Ezekiel 27:1-24
Lamentations were often used by the prophets to predict the death of a city or nation. Different from a prophecy which often foretold God's coming judgement upon a nation or city if they did not repent, a lamentation is an expression of sorrow, grief, or regret for the fall of the city or nation.
In chapter 27, God continues to describe what will come of the great city of Tyre, as well as the lamentation for her by the surrounding cities because of her demise.
"and say to Tyre, ‘You who are situated at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands'" (Ezekiel 27:3).
Tyre was an important seaport for merchant trade located on the coast of the Great Sea.
[3] thus says the Lord God: “O Tyre, you have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ [4] Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty. [5] They made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; They took a cedar from Lebanon to make you a mast. [6] Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; The company of Ashurites have inlaid your planks With ivory from the coasts of Cyprus. [7] Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was what you spread for your sail; Blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was what covered you. [8] “Inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen; Your wise men, O Tyre, were in you; They became your pilots. [9] Elders of Gebal and its wise men Were in you to caulk your seams; All the ships of the sea And their oarsmen were in you To market your merchandise. [10] “Those from Persia, Lydia, and Libya Were in your army as men of war; They hung shield and helmet in you; They gave splendor to you. [11] Men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, And the men of Gammad were in your towers; They hung their shields on your walls all around; They made your beauty perfect. [12] “Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. [13] Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They bartered human lives and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. [14] Those from the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, steeds, and mules. [15] The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment. [16] Syria was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made. They gave you for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidery, fine linen, corals, and rubies. [17] Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, millet, honey, oil, and balm. [18] Damascus was your merchant because of the abundance of goods you made, because of your many luxury items, with the wine of Helbon and with white wool. [19] Dan and Javan paid for your wares, traversing back and forth. Wrought iron, cassia, and cane were among your merchandise. [20] Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding. [21] Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats. [22] The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold. [23] Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Assyria, and Chilmad were your merchants. [24] These were your merchants in choice items—in purple clothes, in embroidered garments, in chests of multicolored apparel, in sturdy woven cords, which were in your marketplace" (Ezekiel 27:3-24).
Tyre's prideful opinion of herself was that she was "perfect in beauty" (Ezekiel 27:3). God confirmed her boast by saying, "Your builders have perfected your beauty" (Ezekiel 27:4). She was not beautiful because God had made her as such; her beauty was self made, and she took pride in herself, giving no credit to God.
God continued describing Tyre through Ezekiel, as a wealthy and successful merchant city. He also names the builders who helped develop her into the beautiful city that she was; her allies who served as defenders in her army; and the merchants and traders who dealt with her, including Judah (vs.17) (Ezekiel 27:5-24).
Ezekiel 27:25-28
[25] “The ships of Tarshish were carriers of your merchandise. You were filled and very glorious in the midst of the seas. [26] Your oarsmen brought you into many waters, But the east wind broke you in the midst of the seas. [27] “Your riches, wares, and merchandise, Your mariners and pilots, Your caulkers and merchandisers, All your men of war who are in you, And the entire company which is in your midst, Will fall into the midst of the seas on the day of your ruin" (Ezekiel 27:25-27).
Tyre was a glorious place within the region. She was filled with riches, wares, and merchandise, but God was going to bring her to ruin.
Ezekiel 27:28-36
[28] The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of your pilots. [29] “All who handle the oar, The mariners, All the pilots of the sea Will come down from their ships and stand on the shore. [30] They will make their voice heard because of you; They will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads; They will roll about in ashes; [31] They will shave themselves completely bald because of you, Gird themselves with sackcloth, And weep for you With bitterness of heart and bitter wailing. [32] In their wailing for you They will take up a lamentation, And lament for you: ‘What city is like Tyre, Destroyed in the midst of the sea? [33] ‘When your wares went out by sea, You satisfied many people; You enriched the kings of the earth With your many luxury goods and your merchandise. [34] But you are broken by the seas in the depths of the waters; Your merchandise and the entire company will fall in your midst. [35] All the inhabitants of the isles will be astonished at you; Their kings will be greatly afraid, And their countenance will be troubled. [36] The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you; You will become a horror, and be no more forever.’ ” ’ ” (Ezekiel 27:28-36).
God's description of how all the mariners and seafarers who dealt with Tyre were going to mourn and lament for her because she had fallen. All of the inhabitants and kings of the coastland were going to be astonished at her fall and be greatly troubled and afraid. The merchants were going to turn away from her in scorn. She was going to become abhorred and cease to exist.
The last statement that Ezekiel says in verse 36, "The merchants among the peoples will hiss at you; You will become a horror, and be no more forever'", is also stated by Moses to Israel, as well as several times by Jeremiah to Judah and her surrounding nations, and Babylon. Below are just a few of them:
" And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you away" (Deuteronomy 28:37).
"The young lions have roared against him, they have raised their voices. And they have made his land as horror; his cities are destroyed, without an inhabitant" (Jeremiah 2:15).
"To make their land a horror, an object of whistling for eternity. All who pass by it will be appalled, and he will shake his head" (Jeremiah 18:6).
"And I will make this city a horror, and an object of hissing, everyone who passes by it will be appalled, and will hiss because of all its wounds" (Jeremiah 19:8).
"'look, I am going to send and take all the clans of the north,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will send to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations all around, and I will destroy them, and I will make them a horror, and an object of hissing, and everlasting ruins'" (Jeremiah 25:9).
"Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, and its kings, and its officials, to make them a site of ruins, a horror, an object of hissing, and a curse, as it is this day" (Jeremiah 25:18).
"And Babylon will become as a heap of stones, a lair of jackals, an object of horror, and an object of hissing, without inhabitants" (Jeremiah 51:37).
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