Ezekiel 26:8 kjv
He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.
Ezekiel 26:8 nkjv
He will slay with the sword your daughter villages in the fields; he will heap up a siege mound against you, build a wall against you, and raise a defense against you.
Ezekiel 26:8 niv
He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works against you, build a ramp up to your walls and raise his shields against you.
Ezekiel 26:8 esv
He will kill with the sword your daughters on the mainland. He will set up a siege wall against you and throw up a mound against you, and raise a roof of shields against you.
Ezekiel 26:8 nlt
First he will destroy your mainland villages. Then he will attack you by building a siege wall, constructing a ramp, and raising a roof of shields against you.
Ezekiel 26 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 26:1 | And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, | Historical prophecy against Tyre |
| Eze 26:2 | Son of man, because Tyre hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gate of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: | Tyre's arrogance and gloating over Jerusalem's fall |
| Eze 26:3 | Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth its waves to come up. | Divine opposition and ensuing invasion |
| Eze 26:4 | And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. | Complete destruction of fortifications |
| Eze 26:5 | It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea; for I the Lord have said it, saith the Lord GOD. | Transformation into a desolate fishing ground |
| Eze 26:7 | For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring from the north an enemy against Tyrus, and his kings, and shall set himself against her, and shall cast up trenches against her, and raise shields against her. | Prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar's siege |
| Eze 26:9 | And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his tools he shall break down thy towers. | Description of siege weaponry |
| Eze 26:11 | With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground. | Devastation by invading army |
| Eze 26:12 | 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. | Looting and complete demolition |
| Eze 26:13 | And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the memory of thy harp shall be heard no more. | End of joy and festivity |
| Eze 26:14 | And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. | Ultimate desolation and cessation of building |
| Eze 26:15 | Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the report of thy fall, when thy wounded cry, when the slaughter is in the midst of thee? | Impact of Tyre's fall on surrounding regions |
| Eze 26:16 | Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered work: they shall sit upon the earth; yea, they shall be girded with sackcloth, and they shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. | Mourning of maritime powers |
| Eze 26:17 | And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, in the sea, the mistress of the seas? | Lamentation for a lost maritime power |
| Eze 26:19 | For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; | Describing the ultimate flood of destruction |
| Eze 26:20 | When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in the places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living; | consigned to the grave of nations |
| Jer 25:22 | And all the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea, and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert. | Nations that will drink God's cup of wrath |
| Jer 49:23 | Hamath is confounded, and Arpad ashamed: for they have heard evil tidings: they have a troubled heart; the sea is vexed, it cannot be quiet. | Parallel prophecy about the judgment of nations |
| Zec 9:2 | And a border of Damascus, where shall the abundance of Tyre the Lord hath overthrown. | Foreshadowing judgment on Tyre |
| Rev 18:18 | And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like this great city! | Parallel to Babylon's destruction, indicating ultimate judgment on oppressor cities |
| Luke 10:13 | Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, being sitted in sackcloth and ashes. | Jesus rebukes cities of Galilee for their lack of repentance, contrasting with the judgment due to Tyre and Sidon. |
Ezekiel 26 verses
Ezekiel 26 8 Meaning
This verse speaks of the absolute and overwhelming destruction that will come upon the city of Tyre. It emphasizes that God, through a foreign enemy, will bring such devastation that Tyre, a powerful and prominent city, will be utterly ruined and cease to exist as a significant entity. The mention of Nebuchadnezzar's eventual failure to fully destroy Tyre sets the stage for a greater judgment to come, ultimately fulfilled by Babylon and later realized through various historical destructions and shifts in power, culminating in God's comprehensive judgment.
