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Ezekiel 27-28
Common English Bible
Ezekiel 27-28
Common English Bible
Tyre, the ship of state
27 The Lord’s word came to me: 2 You, human one, sing a lament for Tyre. 3 Say this about Tyre, who sits enthroned at the entrance to the sea, the people’s agent for trade throughout the coastlands. The Lord God proclaims:
Tyre, you say,
“I’m perfectly beautiful!”
4 But your territory is in the depths of the sea,
and it’s your builders who made you beautiful.
5 For you they made your deck of cypress from Senir.
To make your mast, they took cedar from Lebanon.
6 For your oars, they used the oaks of Bashan.
They made your hull, inlaid with ivory, of boxwood from the coasts of Cyprus.
7 Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail;
it became your emblem.
Your awning was made of blue and purple cloth from the coasts of Elishah.
8 The princes of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your own wise men were in you as your helmsmen. 9 The elders and wise men of Gebal were in you, patching up your leaks. Every seagoing ship and its sailors came to do business with you. 10 Paras, Lud, and Put were the warriors in your army. By hanging their shields and helmets on you, they made you radiant. 11 The men of Arvad and Helech were stationed on your walls all around; the men of Gamad were in your towers. They hung their weapons on your walls all around. They were the ones who completed your beauty.
12 Tarshish was your procurer of great wealth. For your wares, they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your agents in human trafficking. They gave you bronze vessels for these wares of yours. 14 Beth-togarmah traded horses, warhorses, and mules for your wares. 15 Islanders from Rhodes[a] were your agents. By contract they procured ebony and ivory for you from many coastlands. 16 Aram was your agent for many products. They traded turquoise, purple cloth, colorful brocades, linen, coral, and rubies for your wares. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your agents, trading the finest wheat,[b] millet,[c] honey, oil, and balm for your wares. 18 For many of your finished products, Damascus traded out of its great wealth the wine of Helbon and white wool. 19 Vedan and Javan from the region of Uzal traded with you. They exchanged wrought iron, cinnamon, and spices for your wares. 20 Dedan was your agent for saddle blankets. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar traded for you. They procured lambs, rams, and goats for you. 22 They were your agents in Sheba and Raamah. For your wares they exchanged the finest spices, every kind of precious stone, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, and Eden were your agents,[d] and also Assyria and Chilmad. 24 They procured fine finished goods for you, garments of purple and brocade, and plush carpets rolled up and securely tied with ropes, among your acquisitions. 25 The ships of Tarshish carried your goods.
You were filled to capacity and heavily laden in the middle of the sea.
26 Your oarsmen brought you out onto the high seas;
an east wind sank you into the sea’s depths.
27 Your goods, your wares, your wealth,
your sailors, your helmsmen, those patching your leaks,
your merchants, all your warriors in you,
and all the company that is with you—
they also sank into the sea’s depth
on the day of your demise.
28 At your helmsmen’s cries for help,
the troubled waters seethe.
29 Those entrusted with the oars desert their posts.
All sailors and helmsmen seek footing on the shore.
30 Loudly they cry,
bitterly they wail,
and they put dust on their heads
and cover themselves with ashes.
31 They cut off all their hair
and put on mourning clothes.
In despair they weep for you,
and bitterly perform the mourning rites.
32 In their lamentation they raise a lament for you;
they sing lamentions over you:
“Who was like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?”
33 When your wares came out from the seas,
you satisfied many people.
Your abundant wealth and merchandise
enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the seas;
your cargoes, as well as everyone in your company,
are sunk into the water’s depths.
35 Now the inhabitants of the coastlands
shudder on account of you.
And as for their kings, their hair stands on end;
their faces betray their horror.
36 The merchants for the peoples hiss because of you.
You have become a terror;
from now on you are nothing.
Prince of Tyre
28 The Lord’s word came to me: 2 Human one, say to the prince of Tyre, The Lord God proclaims: In your arrogance, you say, “I am God, and as God I rule the seas!” Though you claim to have the mind of a god, you are mortal, not divine. 3 You are certainly wiser than Daniel; no secrets are hidden from you. 4 By your wisdom and discernment, you made yourself rich, and you filled your storehouses with silver and gold. 5 Through your shrewd trading you multiplied your riches. But then you became proud of your riches.
6 So now the Lord God proclaims: Because you claim to have the mind of a god, 7 I’ll bring foreigners, the most ruthless nations, against you. They will let loose their swords against your fine wisdom, and they will degrade your splendor. 8 They will hurl you to destruction, and you will die, murdered, on the high seas. 9 When you face your murderers, will you still say, “I’m God”? In your killers’ hands, you are mortal, not divine. 10 You will die as the uncircumcised do, at the hands of foreigners. I have spoken. This is what the Lord God has said.
