27 Then this message came to me from the Lord. He said:
2 “Son of dust, sing this sad dirge for Tyre:
3 “‘O mighty seaport city, merchant center of the world, the Lord God speaks. You say, “I am the most beautiful city in all the world.” 4 You have extended your boundaries out into the sea; your architects have made you glorious. 5 You are like a ship built of finest fir from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you. 6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan. The walls of your cabin are of cypress from the southern coast of Cyprus. 7 Your sails are made of Egypt’s finest linens; you stand beneath awnings bright with purple and scarlet dyes from eastern Cyprus.
8 “‘Your sailors come from Sidon and Arvad; your helmsmen are skilled men from Zemer. 9 Wise old craftsmen from Gebal do the calking. Ships come from every land with all their goods to barter for your trade.
10 “‘Your army includes men from far-off Paras, Lud, and Put.[a] They serve you—it is a feather in your cap to have their shields hang upon your walls; it is the ultimate of honor. 11 Men from Arvad and from Helech[b] are the sentinels upon your walls; your towers are manned by men from Gamad. Their shields hang row on row upon the walls, perfecting your glory.
12 “‘From Tarshish come all kinds of riches to your markets—silver, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Merchants from Javan, Tubal, and Meshech[c] bring slaves and bronze dishes, 14 while from Togarmah* come chariot horses, steeds, and mules.
15 “‘Merchants come to you from Rhodes, and many coastlands are your captive markets, giving payment in ebony and ivory. 16 Edom sends her traders to buy your many wares. They bring emeralds, purple dyes, embroidery, fine linen, and jewelry of coral and agate. 17 Judah and the cities in what was once the kingdom of Israel send merchants with wheat from Minnith and Pannag,[d] and with honey, oil, and balm. 18 Damascus comes. She brings wines from Helbon and white Syrian wool to trade for all the rich variety of goods you make. 19 Vedan and Javan bring Arabian yarn,[e] wrought iron, cassia, and calamus, 20 while Dedan brings expensive saddlecloths for riding.
21 “‘The Arabians and Kedar’s wealthy merchant princes bring you lambs and rams and goats. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah come with all kinds of spices, jewels, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, Eden, Asshur, and Chilmad all send their wares. 24 They bring choice fabrics to trade—blue cloth, embroidery, and many-colored carpets bound with cords and made secure. 25 The ships of Tarshish are your ocean caravans; your island warehouse is filled to the brim!
26 “‘But now your statesmen bring your ship of state into a hurricane! Your mighty vessel flounders in the heavy eastern gale,[f] and you are wrecked in the heart of the seas! 27 Everything is lost. Your riches and wares, your sailors and pilots, your shipwrights, merchants, and soldiers; and all the people sink into the sea on the day of your vast ruin.
28 “‘The surrounding cities quake at the sound as your pilots scream with fright. 29 All your sailors out at sea come to land and watch upon the mainland shore, 30 weeping bitterly and casting dust upon their heads and wallowing in ashes. 31 They shave their heads in grief, put on sackcloth, and weep for you with bitterness of heart and deep mourning.
32 “‘And this is the song of their sorrow: “Where in all the world was there ever such a wondrous city as Tyre, destroyed in the midst of the sea? 33 Your merchandise satisfied the desires of many nations. Kings at the ends of the earth rejoiced in the riches you sent them. 34 Now you lie broken beneath the sea; all your merchandise and all your crew have perished with you. 35 All who live along the coastlands watch, incredulous. Their kings are horribly afraid and look on with twisted faces. 36 The merchants of the nations shake their heads, for your fate is dreadful; you have forever perished.”’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:10 Paras, Lud, and Put. These were three cities of ancient North Africa.
- Ezekiel 27:11 Helech, a region in ancient Cilicia known from Assyrian records as Hilakku.
- Ezekiel 27:13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech . . . from Togarmah. Regions of Asia Minor, now in Turkey.
- Ezekiel 27:17 with wheat from Minnith and Pannag, or “with wheat, minnith, and pannag.” If these were commodities, their identification is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 27:19 Vedan and Javan bring Arabian yarn, or probably better, “They exchanged wine from Uzal for your wares.” The text here is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 27:26 Your mighty vessel flounders in the heavy eastern gale, i.e., Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia.