Ezekiel27
New American Standard
1Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2“And you, son of man, take up a song of mourning over Tyre;
3and say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Tyre, you 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 juniper trees from Senir; They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6Of oaks from Bashan they have made your rudders; With ivory they have inlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of Cyprus.
7Your sail was of colorfully embroidered linen from Egypt So that it became your flag; Your awning was violet and purple from the coastlands of Elishah.
8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; Your wise men, Tyre, were aboard; they were your sailors.
9The elders of Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your leaks; All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.
10“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung up shield and helmet on you; they presented your splendor.
11The sons of Arvad and your army were on your walls, all around, and the Gammadim were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.
12“Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your merchandise.
13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders; with human lives and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise.
14Those from Beth-togarmah gave horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise.
15The sons of Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were your market; they brought ivory tusks and ebony as your payment.
16Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your goods; they paid for your merchandise with emeralds, purple, colorfully woven cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies.
17Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, cakes, honey, oil, and balsam they paid for your merchandise.
18Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your goods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool.
19Vedan and Javan paid for your merchandise from Uzal; wrought iron, cassia, and spice reed were among your merchandise.
20Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding.
21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were your customers for lambs, rams, and goats; for these they were your customers.
22The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your merchandise with the best of all balsam oil, and with all kinds of precious stones, and gold.
23Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.
24They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of violet and colorfully woven cloth, and in blankets of two colors, and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise.
25The ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your merchandise. And you were filled and were very glorious In the heart of the seas.
26“Your rowers have brought you Into great waters; The east wind has broken you In the heart of the seas.
27Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise, Your seamen and your sailors, Your repairers of leaks, your dealers in merchandise, And all your men of war who are in you, With all your contingent that is in your midst, Will fall into the heart of the seas On the day of your overthrow.
28At the sound of the cry of your sailors, The pasture lands will shake.
29All who handle the oar, The seamen and all the sailors of the sea Will come down from their ships; They will stand on the land,
30And they will make their voice heard over you And cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads, They will wallow in ashes.
31Also they will shave themselves bald for you And put on sackcloth; And they will weep for you in bitterness of soul With bitter mourning.
32Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a song of mourning for you And sing a song of mourning over you: ‘Who is like Tyre, Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?
33When your merchandise went out from the seas, You satisfied many peoples; With the abundance of your wealth and your merchandise You enriched the kings of the earth.
34Now that you are broken by the seas In the depths of the waters, Your merchandise and all your company Have fallen in the midst of you.
35All the inhabitants of the coastlands Are appalled at you, And their kings are horribly afraid; They have a troubled look.
36The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; You have become terrified And you will cease to be forever.’”’”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 27.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The merchandise of Tyre. (1-25). Its fall and ruin. (26-36).
vv1-25
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.
vv26-36
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.
Key Words
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.)
נָשָׂא: to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative
קִינָה: a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
צֹר: Tsor, a place in Palestine
יָשַׁב: properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry
מְבוֹאָה: a haven
Cross References
Ezekiel 27Senir identified as the Amorite name for Mount Hermon, the source of shipboards.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The lamentation of the merchants over Rome's fall heavily echoes the lament over Tyre.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Tyre described as a mart of nations and merchant of the people.
Supported by JFB
The claim of perfect beauty is repeated in the lament over the prince of Tyre.
Supported by JFB
Gebal (and its stone-squarers) famed for skilled workmen aiding construction.
Supported by JFB
The east wind breaking ships of Tarshish, paralleling Tyre's shipwreck.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Arvadites trace back to Canaan, serving here as mariners for superior Tyre.
Supported by JFB
Persia, Lydians (Lud), and Libyans (Phut) acting as shielded warriors.
Supported by JFB
Trading 'persons of men' (slaves) listed in the merchandise of both Tyre and Babylon.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Herod's country (Tyre and Sidon) was still nourished by Judea's food supply.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Minnith, a region of Israel noted for producing excellent export wheat.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The shaking of the isles at the sound of the fall of Tyre.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The oaks of Bashan famous for strength, paired here with Lebanon's cedars.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Fine linen of Egypt, a highly prized, luxurious fabric.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Becoming a terror and ceasing to exist forever is the ultimate end of Tyre.
Supported by JFB