Ezekiel26
New American Standard
1Now in the eleventh year, on the first of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, because Tyre has said in regard to Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gateway of the peoples is broken; it has opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’
3therefore this is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.
4They will destroy the walls of Tyre and tear down her towers; and I will sweep her debris away from her and make her a bare rock.
5She will become a dry place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ declares the Lord God; ‘and she will become plunder for the nations.
6Also her daughters who are on the mainland will be killed by the sword, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
7For the Lord God says this: “Behold, I am going to bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great army.
8He will kill your daughters on the mainland with the sword; and he will make siege walls against you, pile up an assault ramp against you, and raise up a large shield against you.
9And he will direct the blow of his battering rams against your walls, and he will tear down your towers with his axes.
10Because of the multitude of his horses, the dust raised by them will cover you; your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots when he enters your gates as warriors enter a city that is breached.
11With the hoofs of his horses he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will go down to the ground.
12Also they will take your riches as spoils and plunder your merchandise, tear down your walls and destroy your delightful houses, and throw your stones, your timbers, and your debris into the water.
13So I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps will no longer be heard.
14I will turn you into a bare rock; you will become a dry place for the spreading of nets. You will not be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,” declares the Lord God.
15The Lord God says this to Tyre: “Will the coastlands not shake from the sound of your downfall when the wounded groan, when the slaughter takes place in your midst?
16Then all the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their colorfully woven garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble again and again, and be appalled at you.
17And they will take up a song of mourning over you and say to you, ‘How you have perished, you inhabited one, From the seas, you famous city, Which was mighty on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all her inhabitants!
18Now the coastlands will tremble On the day of your downfall; Yes, the coastlands which are by the sea Will be horrified at your passing.’”
19For this is what the Lord God says: “When I make you a desolate city, like the cities which are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you and the great waters cover you,
20then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit, to the people of old, and I will make you remain in the lower parts of the earth, like the ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, so that you will not be inhabited; but I will put glory in the land of the living.
21I will cause you sudden terrors and you will no longer exist; though you will be sought, you will never be found again,” declares the Lord God.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 26.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: A prophecy against Tyre. (1-21).
vv1-14
To be secretly pleased with the death or decay of others, when we are likely to get by it; or with their fall, when we may thrive upon it, is a sin that easily besets us, yet is not thought so bad as really it is. But it comes from a selfish, covetous principle, and from that love of the world as our happiness, which the love of God expressly forbids. He often blasts the projects of those who would raise themselves on the ruin of others. The maxims most current in the trading world, are directly opposed to the law of God. But he will show himself against the money-loving, selfish traders, whose hearts, like those of Tyre, are hardened by the love of riches. Men have little cause to glory in things which stir up the envy and rapacity of others, and which are continually shifting from one to another; and in getting, keeping, and spending which, men provoke that God whose wrath turns joyous cities into ruinous heaps.
vv15-21
See how high, how great Tyre had been. See how low Tyre is made. The fall of others should awaken us out of security. Every discovery of the fulfilment of a Scripture prophecy, is like a miracle to confirm our faith. All that is earthly is vanity and vexation. Those who now have the most established prosperity, will soon be out of sight and forgotten.
Key Words
שָׁנֶה: a year (as a revolution of time)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
חֹדֶשׁ: the new moon; by implication, a month
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
צֹר: Tsor, a place in Palestine
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם: Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
Cross References
Ezekiel 26Nebuchadnezzar's title 'king of kings' reflects the authority delegated to him by God.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Tyre's mocking 'Aha!' against ruined Jerusalem is the typical language of spiteful enemies.
Supported by JFB
Jeremiah's cup of wrath for Tyre parallels Ezekiel's judgment prophecy.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel later details Nebuchadnezzar's actual thirteen-year arduous siege against Tyre.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The fall of mystical Babylon in Revelation draws heavily on Tyre's lost merchandise.
Supported by JFB
The cessation of songs and harps in judged Tyre prefigures Babylon's quietness.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The finality of Tyre's destruction is echoed in the violent throwing down of Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies Tyre historically as the strong, ancient fortified city near Israel's border.
Supported by JFB
Isaiah's burden against Tyre mirrors the same themes of commercial pride and fall.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel's standard imagery of proud nations brought down to the pit of the underworld.
Supported by JFB
Ezekiel's expanded lamentation on the same destruction of Tyre in the sea.
Supported by JFB
Historical confirmation of the captive kings held under Nebuchadnezzar's sovereign rule.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Repeats and emphasizes the decree of Tyre becoming a bare rock for drying nets.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Describes the terrifying swiftness and power of the Chaldean cavalry.
Supported by Matthew Poole