Ezekiel 27

1 The word of the LORD came to me:

2 "Now you, son of man, raise a lamentation over Tyre,

3 and say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, thus says the Lord GOD: "O Tyre, you have said, 'I am perfect in beauty.'

4 Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.

5 They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6 Of oaks of Bashan they made your oars; they made your deck of pines from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory.

7 Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your ensign; blue and purple from the coasts of Eli'shah was your awning.

8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; skilled men of Zemer were in you, they were your pilots.

9 The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you, to barter for your wares.

10 "Persia and Lud and Put were in your army as your men of war; they hung the shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor.

11 The men of Arvad and Helech were upon your walls round about, and men of Gamad were in your towers; they hung their shields upon your walls round about; they made perfect your beauty.

12 "Tarshish trafficked with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.

13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged the persons of men and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.

14 Beth-togar'mah exchanged for your wares horses, war horses, and mules.

15 The men of Rhodes traded with you; many coastlands were your own special markets, they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony.

16 Edom trafficked with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and agate.

17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat, olives and early figs, honey, oil, and balm.

18 Damascus trafficked with you for your abundant goods, because of your great wealth of every kind; wine of Helbon, and white wool,

19 and wine from Uzal they exchanged for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were bartered for your merchandise.

20 Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding.

21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they trafficked with you.

22 The traders of Sheba and Ra'amah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices, and all precious stones, and gold.

23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you.

24 These traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of colored stuff, bound with cords and made secure; in these they traded with you.

25 The ships of Tarshish traveled for you with your merchandise. "So you were filled and heavily laden in the heart of the seas.

26 Your rowers have brought you out into the high seas. The east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the seas.

27 Your riches, your wares, your merchandise, your mariners and your pilots, your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, with all your company that is in your midst, sink into the heart of the seas on the day of your ruin.

28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots the countryside shakes,

29 and down from their ships come all that handle the oar. The mariners and all the pilots of the sea stand on the shore

30 and wail aloud over you, and cry bitterly. They cast dust on their heads and wallow in ashes;

31 they make themselves bald for you, and gird themselves with sackcloth, and they weep over you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning.

32 In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you, and lament over you: 'Who was ever destroyed like Tyre in the midst of the sea?

33 When your wares came from the seas, you satisfied many peoples; with your abundant wealth and merchandise you enriched the kings of the earth.

34 Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew have sunk with you.

35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you; and their kings are horribly afraid, their faces are convulsed.

36 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more for ever.'"

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.