Ezekiel 26:19-21 · Bible study

Ezekiel 26:19-21 Commentary: The Deep and the Pit

Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Study Ezekiel 26:19-21: does 'the deep' mean literal flood or army? Exegetical insights on Tyre's descent into the pit and hope for God's people.

Research Summary

Meaning: Tyre's destruction will be total and final, it sinks into the pit like the dead of old, while God establishes His glory in the land of the living.
Key words: 'deep' (tehom, chaos waters, flood), 'pit' (bor, grave/Sheol), 'terror' (ballah, utter ruin).
Main debate: Is the 'deep' a literal flood (some read the sea covering Tyre) or a metaphor for the Babylonian army (supported by Wesley, JFB, and the surrounding context of nations as waves)?
Theological theme: God's sovereignty over proud nations; the contrast between worldly power that ends in the pit and divine glory that fills the land of the living.
Best use: A sermon on the certainty of judgment and the hope of God's glory, especially during seasons when evil seems invincible.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

¹⁹For 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,

²⁰then 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.

²¹I 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.”

WEB World English Bible 2000

¹⁹“For the Lord Yahweh says: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep on you, and the great waters cover you,

²⁰then I will bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living.

²¹I will make you a terror, and you will no more have any being. Though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”

KJV King James Version 1769

¹⁹For thus saith the Lord God; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee;

²⁰When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living;

²¹I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord God.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

¹⁹For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and the great waters shall cover thee;

²⁰then will I bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make thee to dwell in the nether parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living.

²¹I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt no more have any being; though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord Jehovah.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

¹⁹For thus said the Lord Jehovah: In my making thee a city wasted, Like cities that have not been inhabited, In bringing up against thee the deep, Then covered thee have the great waters.

²⁰And I have caused thee to go down, With those going down to the pit, Unto the people of old, And I have caused thee to dwell in the land, The lower parts--in wastes of old, With those going down to the pit, So that thou art not inhabited, And I have given beauty in the land of the living.

²¹Wastes I do make thee, and thou art not, And thou art sought, and art not found any more--to the age, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!'

Darby Darby Bible 1890

¹⁹For thus saith the Lord Jehovah: When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I bring up the deep upon thee, and the great waters cover thee:

²⁰then will I bring thee down, with them that go down to the pit, to the people of old time, and will cause thee to dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living.

²¹And I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no [more]; and thou shalt be sought for, and shalt never be found again, for ever, saith the Lord Jehovah.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

¹⁹For thus saith the Lord God: When I shall make thee a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited: and shall bring the deep upon thee, and many waters shall cover thee:

²⁰And when I shall bring thee down with those that descend into the pit to the everlasting people, and shall set thee in the lowest parts of the earth, as places desolate of old, with them that are brought down into the pit, that thou be not inhabited: and when I shall give glory in the land of the living,

²¹I will bring thee to nothing, and thou shalt not be, and if thou be sought for, thou shalt not be found any more for ever, saith the Lord God.

Verse in Context

17 They will take up a lamentation over you, and tell you, “How you are destroyed, who were inhabited by seafaring men, the renowned city, who was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all who lived there!”

18 Now the islands will tremble in the day of your fall. Yes, the islands that are in the sea will be dismayed at your departure.’

19 “For the Lord Yahweh says: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep on you, and the great waters cover you,

20 then I will bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living.

21 I will make you a terror, and you will no more have any being. Though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators across traditions agree that Ezekiel 26:19-21 announces Tyre's total, irreversible destruction. The imagery is drawn from death and the underworld: the city sinks into the 'pit' (Sheol) and joins 'the people of old time', the long-dead. Wesley and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown read 'the deep' and 'great waters' as metaphors for Nebuchadnezzar's invading army, consistent with Ezekiel's description of nations rising against Tyre like sea waves (26:3). Keil and Delitzsch specify the 'people of old time' as the antediluvian generation destroyed by the flood, making Tyre's ruin echo that primeval judgment. All agree on the sharp contrast: Tyre goes to the pit, while God 'will set glory in the land of the living', understood by Barnes as the coming Messiah and by Wesley as the restoration of Judah. The final line, 'though you be sought for, yet you will never be found again,' is taken by Clarke as literally fulfilled: not a trace of ancient Tyre remains.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Medium

Main views:

Literal flood: The text speaks of bringing up the deep and covering with great waters; some understand it as actual seawater submerging the city.
Metaphorical army: Ezekiel 26:3 compares attacking nations to rising waves; Wesley and JFB read 'deep' as the Babylonian host; Isaiah 8:7-8 uses flood imagery for invasion.

