Ezekiel 27

A Lament for Tyre

Tyre’s Former Glory

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre.

3 Say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance of the sea, trading with peoples on many coastlands, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: Tyre, you said, “I am perfect in beauty.”

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

5 They made all your planks of cypress from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan. Your deck was made of ivory inlaid in boxwood from the coasts of Cyprus.

7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner. Blue and purple cloth from the coasts of Elishah was your covering.

8 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.

9 The elders of Gebal and its skilled craftsmen were with you, repairing your seams. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside you to trade for your goods.

10 Men of Persia, Lud, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung shield and helmet in you; they gave you splendor.

11 Men of Arvad and Helech stood on your walls all around, and men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.

A City of Trade

12 Tarshish traded with you because of your great wealth of every kind, paying you with silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods.

13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged slaves and bronze vessels for your merchandise.

14 Those from Beth-togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules for your goods.

15 The men of Dedan traded with you; many coastlands were your regular market. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment.

16 Aram traded with you because of your many products; they paid with turquoise, purple, embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies.

17 Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm for your goods.

18 Damascus traded with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods, offering wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar.

19 Vedan and Javan from Uzal traded with you, offering wrought iron, cassia, and calamus for your goods.

20 Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding.

21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading lambs, rams, and goats.

22 The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged the finest of all spices, every kind of precious stone, and gold for your goods.

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

24 They traded with you in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered work, and in chests of multicolored garments bound with cords and made secure.

The Ship Wrecked

25 The ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your merchandise. You were filled and heavily loaded in the heart of the seas.

26 Your rowers brought you out into deep waters, but the east wind broke you in the heart of the seas.

27 Your wealth, merchandise, wares, sailors, pilots, ship-repairers, traders, and all your warriors within you, along with everyone aboard, will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your downfall.

28 The countryside will shake at the sound of your sailors’ cries.

29 All who handle the oar, sailors, and all the pilots of the sea will step down from their ships and stand on the shore.

30 They will raise their voices over you and cry bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

31 They will shave their heads because of you and put on sackcloth. They will weep over you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning.

32 In their wailing they will take up a lament for you and lament over you: “Who was like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea,

33 When your goods went out on the seas, you satisfied many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with your great wealth and merchandise.

34 Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters. Your merchandise and all your company have fallen with you.

35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you. Their kings shudder with horror; their faces are twisted with fear.

36 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you. You have become a horror, and you will be no more forever.”