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 indicates a deep expression of grief and sorrow. In the ancient Near Eastern context, wailing and mourning were common practices during times of loss or disaster. The lamentation here is directed towards Tyre, a significant city known for its wealth and influence. The mourning reflects the impact of Tyre's downfall on surrounding nations and their economies, as Tyre was a major trade hub.

they will take up a lament for you:
Laments were a traditional form of expressing sorrow and were often poetic in nature. In the Bible, laments are used to express grief over the fall of cities or nations, as seen in the Book of Lamentations regarding Jerusalem. This lament for Tyre signifies the city's importance and the magnitude of its destruction. It also serves as a prophetic warning to other nations about the consequences of pride and reliance on wealth.

‘Who was ever like Tyre,
This rhetorical question emphasizes Tyre's uniqueness and prominence. Tyre was renowned for its strategic location, wealth, and strong fortifications. Historically, Tyre was a leading maritime power and a center of commerce in the Mediterranean. The question highlights the city's unmatched status and the shock of its downfall, drawing a parallel to other biblical cities like Babylon, which also faced divine judgment.

silenced in the middle of the sea?
Tyre's location on an island in the Mediterranean Sea made it a formidable city, both in terms of defense and trade. The imagery of being "silenced" suggests complete destruction and cessation of its bustling activity. This phrase can be seen as a fulfillment of prophecy, as Ezekiel foretold Tyre's downfall due to its pride and opposition to God's people. The sea, once a source of Tyre's wealth and power, becomes a symbol of its isolation and demise. This can also be seen as a type of Christ, where the sea often represents chaos and judgment, yet Christ calms the sea, symbolizing His authority over all creation.

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

Links
Ezekiel 27:32 NIV
Ezekiel 27:32 NLT
Ezekiel 27:32 ESV
Ezekiel 27:32 NASB
Ezekiel 27:32 KJV

Ezekiel 27:32 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Ezekiel 27:31
Top of Page
Top of Page