Ezekiel 27:32
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?
As they wail and mourn over you
This phrase captures the intense grief and lamentation expressed by those who witness the downfall of Tyre. The Hebrew words for "wail" (נָהָה, nahah) and "mourn" (קָנַן, qanan) convey a deep, visceral sorrow, often associated with the loss of something precious. Historically, Tyre was a powerful and prosperous city, and its destruction would have been a significant event, evoking widespread lamentation. The imagery of wailing and mourning underscores the magnitude of Tyre's fall and serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly power and wealth.

they will take up a lament for you
The act of taking up a lament (קִינָה, qinah) is a formal expression of grief, often poetic in nature. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, laments were a common way to express sorrow and were sometimes performed by professional mourners. This lament for Tyre signifies not only personal grief but also a communal acknowledgment of the city's demise. It reflects the broader impact of Tyre's fall on surrounding nations and serves as a prophetic warning of the consequences of pride and idolatry.

‘Who was ever like Tyre
This rhetorical question highlights Tyre's former greatness and uniqueness. Tyre was renowned for its wealth, trade, and strategic location, making it a hub of commerce and culture in the ancient world. The question implies that Tyre's splendor was unmatched, emphasizing the shock and disbelief at its downfall. From a scriptural perspective, this serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of self-reliance and the illusion of invincibility, reminding believers that true security is found only in God.

silenced in the middle of the sea?’
The imagery of being "silenced" (דָּמַם, damam) conveys a sudden and complete cessation of activity and life. Tyre, once a bustling maritime power, is now depicted as quiet and desolate. The phrase "in the middle of the sea" underscores Tyre's geographical position and its reliance on maritime trade for prosperity. Historically, Tyre's location made it both a fortress and a target, and its destruction by Babylonian forces fulfilled Ezekiel's prophecy. This serves as a powerful metaphor for the futility of human pride and the ultimate sovereignty of God over nations and history.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Tyre
An ancient and prosperous Phoenician city known for its wealth and trade. It was located on the Mediterranean coast and was a significant maritime power.

2. Ezekiel
A prophet of God who ministered to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile. He conveyed God's messages, including judgments and future restoration.

3. Lament
A traditional form of mourning or expression of grief, often poetic, used in the Bible to express sorrow over loss or destruction.

4. The Sea
Represents the Mediterranean Sea, which was central to Tyre's trade and economic power.

5. Merchants and Traders
Key figures in Tyre's economy, representing the city's extensive trade networks and wealth.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Pride and Wealth
Tyre's downfall serves as a warning against the dangers of pride and reliance on wealth. Despite its prosperity, Tyre was not immune to God's judgment.

The Transience of Earthly Power
The lament over Tyre reminds us that earthly power and success are temporary. True security is found in God alone.

The Role of Lament in Spiritual Life
Lament is a biblical way to process grief and loss. It allows us to express sorrow while turning to God for comfort and hope.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
The prophecy against Tyre demonstrates God's control over nations and history. He raises and brings down kingdoms according to His purposes.

The Call to Repentance
The judgment on Tyre serves as a call to repentance for those who trust in their own strength and resources rather than in God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the fall of Tyre illustrate the dangers of pride and reliance on wealth? Can you identify modern parallels in today's world?

2. In what ways does the lament over Tyre in Ezekiel 27:32 compare to the lament over Babylon in Revelation 18? What lessons can we learn from these comparisons?

3. How can the practice of lament, as seen in Ezekiel 27:32, be incorporated into our spiritual lives today? What benefits might it bring?

4. What does the prophecy against Tyre teach us about God's sovereignty over nations and history? How should this influence our view of current global events?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced a significant loss or disappointment. How did you process it, and what role did your faith play in that process? How might the concept of biblical lament have helped you?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 23
This chapter also contains a prophecy against Tyre, highlighting its fall and the impact on the nations that traded with it.

Revelation 18
The fall of Babylon is described in a similar lament, drawing parallels between Tyre's destruction and the future judgment of worldly powers.