What is clear: All traditions agree that Tyre's destruction is complete, irreversible, and orchestrated by God, with the city descending to the realm of the dead and never rising again.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
The 'deep' (great waters)	All see it as an instrument of divine judgment.	Some read it as literal floodwaters (the sea rising over Tyre). Others interpret it metaphorically as the invading Babylonian army, supported by Ezekiel 26:3 and cross-references like Isaiah 8:7-8.
The 'pit' and 'people of old time'	The pit is Sheol, the realm of the dead. 'People of old time' refers to those who died long ago.	Keil & Delitzsch specify this as the antediluvian generation destroyed by the flood; others see it as a general reference to ancient dead.
Glory in the land of the living	This contrasts Tyre's descent to the pit with God's activity among His people.	Wesley identifies it with the restoration of Judah. Barnes and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown see it as messianic, the glory of Christ. Some modern readers apply it to the Church.
Historical fulfillment	Ancient Tyre eventually disappeared as a power and site, vindicating the prophecy.	The Cambridge Bible notes that Nebuchadnezzar's siege did not completely fulfill the words; Tyre was later rebuilt and existed in Acts. Others say the prophecy's full scope includes Alexander's later destruction.

Historical & Cultural Context

Tyre was a Phoenician island-city of immense wealth, built on trade that reached across the Mediterranean. Its fortified position and merchant fleets made it feel untouchable. But Ezekiel 26 assembles a barrage of images: invading nations surge like waves (26:3), the city falls and its rubble is cast into the sea (26:12), and now in 26:19-21 the language shifts to the cosmic and the final. 'The deep' (tehom) recalls the primeval chaos of Genesis 1:2 and the flood of Noah. Keil and Delitzsch connect this to the antediluvian world: Tyre will sink to the 'people of old time,' the godless generation buried under the waters of judgment. The 'pit' (bor) was common Hebrew idiom for the grave, but here it takes on added weight, not just any grave, but the lowest parts of the earth, the 'land of the lower regions' (Keil & Delitzsch).

Historically, the siege by Nebuchadnezzar (585-573 BC) did not completely destroy Tyre; the city later survived as a lesser Phoenician center, even hosting a Christian church by Paul's day (Acts 21:3-4). The Cambridge Bible notes that the prophecy 'was not literally fulfilled' by the Babylonian king. The full eradication, the city becoming a bare rock for fishermen's nets, came centuries later under Alexander the Great, who built a causeway from the mainland's ruins and washed away the old island. This layered fulfillment is common in prophecy: the near-term event (Nebuchadnezzar's siege) points toward a complete vindication that only history's longer arc displays.

Textual Notes

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 26:19-21. The passage reads consistently across the major Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions. The main interpretive issue is not the text itself but the meaning of the imagery.

Reception History

In early Christian interpretation, Tyre's judgment became a type of God's final judgment on the world's proud powers. The Book of Revelation draws on Ezekiel's language when describing Babylon's fall: 'Alas, alas, the great city! … In one hour such great wealth is laid waste' (Rev 18:17-18). Gill explicitly connects Ezekiel 26:21 to Revelation 18:21, seeing Tyre as a precursor to the Antichrist's kingdom. Later commentators like Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry used this passage to demonstrate the literal accuracy of biblical prophecy: Old Tyre vanished so completely that its exact location is debated. Puritan and Reformed writers often cited Tyre as a warning against trusting in commerce, fortifications, or any human security. In modern times, the oracle is read as a powerful testimony that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and that His word endures long after empires crumble.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

God's judgment is comprehensive. Tyre is not just defeated but erased, a 'terror,' found no more. The deep and the pit cover every dimension of its proud existence.
God's judgment reverses human glory. The renowned city of seafaring men (26:17) becomes a desolate heap. Those who set themselves as kings of commerce are brought down to the company of the dead.
God's judgment clears space for His glory. In the 'land of the living', Judea, place of God's presence, He sets glory. The downfall of the proud is not the end; it opens the way for the Messiah's kingdom.

Five-point outline

The imagery of destruction. 'Deep,' 'great waters,' 'pit', each carries cosmic weight, connecting Tyre's fate to the flood and to Sheol itself.
God's direct action. 'I will bring you down,' 'I will make you dwell', Tyre is not victim of impersonal forces. The Lord Yahweh is the speaker and the agent.
The target of judgment. Tyre represents the world-power that sets itself against God's people and His purposes. Barnes sees this as a pattern repeated in Babylon and Antichrist.
The contrast of destinies. Tyre goes to the pit. But God 'will set glory in the land of the living', a promise for His people. Wesley says this is the restoration of Israel; Jamieson-Fausset-Brown sees Messiah.
The certainty of the word. 'Says the Lord Yahweh' brackets the oracle. Tyre vanished from history, and even the site of Old Tyre cannot be found, a standing witness to prophecy's truth (Clarke).

