Ezekiel 26:17
New International Version
Then they will take up a lament concerning you and say to you: “’How you are destroyed, city of renown, peopled by men of the sea! You were a power on the seas, you and your citizens; you put your terror on all who lived there.

New Living Translation
Then they will wail for you, singing this funeral song: “O famous island city, once ruler of the sea, how you have been destroyed! Your people, with their naval power, once spread fear around the world.

English Standard Version
And they will raise a lamentation over you and say to you, “‘How you have perished, you who were inhabited from the seas, O city renowned, who was mighty on the sea; she and her inhabitants imposed their terror on all her inhabitants!

Berean Standard Bible
Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples!

King James Bible
And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!

New King James Version
And they will take up a lamentation for you, and say to you: “How you have perished, O one inhabited by seafaring men, O renowned city, Who was strong at sea, She and her inhabitants, Who caused their terror to be on all her inhabitants!

New American Standard Bible
And they will take up a song of mourning over you and say to you, ‘How you have perished, you inhabited one, From the seas, you famous city, Which was mighty on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all her inhabitants!

NASB 1995
“They will take up a lamentation over you and say to you, ‘How you have perished, O inhabited one, From the seas, O renowned city, Which was mighty on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all her inhabitants!

NASB 1977
“And they will take up a lamentation over you and say to you, ‘How you have perished, O inhabited one, From the seas, O renowned city, Which was mighty on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all her inhabitants!

Legacy Standard Bible
They will take up a lamentation over you and say to you, ‘How you have perished, O inhabited one, From the seas, O city that was praised, Which was strong on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all her inhabitants!

Amplified Bible
They will take up a dirge (funeral poem to be sung) for you and say to you, ‘How you have perished and vanished, O renowned city, From the seas, O renowned city, Which was mighty on the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who imposed her terror On all who lived there!

Christian Standard Bible
Then they will lament for you and say of you, ‘How you have perished, city of renown, you who were populated from the seas! She who was powerful on the sea, she and all of her inhabitants inflicted their terror.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then they will lament for you and say of you: How you have perished, city of renown, you who were populated from the seas! She who was powerful on the sea, she and all of her inhabitants inflicted their terror.

American Standard Version
And they shall take up a lamentation over thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited by seafaring men, the renowned city, that was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, that caused their terror to be on all that dwelt there!

Contemporary English Version
and sing this funeral song: "The great city beside the sea is destroyed! Its people once ruled the coast and terrified everyone there.

English Revised Version
And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which caused their terror to be on all that haunt it!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then they will sing this funeral song for you: Tyre, you famous city, you have been destroyed. You have been shattered by the sea. You and your people ruled the sea. All your people terrified those who lived by the coast.

Good News Translation
They will sing this funeral song for you: The famous city is destroyed! Her ships have been swept from the seas. The people of this city ruled the seas And terrified all who lived on the coast.

International Standard Version
They'll sing this mourning song for you: "How lost you are, you inhabited city, that was built in the middle of the sea! How famous you were! How strong on the sea! She and her inhabitants inflicted terror to everyone who lived within her."

Majority Standard Bible
Then they will lament for you, saying, ?How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men?she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples!

NET Bible
They will sing this lament over you: "'How you have perished--you have vanished from the seas, O renowned city, once mighty in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who spread their terror!

New Heart English Bible
They shall take up a lamentation over you, and tell you, "How you are destroyed, you have vanished from the seas, the renowned city, who was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all who lived there.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited by sea-faring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!

World English Bible
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!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And have lifted up a lamentation for you, "" And said to you: How you have perished, "" That are inhabited from the seas, "" The praised city, that was strong in the sea, "" She and her inhabitants, "" Who put their terror on all her inhabitants!

Young's Literal Translation
And have lifted up for thee a lamentation, And said to thee: How hast thou perished, That art inhabited from the seas, The praised city, that was strong in the sea, She and her inhabitants, Who put their terror on all her inhabitants!

Smith's Literal Translation
And they lifted up for thee a lamentation, and they said to thee, How wert thou destroyed being inhabited from the seas, the celebrated city which was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants who gave their terrors to all her inhabitants.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking up a lamentation over thee, they shall say to thee: How art thou fallen, that dwellest in the sea, renowned city that wast strong in the sea, with thy inhabitants whom all did dread?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And taking up a lamentation over you, they will say to you: ‘How could you have perished, you who live in the sea, the famous city that was strong in the sea, with your inhabitants, of whom the whole world was in dread?’

New American Bible
They will raise lament over you and say to you: How you have perished, gone from the seas, Renowned City! Once she was mighty on the sea, she and her inhabitants, Those who spread their terror to all who dwelt nearby.

New Revised Standard Version
And they shall raise a lamentation over you, and say to you: How you have vanished from the seas, O city renowned, once mighty on the sea, you and your inhabitants, who imposed your terror on all the mainland!
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they shall take up lamentations over you, and say to you, How you are destroyed, O you inhabitant of the seas, O fortified city, which was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all the inhabitants thereof!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall lament over you a lamentation and they shall say to you: “How you are destroyed, dweller of the seas, the mighty city that was mighty in the Sea, she and her inhabitants, and all her inhabitants were overthrown!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee: How art thou destroyed, that wast peopled from the seas, The renowned city, That wast strong in the sea, Thou and thy inhabitants, That caused your terror to be On all that inhabit the earth!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and shall say to thee, How art thou destroyed from out of the sea, the renowned city, that brought her terror upon all her inhabitants.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Prophecy Against Tyre
16All the princes of the sea will descend from their thrones, remove their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments. Clothed with terror, they will sit on the ground, trembling every moment, appalled over you. 17Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men— she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples! 18Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are dismayed by your demise.” ’…

Cross References
Isaiah 23:1-18
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. ...

Jeremiah 51:41-44
How Sheshach has been captured! The praise of all the earth has been seized. What a horror Babylon has become among the nations! / The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered in turbulent waves. / Her cities have become a desolation, a dry and arid land, a land where no one lives, where no son of man passes through. ...

Revelation 18:9-19
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. / In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” / And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— ...

Lamentations 2:15
All who pass by clap their hands at you in scorn. They hiss and shake their heads at the Daughter of Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?”

Zephaniah 2:13-15
And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert. / Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar. / This carefree city that dwells securely, that thinks to herself: “I am it, and there is none besides me,” what a ruin she has become, a resting place for beasts. Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.

Isaiah 14:4-11
you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended! / The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. / It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution. ...

Revelation 17:1-18
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.” / And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. ...

Jeremiah 50:13
Because of the wrath of the LORD, she will not be inhabited; she will become completely desolate. All who pass through Babylon will be horrified and will hiss at all her wounds.

Isaiah 47:1-15
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.” ...

Nahum 3:4-7
because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft. / “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms. / I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you. ...

Revelation 16:19
The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath.

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Jeremiah 25:9-11
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation. / Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. / And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

Revelation 14:8
Then a second angel followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, who has made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality.”

Isaiah 34:11-15
The desert owl and screech owl will possess it, and the great owl and raven will dwell in it. The LORD will stretch out over Edom a measuring line of chaos and a plumb line of destruction. / No nobles will be left to proclaim a king, and all her princes will come to nothing. / Her towers will be overgrown with thorns, her fortresses with thistles and briers. She will become a haunt for jackals, an abode for ostriches. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And they shall take up a lamentation for you, and say to you, How are you destroyed, that were inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which were strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!

take

Ezekiel 19:1,14
Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, …

Ezekiel 27:2,32
Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; …

Ezekiel 28:12
Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

How art

2 Samuel 1:19,25-27
The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! …

Isaiah 14:12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Lamentations 1:1
How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

seafaring men [heb] the seas

Joshua 19:29
And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:

Isaiah 23:4,8
Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins…

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Cause Caused Causing Citizens City Cut Destroyed Destruction Dwelt Earth Grief Haunt How Inhabit Inhabitants Inhabited Lamentation Mainland Noted Peopled Perished Power Raise Renown Renowned Sea Seafaring Seas Song Strong Terror Vanished Wast
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Cause Caused Causing Citizens City Cut Destroyed Destruction Dwelt Earth Grief Haunt How Inhabit Inhabitants Inhabited Lamentation Mainland Noted Peopled Perished Power Raise Renown Renowned Sea Seafaring Seas Song Strong Terror Vanished Wast
Ezekiel 26
1. Tyrus, for insulting Jerusalem, is threatened with destruction
7. The power of Nebuchadnezzar against her
15. The mourning and astonishment of the sea at her fall














Then they will take up a lament for you
The phrase "take up a lament" is rooted in the Hebrew tradition of mourning, often expressed through poetic dirges. The Hebrew word for lament, "קִינָה" (qinah), signifies a structured, formal expression of grief. In the context of Ezekiel, this lament is prophetic, foretelling the downfall of Tyre. Historically, laments were not only expressions of sorrow but also served as a communal acknowledgment of a significant loss, often invoking a call to reflection and repentance.

and say to you
This phrase indicates a direct address, emphasizing the personal nature of the lament. It suggests that the lament is not just a general expression of grief but a specific message to Tyre. In the prophetic tradition, such direct addresses serve to underscore the certainty and seriousness of the prophecy.

