
Ezekiel 26
Ezekiel 26 describes the prophetic judgment against the city of Tyre, a wealthy and powerful maritime city, due to its pride and arrogance in the face of Jerusalem's fall. This chapter portrays Tyre’s impending destruction as a divine punishment for its rejoicing over Jerusalem’s misfortune. The prophecy foretells that many nations, led by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, will attack Tyre, ultimately reducing it to ruins. Ezekiel’s message emphasizes the consequences of arrogance and indifference towards God's people.
Ezekiel 26:1-2 (NKJV)
1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.’”
Tyre celebrated Jerusalem’s downfall, seeing it as an opportunity to gain wealth and influence. This attitude revealed Tyre's pride and selfish ambition, hoping to benefit from Jerusalem’s destruction rather than showing compassion. God was angered by this response, especially as Tyre saw Jerusalem's fall as a chance for personal gain rather than showing solidarity or empathy toward those suffering.
Ezekiel 26:3-4 (NKJV)
3 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.
4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; I will also scrape her dust from her and make her like the top of a rock.’”
In response to Tyre’s pride, God declares He will bring a succession of nations against it, like relentless waves. These nations would tear down Tyre’s walls and towers, leaving it exposed and vulnerable. The phrase “scrape her dust” implies that Tyre would be left desolate, reduced to bare rock, symbolizing total devastation and judgment for its arrogance.
Ezekiel 26:5-6 (NKJV)
5 “‘It shall be a place for spreading nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken,’ says the Lord God; ‘it shall become plunder for the nations.
6 Also her daughter villages which are in the fields shall be slain by the sword. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.’”
Tyre’s destruction would be so complete that the once-thriving city would become nothing more than a place for fishermen to dry their nets. Its wealth and status would be stripped, and surrounding villages would also face destruction. This judgment would demonstrate God’s sovereignty and serve as a reminder of His authority over nations.
Ezekiel 26:7-11 (NKJV)
7 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, with chariots, and with horsemen, and an army with many people.
8 He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you.
9 He will direct his battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he will break down your towers.
10 Because of the abundance of his horses, their dust will cover you; your walls will shake at the noise of the horsemen, the wagons, and the chariots, when he enters your gates, as men enter a city that has been breached.
11 With the hooves of his horses he will trample all your streets; he will slay your people by the sword, and your strong pillars will fall to the ground.’”
God names Nebuchadnezzar as the instrument of Tyre’s judgment. He would bring a powerful army to lay siege to Tyre, destroying its defenses and overpowering the city. The detailed description of the siege indicates the thoroughness of Tyre’s punishment. Tyre, with its pride and fortified structures, would be utterly broken by the Babylonian forces, showing the futility of trusting in earthly defenses against divine judgment.
Ezekiel 26:12-14 (NKJV)
12 “‘They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water.
13 I will put an end to the sound of your songs, and the sound of your harps shall be heard no more.
14 I will make you like the top of a rock; you shall be a place for spreading nets, and you shall never be rebuilt, for I the Lord have spoken,’ says the Lord God.”
Tyre’s wealth and beauty would be looted and destroyed. Its treasured homes and goods would be lost, and the joyful music once heard there would fall silent. This silence represents the finality of Tyre’s fall, reduced to ruins and stripped of its former glory. God’s declaration that Tyre would never be rebuilt underscores the completeness of this judgment.
Ezekiel 26:15-18 (NKJV)
15 “Thus says the Lord God to Tyre: ‘Will the coastlands not shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded cry, when slaughter is made in the midst of you?
16 Then all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, lay aside their robes, and take off their embroidered garments; they will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment, and be astonished at you.
17 And they will take up a lamentation for you, and say to you: “How you have perished, O one inhabited by seafaring men, O renowned city, who was strong at sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants!
18 Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall; yes, the coastlands by the sea are troubled at your departure.”’”
Tyre’s fall would send shockwaves among the surrounding coastal cities, which depended on and respected Tyre. The “princes of the sea” would mourn Tyre’s demise, symbolizing the loss felt by other nations and allies who admired its power and influence. This scene captures how the end of Tyre’s prominence would leave a void and inspire fear among the neighboring cities.
Ezekiel 26:19-21 (NKJV)
19 “For thus says the Lord God: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you, and great waters cover you,
20 then I will bring you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of old, and I will make you dwell in the lowest part of the earth, in places desolate from antiquity, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you may never be inhabited; and I shall establish glory in the land of the living.
21 I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,’ says the Lord God.”
God’s final words to Tyre describe its permanent fate. Tyre would be swallowed by the “great waters,” symbolizing complete destruction and oblivion. God likens Tyre’s end to a descent into the grave, joining other fallen civilizations in death. This imagery emphasizes Tyre’s irreversible downfall and the impossibility of its restoration, as its pride and ambition ultimately led to a final, irrevocable ruin.