וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃ 27:1
Ezek. 27:1 And the word of the Lord occurred to me saying,
וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם שָׂא עַל־צֹר קִינָה׃ 27:2
Ezek. 27:2 “Now you, human, take up a dirge about Tyre,
וְאָמַרְתָּ לְצֹור (הַיֹּשְׁבֹתֵי) [הַיֹּשֶׁבֶת] עַל־מְבֹואֹת יָם רֹכֶלֶת הָעַמִּים אֶל־אִיִּים רַבִּים כֹּה אָמַר 27:3 אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה צֹור אַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ אֲנִי כְּלִילַת יֹפִי׃
Ezek. 27:3 and you shall say to Tyre, sitting at the entrance of the sea, a trader of the peoples to many islands, “Thus says the Master, the Lord:
Tyre, you say,
‘I am perfect of beauty.’”
The word in the parentheses had an extra yad suffix that is inappropriate. The correction is in the brackets.
בְּלֵב יַמִּים גְּבוּלָיִךְ בֹּנַיִךְ כָּלְלוּ יָפְיֵךְ׃ 27:4
Ezek. 27:4 “Your territories are in the midst of the seas;
your builders made your beauty perfect.”
בְּרֹושִׁים מִשְּׂנִיר בָּנוּ לָךְ אֵת כָּל־לֻחֹתָיִם אֶרֶז מִלְּבָנֹון לָקָחוּ לַעֲשֹׂות תֹּרֶן עָלָיִךְ׃ 27:5
Ezek. 27:5 “They have fashioned all the planks for you
of cypresses from Senir;
they have taken the cedar from Lebanon
to make the mast for you.”
This verse and the next twenty or so mention many cities and lands around the eastern Mediterranean, emphasizing how extensive was the Phoenician influence.
אַלֹּונִים מִבָּשָׁן עָשׂוּ מִשֹּׁוטָיִךְ קַרְשֵׁךְ עָשׂוּ־שֵׁן בַּת־אֲשֻׁרִים מֵאִיֵּי (כִּתִּיִּם) [כִּתִּיִּים]׃ 27:6
Ezek. 27:6 “They have made your oars of oaks from Bashan;
they have made your deck of ivory inlay
of beachwoods from the islands of the Kittites.”
In contrast to the error in v. 27:3, here the word in the parentheses is missing a yad. The correction is in the brackets.
שֵׁשׁ־בְּרִקְמָה מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיָה מִפְרָשֵׂךְ לִהְיֹות לָךְ לְנֵס תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן מֵאִיֵּי אֱלִישָׁה הָיָה מְכַסֵּךְ׃ 27:7
Ezek. 27:7 “Your sail was embroidered of fine linen from Egypt,
to be for an ensign to you;
your vestment was of blue and purple fabric
from the islands of Elishah.”
יֹשְׁבֵי צִידֹון וְאַרְוַד הָיוּ שָׁטִים לָךְ חֲכָמַיִךְ צֹור הָיוּ בָךְ הֵמָּה חֹבְלָיִךְ׃ 27:8
Ezek. 27:8 “The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad
were oarsmen for you.
Your skillful men, Tyre, were in you;
they were your seamen.”
זִקְנֵי גְבַל וַחֲכָמֶיהָ הָיוּ בָךְ מַחֲזִיקֵי בִּדְקֵךְ כָּל־אֳנִיֹּות הַיָּם וּמַלָּחֵיהֶם הָיוּ בָךְ לַעֲרֹב מַעֲרָבֵךְ׃ 27:9
Ezek. 27:9 “Elders of Gebal and its skillful men
were in you as repairers of your leaks.
All the ships of the sea and their seamen were in you
to buy and sell your merchandise.”
On initial inspection, this verse appears to have a grammatical error. The word ships [of the sea] in the third line of the translation is feminine, but the pronoun their [seamen] is masculine. A closer look, however, reveals Ezekiel’s intent. The pronoun refers back to the elders [of Gebal], not the ships.