Ezekiel 26 8 Context
This prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 26 is directed against the Phoenician city of Tyre. Tyre was a powerful and wealthy maritime city known for its extensive trade and formidable defenses, situated on an island off the coast of modern-day Lebanon. The prophecy begins with Tyre's boastful and mocking reaction to the fall of Jerusalem. God declares His judgment upon Tyre for its pride and for rejoicing over Israel's downfall. This specific verse is part of a larger oracle that details the utter destruction of Tyre, prophesying that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would lay siege to it and eventually cause its downfall. While Nebuchadnezzar did besiege Tyre for a significant period (13 years), he did not completely conquer the island city, though he did destroy the mainland settlement. Later historical events, including Alexander the Great's siege in 332 BC where he built a causeway and ultimately conquered the island city, fulfilled the complete destruction predicted. The prophecy addresses both the initial impact of Nebuchadnezzar and the ultimate, comprehensive judgment that would leave Tyre in ruins.
Ezekiel 26 8 Word analysis
- Behold (וְהִנֵּה - ve-hinneh): This is an introductory particle that draws attention, signifying "look," "see," or "behold." It emphasizes the impending and certain nature of what follows.
- I will bring from the north (אָבִיא מִצָּפוֹן - avi mitzapon): "I will bring" (אָבִיא - avi) signifies an active conveyance. "From the north" (מִצָּפוֹן - mitzapon) points to the direction of the invading force. Historically, Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian armies primarily advanced from the north of Israel.
- an enemy (צָר - tzar): This word translates to "adversary," "foe," or "enemy." It is a general term for an opposing force.
- against thee (עָלַיִךְ - alakh): A preposition indicating opposition or movement towards.
- O Tyrus (צֹר - Tzor): The name of the city, located on the coast.
- and his kings (וּמְלָכִים - u-mlakhim): "and" (u-) connects "kings" (מְלָכִים - mlakhim), plural of melekh, meaning ruler or king. This refers to the leadership of the invading army, likely signifying Nebuchadnezzar and his commanding generals.
- shall come up (יַעֲלוּ - ya'alu): "they will ascend" or "they will come up." This imagery suggests an overwhelming force advancing.
- against her (עָלֶיהָ - aleihah): Again, indicating opposition or movement towards the city.
Word-group analysis
- "I will bring from the north an enemy... and his kings, and they shall come up against her": This phrase establishes God as the ultimate initiator of the judgment. While Nebuchadnezzar is the immediate instrument, God asserts His sovereign control over history, directing nations and kings for His purposes. The mention of "kings" implies a large, organized, and authoritative invading force led by rulers. The movement "from the north" is consistent with historical invasions into Phoenicia from Mesopotamia.
Ezekiel 26 8 Bonus section
The historical fulfillment of this prophecy is multifaceted. Nebuchadnezzar's thirteen-year siege of Tyre, beginning around 585 BC, did result in the destruction of the mainland settlement and the enslavement or scattering of its inhabitants. However, the island city famously withstood the siege. The more complete destruction, including the dismantling of the island city and its fortifications, is attributed to Alexander the Great in 332 BC, who famously built a causeway across the sea to access the island, demonstrating the prophecy's eventual and thorough fulfillment. This dual fulfillment highlights how prophetic declarations can have layers of historical realization, with later events amplifying and completing the initial prophecy of judgment. The devastation was so thorough that Tyre was reduced to a barren rock, fitting the imagery of a place for spreading nets. Jesus Himself referenced Tyre in His ministry, noting that the greater works done in Galilean towns, which remained unrepentant, would have led to repentance in Tyre and Sidon (Luke 10:13), implying a severity of judgment due to their persistence in sin and arrogance.
Ezekiel 26 8 Commentary
This verse introduces the instrument of God's judgment against Tyre: a formidable enemy army led by kings, advancing from the north. God declares that He Himself will bring this force against the city. This signifies that Tyre's destruction is not merely a random event or the result of human ambition but a divine decree executed by human agency. The northern origin points to the Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar as the initial force to execute a significant part of this prophecy. The plurality of "kings" suggests a widespread campaign or the various commanders under the main sovereign. This verse sets the stage for a devastating siege, promising an overwhelming attack that Tyre will be unable to withstand.