Ezekiel 26 21

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 verses

Ezekiel 26 21 Meaning

Ezekiel 26:21 is a declaration of ultimate, irreversible judgment against the powerful city of Tyre by the Lord GOD. It proclaims that Tyre will be reduced to a horrifying state of utter desolation, losing its very existence as a prominent entity. Despite any future attempts to search for its former grandeur or even its physical location, it will be found no more, signifying a complete and permanent disappearance from its previous stature and recognition. This verse underlines the finality and the absolute authority of God's word concerning the downfall of proud human achievement.

Ezekiel 26 21 Context

Ezekiel chapter 26 is a vivid and specific prophecy against Tyre, a prominent and powerful Phoenician city known for its maritime trade and fortifications. The immediate context for this judgment is found in Ezekiel 26:2, where Tyre rejoices over the downfall of Jerusalem, seeing it as an opportunity to monopolize trade routes and increase its own wealth. This opportunism and pride trigger God's wrath. The chapter details a layered prophecy of destruction, initially by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (Ezek 26:7-12) who would lay waste to the mainland city, and then, implicitly, further complete destruction culminating centuries later with Alexander the Great who flattened the island city by building a causeway from the mainland using the rubble. The entire chapter emphasizes the irreversible and utter destruction that awaits Tyre, moving from its commercial decline (Ezek 27) to the judgment of its proud king (Ezek 28). Verse 21 functions as the definitive summary of this prophesied fate: Tyre's glorious past will be entirely erased, leaving no trace. Historically, Tyre, though partially rebuilt after Nebuchadnezzar, never regained its former independent glory and power, with Alexander's siege ultimately confirming its permanent desolation as an autonomous economic and political force.

Ezekiel 26 21 Word analysis

• I will make you: (וְנָתַתִּ֥יךָ - wə·nā·ṯat·tî·ḵā)

  • Wə (and) introduces the direct consequence of God's action.
  • Nātat (נתת) from root נתן (natan), "to give" or "to place" or "to make." Here, it signifies God's active, intentional bringing about of Tyre's condition. It's not a passive outcome but a divinely decreed act.
  • tîḵā (ךָ) suffix means "you," directing the action to Tyre.

• a terror / a place of scraping / bare rock: (לְחָרָשֽׁוֹת - lə·ḥā·rā·šō·wṯ)

  • Lə (לְ) means "for" or "into."
  • ḥā·rā·šō·wṯ (חרשות) has interpretive complexity. The root חרשׁ (charash) can mean to plow, engrave, or scrape.
    • Some translations (e.g., ESV, KJV) take it to mean "terror" (related to another root of awe/silence), reflecting the terrifying sight of complete destruction.
    • Others (e.g., NIV, NRSV, NJPS) interpret it as "bare rock" or "a place for spreading nets" (Ezek 26:5, 14), suggesting a place completely swept clean and empty, devoid of habitation. This interpretation emphasizes the physical state of the ruined city. The visual imagery is powerful: once a bustling metropolis, now just a place for fishermen to dry their nets, barren rock exposed by the scraping away of debris. The Septuagint rendering also aligns with "a place of scraping," reinforcing the idea of a smooth, cleared area. This term is rich, denoting both the horror of its state and its functional end.

• and you shall be no more: (וְאֵינֵ֣ךְ עוֹד֒ - wə·’ê·nêḵ ‘ō·wḏ)

  • Wə (and) connects the consequences.
  • ’ê·nêḵ (אֵינֵךְ) from אין ('ayin), meaning "no, nothing, none." With the feminine suffix "you" (-êḵ), it means "you are not."
  • ‘ō·wḏ (עוֹד), "yet, still, again, more."
  • Combined, it is a definitive declaration of non-existence. Tyre's distinct identity and status will cease.

• though you are sought for: (תִּבָּ֣קְשִׁי - tib·bāq·šî)

  • From the root בקשׁ (baqash), "to seek, to search, to look for, to desire."
  • The Hithpa'el/Niphal imperfect (passive) verb implies that active efforts will be made to find Tyre. This suggests that people will remember its past glory or importance and attempt to locate its former status or traces. Perhaps for its resources, its people, or its past influence.

