Ezekiel 27:4 kjv
Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Ezekiel 27:4 nkjv
Your borders are in the midst of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.
Ezekiel 27:4 niv
Your domain was on the high seas; your builders brought your beauty to perfection.
Ezekiel 27:4 esv
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders made perfect your beauty.
Ezekiel 27:4 nlt
You extended your boundaries into the sea.
Your builders made your beauty perfect.
Ezekiel 27 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ez 26:17 | "How you are destroyed, O city... she who was strong on the sea..." | Lament over Tyre's strength and destruction |
| Ez 28:2 | "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord G OD: “Because your heart is lifted up...'" | Tyre's pride in its wisdom and might |
| Isa 23:8-9 | "Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes...?" | God's judgment on Tyre's pride and wealth |
| Zech 9:2-4 | "...Tyre, who built herself a stronghold; She heaped up silver like dust..." | Tyre's self-reliance and material accumulation |
| Ps 127:1 | "Unless the L ORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." | Human endeavor without God is futile |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Warning against pride |
| Obad 1:3-4 | "The pride of your heart has deceived you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock..." | Pride of nations secure in their fortresses |
| Jer 49:16 | "As for the terror of you, The pride of your heart has deceived you..." | Similar warning to Edom regarding secure dwellings |
| Rev 18:11-19 | "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore..." | Lament over the fall of Babylon (parallels Tyre) |
| Dan 5:20-23 | "But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened in pride..." | Judgment on Belshazzar's pride |
| Hab 2:5-6 | "Indeed, wine betrays him; He is a proud man, and he does not stay at home..." | Woes against those puffed up by possessions |
| Isa 14:12-15 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!... you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven...'" | Metaphorical pride leading to fall |
| Ez 28:17 | "Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor..." | Beauty leading to corruption in Tyre's king |
| Zeph 2:15 | "This is the exultant city that dwelt securely, That said in her heart, 'I am, and there is none besides me.'" | Condemnation of Nineveh's proud self-assertion |
| Lk 12:16-21 | Parable of the rich fool who trusts in his stored goods, not God. | Warnings against materialistic pride |
| Jas 4:6 | "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" | God's opposition to pride |
| 1 Pet 5:5 | "...Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility; for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'" | Exhortation to humility |
| Phil 4:13 | "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." | Contrast to human self-sufficiency |
| Jer 51:13 | "...O you who dwell by many waters, Abundant in treasures, Your end has come..." | Judgment on Babylon's wealth and location |
| Ps 48:7 | "As with the east wind You break the ships of Tarshish." | God's power over even the strongest ships |
| Mt 12:40 | "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." | "Heart of the earth/seas" implying deep confinement/location |
| Jon 2:3 | "For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas..." | Jonah's experience in the heart of the seas |
Ezekiel 27 verses
Ezekiel 27 4 Meaning
Ezekiel 27:4 describes the unparalleled position and magnificent appearance of the ancient city of Tyre. It highlights Tyre's unique insular geography, nestled deep within the sea, serving as both its defense and its domain for commerce. Simultaneously, the verse emphasizes the exceptional human craftsmanship that elevated Tyre to a pinnacle of beauty and splendor, cultivated by its own skilled inhabitants, implying a deep sense of self-sufficiency and pride in its accomplishments.
Ezekiel 27 4 Context
Ezekiel 27 is part of a series of oracles (chapters 25-32) directed by God, through Ezekiel, against the nations surrounding Judah, particularly those who rejoiced at Judah's fall or had wronged God's people. This specific chapter is a detailed, metaphorical funeral dirge (qīnāh) over Tyre, a powerful Phoenician maritime city. The city is vividly portrayed as a magnificent, perfectly crafted ship, built and outfitted by many nations, laden with vast wealth from its extensive global trade. The immediate preceding verses (27:1-3) introduce the lament and compare Tyre to a merchant ship at the "entrance of the sea," full of riches. Verse 4 elaborates on Tyre's physical impregnability and humanly achieved grandeur, setting the stage for the dramatic and detailed account of its impending destruction, symbolizing that even the most formidable human achievements and sources of pride are subject to God's ultimate judgment. The original Judean audience in Babylonian exile would recognize Tyre's fame, wealth, and perceived invincibility, making God's prophecy against it a powerful message of His universal sovereignty and the consequences of national pride.
