Study Desk

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Now, son of man, lament for Tyre.^(a)

Say to Tyre, who is located at the entrance of the sea, merchant of the peoples^(b) to many coasts and islands: This is what the Lord God says: Tyre, you declared, ‘I am perfect in beauty.'

Your realm was in the heart of the sea; your builders perfected your beauty.

They constructed all your planking with pine trees from Senir.^[a](c) They took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

They made your oars of oaks from Bashan. They made your deck of cypress wood from the coasts of Cyprus,^(d) inlaid with ivory.

Your sail was made of fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and served as your banner. Your awning was of blue and purple fabric from the coasts of Elishah.

The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad^(e) were your rowers. Your wise men were within you, Tyre; they were your captains.

The elders of Gebal and its wise men^(f) were within you, repairing your leaks. All the ships of the sea and their sailors came to^[b] you to barter for your goods.

Men of Persia, Lud, and Put^(g) were in your army, serving as your warriors. They hung shields and helmets in you; they gave you splendor.

Men of Arvad and Helech were stationed on your walls all around, and Gammadites were in your towers. They hung their shields^[c] all around your walls; they perfected your beauty.

"Tarshish^(h) was your trading partner because of your great wealth of every kind. They exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your merchandise.

Javan, Tubal, and Meshech⁽ⁱ⁾ were your merchants. They exchanged slaves^[d] and bronze utensils for your goods.

Those from Beth-togarmah^(j) exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your merchandise.

Men of Dedan^[e](k) were also your merchants; many coasts and islands were your regular markets. They brought back ivory tusks^(l) and ebony as your payment.

Aram^[f][g] was your trading partner because of your numerous products. They exchanged turquoise,^[h] purple and embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral,^[i] and rubies^[j] for your merchandise.

Judah and the land of Israel were your merchants. They exchanged wheat from Minnith,^(m) meal,^[k] honey, oil, and balm, for your goods.

Damascus was also your trading partner because of your numerous products and your great wealth of every kind, trading in wine from Helbon and white wool.^[l]

Vedan^[m] and Javan from Uzal^[n](n) dealt in your merchandise; wrought iron, cassia,^(o) and aromatic cane were exchanged for your goods.

Dedan^(p) was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your business^[o] partners, trading with you in lambs, rams, and goats.

The merchants of Sheba^(q) and Raamah traded with you. They exchanged gold, the best of all spices, and all kinds of precious stones for your merchandise.^(r)

Haran, Canneh, Eden,^(s) the merchants of Sheba, Asshur,^(t) and Chilmad traded with you.

They were your merchants in choice garments, cloaks of blue and embroidered materials, and multicolored carpets,^[p] which were bound and secured with cords in your marketplace.

Ships of Tarshish^(u) were the carriers for your goods. So you became full and heavily loaded^[q] in the heart of the sea.

Your rowers have brought you onto the high seas,^(v) but the east wind has shattered you in the heart of the sea.

Your wealth, merchandise, and goods, your sailors and captains, those who repair your leaks, those who barter for your goods, and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board,^[r] sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

The countryside shakes at the sound of your sailors' cries.^(w)

All those who handle an oar disembark from their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea stand on the shore.

They raise their voices over you and cry out bitterly. They throw dust on their heads;^(x) they roll in ashes.

They shave their heads because of you and wrap themselves in sackcloth. They weep over you with deep anguish and bitter mourning.

In their wailing they lament for you,^(y) mourning over you: Who was like Tyre, silenced^[s] in the middle of the sea?

When your merchandise was unloaded from the seas, you satisfied many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and goods.

Now you are shattered by the sea in the depths of the waters; your goods and the people within you have gone down.

All the inhabitants of the coasts and islands are appalled^(z) at you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

Those who trade among the peoples mock^[t](aa) you; you have become an object of horror and will never exist again."^(ab)

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre: This is what the Lord God says: Your^[a] heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god;^(a) I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.' Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.

Yes, you are wiser than Daniel;^(b) no secret is hidden from you!

By your wisdom and understanding you have acquired wealth for yourself. You have acquired gold and silver for your treasuries.^(c)

By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, but your heart has become proud because of your wealth."

Therefore this is what the Lord God says: Because you regard your heart as that of a god,

I am about to bring strangers against you, ruthless men from the nations. They will draw their swords against your magnificent wisdom and will defile your splendor.^(d)

They will bring you down to the Pit,^(e) and you will die a violent death in the heart of the sea.

Will you still say, ‘I am a god,' in the presence of those who kill^[b] you? Yet you will be only a man, not a god, in the hands of those who kill you.

You will die the death of the uncircumcised^(f) at the hands of strangers.^(g) For I have spoken. This is the declaration of the Lord God .

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, lament^(h) for the king of Tyre and say to him: This is what the Lord God says: You were the seal^[c] of perfection,^[d] full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.⁽ⁱ⁾

You were in Eden,^(j) the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone covered you: carnelian, topaz, and diamond,^[e] beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire,^[f] turquoise^[g] and emerald.^[h] Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold;^(k) they were prepared on the day you were created.

You were an anointed guardian cherub,^(l) for^[i] I had appointed you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones.

From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways until wickedness was found in you.

Through the abundance of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I expelled you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and banished you, guardian cherub,^[j] from among the fiery stones.

Your heart became proud because of your beauty;^(m) For the sake of your splendor you corrupted your wisdom. So I threw you down to the earth; I made you a spectacle before kings.

You profaned your sanctuaries by the magnitude of your iniquities in your dishonest trade. So I made fire come from within you, and it consumed you.⁽ⁿ⁾ I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of everyone watching you.

All those who know you among the nations are appalled at you. You have become an object of horror and will never exist again."^(o)

The word of the Lord came to me:

"Son of man, turn your face toward Sidon^(p) and prophesy against it.

You are to say: This is what the Lord God says: Look! I am against you, Sidon,^(q) and I will display My glory within you. They will know that I am Yahweh when I execute judgments against her^(r) and demonstrate My holiness through her.

I will send a plague against her^(s) and bloodshed in her streets; the slain will fall within her, while the sword is against her^[k] on every side. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.

"The house of Israel will no longer be hurt by^[l] prickly briers or painful thorns^(t) from all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

"This is what the Lord God says: When I gather the house of Israel^(u) from the peoples where they are scattered and demonstrate My holiness through them in the sight of the nations, then they will live in their own land, which I gave to My servant Jacob.

They will live there securely,^(v) build houses, and plant vineyards.^(w) They will live securely when I execute judgments^(x) against all their neighbors who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am Yahweh their God."