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Isaiah 23
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 23
Contemporary English Version
The City of Tyre Will Be Punished
23 (A) This is a message from distant islands about the city of Tyre:[a]
Cry, you seagoing ships![b]
Tyre and its houses
lie in ruins.[c]
2 Mourn in silence,
you shop owners of Sidon,[d]
you people on the coast.
Your sailors crossed oceans,
making your city rich.
3 Your merchants sailed the seas,
making you wealthy by trading
with nation after nation.
They brought back grain
that grew along the Nile.[e]
4 Sidon, you are a mighty fortress
built along the sea.
But you will be disgraced
like a married woman
who never had children.[f]
5 When Egypt hears about Tyre,
it will tremble.
6 All of you along the coast
had better cry and sail
far across the ocean.[g]
7 Can this be the happy city
that has stood for centuries?
Its people have spread
to distant lands;
8 its merchants were kings
honored all over the world.
Who planned to destroy Tyre?
9 The Lord All-Powerful planned it
to bring shame and disgrace
to those who are honored
by everyone on earth.
10 People of Tyre,[h]
your harbor is destroyed!
You will have to become farmers
just like the Egyptians.[i]
Tyre Will Be Forgotten
11 The Lord's hand has reached
across the sea,
upsetting the nations.
He has given a command
to destroy fortresses
in the land of Canaan.
12 The Lord has said
to the people of Sidon,
“Your celebrating is over—
you are crushed.
Even if you escape to Cyprus,
you won't find peace.”
13 Look what the Assyrians have done to Babylonia! They have attacked, destroying every palace in the land. Now wild animals live among the ruins.[j] 14 Not a fortress will be left standing, so tell all the seagoing ships[k] to mourn.
15 The city of Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, which is the lifetime of a king. Then Tyre will be like that evil woman in the song:
16 You're gone and forgotten,
you evil woman!
So strut through the town,
singing and playing
your favorite tune
to be remembered again.
17 At the end of those 70 years, the Lord will let Tyre get back into business. The city will be like a woman who sells her body to everyone of every nation on earth, 18 but none of what is earned will be kept in the city. That money will belong to the Lord, and it will be used to buy more than enough food and good clothes for those who worship the Lord.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 23.1 Tyre: A fortress city built on an island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of what is now Lebanon.
- 23.1 seagoing ships: See the note at 2.16.
- 23.1 Tyre … ruins: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 23.2 Sidon: A coastal city just north of Tyre.
- 23.3 along the Nile: The Hebrew text has “grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile,” but Shihor is probably a name for a region near the lower part of the Nile.
- 23.4 children: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 23.6 far across the ocean: The Hebrew text has “to Tarshish,” probably meaning a long distance.
- 23.10 People of Tyre: The Hebrew text has “the people of Tarshish,” which stands for the colonies of Tyre.
- 23.10 Egyptians: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 10.
- 23.13 ruins: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
- 23.14 seagoing ships: See the note at 2.16.
Isaiah 23
New International Version
Isaiah 23
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Tyre
23 A prophecy against Tyre:(A)
Wail,(B) you ships(C) of Tarshish!(D)
For Tyre is destroyed(E)
and left without house or harbor.
From the land of Cyprus
word has come to them.
2 Be silent,(F) you people of the island
and you merchants(G) of Sidon,(H)
whom the seafarers have enriched.
3 On the great waters
came the grain of the Shihor;(I)
the harvest of the Nile[a](J) was the revenue of Tyre,(K)
and she became the marketplace of the nations.
4 Be ashamed, Sidon,(L) and you fortress of the sea,
for the sea has spoken:
“I have neither been in labor nor given birth;(M)
I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters.”
5 When word comes to Egypt,
they will be in anguish(N) at the report from Tyre.(O)
6 Cross over to Tarshish;(P)
wail, you people of the island.
7 Is this your city of revelry,(Q)
the old, old city,
whose feet have taken her
to settle in far-off lands?
8 Who planned this against Tyre,
the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants(R) are princes,
whose traders(S) are renowned in the earth?