Ezekiel 27 4 Word analysis
- Your borders (גְּבוּלֹתַ֖יִךְ gevulotaich): Refers to the defined limits or territories of Tyre. In this context, it highlights the unique geographic characteristic of Tyre, an island city (or peninsula strongly isolated by water), where the sea itself formed its natural perimeter, protection, and pathway to the world. It signifies a perceived security due to its insular position.
- are in the heart (לֵב lev): The term lev here signifies the innermost part, core, or middle. It emphasizes that Tyre was not merely by the sea, but deeply embedded within it, practically surrounded and defined by the maritime environment. This suggests a central, dominating presence in the oceanic trade routes, reflecting its deep connection to and mastery of the seas.
- of the seas (יַמִּֽים yammim): The plural form emphasizes the vastness and multitude of water bodies, reinforcing Tyre's identity as a pervasive maritime power whose influence extended across many trading waters, not just one adjacent sea. It underlines the scope of its dominion and ambition.
- your builders (בֹּנָ֑יִךְ bonayich): These were the skilled architects, engineers, artisans, and laborers who meticulously constructed the city's infrastructure, defenses, and famed structures. This term underscores human agency and ingenuity as the source of Tyre's physical glory, hinting at potential human pride and self-reliance rather than dependence on God.
- have perfected (כָּלְל֖וּ kalelû): Meaning to complete, to make perfect, to bring to fullness or splendid completion. This verb signifies that the builders achieved the highest standard of excellence and aesthetic quality. It conveys the idea that Tyre's beauty was not accidental or slight, but intentionally and thoroughly brought to a zenith of grandeur by human effort, leaving no perceived room for improvement or deficiency from a human perspective.
- your beauty (יָפְיֵֽךְ yofyech): This refers to the splendor, attractiveness, and overall magnificence of the city's architecture, fortifications, and general appearance. This "perfected beauty" was a source of its fame, national pride, and economic power, but also, prophetically, became a key factor in its spiritual downfall and God's judgment, as described in Ez 28:17.
Words-group analysis
- "Your borders are in the heart of the seas": This phrase paints a picture of Tyre as a city literally enmeshed with the sea, indicating both its geographical advantage as a maritime hub and its apparent invincibility. Its security seemed to be rooted in this watery defense, fostering a deep-seated pride and self-assurance that neglected God's ultimate sovereignty. It contrasts the earthly, self-assured might with God's power over the elements and human works.
- "your builders have perfected your beauty": This group of words highlights human craftsmanship at its peak. The "builders" are specific to Tyre, indicating an indigenous, dedicated effort. "Perfected your beauty" suggests a conscious, deliberate achievement of supreme aesthetic and structural excellence, elevating Tyre to a masterpiece of human design. This human accomplishment, while admirable in itself, became a fount of hubris, setting up the city for a fall by implying self-sufficiency and an overshadowing of the Creator.
Ezekiel 27 4 Bonus section
The metaphor of Tyre as a majestic ship, starting its description from its geographical base and then its aesthetic completion in this verse, sets up a direct parallel for the entire chapter where its components are described as parts of a grand vessel. The "perfected beauty" can also allude to the king of Tyre in Ez 28:17, whose "heart was lifted up because of his beauty," further illustrating how material or aesthetic perfection, when untempered by humility, often leads to spiritual corruption and a fall. The perceived invincibility from its watery embrace, much like Edom's rock fortresses in Obadiah, represents the illusion of security outside of divine protection, ultimately to be shattered by God's judgment.
Ezekiel 27 4 Commentary
Ezekiel 27:4 serves as a powerful foundational statement for the entire lament against Tyre. It distills two primary elements that defined Tyre: its seemingly impregnable geographical position "in the heart of the seas" and its extraordinary humanly crafted magnificence, a "perfected beauty." The "heart of the seas" portrays Tyre as not just a coastal city but a master of the waves, whose very boundaries were the water itself, a symbol of isolation and maritime power. This location imbued Tyre with a sense of invulnerability against land armies, contributing significantly to its pride. Simultaneously, the reference to "your builders have perfected your beauty" points directly to human endeavor and artistic achievement. Tyre's splendor was a product of meticulous human planning and execution, reflecting self-reliance and national boastfulness. This verse concisely frames Tyre's essence as a proud, self-sufficient entity whose strength and glory were entirely its own making and dwelling, laying bare the foundation of its eventual downfall – the sin of hubris and disregard for divine authority. It reminds us that no matter how secure or beautiful human endeavors may seem, without God's foundation and blessing, they are inherently fragile.