Illustration hooks

A famous company that collapsed due to scandal or arrogance, Enron, for example. Once thought invincible, it became a cautionary tale, its leadership brought low.
A high-rise building demolished in a controlled explosion. One moment it dominates the skyline; the next it is a pile of rubble. The end is sudden and total.
A personal story of pride, a person who built their life on reputation, then lost everything. Hard to find them in the crowd afterward.

Questions your congregation is asking

Does this mean God hates successful cities or businesses? Where is the line between prosperity and pride?
How can we trust that a prophecy spoken 2,500 years ago is still true for today? Does Tyre's literal disappearance prove the Bible?
If God judged Tyre so harshly, what hope is there for nations and people who ignore Him now?

Leading a Discussion

Ezekiel 26:19-21 concludes a sweeping judgment oracle against Tyre. Help your group see that the language of 'deep,' 'pit,' and 'glory in the land of the living' is not just ancient poetry, it reveals how God deals with pride and how He remains faithful to His people. The questions move from what the text says to what it means for us.

Discussion questions

Read the passage aloud. What images stand out to you? What feelings do they stir, fear, hope, confusion?
What do the 'deep' and 'great waters' refer to in the context of Tyre's geography and history? (Consider Ezekiel 26:3 and 26:12, and the fact Tyre was an island.)
The 'pit' is used multiple times. Why do you think the prophet piles up terms for death and burial? What does this repetition accomplish?
Who are 'the people of old time'? How does identifying them as the antediluvian generation (Keil & Delitzsch) change how you read Tyre's judgment?
In verse 20, God says 'I will set glory in the land of the living.' What does this promise mean after all the destruction? Why mention it here?
How does Tyre's fate connect to the 'Babylon' of Revelation 17-18? What does that tell us about empires that oppose God?
Where do you see pride in your own life or community? How does this passage warn and also offer hope, especially the promise of 'glory in the land of the living'?

What the Commentators Say

7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke focuses on the literal fulfillment of prophecy, noting that ancient Tyre has completely disappeared with not a trace remaining. He extends the prediction to cover Tyre's entire duration, arguing that its current desolate state proves every divine declaration.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes sees Tyre and Babylon as parallel symbols of the world-power that opposes God. Their downfall points beyond itself to the coming Messiah and the establishment of God's true kingdom. The ruin of Tyre thus becomes a prophetic vision of renewed glory for Jerusalem.

Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748

Gill interprets Tyre's destruction as a type of antichrist's final ruin. The city becomes like the long-dead, never to be found again. Meanwhile, God will set glory in the land of the living, meaning He will honor His church and people at the time of the enemy's fall.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB draws a stark contrast between Tyre, consigned to the pit of death like a buried corpse, and Judah, where God will set His glory, referring to the Shekinah presence and ultimately the Messiah. He also clarifies that Tyre's end is not absolute extinction but the loss of its former prominence and name.

Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876

Keil-Delitzsch identifies the "people of olden time" as the antediluvian generation destroyed by the flood, not simply the dead in general. Tyre is cast down to share their dwelling among the ruins of that primeval world. Meanwhile, God establishes lasting glory on earth, referring to His kingdom, after this overthrow.

Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710

Henry emphasizes that the memory of Tyre's former glory makes its fall far more grievous. This renowned city, once so powerful it could crown other nations, now faces utter destruction. The dramatic reversal from grandeur to ruin is what makes the judgment so deeply affecting.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754

Wesley reads the images of deep waters and the grave as referring to Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Tyre and the death of its people. The further promise about glory and the land of the living points forward to Israel's literal restoration to Judah, a reversal of Tyre's fate.

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Isaiah 8:7	now therefore, behold, the Lord brings upon them the mighty flood waters of the River: the king of Assyria and all his glory. It will come up over all its channels, and go over all its banks.
Isaiah 8:8	It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through. It will reach even to the neck. The stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, O Immanuel.
Ezekiel 26:3	therefore the Lord Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.
Daniel 9:26	After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off, and will have nothing. The people of the prince who come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will be with a flood, and war will be even to the end. Desolations are determined.
Daniel 11:40	“At the time of the end the king of the south will contend with him; and the king of the north will come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships. He will enter into the countries, and will overflow and pass through.
Revelation of John 17:15	He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
Numbers 16:30	But if Yahweh makes a new thing, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up with all that belong to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall understand that these men have despised Yahweh.”
Numbers 16:33	So they, and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol. The earth closed on them, and they perished from among the assembly.

Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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