פָּרַס וְלוּד וּפוּט הָיוּ בְחֵילֵךְ אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתֵּךְ מָגֵן וְכֹובַע תִּלּוּ־בָךְ הֵמָּה נָתְנוּ הֲדָרֵךְ׃ 27:10
Ezek. 27:10 “Persia and Lud and Put were in your army;
men of your battles hung shield and helmet in you;
they bestowed your splendor.”
Lud and Put were likely the names of African tribes.
בְּנֵי אַרְוַד וְחֵילֵךְ עַל־חֹומֹותַיִךְ סָבִיב וְגַמָּדִים בְּמִגְדְּלֹותַיִךְ הָיוּ שִׁלְטֵיהֶם תִּלּוּ עַל־חֹומֹותַיִךְ סָבִיב 27:11 הֵמָּה כָּלְלוּ יָפְיֵךְ׃
Ezek. 27:11 “Sons of Arvad and Helech were upon your walls all around, and the Gammadim were in your towers; they hung their shields on your walls all around; they made your beauty complete.”
תַּרְשִׁישׁ סֹחַרְתֵּךְ מֵרֹב כָּל־הֹון בְּכֶסֶף בַּרְזֶל בְּדִיל וְעֹופֶרֶת נָתְנוּ עִזְבֹונָיִךְ׃ 27:12
Ezek. 27:12 “Tarshish was your trading partner of an abundance of every substance; they bought your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.”
יָוָן תֻּבַל וָמֶשֶׁךְ הֵמָּה רֹכְלָיִךְ בְּנֶפֶשׁ אָדָם וּכְלֵי נְחֹשֶׁת נָתְנוּ מַעֲרָבֵךְ׃ 27:13
Ezek. 27:13 “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traders; they bought your merchandise with human life and articles of brass.
The three names mentioned here were probably the tribes of the descendants of Japhath; see Gene. 10:2.
[Return to Ezek. 32:26] [Return to Ezek.38:2]
מִבֵּית תֹּוגַרְמָה סוּסִים וּפָרָשִׁים וּפְרָדִים נָתְנוּ עִזְבֹונָיִךְ׃ 27:14
Ezek. 27:14 “From the house of Togarmah, horses and war horses and mules delivered up your wares.”
בְּנֵי דְדָן רֹכְלַיִךְ אִיִּים רַבִּים סְחֹרַת יָדֵךְ קַרְנֹות שֵׁן (וְהֹובְנִים) [וְהָבְנִים] הֵשִׁיבוּ אֶשְׁכָּרֵךְ׃ 27:15
Ezek. 27:15 “The sons of Dedan were your distributors of many islands of the merchandise of your hand; they brought back your gifts of horns of ivory and things of ebony.”
The word in the parentheses has an extraneous vav. The correct spelling is in the brackets.
אֲרָם סֹחַרְתֵּךְ מֵרֹב מַעֲשָׂיִךְ בְּנֹפֶךְ אַרְגָּמָן וְרִקְמָה וּבוּץ וְרָאמֹת וְכַדְכֹּד נָתְנוּ בְּעִזְבֹונָיִךְ׃ 27:16
Ezek. 27:16 “Aram was your trading partner because of the abundance of your products; they traded in your wares with purple jewel and embroidery and fine linen and coral and ruby.”
יְהוּדָה וְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה רֹכְלָיִךְ בְּחִטֵּי מִנִּית וּפַנַּג וּדְבַשׁ וָשֶׁמֶן וָצֹרִי נָתְנוּ מַעֲרָבֵךְ׃ 27:17
Ezek. 27:17 “Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; they bought your merchandise with the wheats of Minnith and pastry and honey and oil and balsam.”
דַּמֶּשֶׂק סֹחַרְתֵּךְ בְּרֹב מַעֲשַׂיִךְ מֵרֹב כָּל־הֹון בְּיֵין חֶלְבֹּון וְצֶמֶר צָחַר׃ 27:18
Ezek. 27:18 “Damascus was your trading partner, because of the abundance of your products, more than the abundance of all wealth, with wine of Helbon and tawny wool.”
וְדָן וְיָוָן מְאוּזָּל בְּעִזְבֹונַיִךְ נָתָנּוּ בַּרְזֶל עָשֹׁות קִדָּה וְקָנֶה בְּמַעֲרָבֵךְ הָיָה׃ 27:19
Ezek. 27:19 “Vedan, also Javan, going out with your wares, traded finished iron; cassia -- even calamus -- was part of your merchandise.”
דְּדָן רֹכַלְתֵּךְ בְבִגְדֵי־חֹפֶשׁ לְרִכְבָּה׃ 27:20
Ezek. 27:20 “Dedan was your trader in garments of leisure for riding.”
עֲרַב וְכָל־נְשִׂיאֵי קֵדָר הֵמָּה סֹחֲרֵי יָדֵךְ בְּכָרִים וְאֵילִים וְעַתּוּדִים בָּם סֹחֲרָיִךְ׃ 27:21
Ezek. 27:21 “Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were the agents of your hand; in lambs, and rams, and goats; with them they were your agents.”
רֹכְלֵי שְׁבָא וְרַעְמָה הֵמָּה רֹכְלָיִךְ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל־בֹּשֶׂם וּבְכָל־אֶבֶן יְקָרָה וְזָהָב נָתְנוּ עִזְבֹונָיִךְ׃ 27:22
Ezek. 27:22 “The traders of Sheba and Raamah, they were your agents; with the best of every spice and with every precious stone and gold they exchanged your wares.”
חָרָן וְכַנֵּה וָעֶדֶן רֹכְלֵי שְׁבָא אַשּׁוּר כִּלְמַד רֹכַלְתֵּךְ׃ 27:23
Ezek. 27:23 “Haran and Canneh and Eden were traders of Sheba; Asshur, like Lemad, was your trader.”
הֵמָּה רֹכְלַיִךְ בְמַכְלֻלִים בִּגְלֹומֵי תְּכֵלֶת וְרִקְמָה וּבְגִנְזֵי בְּרֹמִים בַּחֲבָלִים חֲבֻשִׁים וַאֲרֻזִים 27:24 בְּמַרְכֻלְתֵּךְ׃
Ezek. 27:24 “They were your agents in gorgeous garments, in fabrics of violet and embroidery, and in chests of rich cloths, in binding and strengthening cords, at your marketplace.”
אֳנִיֹּות תַּרְשִׁישׁ שָׁרֹותַיִךְ מַעֲרָבֵךְ וַתִּמָּלְאִי וַתִּכְבְּדִי מְאֹד בְּלֵב* יַמִּים׃ 27:25
Ezek. 27:25 “The ships of Tarshish were your shippers of your merchandise,
and you were satisfied and very rich
in the midst of the seas.”
בְּמַיִם רַבִּים הֱבִיאוּךְ הַשָּׁטִים אֹתָךְ רוּחַ הַקָּדִים שְׁבָרֵךְ בְּלֵב יַמִּים׃ 27:26
Ezek. 27:26 “The oarsmen have brought you into mighty waters.
The east wind has wrecked you
in the midst of the seas.”
הֹונֵךְ וְעִזְבֹונַיִךְ מַעֲרָבֵךְ מַלָּחַיִךְ וְחֹבְלָיִךְ מַחֲזִיקֵי בִדְקֵכְם וְעֹרְבֵי מַעֲרָבֵךְ וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתֵּךְ 27:27 אֲשֶׁר־בָּךְ וּבְכָל־קְהָלֵךְ אֲשֶׁר בְּתֹוךֵךְ יִפְּלוּ בְּלֵב יַמִּים בְּיֹום מַפַּלְתֵּךְ׃
Ezek. 27:27 “Your wealth and your wares, your merchandise,
your sailors and your seamen,
the repairers of your leaks,
and the traders of your merchandise,
and all the men of your battle, that are in you,
and, with the whole assembly
that is in your midst,
shall plunge into the midst of the seas
at the time of your ruin.”
