Ezekiel 26:21 kjv
I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.
Ezekiel 26:21 nkjv
I will make you a terror, and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again,' says the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 26:21 niv
I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more. You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Ezekiel 26:21 esv
I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel 26:21 nlt
I will bring you to a terrible end, and you will exist no more. You will be looked for, but you will never again be found. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!"
Ezekiel 26 21 Cross References
Verse | Text | Reference |
---|---|---|
Ezekiel 26:3 | "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre..." | Judgment against Tyre declared |
Ezekiel 26:4 | "and they will break down your walls and destroy your towers." | Tyre's physical destruction foretold |
Ezekiel 26:5 | "It shall be a place for the spreading of nets..." | Future state of desolation |
Ezekiel 26:12 | "They will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise..." | Depredation of Tyre |
Ezekiel 26:14 | "I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spreading of nets..." | Eternal desolation |
Ezekiel 26:15 | "Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: Will not the coastlands tremble...?" | Impact of Tyre's fall on others |
Isaiah 23:1 | "The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, you ships of Tarshish..." | Prophecy against Tyre |
Isaiah 23:10 | "Pass through your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish..." | Judgment and its extent |
Isaiah 23:11 | "He stretched out his hand over the sea; he made kingdoms shake..." | God's power over nations |
Jeremiah 25:22 | "...all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon..." | Tyre among nations judged |
Zechariah 9:3 | "and Tyre built herself a stronghold and heaped up silver like dust..." | Tyre's former wealth |
Revelation 18:10 | "standing far off, in fear of her torment, crying, ‘Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Tyre!'" | Prophetic lament for Tyre's destruction |
Revelation 18:17 | "For in one hour all this ruin has come." | Suddenness of judgment |
Jeremiah 51:25 | "Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain... and I will roll you down from your heights..." | God's judgment against oppressors |
Psalm 37:35-36 | "I have seen a wicked man thriving like a green tree in its native soil, but when I looked again, he was no more..." | Ultimate fate of the wicked |
Proverbs 10:30 | "The righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land." | Security of the righteous vs. wicked |
Nahum 1:15 | "Look! Upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news..." | Announcement of peace after judgment |
Nahum 3:4 | "because of the many prostitutions of the harlot, the pleasing mistress of sorceries..." | Reason for judgment on Nineveh, similar themes apply to Tyre's moral failing |
Habakkuk 2:6 | "‘Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own... Will not his debtors suddenly rise...?’" | Judgment for unjust gain |
Revelation 21:4 | "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes..." | God's ultimate restoration and peace |
Ezekiel 26 verses
Ezekiel 26 21 Meaning
This verse describes the ultimate and eternal destruction of Tyre. It signifies that Tyre will never again exist or be rebuilt, serving as a perpetual testament to God's judgment against the city. The imagery suggests complete annihilation, leaving no trace of its former grandeur.
Ezekiel 26 21 Context
Ezekiel chapter 26 is a prophecy of judgment against the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre. Tyre was a powerful and wealthy commercial center known for its maritime trade, but also for its arrogance and pride. The surrounding context of this chapter reveals that Tyre had rejoiced and taken advantage of Jerusalem's fall to Babylon (Ezekiel 25:3). God, through Ezekiel, declares impending destruction upon Tyre for its gloating and its history of hostility towards Israel. The prophecy foretells a thorough siege, the leveling of its walls, the plundering of its riches, and its ultimate abandonment, leaving it as a place for fishermen to dry their nets.
Ezekiel 26 21 Word Analysis
וּלְנֵצַח (ū-lə-ne·tzaḥ): "And forever" or "and to eternity."
- This emphasizes the permanence of the judgment, indicating that Tyre's desolation will not be temporary.
- Connects to God's eternal nature and His everlasting judgments.
תִּהְיִי (tih·yî): "you will be."
- Third person feminine singular future tense of the verb "to be."
- Directly addresses Tyre as a feminine entity (common for cities).
וְלֹא (wə·lō): "And not."
- A strong negation.
תִמָּצְאִי (tim·mā·tə·ʼî): "you will be found."
- Hiphil (causative) passive participle of the verb "to find" or "to exist."
- Implies utter disappearance; not a trace will be left to be discovered.
- Suggests an obliteration of its existence and identity.
עוֹד (ʿōd): "again" or "any more."
- Reinforces the finality; no recovery or rebuilding.
- Speaks to a complete cessation.
word-by-word analysis:
- And (וּ) - Conjunction, linking to the previous statement of destruction.
- forever (לְנֵצַח) - Emphasizing permanence and eternal outcome.
- you will be (תִּהְיִי) - Direct address to Tyre, future state.
- and not (וְלֹא) - Negation of future existence.
- you will be found (תִּמָּצְאִי) - Complete obliteration, no trace remaining.
- again (עוֹד) - Finality, no possibility of revival.
words-group analysis:
- "And forever you will be": This phrase highlights the unending nature of the consequence for Tyre's actions.
- "and not you will be found again": This signifies complete and final non-existence, a total erasure from history and presence.
Ezekiel 26 21 Bonus Section
This verse emphasizes divine retribution and the finality of judgment. It parallels pronouncements against other proud and oppressive nations in the Old Testament. The imagery of a city ceasing to be found has resonated throughout history as a descriptor of complete destruction. Historically, while Tyre itself was destroyed and captured by Nebuchadnezzar and later Alexander the Great, the fulfillment of the eternal non-existence aspect is interpreted in different ways by scholars. Some see it as literal – no further mention or resurgence; others interpret it as a state of perpetual ruin and obscurity, such that its past glory is irrevocably lost, a lasting monument to God's judgment rather than a functioning city. The complete destruction of its island and mainland sites fulfills much of the prophecy, leaving its commercial dominance forever ended.
Ezekiel 26 21 Commentary
Ezekiel 26:21 unequivocally pronounces the perpetual non-existence of Tyre. It's not just about military defeat, but about an eternal removal from the earth. This pronouncement reflects the totality of God's judgment, leaving no possibility for restoration. It serves as a stark warning that God’s justice is absolute and His judgments can be final and complete for those who persistently oppose Him and His people. The city’s pride and complicity in the suffering of God's people would result in its utter annihilation.