Ezekiel

Against Tyre I

On the first day of the month in the eleventh year, the word of the Lord came to me with these words:

“Son of man, you see how Tyre has mocked Jerusalem: ‘Aha! The land through which the goods of the nations came to me is destroyed; what she received will now be mine, I shall prosper while she lies in ruins.’

Because Tyre said that—word of the Lord—I am against her! I will bring many people against her. They will rise like the waves of the sea,

they will destroy the ramparts of Tyre and knock down its towers. I will sweep away the dust, making of it a bare rock.

She will be in the middle of the sea, a place to hang out nets—I, the Lord, have spoken.

Tyre should become plunder for the nations; the sword will destroy her villages on dry land; and they will know that I am the Lord.”

This is what the Lord says: “From the north, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, against Tyre. He will come with horses, chariots, and cavalry, a large army, and crowds of people.

He will destroy your villages on dry land with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, throw up a mound, and raise a shield of shields against you.

He will set a battering ram to break down your walls, and he will demolish your towers with weapons.

His numerous horses will cover you with dust. The noise of the cavalry, the wheels of the chariots, and wagons will make your walls shake as they enter your gates, like someone entering a town through a breach in its walls.

Horses’ hooves will trample your streets; he will slay your people with the sword; and your mighty pillars will crumble to the ground.

They will plunder your wealth and loot your goods. They will tear down your walls and destroy your beautiful houses. Your stones, timber, and soil will be cast into the sea.

I will silence your songs, and your lyres’ sounds will no longer be heard.

I will turn you into a barren rock, a place for drying fishing nets; and you will never be rebuilt! —I, the Lord, have spoken.

This is a word from the Lord to Tyre: When your massacre occurs, will the coastlands not shake, and will they not hear the sound of your fall and the groaning of the victims?

All the princes of the sea will step down from their thrones; they will remove their robes and take off their embroidered garments. They will put on mourning clothes, sit on the ground, tremble with fear, and be appalled because of you.

They will be amazed on your account and will sing this lament: ‘How you have perished, vanished from the sea, city of renown! Formerly, you and your citizenswere so powerful on the sea! You imposed terror on all

but now, the coastlands tremble on the day of your fall. The islands of the sea are terrified of your disappearance.’

Thus says the Lord: When I turn you into a ruined city, like uninhabited towns, when I make the ocean surge against you, and the powerful waters cover you,

then I will cast you down with those who go to the pit, to the people of long ago. I will throw you into the underworld, into everlasting loneliness, like those who descend into the pit so that you may not return to the land of the living.

Then you will become a horror to all, and even if searched for, you will not be found—word of the Lord.