Ezekiel 27 32

Ezekiel 27:32 kjv

And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?

Ezekiel 27:32 nkjv

In their wailing for you They will take up a lamentation, And lament for you: 'What city is like Tyre, Destroyed in the midst of the sea?

Ezekiel 27:32 niv

As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament concerning you: "Who was ever silenced like Tyre, surrounded by the sea?"

Ezekiel 27:32 esv

In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you and lament over you: 'Who is like Tyre, like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?

Ezekiel 27:32 nlt

As they wail and mourn over you,
they sing this sad funeral song:
'Was there ever such a city as Tyre,
now silent at the bottom of the sea?

Ezekiel 27 verses

Ezekiel 27 32 Meaning

This verse captures the profound lamentation and grief expressed by those who once marveled at Tyre's splendor and profited from its vast commercial empire. The intense mourning is an acknowledgment of Tyre's unparalleled greatness, now shockingly brought to utter desolation. The rhetorical question posed by the mourners highlights the incomprehensible fall of a once vibrant, dominant maritime power, now reduced to silence and insignificance within the very seas it once commanded.

Ezekiel 27 32 Context

Ezekiel 27 is an elaborate funeral dirge, or lamentation (a qinah), prophesied against Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city. The chapter uses the powerful metaphor of Tyre as a magnificent ship, built with materials from various nations and manned by expert mariners, that navigates the vast seas of international trade. It details Tyre's extensive commercial network, its unparalleled wealth, its diverse goods, and the myriad of peoples involved in its economy. The entire chapter paints a vivid picture of a seemingly invincible, gloriously rich maritime power. Verse 32, following the dramatic portrayal of this ship (Tyre) being shattered by a great storm in the heart of the seas, describes the profound sorrow and bewilderment of those who witness or hear of its ultimate demise. It is the culmination of the lament, depicting the shock and disbelief that such a powerful entity could fall so completely. Historically, Tyre, initially a coastal city and later a nearly impregnable island fortress, was renowned for its prosperity, maritime trade, and sophisticated culture. It faced significant sieges, notably by Nebuchadnezzar and later Alexander the Great, eventually losing its prominence, reflecting the prophecy of its silence and desolation.

Ezekiel 27 32 Word analysis

• And in their wailing
  • wailing: Hebrew: יְנֶהוּ (y'nēhū), from the root נָהָה (nāhāh), meaning "to lament," "to mourn aloud," "to wail." This is not a silent sorrow but a loud, audible expression of deep grief, signifying extreme distress and despair over Tyre's loss.
• they shall take up a lamentation for you
  • take up: Hebrew: נָשׂוּ (nāsū), meaning "to lift," "to carry," "to utter." Here, it specifically denotes initiating a formal or poetic lament.
  • lamentation: Hebrew: קִינָה (qînāh). This is a specific type of mournful song or dirge, often characterized by a distinctive rhythm (3+2 beat) in Hebrew poetry, signifying a deep and often public expression of sorrow, typically for the dead or fallen.
• and lament over you
  • lament: Hebrew: קוֹנְנוּ (qônēnū), from the root קוּן (qûn), "to wail," "to chant a lament." This reiterates the action of uttering the dirge, emphasizing the personal and collective act of mourning.
• saying, 'Who is like Tyre,'
  • Who is like Tyre: Hebrew: מִי כְצֹר (mî k'tsōr). This is a rhetorical question, powerfully expressing an acknowledgment of Tyre's unique and incomparable status among nations. It highlights their prior admiration and current disbelief at its downfall, much like expressions of unparalleled beauty or power. This contrasts starkly with "Who is like the LORD?" which praises divine supremacy.
• 'like her that is silent
  • silent: Hebrew: נִדְמֶה (nidmeh), from the root דָּמַם (dāmam), meaning "to be silent," "to be still," "to be cut off," "to be destroyed." This word is critically significant. It doesn't merely mean "quiet"; it signifies cessation, ruin, annihilation, death, the end of all activity. It contrasts sharply with Tyre's former bustling, noisy, and active commercial life. The "silence" refers to the end of its trade, its industry, its voice, its very existence as a vibrant entity.
• in the midst of the sea?'
  • in the midst of the sea: Hebrew: בְּתוֹךְ יַמִּים (bətoḵ yammîm). This phrase emphasizes Tyre's unique geographical location as an island city. The sea was its lifeblood, its fortress, its path to prosperity. Now, the very environment that symbolized its strength and grandeur becomes the silent backdrop to its devastation. It also suggests that Tyre's fate is sealed within the vastness and indifference of the sea, its power now subsumed by the very waters it navigated.