9 The Lord Almighty planned(T) it,
to bring down(U) her pride in all her splendor
and to humble(V) all who are renowned(W) on the earth.
10 Till[b] your land as they do along the Nile,
Daughter Tarshish,
for you no longer have a harbor.
11 The Lord has stretched out his hand(X) over the sea
and made its kingdoms tremble.(Y)
He has given an order concerning Phoenicia
that her fortresses be destroyed.(Z)
12 He said, “No more of your reveling,(AA)
Virgin Daughter(AB) Sidon, now crushed!
“Up, cross over to Cyprus;(AC)
even there you will find no rest.”
13 Look at the land of the Babylonians,[c](AD)
this people that is now of no account!
The Assyrians(AE) have made it
a place for desert creatures;(AF)
they raised up their siege towers,(AG)
they stripped its fortresses bare
and turned it into a ruin.(AH)
15 At that time Tyre(AL) will be forgotten for seventy years,(AM) the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:
16 “Take up a harp, walk through the city,
you forgotten prostitute;(AN)
play the harp well, sing many a song,
so that you will be remembered.”
17 At the end of seventy years,(AO) the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution(AP) and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.(AQ) 18 Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord;(AR) they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord,(AS) for abundant food and fine clothes.(AT)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 23:3 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls Sidon, / who cross over the sea; / your envoys 3 are on the great waters. / The grain of the Shihor, / the harvest of the Nile,
- Isaiah 23:10 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text Go through
- Isaiah 23:13 Or Chaldeans
Ezekiel 26-28
Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel 26-28
Contemporary English Version
Judgment on the City of Tyre
26 (A) Eleven years[a] after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the Lord spoke to me on the first day of the month. He said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, the people of the city of Tyre[b] have celebrated Jerusalem's defeat by singing,
“Jerusalem has fallen!
It used to be powerful,
a center of trade.
Now the city is shattered,
and we will take its place.”
3 Because the people of Tyre have sung that song, I have the following warning for them: I am the Lord God, and I am now your enemy! I will send nations to attack you, like waves crashing against the shore. 4 They will tear down your city walls and defense towers. I will sweep away the ruins until all that's left of you is a bare rock, 5 where fishermen can dry their nets along the coast. I promise that you will be robbed 6 and that the people who live in your towns along the coast will be killed. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
7 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia is the world's most powerful king, and I will send him to attack you. He will march from the north with a powerful army, including horses and chariots and cavalry troops. 8 First, he will attack your towns along the coast and kill the people who live there. Then he will build dirt ramps up to the top of your city walls and set up rows of shields around you. 9 He will command some of his troops to use large wooden poles to beat down your walls, while others use iron rods to knock down your watchtowers. 10 He will have so many horses that the dust they stir up will seem like a thick fog. And as his chariots and cavalry approach, even the walls will shake, especially when he proudly enters your ruined city. 11 His troops will ride through your streets, killing people left and right, and your strong columns will crumble to the ground. 12 The troops will steal your valuable possessions; they will break down your walls, and crush your expensive houses. Then the stones and wood and all the remains will be dumped into the sea. 13 (B) You will have no reason to sing or play music on harps, 14 because I will turn you into a bare rock where fishermen can dry their nets. And you will never rebuild your city. I, the Lord God, make this promise.
15 The people of the nations up and down the coast will shudder when they hear your screams and moans of death. 16 (C) The kings will step down from their thrones, then take off their royal robes and fancy clothes, and sit on the ground, trembling. They will be so shocked at the news of your defeat that they will shake in fear 17 and sing this funeral song:
“The great city beside the sea
is destroyed![c]
Its people once ruled the coast
and terrified everyone there.
18 But now Tyre is in ruins,
and the people on the coast
stare at it in horror
and tremble in fear.”
19 I, the Lord God, will turn you into a ghost-town. The ocean depths will rise over you 20 and carry you down to the world of the dead, where you will join people of ancient times and towns ruined long ago. You will stay there and never again be a city filled with people.[d] 21 (D) You will die a horrible death! People will come looking for your city, but it will never be found. I, the Lord, have spoken.
