Ezekiel 25–28: You Were in Eden, the Garden of God": The Neighbors, and the Fall of Tyre

Scripture: Berean Standard Bible

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Tell the Ammonites to hear the word of the Lord GOD, for this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you exclaimed, “Aha!” when my sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Israel was laid waste, and when the house of Judah went into exile, therefore I will indeed give you as a possession to the people of the East. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels, and Ammon a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you clapped your hands and stomped your feet and rejoiced over the land of Israel with a heart full of contempt, therefore I will indeed stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the LORD.’

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,” therefore I will indeed expose the flank of Moab beginning with its frontier cities—Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim—the glory of the land. I will give it along with the Ammonites as a possession to the people of the East, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. So I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am the LORD.’

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt, therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it both man and beast. I will make it a wasteland, and from Teman to Dedan they will fall by the sword. I will take my vengeance on Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to my anger and wrath. Then they will know my vengeance, declares the Lord GOD.’

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because the Philistines acted in vengeance, taking vengeance with malice of soul to destroy Judah with ancient hostility, therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant along the coast. I will execute great vengeance against them with furious reproof. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance upon them.’ ”

In the eleventh month of the twelfth year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’ therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock. She will become a place to spread nets in the sea, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. She will become plunder for the nations, and the villages on her mainland will be slain by the sword. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops. He will slaughter the villages of your mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp to your walls, and raise his shields against you. He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his axes. His multitude of horses will cover you in their dust.

When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots. The hooves of his horses will trample all your streets. He will slaughter your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will fall to the ground. They will plunder your wealth and pillage your merchandise. They will demolish your walls, tear down your beautiful homes, and throw your stones and timber and soil into the water.

So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard. I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread the fishing nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the LORD, have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.’

This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: ‘Will not the coastlands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan at the slaughter in your midst?

All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled over you. Then they will lament for you, saying,

“How you have perished, O city of renowninhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people,who imposed terror on all peoples!Now the coastlands trembleon the day of your downfall;the islands in the seaare dismayed by your demise.” ’

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When I make you a desolate city like other deserted cities, and when I raise up the deep against you so that the mighty waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the earth below like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor in the land of the living. I will make you an object of horror, and you will be no more. You will be sought, but will never be found,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre. Tell 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.’Your borders are in the heart of the seas;your builders perfected your beauty.They constructed all your plankingwith cypress from Senir.They took a cedar from Lebanonto make a mast for you.Of oaks from Bashanthey made your oars;of wood from the coasts of Cyprusthey made your deck, inlaid with ivory.Of embroidered fine linen from Egyptthey made your sail,which served as your banner.Of blue and purple from the coasts of Elishahthey made your awning.

The men of Sidon and Arvadwere your oarsmen.Your men of skill, O Tyre,were there as your captains.The elders of Gebal were aboard as shipwrights,repairing your leaks.All the ships of the sea and their sailorscame alongside to barter for your merchandise.

Men of Persia, Lydia, and Putserved as warriors in your army.They hung their shields and helmets on your walls;they gave you splendor.Men of Arvad and Helechmanned your walls all around,and the men of Gammadwere in your towers.They hung their shields around your walls;they perfected your beauty.

Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.
The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.
The men of Dedan were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.
Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.
Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
Because of your many products and your great wealth of goods, Damascus traded with you wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar, and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.
Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.
Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats.
The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.
Haran, Canneh, and Eden traded with you, and so did the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad. In your marketplace they traded with you fine garments of blue, embroidered work, and multicolored rugs with cords tightly twisted and knotted.

The ships of Tarshishcarried your merchandise.And you were filled with heavy cargoin the heart of the sea.Your oarsmen have brought youonto the high seas,but the east wind will shatter youin the heart of the sea.Your 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 seaon the day of your downfall.

The countryside will shakewhen your sailors cry out.All who handle the oarswill abandon their ships.The sailors and all the captains of the seawill stand on the shore.They will raise their voices for youand cry out bitterly.They will throw dust on their headsand roll in ashes.They will shave their heads for youand wrap themselves in sackcloth.They will weep over youwith anguish of soul and bitter mourning.

As 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?When your wares went out to sea,you satisfied many nations.You enriched the kings of the earthwith your abundant wealth and merchandise.Now you are shattered by the seasin the depths of the waters;your merchandise and the people among youhave gone down with you.All the people of the coastlandsare appalled over you.Their kings shudder with fear;their faces are contorted.Those who trade among the nationshiss at you;you have come to a horrible endand will be no more.’ ”

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says:

Your heart is proud,and you have said,‘I am a god;I sit in the seat of godsin the heart of the sea.’Yet you are a man and not a god,though you have regarded your heartas that of a god.

Behold, you are wiser than Daniel;no secret is hidden from you!By your wisdom and understandingyou have gained your wealthand amassed gold and silverfor your treasuries.By your great skill in tradingyou have increased your wealth,but your heart has grown proudbecause of it.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says:

Because you regard your heartas the heart of a god,behold, I will bring foreigners against you,the most ruthless of nations.They will draw their swordsagainst the beauty of your wisdomand will defile your splendor.They will bring you down to the Pit,and you will die a violent deathin the heart of the seas.

Will you still say, ‘I am a god,’in the presence of those who slay you?You will be only a man, not a god,in the hands of those who wound you.You will die the death of the uncircumcisedat the hands of foreigners.

For I have spoken,declares the Lord GOD.”

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says:

‘You were the seal of perfection,full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.You were in Eden,the garden of God.Every kind of precious stone adorned you:ruby, topaz, and diamond,beryl, onyx, and jasper,sapphire, turquoise, and emerald.Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold,prepared on the day of your creation.

You were anointed as a guardian cherub,for I had ordained you.You were on the holy mountain of God;you walked among the fiery stones.From the day you were createdyou were blameless in your ways—until wickedness was found in you.

By the vastness of your trade,you were filled with violence, and you sinned.So I drove you in disgracefrom the mountain of God,and I banished you, O guardian cherub,from among the fiery stones.Your heart grew proud of your beauty;you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor;so I cast you to the earth;I made you a spectacle before kings.

By the multitude of your iniquitiesand the dishonesty of your tradingyou have profaned your sanctuaries.So I made fire come from within you,and it consumed you.I reduced you to ashes on the groundin the eyes of all who saw you.All the nations who know youare appalled over you.You have come to a horrible endand will be no more.’ ”

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, set your face against Sidon and prophesy against her. And you are to declare that this is what the Lord GOD says:

‘Behold, I am against you, O Sidon,and I will be glorified within you.They will know that I am the LORDwhen I execute judgments against herand demonstrate my holiness through her.I will send a plague against herand shed blood in her streets;the slain will fall within her,while the sword is against her on every side.

Then they will know that I am the LORD.

For the people of Israel will no longer face a pricking brier or a painful thorn from all around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.’

This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they have been scattered, I will show myself holy among them in the sight of the nations.

Then they will dwell in their own land, which I have given to my servant Jacob. And there they will dwell securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will dwell securely when I execute judgments against all those around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’ ”