Ezekiel 26 12

Ezekiel 26:12 kjv

And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water.

Ezekiel 26:12 nkjv

They will plunder your riches and pillage your merchandise; they will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses; they will lay your stones, your timber, and your soil in the midst of the water.

Ezekiel 26:12 niv

They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.

Ezekiel 26:12 esv

They will plunder your riches and loot your merchandise. They will break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses. Your stones and timber and soil they will cast into the midst of the waters.

Ezekiel 26:12 nlt

"They will plunder all your riches and merchandise and break down your walls. They will destroy your lovely homes and dump your stones and timbers and even your dust into the sea.

Ezekiel 26 verses

Ezekiel 26 12 Meaning

Ezekiel 26:12 pronounces a detailed divine judgment against the city of Tyre, revealing the absolute extent of its destruction. It foretells the complete plundering of its vast riches and merchandise by invaders. Furthermore, it graphically describes the physical demolition of Tyre's mighty city walls and its luxurious homes, culminating in the unprecedented act of casting its very building materials – stones, timber, and debris – into the sea. This verse signifies the thorough desolation and the irreversible end of Tyre's power and prestige.

Ezekiel 26 12 Context

Ezekiel chapter 26 marks the beginning of a series of prophecies specifically directed against the powerful Phoenician city-state of Tyre (chapters 26-28). Located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Tyre was a hub of international commerce, renowned for its maritime strength, wealth, skilled artisans, and seemingly impenetrable fortifications. The reason for this severe judgment, stated in Eze 26:2, is Tyre's rejoicing over Jerusalem's destruction, seeing it as an opportunity to gain more trade as Judah's former economic competitor.

This specific verse, Eze 26:12, details the comprehensive nature of the impending doom. Historically, Tyre faced two major destructions that fulfill this prophecy. First, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged the mainland city for 13 years (c. 586-573 BCE), partially fulfilling the prophecy of its plunder and the destruction of its walls. The island city of Tyre, however, remained resilient. The prophecy's ultimate and most literal fulfillment, particularly the detail of casting stones and timber into the sea, occurred almost 250 years later with Alexander the Great. In 332 BCE, Alexander literally used the rubble of the old mainland city of Tyre to build a causeway connecting the mainland to the island city, allowing his army to finally conquer it. The verse vividly portrays a complete obliteration, moving from economic ruin to structural annihilation and even the removal of all remnants, making Tyre a symbol of God's complete and irreversible judgment against human pride and material trust.

