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A Funeral Song for Tyre

27 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], sing a ·funeral song [lament; dirge] for the city of Tyre. Speak to Tyre, which ·has ports for the Mediterranean Sea [L sits at the gateway to the Sea] and is a ·place for trade [merchant] for the people of many coastlands. ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Tyre, you have said,
“I am ·like a beautiful ship [L perfect in beauty].”

·You were at home on [L Your borders were in the heart of] the high seas.
Your builders made your beauty perfect.

They made all your boards
    of fir trees from ·Mount Hermon [L Senir].
They took a cedar tree from Lebanon
    to make a ship’s mast for you.

They made your oars
    from oak trees from Bashan.
They made your deck
    from cypress trees from the coast of ·Cyprus [L Kittim]
·and set ivory into it [inlaid with ivory].

Your sail of ·linen with designs sewed on it [embroidered linen] came from Egypt
    and ·became like a flag for you [served as your banner].
Your ·cloth shades over the deck [awnings] were blue and purple
    and came from the ·island [coastlands] of ·Cyprus [L Elisha; C a city on the east side of Cyprus and an older name for the island].
·Men [Residents; or Leaders] from Sidon [C a major city twenty-five miles north of Tyre] and Arvad [C a city on the Phoenician coast, north of Sidon] used oars to row you.
    Tyre, your skilled men were ·the sailors [or captains; pilots] on your deck.
·Workers [or Veteran craftsmen; L Elders] of Byblos were with you,
    putting caulk in your ship’s seams.
All the ships of the sea and their sailors
    came alongside to trade with you.

10 “‘Men of Persia, ·Lydia [L Lud; C a city in Asia Minor], and ·Put [C present-day Libya, in North Africa]
    were warriors in your ·navy [army]
and hung their shields and helmets on your sides.
    They ·made you look beautiful [gave you splendor].

11 Men of Arvad [v. 8] and ·Cilicia [L Helech; C southeast Asia Minor]
    guarded your city walls all around.
Men of Gammad [C an unknown location, perhaps northern Asia Minor]
    were in your watchtowers

and hung their shields around your walls.
They made your beauty perfect.

12 “‘People of Tarshish [C probably in southern Spain; Jonah 1:3] became traders for you because of your great wealth. They ·traded [exchanged] your goods for silver, iron, tin, and lead.

13 “‘People of ·Greece [L Javan], Tubal, and Meshech [C both in Asia Minor; 32:26] became merchants for you. They traded your goods for slaves and items of bronze.

14 “‘People of Beth Togarmah [C eastern Asia Minor; present-day Armenia] traded your goods for ·work [or chariot] horses, war horses [C either chariot of cavalry horses], and mules.

15 “‘·People of [L Sons of] Rhodes[a] [C an island off southwest coast of Asia Minor] became merchants for you, selling your goods on many coastlands. They brought back ivory tusks and ·valuable black wood [ebony] as your payment.

16 “‘People of Aram[b] [C Syria] ·became traders for [did business with] you, because you had so many good things to sell. They traded your goods for turquoise, purple cloth, ·cloth with designs sewed on [embroidered work], fine linen, coral, and rubies.

17 “‘People of Judah and Israel became merchants for you. They traded your goods for wheat from Minnith [C a town in Ammon, east of the Jordan River], and for ·meal [millet], honey, olive oil, and balm.

“‘People of Damascus [C the capital of Aram (Syria)] became traders for you because you have many good things and great wealth. They traded your goods for wine from Helbon [C a town north of Damascus], wool from Zahar [C an area northwest of Damascus], and barrels of wine[c] from Izal [C possibly present-day Yemen]. They received wrought iron, cassia [C a tree similar to the cinnamon tree; Ex. 30:24], and ·sugar cane [or calamus; C a fragrant reed] in payment for your ·good things [wares; merchandise].

20 “‘People of Dedan [C a territory in southern Edom] became merchants for you, trading saddle blankets for riding.

21 “‘People of Arabia and all the ·rulers [princes] of Kedar became traders for you. They received lambs, ·male sheep [rams], and goats in payment for you.

