How do we explain the claim in Ezekiel 26:19–21 that Tyre would be uninhabitable and submerged under the sea when part of the ancient city remains accessible and occupied?

Historical and Geographic Setting

Tyre was an important Phoenician seaport located on the coast of modern-day Lebanon. In ancient times, it consisted of two parts: a mainland settlement and an island city just offshore. This coastal city became wealthy through maritime trade and alliances with surrounding nations (cf. 1 Kings 5:1–12). Over many centuries, Tyre was besieged or conquered by multiple empires (Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and others), transforming the coastal region significantly.

Prophetic Context and Text

In the Book of Ezekiel, Tyre receives a pronounced judgment oracle in Ezekiel 26. The relevant verses read:

“‘For this is what the Lord GOD says: When I make you a ruin like cities no longer inhabited, when I bring the deep upon you so that the vast waters cover you, then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the underworld like ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor in the land of the living. I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you will be no more. You will be sought but never found,’ declares the Lord GOD.” (Ezekiel 26:19–21)

Questions often arise because the modern city of Sur (Tyre) still exists, and part of the ancient site remains accessible and occupied. However, understanding the nature of prophetic language and the historical/geographic changes Tyre underwent offers a cohesive explanation.

Historical Fulfillment

1. Destruction of the Mainland City:

• Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon besieged Tyre for over a decade (ca. 585–573 BC). This led to the devastation of the mainland portion, evidenced by a protracted conflict that disrupted Tyre’s power.

• Later, Alexander the Great famously built a causeway from the mainland to the island city (ca. 332 BC) using the rubble of mainland Tyre. Archaeological excavations (e.g., the studies cataloged by the American Schools of Oriental Research) confirm layers of destruction and the buildup of material for Alexander’s causeway.

• Over time, the old mainland section—once vibrant—diminished to rubble, ultimately contributing to further submergence along the coastline.

2. Shifting Coastlines and Partial Submersion:

• Coastal changes over centuries have covered parts of ancient Tyre with water or silt. Geological surveys off the Lebanese coast (including underwater excavations reported in marine archaeology journals) suggest evidence of submerged ruins.

• The prophecy’s imagery of “the vast waters” can be viewed as partially literal, referring to coastline shifts and partial submersion, and also figurative, indicating the destructive forces overcoming Tyre’s identity as a proud city.

3. Loss of Old Tyre’s Prominence:

• Subsequent occupations and conquests rather than a single cataclysmic event brought the downfall of the old mainland city’s glory. Historically, it never regained the high status it once held among ancient maritime powers.

• By the time of later Roman and Byzantine periods, references to Tyre point to a city that had greatly changed and never fully matched its former wealth and significance. Thus, the prophecy that Tyre would no longer ascend to its former splendor has been fulfilled through the layers of its turbulent history.

Linguistic and Prophetic Considerations

1. Hyperbolic and Interwoven Prophetic Language:

• Ezekiel’s description uses strong language typical of biblical proclamations of final judgment (e.g., “so that you will no longer be inhabited” and “I will bring you to a dreadful end”). Similar sweeping phrases appear in other judgment oracles.

• Prophets often depict the ruin of cities as being taken down to “the Pit” (symbolizing the realm of the dead) to emphasize irrevocable doom. This underscores Tyre’s definitive loss of status rather than guaranteeing literal total uninhabited vacuum for all time.

2. Mainland Versus Island City:

• Ezekiel’s prophecy can be understood primarily against the backdrop of the mainland stronghold. The original fortress and markets on the coast were effectively destroyed, never to be restored to their original grandeur.

• Subsequent rebuilding efforts occurred primarily on the island (or connected with a causeway), meaning that “Tyre” as a continuous entity shifted. Therefore, what exists now is geographically related but not the same thriving city-state that Ezekiel once condemned.

Archaeological and Historical Evidence

1. Rubble and Causeway:

• The remains that Alexander used for his causeway have been located by archaeologists, revealing collapsed Mainland Tyre’s stones. This shows the original city’s fate: total demolition for use as building materials.

• Underwater surveys have identified building blocks, columns, and other ruins along the coastline, consistent with Ezekiel’s imagery of overwhelming waters.

2. Ancient Accounts:

• Writings by Josephus (“Antiquities of the Jews,” Book X) mention the siege by Nebuchadnezzar and the prolonged warfare, reflecting the calamity befalling Tyre.

• Greek historians like Arrian recorded Alexander’s intense campaign against Tyre, describing the engineering feats used to reach and capture the island city.

Resolving Apparent Contradictions

1. Prophecy Against the Real Power of Tyre:

• The city predicted to fall was the proud, wealthy center dominating trade routes. Once that stronghold was destroyed—its commerce and influence shattered—Tyre was never again a self-determining maritime empire.

• People living in a more modest settlement in the region of Tyre today do not negate the prophecy’s essence, since Ezekiel foretold the demise of its majesty and independence, not necessarily an absolute prohibition on any future existence of habitation in the broader vicinity.

2. Figurative Language for Covenant Judgment:

• Biblical prophecy sometimes features figurative or exaggerated language to signify total judgment as perceived by God’s righteousness. Isaiah uses a similar style against Babylon (Isaiah 13), and Jeremiah uses it against Edom (Jeremiah 49).

• The “lower parts of the earth” and submersion imagery align with the biblical theme of utter abandonment: a once-proud city relegated to historical memory and ruin.

Theological Reflection

1. Demonstration of Sovereignty:

• The judgment on Tyre exemplifies the principle that no earthly power or worldly wealth stands against the supreme authority of God (cf. Psalm 2:1–5).

• History attests to repeated conquests, collapses, and transformations that align with the oracle’s forceful language, underscoring a consistent biblical message: human kingdoms fall, but divine proclamations endure (cf. Isaiah 40:8).

2. Importance for Biblical Trustworthiness:

• The scriptural record of Tyre’s ruin, supported by archaeological and historical confirmation, strengthens confidence that prophecies are not arbitrary but connected to real events.

• These events ultimately highlight the reliability of Scriptural claims and serve as examples of how God’s interventions in human history point to His redemptive purposes.

Conclusion

The apparent discrepancy surrounding Tyre’s habitation rests on the distinction between the powerful Phoenician city Tyre once was and the smaller settlement that exists in the modern era. Ancient Tyre on the mainland was thoroughly ruined, much of it used for Alexander’s causeway or lost to the sea, fulfilling Ezekiel’s prediction of catastrophic judgment.

Though some portion of the region remains occupied, the historical facts of Tyre’s downfall—both on the mainland and partially in its island sections—show that the city did not regain its original might, splendor, or independence. The prophecy did indeed come to pass in a precise and meaningful way, aligning with the consistent message of biblical oracles.