Lamentations 1
The book of Lamentations provides a broader context for understanding biblical laments, focusing on Jerusalem's destruction and the sorrow that follows.
A Celebration of Remarkable ProsperityW. Jones Ezekiel 27:1-36
A Proud CityW. Greenhill, M. A.Ezekiel 27:1-36
God's Observation of Our Business HoursEzekiel 27:1-36
Responsibility of City RulersT. De Witt Talmage.Ezekiel 27:1-36
The Fate of TyreJ. Parker, D. D.Ezekiel 27:1-36
The Position of Tyre on Land and SeaT. De Witt Talmage.Ezekiel 27:1-36
The Sin of TyreJohn Skinner, M. A.Ezekiel 27:1-36
Wreck of a Stately ShipJ.D. Davies Ezekiel 27:1-36
The Bewailing of the CityJ.R. Thomson Ezekiel 27:28-36
People
Aram, Ashurites, Dan, Dedan, Elishah, Ezekiel, Haran, Javan, Kedar, Kittim, Kittites, Lud, Lydia, Meshech, Phut, Tarshish, Togarmah, Tubal, Uzal, Zidon
Places
Arabia, Arvad, Asshur, Bashan, Canneh, Chilmad, Cyprus, Damascus, Dedan, Egypt, Elishah, Gamad, Gebal, Haran, Helbon, Helech, Javan, Kedar, Lebanon, Lud, Meshech, Minnith, Persia, Put, Sahar, Senir, Sheba, Sidon, Syria, Tarshish, Tigris-Euphrates Region, Tubal, Tyre, Uzal
Topics
Cut-off, Deep, Destroyed, Fortified, Grief, Lament, Lamentation, Lamented, Lifted, Midst, Moreover, Mourn, Raise, Saying, Silence, Silenced, Silent, Song, Sons, Sorrowing, Surrounded, Tyre, Tyrus, Wailing, Weeping
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezekiel 27:32

     7963   song

Ezekiel 27:1-36

     5587   trade

Ezekiel 27:2-36

     5899   lament

Ezekiel 27:25-36

     5517   seafaring

Ezekiel 27:30-32

     5419   mourning

Library
Third Circuit of Galilee. The Twelve Instructed and Sent Forth.
^A Matt. IX. 35-38; X. 1, 5-42; XI. 1; ^B Mark VI. 6-13; ^C Luke IX. 1-6. ^b 6 And he ^a Jesus ^b went about ^a all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner sickness and all manner of sickness. [In the first circuit of Galilee some of the twelve accompanied Jesus as disciples (see [3]Section XXXIII.); in the second the twelve were with him as apostles; in the third they, too, are sent forth as evangelists to supplement
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Humility is the Root of Charity, and Meekness the Fruit of Both. ...
Humility is the root of charity, and meekness the fruit of both. There is no solid and pure ground of love to others, except the rubbish of self-love be first cast out of the soul; and when that superfluity of naughtiness is cast out, then charity hath a solid and deep foundation: "The end of the command is charity out of a pure heart," 1 Tim. i. 5. It is only such a purified heart, cleansed from that poison and contagion of pride and self-estimation, that can send out such a sweet and wholesome
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Second Great Group of Parables.
(Probably in Peræa.) Subdivision F. Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. ^C Luke XVI. 19-31. [The parable we are about to study is a direct advance upon the thoughts in the previous section. We may say generally that if the parable of the unjust steward teaches how riches are to be used, this parable sets forth the terrible consequences of a failure to so use them. Each point of the previous discourse is covered in detail, as will be shown by the references in the discussion of the parable.]
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Ezekiel
To a modern taste, Ezekiel does not appeal anything like so powerfully as Isaiah or Jeremiah. He has neither the majesty of the one nor the tenderness and passion of the other. There is much in him that is fantastic, and much that is ritualistic. His imaginations border sometimes on the grotesque and sometimes on the mechanical. Yet he is a historical figure of the first importance; it was very largely from him that Judaism received the ecclesiastical impulse by which for centuries it was powerfully
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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