A Funeral Song for Tyre
27 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre,[e] 3 the city that is built along the sea and that trades with nations along the coast. Tell the people of Tyre that the following message is from me:
Tyre, you brag about
your perfect beauty,
4 and your control of the sea.[f]
You are a ship
built to perfection.
5 Builders used cypress trees
from Mount Hermon
to make your planks
and a cedar tree from Lebanon
for your tall mast.
6 Oak trees from Bashan
were shaped into oars;
pine trees from Cyprus[g]
were cut for your deck,
which was then decorated
with strips of ivory.
7 The builders used fancy linen
from Egypt for your sails,
so everyone could see you.
Blue and purple cloth
from Cyprus was used
to shade your deck.
8 Men from Sidon and Arvad
did the rowing,
and your own skilled workers
were the captains.
9 Experienced men from Byblos
repaired any damages.
Sailors from all over
shopped at the stores
in your port.
10 Brave soldiers from Persia,
Lydia, and Libya
served in your navy,
protecting you with shields
and helmets,
and making you famous.
11 Your guards came from
Arvad and Cilicia,
and men from Gamad
stood watch in your towers.
With their weapons
hung on your walls,
your beauty was complete.
12 Merchants from southern Spain[h] traded silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13 The people of Greece, Tubal, and Meshech traded slaves and things made of bronze, 14 and those from Beth-Togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules. 15 You also did business with people from Rhodes,[i] and people from nations along the coast gave you ivory and ebony[j] in exchange for your goods. 16 Edom[k] traded emeralds, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and Israel gave you their finest wheat, fancy figs,[l] honey, olive oil, and spices in exchange for your merchandise. 18 The people of Damascus saw what you had to offer and brought you wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19 Vedan and Javan near Uzal[m] traded you iron and spices. 20 The people of Dedan supplied you with saddle blankets, 21 while people from Arabia and the rulers of Kedar traded lambs, sheep, and goats. 22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah gave you excellent spices, precious stones, and gold in exchange for your products. 23 You also did business with merchants from the cities of Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, 24 and they gave you expensive clothing, purple and embroidered cloth, brightly colored rugs, and strong rope. 25 (E) Large, seagoing ships[n] carried your goods wherever they needed to go.
You were like a ship
loaded with heavy cargo
26 and sailing across the sea,
but you were wrecked
by strong eastern winds.
27 Everything on board was lost—
your valuable cargo,
your sailors and carpenters,
merchants and soldiers.
28 The shouts of your drowning crew
were heard on the shore.
29 Every ship is deserted;
rowers and sailors and captains
all stand on shore,
30 mourning for you.
They show their sorrow
by putting dust on their heads
and rolling in ashes;
31 they shave their heads
and dress in sackcloth[o]
as they cry in despair.
32 In their grief they sing
a funeral song for you:
“Tyre, you were greater
than all other cities.
But now you lie in silence
at the bottom of the sea.[p]
33 “Nations that received
your merchandise
were always pleased;
kings everywhere got rich
from your costly goods.
34 But now you are wrecked
in the deep sea,
with your cargo and crew
scattered everywhere.
35 People living along the coast
are shocked at the news.
Their rulers are horrified,
and terror is written
across their faces.
36 The merchants of the world
can't believe what happened.
Your death was gruesome,
and you are gone forever.”
Judgment on the King of Tyre
28 The Lord God said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, tell the king of Tyre[q] that I am saying:
You are so arrogant that you think you're a god and that the city of Tyre is your throne. You may claim to be a god, though you're nothing but a mere human. 3 You think you're wiser than Daniel[r] and know everything.[s]
4 Your wisdom has certainly made you rich, because you have storehouses filled with gold and silver. 5 You're a clever businessman and are extremely wealthy, but your wealth has led to arrogance!
6 You compared yourself to a god, so now I, the Lord God, 7 will make you the victim of cruel enemies. They will destroy all the possessions you've worked so hard to get. 8 Your enemies will brutally kill you, and the sea will be your only grave.
