tyre's Ship

5
They used cypress logs from S'nir to fashion all your planking. They took cedars from the L'vanon to make masts for you.
6
Out of oaks from Bashan they made your oars. Your deck they made of ivory inlaid in larch from the coasts of Kittim. ​
7
Richly woven linen from Egypt was used for your sail, which was also your banner. Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was used to cover your deck-tent.
8
The people of Tzidon and Arvad served as your oarsmen. Your own skilled men, Tzor, were there as your pilots.
9
The leaders and craftsmen of G'val sealed the cracks between your boards. "'Every seagoing ship and its crew came to you to trade in your wares. ​
10
Men from Paras, Lud and Put were [mercenaries] in your army; hanging shield and helmet on you, they showed off your splendor. ​
11
Men from Arvad and your own army were posted around on your walls. The Gamadim were in your towers; they hung their shields all around your walls, making your beauty perfect.

Tyre's Vast Commercial Empire

12
"'Tarshish did business with you because of the quantity and variety of your resources; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your goods. ​
13
Greece, Tuval and Meshekh traded with you, exchanging slaves and articles of bronze for your wares. ​
14
The people of Togarmah traded for your merchandise with horses, horsemen and mules.
15
The men of D'dan traded with you. Many coastlands were your customers, giving you ivory tusks and ebony in payment.
16
Aram traded with you, because you were so wealthy; for your goods they exchanged green feldspar, purple stuff, embroidery, fine linen, coral and rubies.
17
Y'hudah and the land of Isra'el also traded with you, exchanging for your goods wheat from Minnit, millet, honey, olive oil and resin for healing. ​
18
Because you were so wealthy, with such a variety of valuable merchandise, Dammesek traded wine from Helbon and white wool with you.
19
V'dan and Yavan from Uzal traded ironwork, cassia and aromatic cane for your goods.
20
D'dan traded with you for riding gear.
21
Arabia and all the princes of K'dar were your customers; for your goods they traded lambs, rams and goats.
22
The traders of Sh'va and Ra'mah exchanged the best quality spices, all kinds of precious stones and gold for your goods.
23
The merchants of Haran, Kaneh and 'Eden, who traded also with Sh'va, Ashur and Kilmad,
24
brought you in exchange for your goods rich clothes, cloaks made of blue material and embroidery, and cedar-lined chests filled with multicolored clothing and bound with cords.
25
"Tarshish" ships transported your imports and exports. "'So you were full, loaded down, surrounded by the sea. ​

The Shipwreck and Global Mourning

26
Your oarsmen brought you through heavy seas. But the east wind will break you surrounded by the sea. ​
27
Your riches, your goods, your merchandise, your crew, your pilots, your ship-sealers, your traders, all your warriors aboard, and all the others in the ship with you will sink surrounded by the sea on the day of your shipwreck. ​
28
When they hear the cries of your pilots, the mainland coasts will tremble.
29
The oarsmen, crew and pilots will disembark and stand on shore,
30
mourning aloud at your fate, crying bitterly, throwing dust on their heads, rolling in the ashes,
31
shaving their heads bald for you, wrapping themselves in sackcloth, with heartfelt bitterness weeping for you in bitter lamentation.
32
Wailing, they will raise a lament for you; this will be their lament for you: "'"Who anywhere in the sea has ever been silenced like Tzor? ​
33
When your wares came forth from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your vast wealth and variety of goods you enriched the kings of the earth.
34
But now you have been wrecked by the waves, sunk in the watery depths; your merchandise and all your people have gone down with you.
35
All who live along the coasts are aghast at you; their kings are horribly afraid, their faces are convulsed;
36
the merchants among the peoples are gasping at your fate; you are an object of terror, and you will cease to exist."'" ​

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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