Ezekiel 27:1-11 · Bible study
Ezekiel 27:1-11 Commentary: A Dirge for Tyre's Pride
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study the prophetic lament over Tyre, where the allegory of a magnificent ship exposes the judgment on pride and trust in wealth.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A prophetic lament that describes Tyre's glory using the allegory of a magnificent ship, to highlight the coming judgment on its pride.
- Key words: Lamentation, perfect beauty, entry of the sea, heart of the seas, merchant of the peoples, cypress, cedar, oaks, fine linen, purple, rowers, pilots, calkers, mercenaries, shields.
- Main debate: The identity of 'Gammadims' (v.11), some interpreters see a place name, others read it as 'brave men' from a Syriac root; also whether 'Ashurites' in v.6 refers to Assyrians or boxwood.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty over nations and the judgment that falls on human pride and self-sufficiency, especially when it opposes Him.
- Best use: A powerful illustration of the contrast between human glory and divine judgment, useful for preaching on pride, God's justice, and the fleeting nature of worldly success.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
1Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying,
2“You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre;
3and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord Yahweh says: “You, Tyre, have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
4Your borders are in the heart of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.
5They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir. They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
6They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan. They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.
7Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, that it might be to you for a banner. Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.
8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men, Tyre, were in you. They were your pilots.
9The old men of Gebal and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you. All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to deal in your merchandise.
10“‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you. They showed your beauty.
11The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, and valiant men were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around. They have perfected your beauty.
KJV King James Version 1769
1The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
2Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord God; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.
4Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
5They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.
6Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.
7Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.
8The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots.
9The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise.
10They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.
11The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1The word of Jehovah came again unto me, saying,
2And thou, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre;
3and say unto Tyre, O thou that dwellest at the entry of the sea, that art the merchant of the peoples unto many isles, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Thou, O Tyre, hast said, I am perfect in beauty.
4Thy borders are in the heart of the seas; thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
5They have made all thy planks of fir-trees from Senir; they have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for thee.
6Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy benches of ivory inlaid in boxwood, from the isles of Kittim.
7Of fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, that it might be to thee for an ensign; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning.
8The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were thy rowers: thy wise men, O Tyre, were in thee, they were thy pilots.
9The old men of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to deal in thy merchandise.
10Persia and Lud and Put were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness.
11The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and valorous men were in thy towers; they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have perfected thy beauty.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying:
2`And thou, son of man, lift up concerning Tyre a lamentation, and thou hast said to Tyre:
3O dweller on the entrances of the sea, Merchant of the peoples unto many isles, Thus said the Lord Jehovah: O Tyre, thou--thou hast said: I am the perfection of beauty.
4In the heart of the seas are thy borders, Thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
5Of firs of Senir they have built to thee all thy double-boarded ships, Of cedars of Lebanon they have taken to make a mast for thee,
6Of oaks of Bashan they made thine oars, Thy bench they have made of ivory, A branch of Ashurim from isles of Chittim.
7Of fine linen with embroidery from Egypt hath been thy sail, To be to thee for an ensign, Of blue and purple from isles of Elishah hath been thy covering.
8Inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad have been rowers to thee, Thy wise men, O Tyre, have been in thee, They are thy pilots.
9Elders of Gebal and its wise men have been in thee, Strengthening thy breach; All ships of the sea and their mariners, Have been in thee, to trade with thy merchandise.
10Persian and Lud and Phut Have been in thy forces--thy men of war. Shield and helmet they hung up in thee, They--they have given out thine honour.
11The sons of Arvad, and thy force, Are on thy walls round about, And short swordsmen in thy towers have been, Their shields they have hung up on thy walls round about, They--they have perfected thy beauty.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying:
2And thou, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre,
3and say unto Tyre: O thou that art situate at the entries of the sea, and traffickest with the peoples in many isles, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Thou, Tyre, hast said, I am perfect in beauty.
4Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
5They made all thy double boards of cypress-trees of Senir; they took cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.
6Of the oaks of Bashan did they make thine oars; they made thy benches of ivory, inlaid in box-wood, out of the isles of Chittim.
7Byssus with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, to serve thee for a banner; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning.
8The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy rowers; thy wise men, O Tyre, who were in thee, were thy pilots.
9The elders of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee repairing thy leaks; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee, to barter with thee.
10Persia and Lud and Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged shield and helmet in thee; they gave splendour to thee.
11The children of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadim were on thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they made thy beauty perfect.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2Thou therefore, O son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre:
3And say to Tyre that dwelleth at the entry of the sea, being the mart of the people for many islands: Thus saith the Lord God: O Tyre, thou hast said: I am of perfect beauty,
4And situate in the heart of the sea. Thy neighbours, that built thee, have perfected thy beauty:
5With fir trees of Sanir they have built thee with all sea planks: they have taken cedars from Libanus to make thee masts.
6They have cut thy oars out of the oaks of Basan: and they have made thee benches of Indian ivory and cabins with things brought from the islands of Italy.