• you will never be found again: (לֹא־תִמָּצְאִי֮ ע֣וֹד֒ - lō’-ṯim·mā·ṣə·’î ‘ō·wḏ)

  • Lō’ (לֹא) is a strong negative particle, "not."
  • tim·mā·ṣə·’î (תִמָּצְאִי) from the root מצא (matsa), "to find, discover, attain." It's in the Niphal imperfect, signifying a passive action: "you will not be found."
  • ‘ō·wḏ (עוֹד), again "yet, still, again." Reinforces the finality with "never again." This is an emphatic denial that any search for Tyre, in its former splendor or power, will succeed. Its significance will have vanished.

• declares the Lord GOD: (נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה - nə·’um ’ă·ḏō·nāy Yah·weh)

  • Nə·’um (נְאֻם), "utterance, oracle, declaration." This formula unequivocally marks the preceding words as a direct divine pronouncement, ensuring its certainty and authority.
  • ’ă·ḏō·nāy (אֲדֹנָי), "Lord," signifying sovereignty and mastery.
  • Yah·weh (יְהוִֽה), the covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal, unchanging nature and faithfulness, even in judgment. Together, "Lord GOD" emphasizes both divine authority and relational truth in the declaration.

Words-group analysis:

• "I will make you a terror / a bare rock": This phrase highlights God's direct agency in Tyre's transformation. The shift from a glorious, wealthy city to a place of fear or barrenness underscores the depth of the judgment. It's a vivid picture of divine wrath dismantling human pride.
• "and you shall be no more; though you are sought for, you will never be found again": This sequence encapsulates the irreversible nature of Tyre's doom. The inclusion of "though you are sought for" amplifies the finality; even deliberate searching will yield no trace of its past. This emphasizes that its extinction is absolute and complete, leaving no memory of its former greatness for discovery. It serves as a stark reminder of the transient nature of earthly power when set against God's eternal decrees.
• "declares the Lord GOD": This concluding phrase firmly anchors the prophecy in divine omnipotence and truth. It signifies that the outcome is certain and unavoidable, not a human prediction but a divine decree, binding and irrefutable. It seals the judgment with the weight of God's unchallengeable authority.

Ezekiel 26 21 Bonus section

The concept of "never be found again" carries significant polemic weight against the perceived invincibility and self-sufficiency of Tyre. Phoenician cities like Tyre were known for their polytheistic worship, often of deities associated with fertility, wealth, and strength like Melqart. The prophet Ezekiel consistently challenges such beliefs by showing that Tyre's might and the power of its deities were ultimately futile against the One True God, Yahweh. This absolute obliteration proves that Yahweh alone controls the destinies of nations, diminishing the status of all other gods and the hubris of their worshippers. The layered fulfillment of the prophecy (Nebuchadnezzar taking the mainland city, Alexander the Great obliterating the island fortress) also speaks to the incredible patience and meticulousness of God in bringing His word to pass, demonstrating that even when it seems a prophecy is partially fulfilled or delayed, the full extent of God's declaration will eventually be realized. This reinforces the steadfastness and reliability of God's prophetic word.

Ezekiel 26 21 Commentary

Ezekiel 26:21 is a powerful culmination of God's prophecy against Tyre, serving as a solemn declaration of its ultimate and irreversible destruction. Driven by pride and opportunistic self-interest following Jerusalem's downfall, Tyre, an ostensibly impregnable maritime power, faced the full measure of divine judgment. This verse conveys not merely defeat or decline, but a total annihilation of its former identity. It will become either a terrifying spectacle of ruin or, more graphically, a scraped, bare rock, fit only for drying fishing nets—a far cry from its glorious past. The declaration "you shall be no more" combined with "you will never be found again" is an emphatic testament to the permanence of this desolation. Even if remembered and sought after for its lost splendor, no trace of its previous might or influence will be rediscovered. This fulfilled prophecy across centuries (initially by Nebuchadnezzar, definitively by Alexander the Great) underscores God's sovereignty over nations and serves as a timeless warning against worldly arrogance, illustrating that human achievements, however grand, are ephemeral before the decree of the Lord GOD.