9 When you face your enemies, will you still claim to be a god? They will attack, and you will suffer like any other human. 10 Foreigners will kill you, and you will die the death of those who don't worship me. I, the Lord, have spoken.
A Funeral Song for the King of Tyre
11 The Lord said:
12 Ezekiel, son of man, sing a funeral song for the king of Tyre[t] and tell him I am saying:
At one time, you were perfect,[u] intelligent, and good-looking. 13 You lived in the garden of Eden and wore jewelry made of brightly colored gems and precious stones. They were all set in gold[v] and were ready for you on the day you were born. 14 I appointed a winged creature to guard your home[w] on my holy mountain, where you walked among gems that dazzled like fire.
15 You were truly good from the time of your birth, but later you started doing wicked things. 16 You traded with other nations and became more and more cruel and evil. So I forced you to leave my mountain, and the creature that had been your protector now chased you away from the jewels.
17 It was your good looks that made you arrogant, and you were so famous that you started acting like a fool. That's why I threw you to the ground and let other kings sneer at you. 18 You have cheated so many other merchants that your places of worship are corrupt. So I set your city on fire and burned it down. Now everyone sees only ashes where your city once stood, 19 and the people of other nations are shocked. Your punishment was horrible, and you are gone forever.
Judgment on Sidon and Peace for Israel
20 (F) The Lord said:
21 Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the city of Sidon[x] 22 and tell its people:
I, the Lord God, am your enemy! People will praise me when I punish you, and they will see that I am holy. 23 I will send deadly diseases to wipe you out, and I will send enemies to invade and surround you. Your people will be killed, and you will know that I am the Lord.
24 When that happens, the people of Israel will no longer have cruel neighbors that abuse them and make them feel as though they are in a field of thorns and briers. And the Israelites will know that I, the Lord God, have done these things.
A Blessing for Israel
25 The Lord God said:
Someday I will gather the people of Israel from the nations where they are now scattered, and every nation will see that I am holy. The Israelites will once again live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will be safe and will build houses and plant vineyards. They will no longer be in danger, because I will punish their hateful neighbors. Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.
Footnotes
- 26.1 Eleven years: Probably late in 587 b.c.
- 26.2 Tyre: One of the two major cities of Phoenicia; Sidon was the other.
- 26.17 The great city … is destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 26.20 You will stay there … with people: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 27.2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- 27.4 and your control of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 27.6 pine trees from Cyprus: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 27.12 southern Spain: The Hebrew text has “Tarshish,” which may have been a Phoenician city in southern Spain.
- 27.15 Rhodes: One ancient translation; Hebrew “Dedan.”
- 27.15 ebony: A valuable black wood.
- 27.16 Edom: Some Hebrew manuscripts and one ancient translation; most Hebrew manuscripts “Syria.”
- 27.17 their finest wheat, fancy figs: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 27.19 Vedan and Javan near Uzal: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 27.25 Large, seagoing ships: The Hebrew text has “Ships of Tarshish,” which may have been a Phoenician city in Spain. “Ships of Tarshish” probably means large, seagoing ships.
- 27.31 sackcloth: See the note at 7.18.
- 27.32 Tyre, you were greater … the bottom of the sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 28.2 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- 28.3 Daniel: See the note at 14.14.
- 28.3 and know everything: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 28.12 Tyre: See the note at 26.2.
- 28.12 you were perfect: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 28.13 They were all set in gold: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 28.14 I appointed a winged creature to guard your home: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 28.21 Sidon: See the note at 26.2.