How you have perished
The word "perished" in Hebrew, "אָבַד" (avad), conveys a sense of complete destruction or being lost. This reflects the totality of Tyre's downfall, a city once thriving and powerful. The use of this word underscores the irreversible nature of God's judgment against Tyre, serving as a sobering reminder of the consequences of pride and sin.

O city of renown
The term "renown" translates from the Hebrew "שֵׁם" (shem), meaning name or reputation. Tyre was famous for its wealth, trade, and influence. This phrase highlights the irony of Tyre's fall; a city once celebrated and admired is now the subject of lament. It serves as a cautionary tale about the fleeting nature of worldly fame and success.

inhabited by seafaring men
This phrase points to Tyre's identity as a maritime power. The city's prosperity was largely due to its strategic location and its people's skill in navigation and trade. Historically, Tyre was a hub of commerce in the ancient world, known for its ships and sailors. This aspect of Tyre's identity is significant because it underscores the extent of the loss; the very source of its strength and wealth becomes part of its lament.

O renowned city
Reiterating the city's fame, this phrase emphasizes the depth of Tyre's fall. The repetition of "renowned" serves to highlight the contrast between Tyre's past glory and its present desolation. It is a reminder of the biblical principle that pride precedes a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

who was strong on the sea
This phrase underscores Tyre's dominance and strength derived from its maritime prowess. The sea, often a symbol of chaos and danger in biblical literature, was where Tyre found its strength and security. Yet, this strength could not save it from divine judgment, illustrating the futility of relying on worldly power.

she and her inhabitants
The inclusion of both the city and its people in the lament highlights the comprehensive nature of the judgment. It is not just the physical structures that are affected but the entire community. This serves as a reminder of the collective responsibility and the impact of communal sin.

who imposed their terror on all her inhabitants
This phrase reflects Tyre's influence and the fear it instilled in others due to its power and wealth. The Hebrew word for terror, "חִתָּה" (chittah), conveys a sense of dread or fear. This aspect of Tyre's identity is turned on its head; the city that once inspired fear is now the subject of lament. It serves as a powerful reminder of the biblical truth that those who exalt themselves will be humbled (Matthew 23:12).

(17) Inhabited of seafaring men.--Rather, in-habited from the sea. The word, which is very common, never bears the sense of men. The thought is that the rock of Tyre, built up with dwellings to the water's edge was like a city rising from the sea.

Which cause their terror.--This clause has occasioned much difficulty. The literal translation is, she and her inhabitants, which gave their fear to all her inhabitants. "Fear" is here used in the sense of that which causes fear; and the meaning is, that the power of Tyre was so feared that every Tyrian was respected for her sake, just as at a later day every Roman bore about with him something of the majesty of Rome, or, as now, the citizen of a great Power is respected among foreigners for his country's sake. (Comp. Ezekiel 32:24; Ezekiel 32:26.)

Verse 17. - Inhabited of seafaring, etc.; Hebrew, from the seas. The sense is the same, but we lose the poetry of the original in the paraphrase. Possibly, however, the phrase may represent the position of Tyro as rising out of the sea or as deriving its wealth from it. Ewald adopts a conjectural reading, which gives "destroyed from the seas;" or, with another conjecture, "She that was settled from the days of the remote past."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then they will lament
וְנָשְׂא֨וּ (wə·nā·śə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

for you,
עָלַ֤יִךְ (‘ā·la·yiḵ)
Preposition | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

saying,
וְאָ֣מְרוּ (wə·’ā·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“How
אֵ֣יךְ (’êḵ)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

you have perished,
אָבַ֔דְתְּ (’ā·ḇaḏt)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

O city
הָעִ֣יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

of renown,
הַהֻלָּ֗לָה (ha·hul·lā·lāh)
Article | Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1984: To shine

inhabited
נוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת (nō·wō·še·ḇeṯ)
Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

by seafaring [men]!
מִיַּמִּ֑ים (mî·yam·mîm)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

She who
אֲשֶׁר֩ (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

was
הָיְתָ֨ה (hā·yə·ṯāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

powerful
חֲזָקָ֤ה (ḥă·zā·qāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 2389: Strong, stout, mighty

on the sea,
בַיָּם֙ (ḇay·yām)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

along with her people,
וְיֹשְׁבֶ֔יהָ (wə·yō·šə·ḇe·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

who
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

brought
נָתְנ֥וּ (nā·ṯə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

terror
חִתִּיתָ֖ם (ḥit·tî·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2851: Terror

to all
לְכָל־ (lə·ḵāl)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who lived there.
יוֹשְׁבֶֽיהָ׃ (yō·wō·šə·ḇe·hā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 26:17 They shall take up a lamentation over (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 26:16
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