7Fine broidered linen from Egypt was woven for thy sail, to be spread on thy mast: blue and purple from the islands of Elisa, were made thy covering.
8The inhabitants of Sidon, and the Arabians were thy rowers: thy wise men, O Tyre, were thy pilots.
9The ancients of Gebal, and the wise men thereof furnished mariners for the service of thy various furniture: all the ships of the sea, and their mariners were thy factors.
10The Persians, and Lydians, and the Libyans were thy soldiers in thy army: they hung up the buckler and the helmet in thee for thy ornament.
11The men of Arad were with thy army upon thy walls round about: the Pygmeans also that were in thy towers, hung up their quivers on thy walls round about: they perfected thy beauty.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
Ezekiel 27:1-11 opens a prophetic lamentation over the city of Tyre. Commentators agree that the passage uses the extended metaphor of a beautiful ship to describe Tyre's glory. Tyre is portrayed as a merchant city at the 'entry of the sea,' conscious of its own perfection (v.3). The ship is built from the finest materials from many lands, cypress from Senir, cedar from Lebanon, oaks of Bashan, Egyptian linen, and manned by skilled sailors from Sidon, Arvad, and Gebal, with mercenary troops from Persia, Lud, and Put. Adam Clarke notes that the chapter gives a 'circumstantial account of the trade of Tyre.' Keil & Delitzsch observe that the praise of Tyre's beauty is deliberate: it heightens the tragedy of its coming ruin. The consensus is that this extended description serves to underscore Tyre's pride and self-reliance, which God will judge. Barnes adds that the ship allegory allows Ezekiel to present Tyre as the center of international commerce, so its destruction will be complete and shocking.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The lament expresses God's judgment on Tyre's pride and self-glorification, using the ship allegory to show that even the greatest human achievement is subject to God's sovereign decree.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The allegory of the ship | All commentators agree that Tyre is portrayed as a beautiful ship, with its parts representing aspects of its trade and defense. | Some debate whether the ship allegory is maintained throughout or shifts to describe the city itself after verse 10. |
| The identity of 'Gammadim' (v.11) | All agree the term refers to some kind of defenders in the towers. | Some read it as a proper name for a people group; others (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) see it as a Syriac word for 'brave men' or 'daring ones'. |
| The purpose of the lament | All see it as a prophetic dirge meant to announce judgment and evoke a sense of tragedy. | Some emphasize the historical fulfillment (Alexander the Great), while others stress the moral lesson about pride. |
| Tyre's beauty as self-proclaimed | The phrase 'I am perfect in beauty' is universally read as an expression of Tyre's pride. | Some traditions take this as a model of hubris leading to destruction; others focus on the futility of human achievement apart from God. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Tyre was a Phoenician city on a rocky island about half a mile from the mainland, with two natural harbors: the Sidonian to the north and the Egyptian to the south (Barnes; Cambridge Bible). This location made it a natural 'entry of the sea' for Mediterranean trade. The passage draws on this maritime setting to construct the ship allegory. Each material mentioned comes from a specific region: Senir (Mount Hermon) supplied cypress; Lebanon, cedars; Bashan, oaks; Egypt, fine linen; the islands of Elishah (probably a region of Greece, per Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) provided purple dye. These details are not merely decorative, they show Tyre's reach across the known world. The crew includes Sidonians and Arvadites, seafaring peoples who became Tyre's servants (Wesley notes the rich Tyrians hired strangers for rowing). The 'elders of Gebal' (Byblos) functioned as shipwrights, repairing leaks. The military forces from Persia, Lud, and Phut highlight Tyre's reliance on foreign mercenaries for defense. The lament form itself, a funeral dirge, signals that all this glory is already doomed. Historically, Tyre had rejoiced over Jerusalem's fall (Ezek 26:2), making God's judgment on Tyre a direct response to its arrogance and enmity against His people.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Ezekiel 27:1-11. The main differences across translations arise from interpretation of certain terms (e.g., 'Gammadim,' 'Ashurites') rather than from manuscript variation. The Vulgate renders 'Gammadim' as 'Pygmaei,' reflecting a traditional reading, but most modern versions treat it as a proper name or a descriptive term.
Reception History
Early church fathers read the lament as a warning against worldly pride and as a prophecy fulfilled by Alexander's siege of Tyre in 332 BC. Reformation commentators used the passage to argue that commercial success without humility invites God's judgment. Jewish commentators understood the lament historically, as a description of Tyre's reliance on foreign powers and its eventual downfall. Modern readers often apply the ship allegory to any nation or institution that trusts in its own resources. The passage has also been used in hymns and liturgies that mourn the fall of human empires, emphasizing the sovereignty of God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The City's Boast (v.3): Tyre declares 'I am perfect in beauty.' This self-assessment reveals a heart of pride.
- The City's Builders (vv.4-11): Every resource, timber, labor, military, comes from other nations, yet Tyre claims the glory for itself.