Ezekiel 26-28
New International Version
Ezekiel 26-28
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[a] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, because Tyre(B) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(C) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea(D) casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy(E) the walls of Tyre(F) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea(G) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(H) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(I) for the nations,(J) 6 and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar[b](K) king of Babylon, king of kings,(L) with horses and chariots,(M) with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(N) against you, build a ramp(O) up to your walls and raise his shields against you. 9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.(P) 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots(Q) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(R) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(S) will fall to the ground.(T) 12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.(U) 13 I will put an end(V) to your noisy songs,(W) and the music of your harps(X) will be heard no more.(Y) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(Z) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(AA) tremble(AB) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(AC) and the slaughter takes place in you? 16 Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered(AD) garments. Clothed(AE) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(AF) trembling(AG) every moment, appalled(AH) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(AI) concerning you and say to you:
“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
you and your citizens;
you put your terror
on all who lived there.(AJ)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(AK)
on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
are terrified at your collapse.’(AL)
19 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths(AM) over you and its vast waters cover you,(AN) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(AO) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place[c] in the land of the living.(AP) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(AQ) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(AR)
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(AS) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(AT) situated at the gateway to the sea,(AU) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(AV)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(AW)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[d];(AX)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(AY)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(AZ) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[e] from the coasts of Cyprus(BA)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(BB) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(BC)
from the coasts of Elishah.(BD)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(BE) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(BF)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(BG) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(BH) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(BI) Lydia(BJ) and Put(BK)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(BL) 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.(BM)
12 “‘Tarshish(BN) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(BO) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(BP) Tubal and Meshek(BQ) did business with you; they traded human beings(BR) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(BS) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[f](BT) traded with you, and many coastlands(BU) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(BV) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[g](BW) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(BX) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(BY) coral(BZ) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(CA) from Minnith(CB) and confections,[h] honey, olive oil and balm(CC) for your wares.(CD)
18 “‘Damascus(CE) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(CF) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(CG) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(CH) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(CI) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(CJ) and all the princes of Kedar(CK) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(CL) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(CM) and precious stones, and gold.(CN)
23 “‘Harran,(CO) Kanneh and Eden(CP) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(CQ) 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(CR) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(CS)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(CT) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(CU) 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(CV)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(CW)
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(CX) on their heads
and roll(CY) in ashes.(CZ)
31 They will shave their heads(DA) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(DB) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(DC)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(DD) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(DE)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(DF)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(DG) 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.(DH)
35 All who live in the coastlands(DI)
are appalled(DJ) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(DK)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(DL)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(DM)’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(DN), 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(DO) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(DP)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(DQ)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[i]?(DR)
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.(DS)
5 By your great skill in trading(DT)
you have increased your wealth,(DU)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(DV)
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;(DW)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(DX)
and pierce your shining splendor.(DY)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(DZ)
and you will die a violent death(EA)
in the heart of the seas.(EB)
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,(EC)
in the hands of those who slay you.(ED)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(EE)
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(EF) 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.(EG)
13 You were in Eden,(EH)
the garden of God;(EI)
every precious stone(EJ) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(EK) and beryl.[j]
Your settings and mountings[k] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(EL)
14 You were anointed(EM) as a guardian cherub,(EN)
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,(EO)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(EP)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(EQ)
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.(ER)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(ES) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(ET) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(EU)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(EV) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(EW)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(EX) Sidon;(EY) 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.(EZ)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(FA) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(FB)
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.(FC)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(FD) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(FE) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(FF) I will be proved holy(FG) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(FH) 26 They will live there in safety(FI) and will build houses and plant(FJ) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(FK) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(FL)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
- Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
- Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory
- 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.
Amos 1:9
Contemporary English Version
Amos 1:9
Contemporary English Version
Judgment on Phoenicia
9 (A) The Lord said:
I will punish Phoenicia[a]
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They broke their treaty
and dragged off my people[b]
from town after town
to sell them as slaves
to the Edomites.
Amos 1:9
New International Version
Amos 1:9
New International Version
9 This is what the Lord says:
Amos 1:10
Contemporary English Version
Amos 1:10
Contemporary English Version
10 That's why I will send flames
to burn down the city of Tyre
along with its fortresses.
