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27 Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying, “You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre; and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord Yahweh says:

“You, Tyre, have said,
    ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
Your borders are in the heart of the seas.
    Your builders have perfected your beauty.
They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir.
    They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan.
    They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.
Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt,
    that it might be to you for a banner.
    Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.
The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers.
    Your wise men, Tyre, were in you.
    They were your pilots.
The old men of Gebal
    and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you.
All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you
    to deal in your merchandise.

10 “‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army,
    your men of war.
They hung the shield and helmet in you.
    They showed your beauty.
11 The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around,
    and valiant men were in your towers.
They hung their shields on your walls all around.
    They have perfected your beauty.

12 “‘“Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches. They traded for your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.

13 “‘“Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They traded the persons of men and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.

14 “‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.

15 “‘“The men of Dedan traded with you. Many islands were the market of your hand. They brought you horns of ivory and ebony in exchange.

16 “‘“Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.

17 “‘“Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.

18 “‘“Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks, by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

19 “‘“Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares: bright iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.

20 “‘“Dedan was your trafficker in precious cloths for riding.

21 “‘“Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar were the merchants of your hand; in lambs, rams, and goats. In these, they were your merchants.

22 “‘“The traders of Sheba and Raamah were your traders. They traded for your wares with the chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.

23 “‘“Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traders. 24 These were your traders in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work, and in chests of rich clothing, bound with cords and made of cedar, among your merchandise.

25 “‘“The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise.
    You were replenished
    and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.
26 Your rowers have brought you into great waters.
    The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.
27 Your riches,
    your wares,
    your merchandise,
your mariners,
    your pilots,
    your repairers of ship seams,
the dealers in your merchandise,
    and all your men of war, who are in you,
with all your company which is among you,
    will fall into the heart of the seas in the day of your ruin.
28 At the sound of the cry of your pilots,
    the pasture lands will shake.
29 All who handle the oars,
    the mariners and all the pilots of the sea,
    will come down from their ships.
They will stand on the land,
30     and will cause their voice to be heard over you,
    and will cry bitterly.
They will cast up dust on their heads.
    They will wallow in the ashes.
31 They will make themselves bald for you,
    and clothe themselves with sackcloth.
They will weep for you in bitterness of soul,
    with bitter mourning.
32 In their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you,
    and lament over you, saying,
‘Who is there like Tyre,
    like her who is brought to silence in the middle of the sea?’
33 When your wares went out of the seas,
    you filled many peoples.
You enriched the kings of the earth
    with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.
34 In the time that you were broken by the seas,
    in the depths of the waters,
your merchandise
    and all your company fell within you.
35 All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you,
    and their kings are horribly afraid.
    They are troubled in their face.
36 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you.
    You have become a terror,
    and you will be no more.”’”

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A Lament Over Tyre

27 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, take up a lament(A) concerning Tyre. 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)
Your domain was on the high seas;
    your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(E)
They made all your timbers
    of juniper from Senir[a];(F)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(G)
    to make a mast for you.
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.
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)
Men of Sidon and Arvad(M) were your oarsmen;
    your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(N)
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)’”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
  2. Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
  3. Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
  4. Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
  5. Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.