Ezekiel 27

1 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

2 "Human, sing a funeral song for the city of Tyre.

3 Speak to Tyre, which has ports for the Mediterranean Sea and is a place for trade for the people of many lands along the seacoast. 'This is what the Lord God says: Tyre, you have said, "I am like a beautiful ship."

4 You were at home on the high seas. Your builders made your beauty perfect.

5 They made all your boards of fir trees from Mount Hermon. to make a ship's mast for you.

6 They made your oars from oak trees from Bashan. They made your deck from cypress trees from the coast of Cyprus and set ivory into it.

7 Your sail of linen with designs sewed on it came from Egypt and became like a flag for you. Your cloth shades over the deck were blue and purple and came from the island of Cyprus.

8 Men from Sidon and Arvad used oars to row you. Tyre, your skilled men were the sailors on your deck.

9 Workers of Byblos were with you, putting caulkn in your ship's seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to trade with you.

10 "'Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put were warriors in your navy and hung their shields and helmets on your sides. They made you look beautiful.

11 Men of Arvad and Cilicia guarded your city walls all around. were in your watchtowers and hung their shields around your walls. They made your beauty perfect.

12 "'People of Tarshish became traders for you because of your great wealth. They traded your goods for silver, iron, tin, and lead.

13 "'People of Greece, Tubal, and Meshech became merchants for you. They traded your goods for slaves and items of bronze.

14 "'People of Beth Togarmah traded your goods for work horses, war horses, and mules.

15 "'People of Rhodes became merchants for you, selling your goods on many coastlands. They brought back ivory tusks and valuable black wood as your payment.

16 "'People of Aram became traders for you, because you had so many good things to sell. They traded your goods for turquoise, purple cloth, cloth with designs sewed on, fine linen, coral, and rubies.

17 "'People of Judah and Israel became merchants for you. They traded your goods for wheat from Minnith, and for honey, olive oil, and balm.

18

19 "'People of Damascus became traders for you because you have many good things and great wealth. They traded your goods for wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar, and barrels of wine from Izal. They received wrought iron, cassia, and sugar cane in payment for your good things.

20 "'People of Dedan became merchants for you, trading saddle blankets for riding.

21 "'People of Arabia and all the rulers of Kedar became traders for you. They received lambs, male sheep, and goats in payment for you.

22 "'The merchants of Sheba and Raamah became merchants for you. They traded your goods for all the best spices, valuable gems, and gold.

23 "'People of Haran, Canneh, Eden, and the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad became merchants for you.

24 They were paid with the best clothes, blue cloth, cloth with designs sewed on, carpets of many colors, and tightly wound ropes.

25 "'Trading ships carried the things you sold. You were like a ship full of heavy cargo in the middle of the sea.

26 The men who rowed you brought you out into the high seas, but the east wind broke you to pieces in the middle of the sea.

27 Your wealth, your trade, your goods, your seamen, your sailors, your workers, your traders, your warriors, and everyone else on board sank into the sea on the day your ship was wrecked.

28 The people on the shore shake with fear when your sailors cry out.

29 All the men who row leave their ships; the seamen and the sailors of other ships stand on the shore.

30 They cry loudly about you; they cry very much. They throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes to show they are sad.

31 They shave their heads for you, and they put on rough cloth to show they are upset. They cry and sob for you; they cry loudly.

32 And in their loud crying they sing a funeral song for you: "No one was ever destroyed like Tyre, surrounded by the sea."

33 When the goods you traded went out over the seas, you met the needs of many nations. With your great wealth and goods, you made kings of the earth rich.

34 But now you are broken by the sea and have sunk to the bottom. Your goods and all the people on board have gone down with you.

35 All those who live along the shore are shocked by what happened to you. Their kings are terribly afraid, and their faces show their fear.

36 The traders among the nations hiss at you. You have come to a terrible end, and you are gone forever.'"

Ezekiel 27 Commentary

Chapter 27

The merchandise of Tyre. (1-25) Its fall and ruin. (26-36)

Verses 1-25 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.

Verses 26-36 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 27

This chapter contains a lamentation on Tyre; setting forth her former grandeur, riches, and commerce; her ruin and destruction; and the concern of others on that account. The prophet is bid to take up his lamentation concerning it, Eze 27:1,2, observing her situation and magnificence, of which she boasted, Eze 27:3,4, describing the excellency of her shipping and naval stores, Eze 27:5-7, declaring who were her mariners, pilots, and caulkers, Eze 27:8,9, her military men, Eze 27:10,11 her several merchants, and the things they traded in with her in her fairs and markets, Eze 27:12-25, then follows an account of her destruction, Eze 27:26,27, the lamentation of pilots and mariners because of it, Eze 27:28-32, and of the kings and inhabitants of the isles, and merchants of the people, Eze 27:33-36.