לְקֹול זַעֲקַת חֹבְלָיִךְ יִרְעֲשׁוּ מִגְרֹשֹׁות׃ 27:28
Ezek. 27:28 “The shores shall quake
because of the sound
of the cry of your seamen.”
וְיָרְדוּ מֵאֳנִיֹּותֵיהֶם כֹּל תֹּפְשֵׂי מָשֹׁוט מַלָּחִים כֹּל חֹבְלֵי הַיָּם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ יַעֲמֹדוּ׃ 27:29
Ezek. 27:29 “And all handlers of the oar, the sailors,
all the travelers of the sea,
shall descend from their ships to the land;
they shall stand.”
וְהִשְׁמִיעוּ עָלַיִךְ בְּקֹולָם וְיִזְעֲקוּ מָרָה וְיַעֲלוּ עָפָר עַל־רָאשֵׁיהֶם בָּאֵפֶר יִתְפַּלָּשׁוּ׃ 27:30
Ezek. 27:30 “And they shall proclaim with their voice
because of you
and make a cry of bitterness,
and bring up dust on their heads;
in ashes they will roll.”
וְהִקְרִיחוּ אֵלַיִךְ קָרְחָה וְחָגְרוּ שַׂקִּים וּבָכוּ אֵלַיִךְ בְּמַר־נֶפֶשׁ מִסְפֵּד מָר׃ 27:31
Ezek. 27:31 “And they will make themselves
totally bald on account of you,
and put on sack cloths,
and weep a bitter wailing
with bitterness of soul because of you.”
וְנָשְׂאוּ אֵלַיִךְ בְּנִיהֶם קִינָה וְקֹונְנוּ עָלָיִךְ מִי כְצֹור כְּדֻמָה בְּתֹוךְ הַיָּם׃ 27:32
Ezek. 27:32 “And they will take up a lamentation
with their wailing because of you,
and lament over you:
Who could be as silent as Tyre
in the midst of the sea?”
בְּצֵאת עִזְבֹונַיִךְ מִיַּמִּים הִשְׂבַּעַתְּ עַמִּים רַבִּים בְּרֹב הֹונַיִךְ וּמַעֲרָבַיִךְ הֶעֱשַׁרְתְּ מַלְכֵי־אָרֶץ׃ 27:33
Ezek. 27:33 “You satisfied many peoples with your wares
coming forth from the seas;
you enriched kings of the earth
with the abundance of your riches
and your merchandise.”
עֵת נִשְׁבֶּרֶת מִיַּמִּים בְּמַעֲמַקֵּי־מָיִם מַעֲרָבֵךְ וְכָל־קְהָלֵךְ בְּתֹוךֵךְ נָפָלוּ׃ 27:34
Ezek. 27:34 “Now you are wrecked, because of the seas,
in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and your entire assemblage
in your midst have fallen.”
כֹּל יֹשְׁבֵי הָאִיִּים שָׁמְמוּ עָלָיִךְ וּמַלְכֵיהֶם שָׂעֲרוּ שַׂעַר רָעֲמוּ פָּנִים׃ 27:35
Ezek. 27:35 “All the inhabitants of the islands are appalled by you,
and their kings dread a storm; faces tremble.”
Do they fear a similar calamity? I imagine so.
סֹחֲרִים בָּעַמִּים שָׁרְקוּ עָלָיִךְ בַּלָּהֹות הָיִית וְאֵינֵךְ עַד־עֹולָם׃ 27:36
Ezek. 27:36 “Traders with the peoples hiss over you:
Dreadful things you are,
and you shall never be again.”
The word translated as dreadful things is translated by others differently. They almost universally ignore that the word is plural and typically translate the phrase something akin to you are [or have become] a terror. While the difference may seem insignificant, I see it as expressing Ezekiel’s view of Phoenicia as being seen everywhere in the ancient world as a different dreadful thing depending on the kind of trading partner those people were. Thus the plural could be appropriate in this light. Then (in my view) he emphasizes this by reverting to the singular in the two subsequent pronouns you. [Return to Ezek. 28:19]
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