11 The Lord’s word came to me: 12 Human one, sing a lament for the king of Tyre. Say to him, The Lord God proclaims: You were full of wisdom and beauty, the image of perfection. 13 You were in Eden, God’s garden. You were covered with gold and every precious stone: carnelian, topaz, and moonstone; beryl, onyx, and jasper; lapis lazuli, turquoise, and emerald. On the day that you were created, finely crafted pendants and engravings were prepared. 14 You, a winged creature, were installed as a guardian. I placed you in God’s holy mountain where you walked among the stones of fire. 15 From the day you were created until injustice was found in you, your ways were assured. 16 But because of your trade, your oppressive business practices piled up, and you became impure. So I expelled you from God’s mountain. I removed you, winged creature, guardian, from among the stones of fire. 17 You exalted yourself because of your beauty and corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I will cast you down to the earth in the sight of kings, and I will make a spectacle of you. 18 Because of your corrupt trade, which surpassed your many other sins, you made your sanctuaries impure. Therefore, I will bring fire from your midst. When it has consumed you, I will turn you into dust on the earth in the sight of all who see you. 19 Everyone among the peoples who knows you will be appalled because of you. You will become a terror. From that time on, you will be nothing.
Against Sidon
20 The Lord’s word came to me: 21 Human one, face Sidon, prophesy against it, 22 and say, The Lord God proclaims: I’m against you, Sidon, and I will manifest my glory in you. When I’ve executed judgment against it and through it have manifested my holiness, they will know that I am the Lord. 23 I will hurl plague against it, and blood will run in its streets. When the sword comes against it from all sides, the slain will fall within it. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 24 The house of Israel will no longer suffer from the pricking thorn or painful briar of any of its neighbors who hold it in contempt. And they will know that I am the Lord God.
25 The Lord God proclaims: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they’ve scattered, and I demonstrate my holiness through them in the sight of the nations, they will live on their fertile land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live on it in safety. They will build houses, plant vineyards, and live in safety. When I execute judgments against all who hold them in contempt on every side, they will know that I, the Lord, am their God.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:15 Heb Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:17 Or wheat from Minnith
- Ezekiel 27:17 Heb uncertain
- Ezekiel 27:23 LXX; MT adds Sheba.
Ezekiel 27-28
New International Version
Ezekiel 27-28
New International Version
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(A) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(B) situated at the gateway to the sea,(C) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(D)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(E)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[a];(F)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(G)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(H) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[b] from the coasts of Cyprus(I)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(J) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(K)
from the coasts of Elishah.(L)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(M) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(N)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(O) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(P) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(Q) Lydia(R) and Put(S)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(T) and helmets on your walls,
bringing you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helek
guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
they brought your beauty to perfection.(U)
12 “‘Tarshish(V) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(W) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(X) Tubal and Meshek(Y) did business with you; they traded human beings(Z) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(AA) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[c](AB) traded with you, and many coastlands(AC) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(AD) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[d](AE) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(AF) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(AG) coral(AH) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(AI) from Minnith(AJ) and confections,[e] honey, olive oil and balm(AK) for your wares.(AL)
18 “‘Damascus(AM) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(AN) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(AO) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(AP) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(AQ) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(AR) and all the princes of Kedar(AS) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(AT) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(AU) and precious stones, and gold.(AV)
23 “‘Harran,(AW) Kanneh and Eden(AX) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(AY) and Kilmad traded with you. 24 In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.
25 “‘The ships of Tarshish(AZ) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(BA)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(BB) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(BC) merchandise and wares,
your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea(BD)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(BE)
when your sailors cry out.
29 All who handle the oars
will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voice
and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(BF) on their heads
and roll(BG) in ashes.(BH)
31 They will shave their heads(BI) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(BJ) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(BK)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(BL) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(BM)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(BN)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(BO) and your wares
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the sea
in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
have gone down with you.(BP)
35 All who live in the coastlands(BQ)
are appalled(BR) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(BS)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(BT)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(BU)’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(BV), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘In the pride of your heart
you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(BW) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(BX)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(BY)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[f]?(BZ)
Is no secret hidden from you?
4 By your wisdom and understanding
you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
in your treasuries.(CA)
5 By your great skill in trading(CB)
you have increased your wealth,(CC)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(CD)
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Because you think you are wise,
as wise as a god,
7 I am going to bring foreigners against you,
the most ruthless of nations;(CE)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(CF)
and pierce your shining splendor.(CG)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(CH)
and you will die a violent death(CI)
in the heart of the seas.(CJ)
9 Will you then say, “I am a god,”
in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(CK)
in the hands of those who slay you.(CL)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(CM)
at the hands of foreigners.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament(CN) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(CO)
13 You were in Eden,(CP)
the garden of God;(CQ)
every precious stone(CR) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(CS) and beryl.[g]
Your settings and mountings[h] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(CT)
14 You were anointed(CU) as a guardian cherub,(CV)
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,(CW)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(CX)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(CY)
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.(CZ)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(DA) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(DB) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(DC)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(DD) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(DE)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(DF) Sidon;(DG) prophesy against her 22 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Sidon,
and among you I will display my glory.(DH)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(DI) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(DJ)
23 I will send a plague upon you
and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(DK)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(DL) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(DM) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(DN) I will be proved holy(DO) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(DP) 26 They will live there in safety(DQ) and will build houses and plant(DR) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(DS) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(DT)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
- Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
- Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
- Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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