Amos 1:10
New International Version
Amos 1:10
New International Version
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
that will consume her fortresses.(A)”
Zechariah 9:1-4
Contemporary English Version
Zechariah 9:1-4
Contemporary English Version
Israel's Enemies Will Be Punished
9 (A)(B) This is a message
from the Lord:
His eyes are on everyone,
especially the tribes
of Israel.[a]
So he pronounces judgment
against the cities
of Hadrach and Damascus.[b]
2 Judgment will also fall
on the nearby city
of Hamath,
as well as on Tyre and Sidon,[c]
whose people are clever.
3 Tyre has built a fortress
and piled up silver and gold,
as though they were dust
or mud from the streets.
4 Now the Lord will punish Tyre
with poverty;
he will sink its ships
and send it up in flames.
Zechariah 9:1-4
New International Version
Zechariah 9:1-4
New International Version
Judgment on Israel’s Enemies
9 A prophecy:(A)
The word of the Lord is against the land of Hadrak
and will come to rest on Damascus(B)—
for the eyes of all people and all the tribes of Israel
are on the Lord—[a]
2 and on Hamath(C) too, which borders on it,
and on Tyre(D) and Sidon,(E) though they are very skillful.
3 Tyre has built herself a stronghold;
she has heaped up silver like dust,
and gold like the dirt of the streets.(F)
4 But the Lord will take away her possessions
and destroy(G) her power on the sea,
and she will be consumed by fire.(H)
Footnotes
- Zechariah 9:1 Or Damascus. / For the eye of the Lord is on all people, / as well as on the tribes of Israel,
Matthew 11:21
Contemporary English Version
Matthew 11:21
Contemporary English Version
21 (A) You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are in for trouble too! If the miracles that took place here had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.[a]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 11.21 sackcloth … ashes on their heads: This was one way that people showed how sorry they were for their sins.
Matthew 11:21
New International Version
Matthew 11:21
New International Version
21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!(A) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,(B) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.(C)
Matthew 11:22
Contemporary English Version
Matthew 11:22
Contemporary English Version
22 I tell you on the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.
Read full chapter
Matthew 11:22
New International Version
Matthew 11:22
New International Version
22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.(A)
Luke 10:13
Contemporary English Version
Luke 10:13
Contemporary English Version
The Unbelieving Towns
(Matthew 11.20-24)
13 (A) You people of Chorazin are in for trouble! You people of Bethsaida are also in for trouble! If the miracles that took place in your towns had happened in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have turned to God long ago. They would have dressed in sackcloth and put ashes on their heads.[a]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 10.13 dressed in sackcloth … ashes on their heads: This was one way that people showed how sorry they were for their sins.
Luke 10:13
New International Version
Luke 10:13
New International Version
13 “Woe to you,(A) Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth(B) and ashes.
Luke 10:14
Contemporary English Version
Luke 10:14
Contemporary English Version
14 On the day of judgment the people of Tyre and Sidon will get off easier than you will.
Read full chapter
Luke 10:14
New International Version
Luke 10:14
New International Version
14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
Isaiah 14:29-31
Contemporary English Version
Isaiah 14:29-31
Contemporary English Version
29 (A) Philistines, don't be happy
just because the rod
that punished you
is broken.
That rod will become
a poisonous snake, and then
a flying fiery dragon.
30 The poor and needy will find
pastures for their sheep
and will live in safety.
But I will starve some of you,
and others will be killed.
31 Cry and weep in the gates
of your towns,
you Philistines!
Smoke blows in from the north,[a]
and every soldier is ready.
Footnotes
- 14.31 north: The Assyrian and Babylonian attacks came from the north.
Isaiah 14:29-31
New International Version
Isaiah 14:29-31
New International Version
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(A)
that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(B)
its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(C)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
and the needy(D) will lie down in safety.(E)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(F)
it will slay(G) your survivors.(H)
Jeremiah 47
Contemporary English Version
Jeremiah 47
Contemporary English Version
What the Lord Says about the Philistines
47 (A) Before the king of Egypt attacked the town of Gaza,[a] the Lord told me to say to the Philistines:
2 I, the Lord, tell you
that your land will be flooded
with an army from the north.
It will destroy your towns
and sweep you away,
moaning and screaming.
3 When you hear the thunder
of horses and chariots,
your courage will vanish,
and parents will even abandon
their own children.