Words-group analysis

• "And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for you and lament over you": This phrase details the overwhelming and formal nature of the grief. The repetition of mourning actions ("wailing," "take up a lamentation," "lament over") intensifies the scene, indicating not just sorrow, but a ritualized, widespread public outcry acknowledging the immense loss and devastation. It reflects a universal mourning among those impacted by Tyre's fall.
• "'Who is like Tyre, like her that is silent in the midst of the sea?'": This powerful rhetorical question encapsulates the core shock and paradox of Tyre's fall. "Who is like Tyre?" speaks to its unrivaled glory and wealth, affirming its historical dominance. The abrupt transition to "like her that is silent" highlights the sudden and incomprehensible collapse. The ultimate paradox is its former position "in the midst of the sea," once its source of unparalleled power and life, now ironically the setting for its utter silence and deathly stillness. This evokes a sense of complete and irreversible desolation, the proud city vanished into the abyss it once commanded.

Ezekiel 27 32 Bonus section

• Poetic Structure (Qinah Rhythm): The original Hebrew of Ezekiel's lament, including this verse, often adheres to a qinah rhythm, characterized by an unbalanced meter (e.g., three stresses followed by two). This rhythmic imbalance was intentionally used in ancient Hebrew poetry to convey a sense of incompleteness, sadness, and tragedy, fitting for a dirge. It adds an inherent sense of lament even without fully understanding the language.
• Reversal of Tyre's Identity: The sea was Tyre's identity – its protection, its source of wealth, its playground. To be "silent in the midst of the sea" is a total reversal. The very element that gave it life now holds its silence, symbolizing complete subjugation and obliteration of its former self.
• Polemics against Pride and Human Deification: The lament subtly highlights the polemical thrust against Tyre's pride (Eze 28 explicitly calls its king "a god"). The unparalleled praise of "Who is like Tyre?" from human lips implicitly contrasts with God's ultimate unparalleled uniqueness ("Who is like You, O Lord?"), underscoring that all earthly greatness is subservient to divine sovereignty. The mourning from the world is for the loss of a great human empire, yet the narrative points to the divine judgment that brought it low.

Ezekiel 27 32 Commentary

Ezekiel 27:32 portrays the stark and agonizing final act in the lamentation for Tyre, deeply impacting those who relied on its immense maritime empire. The universal wailing and the taking up of a formal dirge underscore the monumental scale of the city's fall, shaking the foundations of international commerce and pride. The central rhetorical question, "Who is like Tyre, like her that is silent in the midst of the sea?", is a profound statement of incredulity and sorrow. It acknowledges Tyre's unprecedented splendor and power while expressing utter bewilderment at its total cessation. The image of a once-booming port, now "silent" (מִדְמֶה, nidmeh, meaning annihilated, brought to an end), situated "in the midst of the sea" (בְּתוֹךְ יַמִּים), where it once thrived, powerfully symbolizes the irreversible loss. This isn't merely quietness, but the stillness of death, the complete end of its economic pulse, political influence, and vibrant life. The very sea that had made Tyre prosperous now becomes the silent witness to its demise, serving as a powerful divine warning that worldly power, wealth, and beauty built on pride and self-sufficiency are fleeting and ultimately subject to God's judgment.