Ezekiel 26 12 Word analysis

• וְשָׁלֲלוּ֙ (v'shalalu): "They will plunder" (from root שָׁלַל, shalal). This verb refers to the act of seizing spoils or booty, especially in war. It denotes a thorough and forceful appropriation of goods, often emphasizing the quantity taken.
• אֶת־חֵילֵךְ֙ (et-cheilekh): "your wealth" (from חַיִל, chayil). Chayil encompasses more than just financial riches; it can also mean strength, power, or military force. Here, combined with "plunder," it unequivocally refers to Tyre's accumulated material possessions, its immense economic power derived from trade. Its "strength" will be confiscated.
• וְבָזְז֖וּ (v'vozezu): "and loot" (from בָּזַז, bazaz). This verb is synonymous with shalal, often used in parallel to emphasize the completeness of the pillaging. It suggests a stripping away or making prey of all possessions, leaving nothing behind. The combined verbs signify total economic devastation.
• אֶת־מַרְכֻּלְתֵּךְ֒ (et-markultekh): "your merchandise" (from מַרְכֹּלֶת, markolet). This word specifically denotes tradable goods or articles of commerce. Tyre was famous as a major port and trading power. The plundering of its merchandise means the utter collapse of its commercial foundation, the very source of its glory.
• וְהָרְס֥וּ (v'harəsu): "and break down" (from הָרַס, haras). This verb signifies to tear down, overthrow, or destroy. It refers to the systematic destruction of physical structures.
• אֶת־חוֹמֹתַ֖יִךְ (et-chomotayikh): "your walls" (from חוֹמָה, choma). Tyre's city walls were legendary for their height and strength, contributing to its reputation as impregnable. Their destruction represents the loss of its primary defense and symbol of security.
• וּבָתֵּ֥י חֲמֻדָּתֵ֖ךְ (u'batei chamuḏatek): "and your fine houses" or "houses of your delight/desire" (from בַּיִת, bayit for houses, and חֶמְדָּה, chemda for desirable/precious). This refers to the luxurious, well-appointed homes of Tyre's wealthy merchants and rulers, built with the finest materials and adorned lavishly. Their destruction underscores the completeness of the judgment, reaching even into the private spaces of affluence.
• יִתְּצ֑וּ (yittetsu): "they will demolish" (from נָתַץ, natats). Another strong verb for demolition, often implying a pulling down or tearing away of structures, adding to the imagery of comprehensive structural collapse.
• וְאַבְנַ֤יִךְ֙ (v'avnāyikh): "your stones" (from אֶבֶן, even).
• וְעֵצַ֙יִךְ֙ (v'eitzāyikh): "your timber" (from עֵץ, etz).
• וַעֲפָרֵ֔ךְ (va'afarek): "and your rubble" or "dust/earth" (from עָפָר, afar). These three nouns refer to the basic building materials of the city, representing its very foundation and fabric. The mention of all three emphasizes the totality of the deconstruction, not just a partial destruction.
• לְת֥וֹךְ מַ֖יִם יָשִֽׂימוּ׃ (l'tokh mayim yāsimu): "into the midst of the water they will throw/put" (l'tokh for "into the midst of," mayim for "water/sea," yasimu from שִׂים, sim for "put/place/set"). This is the most striking and precise detail. Instead of merely destroying, the conquerors will literally cast the remnants of the city into the sea. This unique action speaks of absolute erasure, transforming the mighty city into nothing, making its foundations part of the marine environment it once commanded. This physical act signifies a divine judgment that leaves no trace or possibility of rebuilding on its original spot, literally fulfilling Ezekiel's prior prophecy that Tyre would become "a bare rock."

Ezekiel 26 12 Bonus section

This verse's unique and precise fulfillment, particularly the detail about casting the debris into the sea, stands as one of the most powerful proofs of prophetic accuracy in the Bible. While other cities were conquered and plundered, the specific method of Tyre's ultimate demise sets it apart. This wasn't merely a defeat but an absolute deconstruction and re-purposing of its very essence by its conqueror, acting unknowingly as an instrument of divine judgment. Scholars have often pointed to the extraordinary nature of Alexander the Great's military feat in building the causeway, highlighting how an ambitious human endeavor unwittingly aligned perfectly with God's centuries-old prophetic word, reinforcing the message that all of history unfolds under the watchful eye and sovereign plan of God. The judgment on Tyre serves not only as a warning against human arrogance and materialism but also as an unwavering demonstration of God's perfect foreknowledge and absolute control over earthly affairs.

Ezekiel 26 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 26:12 serves as a profound pronouncement of divine judgment against Tyre, a city epitomizing human pride, economic prowess, and self-sufficiency. The verse masterfully employs parallelisms and escalating imagery to convey the completeness of the impending destruction. Starting with the systematic plundering of Tyre's commercial wealth and cherished merchandise – the very lifeblood and pride of the city – it proceeds to detail the violent dismantling of its legendary defenses and luxurious dwellings. The use of multiple strong verbs for destruction (shalal, bazaz, haras, natats) underscores the thoroughness of the attack, leaving nothing intact.

The prophecy reaches its crescendo with the astonishing and unprecedented declaration that Tyre's building materials – its stones, timber, and debris – would be cast into the sea. This seemingly implausible detail, fulfilled centuries later by Alexander the Great to construct a causeway, elevates the prophecy from general destruction to precise, divine foreknowledge. This action represents ultimate humiliation, symbolizing the complete erasure of Tyre's identity and any hope of resurgence on its original site. The sea, once the source of Tyre's wealth and power, becomes the repository of its utter demise. It stands as an enduring testimony to God's sovereignty over nations and the certain outcome of pride and self-exaltation. This prophetic word reminds all that no earthly power, wealth, or fortification can withstand the righteous judgment of the Lord.