- The City's Doom (implied by the lament): The dirge form tells us that this magnificent ship will sink. God's judgment is coming.
Five-point outline
- Strategic Position: Tyre dwells at the 'entry of the sea,' a gateway for trade (v.3).
- Self-Confidence: 'I am perfect in beauty', the root of its fall.
- Superb Construction: Each part of the ship comes from the best materials (vv.5-7).
- Skilled Crew: The best sailors and repairers serve Tyre (vv.8-9).
- Strong Security: Mercenaries and shields adorn the walls (vv.10-11). Yet none of this saves it.
Illustration hooks
- A luxury cruise ship, advertised as unsinkable, that hits an iceberg. The contrast between its beauty and its sudden end mirrors Tyre's fate.
- A highly successful entrepreneur who builds a business from nothing, then loses everything through one bad decision. Pride often precedes the fall.
- A wedding cake that looks perfect from the outside but collapses when cut. Appearances can be deceiving.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it wrong to be proud of what God has helped us achieve? Where is the line between gratitude and arrogance?
- Does God judge entire cities or nations today, or is this only for ancient times?
- How can we recognize when we are trusting in our own 'ship', our resources, skills, or security, instead of in God?
Leading a Discussion
Ezekiel 27:1-11 uses the image of a ship to expose the pride of Tyre. As you study this passage together, notice how the prophet piles up details of beauty and strength, and how the lament form already anticipates the wreck. This can lead us to examine where we place our own trust.
Discussion questions
- What does the 'entry of the sea' tell us about Tyre's advantages? (v.3)
- Why does the prophet list so many specific materials and nations? What effect does this have?
- Tyre says, 'I am perfect in beauty.' Why is this statement a problem? What does it reveal about the city's heart?
- Where does Tyre's beauty come from? Is it genuinely its own? (vv.5-7 show contributions from many lands.)
- How does the allegory of a ship help us understand the nature of Tyre's power and its vulnerability?
- In what ways do individuals or nations today make similar boasts about their own achievements?
- What is one step you can take this week to transfer trust from your own resources to God?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Jeremiah 7:20 | Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man, on animal, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and will not be quenched.” |
| Jeremiah 9:10 | I will weep and wail for the mountains, and lament for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are burned up, so that no one passes through; Men can’t hear the voice of the livestock. Both the birds of the sky and the animals have fled. They are gone. |
| Jeremiah 9:17 | Yahweh of Armies says, “Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come. Send for the skillful women, that they may come. |
| Jeremiah 9:20 | Yet hear Yahweh’s word, you women. Let your ear receive the word of his mouth. Teach your daughters wailing. Everyone teach her neighbor a lamentation. |
| Ezekiel 19:1 | “Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, |
| Ezekiel 26:17 | 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!” |
| Ezekiel 27:32 | In their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you, and lament over you, saying, ‘Who is there like Tyre, like her who is brought to silence in the middle of the sea?’ |
| Ezekiel 28:12 | “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and tell him, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “You were the seal of full measure, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes reads the dirge as a detailed allegory in which Tyre is a magnificent ship assembled from the resources of many nations, representing its role as the world-power set against God. He identifies the specific ports, materials, and mercenary soldiers named in the prophecy, grounding the vision in real geography and history, including the timely mention of Persia rising at the time Ezekiel wrote.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible commentary treats Ezekiel's ship metaphor as a detailed portrait of Tyre's commercial empire. Every part of the vessel, from Senir cypress planks to Egyptian linen sails, comes from a specific trading partner, showing how Ty
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes the lavish detail of Tyre's shipbuilding and trade as the very source of her boast in "perfect beauty." He notes that even her sails were made of fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and her deck coverings of blue and purple from Elishah, showing an opulence that set her apart from every other trading city.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB reads Ezekiel 27 as a funeral dirge that first praises Tyre's greatness in order to sharpen the shock of its coming fall. The entire city is described as a magnificent ship, built of the finest materials and manned by the most skilled pilots, making the wreck that follows all the more devastating.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlight that Ezekiel's lament over Tyre is an extended allegory: the city is depicted as a magnificent ship, built from the finest materials gathered from many lands. Its later destruction is portrayed as a shipwreck caused by the east wind. This vivid image arises naturally from Tyre's island location in the sea.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Tyre's lamentation as an allegory of a state-ship, every detail of its construction and crew drawn from the nations with which it traded. The point is that Tyre's perfect beauty, self-praised in the heart of the sea, becomes the very place of its shipwreck and ruin.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Tyre’s boast of perfect beauty is ironic: every detail of its splendor came from other nations. God’s catalogue of trading partners and materials exposes Tyre’s delusion that it was self-made, when in fact it relied entirely on others for its wealth and glory.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley focuses on the lament for Tyre, urging that we should mourn even for nations that brought disaster on themselves. He then catalogs Tyre’s wealth from many lands: its ships built with Lebanon’s fir, benches from boxwood inlaid with ivory, and hired soldiers from Lydia and Libya.