22 “‘The merchants of Sheba [C the southwestern Arabian peninsula, present-day Yemen] and Raamah [C a city in southern Arabia] became merchants for you. They traded your goods for all the best spices, ·valuable gems [precious stones], and gold.

23 “‘People of Haran [C a city in present-day eastern Turkey], Canneh [C unknown location], Eden [C in Mesopotamia near Haran], and the traders of Sheba [v. 22], Asshur [C a city south of Nineveh], and Kilmad [C an unknown location] became merchants for you. 24 They were paid with the best clothes, blue cloth, ·cloth with designs sewed on [embroidered work], carpets of many colors, ·and tightly wound ropes [or rolled up and tied with cords; or made of tightly knotted cords].

25 “‘·Trading ships [or The ships of Tarshish]
    carried ·the things you sold [your merchandise].
You were like a ship full of heavy cargo
    in the ·middle [L heart] of the sea.

26 The men who rowed you
    brought you out into the high seas,
but the east wind broke you to pieces
    in the ·middle [L heart] of the sea.

27 Your wealth, your ·trade [products], your goods,
    your seamen, your ·sailors [or captains], your ·workers [or caulkers],
your traders, your ·warriors [soldiers],
    and everyone else on board
sank into the ·sea [L heart of the sea]
    on the day ·your ship was wrecked [L of your fall].

28 The ·people on the shore shake with fear [L countryside shakes; or waves surge]
when your ·sailors [or captains] cry out.

29 All the men who row
    ·leave [disembark from; or abandon] their ships;
the seamen and the ·sailors [or captains] of other ships
    stand on the shore.

30 They cry loudly about you;
    they cry ·very much [bitterly].
They throw dust on their heads
    and roll in ashes.

31 They shave their heads for you,
    and they put on ·rough cloth [burlap; sackcloth; C signs of sorrow and distress].
They ·cry and sob for you [weep over you with bitter souls];
    they ·cry loudly [mourn bitterly].

32 And in their ·loud crying [wailing]
    they sing a ·funeral song [lament; dirge] for you:
“·No one was ever destroyed [L Who was…?] like Tyre,
    ·surrounded by [or like a tower in the middle of; or now silent in the midst of] the sea.”

33 When the goods you traded went out over the seas,
    you ·met the needs of [satisfied] many nations.
With your great wealth and ·goods [merchandise],
    you made kings of the earth rich.

34 But now you are ·broken [shipwrecked; shattered] by the sea
    ·and have sunk to the bottom [L in the depths of the waters].
Your ·goods [merchandise] and all the people on board
    have gone down with you.

35 All those who live along the ·shore [coastland]
    are ·shocked [appalled; aghast] by what happened to you.
Their kings are ·terribly afraid [horrified],
    and their faces ·show their fear [are troubled/contorted].

36 The traders among the nations hiss at you.
    You have ·come to a terrible end [or become a horror],
and you are gone forever.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 27:15 Rhodes Greek copies read “Rhodes.” Hebrew copies read “Dedan.”
  2. Ezekiel 27:16 Aram Some Hebrew copies read “Edom.”
  3. Ezekiel 27:18 barrels of wine Some Hebrew copies read “Vedan and Javan.”

Grief over Tyre

27 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “And you, son of man, (A)take up a song of mourning over Tyre; and say to Tyre, (B)who sits at the [a]entrance to the sea, (C)merchant of the peoples to many coastlands, ‘This is what the Lord [b]God says:

“Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
Your builders have perfected your beauty.
They have [c]made all your planks of juniper trees from (D)Senir;
They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
Of (E)oaks from (F)Bashan they have made your rudders;
With ivory they have [d]inlaid your deck of boxwood from the coastlands of (G)Cyprus.
Your sail was of colorfully embroidered linen from Egypt
So that it became your flag;
Your [e]awning was (H)violet and purple from the coastlands of (I)Elishah.
The inhabitants of Sidon and (J)Arvad were your rowers;
Your (K)wise men, Tyre, were [f]aboard; they were your sailors.
The elders of (L)Gebal and her wise men were with you repairing your leaks;
All the ships of the sea and their sailors were with you in order to deal in your merchandise.

