Old Testament · Prophecy

Ezekiel 27

The Ship of Tyre

Tyre is described as a magnificent ship — built from the finest materials, crewed by the best sailors. Then the east wind shatters it in the heart of the sea.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV

1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2“Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre.

3Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

4Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty.

5They constructed all your planking with cypress from Senir. They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

6Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; of wood from the coasts of Cyprus they made your deck, inlaid with ivory.

7Of embroidered fine linen from Egypt they made your sail, which served as your banner. Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah they made your awning.

8The men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your men of skill, O Tyre, were there as your captains.

9The elders of Gebal were aboard as shipwrights, repairing your leaks. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came alongside to barter for your merchandise.

10Men of Persia, Lydia, and Put served as warriors in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on your walls; they gave you splendor.

11Men of Arvad and Helech manned your walls all around, and the men of Gammad were in your towers. They hung their shields around your walls; they perfected your beauty.

25The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea.

26Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea.

27Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

28The countryside will shake when your sailors cry out.

29All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore.

30They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

31They will shave their heads for you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They will weep over you with anguish of soul and bitter mourning.

32As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?

33When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.

34Now you are shattered by the seas in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and the people among you have gone down with you.

35All the people of the coastlands are appalled over you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

36Those who trade among the nations hiss at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”

Understand This

Ezekiel 27, explained

What Ezekiel 27 is saying

Ezekiel delivers an elaborate lament over Tyre, depicting the city as a magnificent ship built from the finest materials and crewed by skilled sailors from across the known world. A comprehensive trade catalog lists her commercial partners. The ship founders in the heart of the seas, and the nations mourn.

The background behind it

This chapter provides one of the most detailed economic geographies of the ancient Near Eastern world, listing trade goods and partners from Tarshish to Dedan, from Judah to Arabia. It serves as an invaluable historical source for understanding Mediterranean and Near Eastern commerce.

Themes running underneath

The ship metaphor brilliantly captures both the beauty and the vulnerability of a civilization built entirely on commerce. The very elements that made Tyre magnificent—her far-flung trade networks—become the measure of her catastrophic loss.

Why it still matters

What we build with extraordinary skill and pride can still be utterly destroyed. This lament invites honest reflection on the fragility of human achievement and the false security of material prosperity.

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Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible — used by permission, Bible Hub.