4 You refugees from Crete,[b]
your time has now come,
and I will destroy you.
None of you will be left
to help the cities
of Tyre and Sidon.
5 The Anakim who survive[c]
in Gaza and Ashkelon
will mourn for you
by shaving their heads
and sitting in silence.
6 You ask how long will I continue
to attack you with my sword,
then you tell me to put it away
and leave you alone.
7 But how can my sword rest,
when I have commanded it
to attack Ashkelon
and the seacoast?
Footnotes
- 47.1 attacked the town of Gaza: One of the major Philistine towns; nothing is known about this attack.
- 47.4 Crete: Hebrew “Caphtor,” another name for Crete, the original homeland of the ancestors of the Philistines.
- 47.5 Anakim who survive: One ancient translation; Hebrew “people in the valley who survive.” The Anakim may have been a group of very large people that lived in Palestine before the Israelites (see Numbers 13.33; Deuteronomy 2.10,11, 20,21; and Joshua 11.21,22).
Jeremiah 47
New International Version
Jeremiah 47
New International Version
A Message About the Philistines
47 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines(A) before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:(B)
2 This is what the Lord says:
“See how the waters are rising in the north;(C)
they will become an overflowing torrent.
They will overflow the land and everything in it,
the towns and those who live in them.
The people will cry out;
all who dwell in the land will wail(D)
3 at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,
at the noise of enemy chariots(E)
and the rumble of their wheels.
Parents will not turn to help their children;
their hands will hang limp.(F)
4 For the day has come
to destroy all the Philistines
and to remove all survivors
who could help Tyre(G) and Sidon.(H)
The Lord is about to destroy the Philistines,(I)
the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.[a](J)
5 Gaza will shave(K) her head in mourning;
Ashkelon(L) will be silenced.
You remnant on the plain,
how long will you cut(M) yourselves?
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 47:4 That is, Crete
Ezekiel 25:15-17
Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel 25:15-17
Contemporary English Version
Judgment on Philistia
15 (A) The Lord God said, “The cruel Philistines have taken revenge on their enemies over and over and have tried to destroy them. 16 Now it's my turn to treat the Philistines as my enemies and to kill everyone[a] living in their towns along the seacoast. 17 In my fierce anger, I will take revenge on them. And when I punish them, they will know that I am the Lord.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 25.16 kill everyone: The Hebrew text also has the name “Cherethites,” which was a group of people that lived just southeast of Philistia, and was often identified with the Philistines.
Ezekiel 25:15-17
New International Version
Ezekiel 25:15-17
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Philistia
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because the Philistines(A) acted in vengeance and took revenge with malice(B) in their hearts, and with ancient hostility sought to destroy Judah, 16 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines,(C) and I will wipe out the Kerethites(D) and destroy those remaining along the coast.(E) 17 I will carry out great vengeance(F) on them and punish(G) them in my wrath. Then they will know that I am the Lord,(H) when I take vengeance on them.(I)’”
Amos 1:6-8
Contemporary English Version
Amos 1:6-8
Contemporary English Version
Judgment on Philistia
6 (A) The Lord said:
I will punish Philistia[a]
for countless crimes,
and I won't change my mind.
They dragged off my people[b]
from town after town
to sell them as slaves
to the Edomites.
7 That's why I will burn down
the walls and fortresses
of the city of Gaza.
8 I will destroy the king[c] of Ashdod
and the ruler of Ashkelon.
I will strike down Ekron,[d]
and that will be the end
of the Philistines.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Amos 1:6-8
New International Version
Amos 1:6-8
New International Version
6 This is what the Lord says:
“For three sins of Gaza,(A)
even for four, I will not relent.(B)
Because she took captive whole communities
and sold them to Edom,(C)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
that will consume her fortresses.
8 I will destroy the king[a] of Ashdod(D)
and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand(E) against Ekron,
till the last of the Philistines(F) are dead,”(G)
says the Sovereign Lord.(H)
Footnotes
- Amos 1:8 Or inhabitants
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