10 (M)Persia, (N)Lud, and (O)Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung up shield and helmet on you; they presented your splendor. 11 The sons of Arvad and your army were on your walls, all around, and the [g]Gammadim were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around; they perfected your beauty.

12 “Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your merchandise. 13 (P)Javan, (Q)Tubal, and (R)Meshech, they were your traders; with human (S)lives and vessels of bronze they paid for your merchandise. 14 Those from (T)Beth-togarmah gave horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise. 15 The sons of (U)Dedan were your traders. Many coastlands were [h]your market; they brought (V)ivory tusks and ebony as your payment. 16 (W)Aram was your customer because of the abundance of your [i]goods; they paid for your merchandise with [j](X)emeralds, purple, (Y)colorfully woven cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17 Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of (Z)Minnith, [k]cakes, honey, oil, and balsam they paid for your merchandise. 18 (AA)Damascus was your customer because of the abundance of your [l]goods, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, because of the wine of Helbon and white wool. 19 Vedan and Javan paid for your merchandise from Uzal; wrought iron, cassia, and spice reed were among your merchandise. 20 (AB)Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. 21 (AC)Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were [m]your customers for (AD)lambs, rams, and goats; for these they were your customers. 22 The traders of (AE)Sheba and Raamah, they traded with you; they paid for your merchandise with the best of all (AF)balsam oil, and with all kinds of precious stones, and gold. 23 Haran, Canneh, (AG)Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. 24 They traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of violet and colorfully woven cloth, and in blankets of two colors, and tightly wound cords, which were among your merchandise. 25 The (AH)ships of Tarshish were [n]the carriers for your merchandise.

And you were filled and were very [o]glorious
In the heart of the seas.

26 “Your rowers have brought you
Into (AI)great waters;
The (AJ)east wind has broken you
In the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise,
Your seamen and your sailors,
Your repairers of leaks, your dealers in merchandise,
And all your men of war who are in you,
With all your contingent that is in your midst,
Will fall into the heart of the seas
On the day of your overthrow.
28 At the sound of the cry of your sailors,
The pasture lands will (AK)shake.
29 All who handle the oar,
The (AL)seamen and all the sailors of the sea
Will come down from their ships;
They will stand on the land,
30 And they will (AM)make their voice heard over you
And cry out bitterly.
They will (AN)throw dust on their heads,
They will (AO)wallow in ashes.
31 Also they will shave themselves (AP)bald for you
And (AQ)put on sackcloth;
And they will (AR)weep for you in bitterness of soul
With bitter mourning.
32 Moreover, in their wailing they will take up a (AS)song of mourning for you
And sing a song of mourning over you:
‘Who is like Tyre,
Like her who is silent in the midst of the sea?
33 When your merchandise went out from the seas,
You satisfied many peoples;
With the (AT)abundance of your wealth and your merchandise
You enriched the kings of the earth.
34 [p]Now that you are (AU)broken by the seas
In the depths of the waters,
Your (AV)merchandise and all your company
Have fallen in the midst of you.
35 All the (AW)inhabitants of the coastlands
Are appalled at you,
And their kings are horribly afraid;
They [q]have a troubled look.
36 The merchants among the peoples (AX)hiss at you;
You have become [r]terrified
And you (AY)will cease to be forever.’”’”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 27:3 Lit entrances
  2. Ezekiel 27:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  3. Ezekiel 27:5 Lit built
  4. Ezekiel 27:6 Lit made
  5. Ezekiel 27:7 Lit covering
  6. Ezekiel 27:8 Lit in you
  7. Ezekiel 27:11 Or guardians
  8. Ezekiel 27:15 Lit the market of your hand
  9. Ezekiel 27:16 Lit works
  10. Ezekiel 27:16 Uncertain, perhaps malachite
  11. Ezekiel 27:17 Heb pannag
  12. Ezekiel 27:18 Lit works
  13. Ezekiel 27:21 Lit customers of your hand
  14. Ezekiel 27:25 Lit your travelers
  15. Ezekiel 27:25 Lit honored
  16. Ezekiel 27:34 Lit The time
  17. Ezekiel 27:35 Lit are troubled in face
  18. Ezekiel 27:36 Lit terrors