< Ezekiel 27 >

1 Yahweh said this to me:
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “You human, sing a funeral song about Tyre.
“Son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre.
3 [The city of] is located [on an island] at the edge of the sea, and their merchants (traded/bought and sold goods) with people-groups [who live] along many seacoasts. This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say [that you should tell them]: ‘You [people of] Tyre said that your [city] was very beautiful.
Tell Tyre, the city that stands at the gateway to the sea, supplying goods to many overseas nations, that this is what the Lord God says: Tyre, you say to yourself, ‘I'm so beautiful!’
4 You controlled what was bought and sold by people who lived along the sea. Those who built your [city] caused it to become very beautiful.
Your borders extend far across the sea. Your builders put you together perfectly like a beautiful ship.
5 You were like [SIM] a huge ship that was built from the from pine/cypress [trees] on Hermon [Mountain]. Then they took cedar [wood] from Lebanon to make a mast for the ship.
They built you with pine timber from Mount Hermon. They used a cedar from Lebanon to make your mast.
6 They carved your oars from oak trees from the Bashan [region]. They made the deck from cypress/pine wood from Cyprus [island], and they covered [the decks] with ivory.
They made your oars with oaks from Bashan. They had wood from the island of Cyprus brought to make your deck and inlaid it with ivory.
7 The sails for the ship were made from fine embroidered linen from Egypt, and those sails were like flags that people could see [far away]. For shade they [hung pieces of] blue and purple cloth [brought] from [people living on] Cyprus [island].
They made your sail with the best linen from Egypt—this was your flag that everyone recognized. They used cloth dyed blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah to make your awnings.
8 Men from Sidon and Arvad [cities] pulled the oars; the men who steered the boat were skilled men from Tyre.
Men from Sidon and Arvad did the rowing in your ship. You had your own skilled sailors from Tyre.
9 Experienced craftsmen from Byblos [city on the coast] (did the caulking/filled the spaces between the planks in the sides) of the ship. Sailors from many countries came in their ships to buy and sell goods there.
Expert craftsmen from Gebal were onboard to repair any leaks. All the other ships at sea came to trade with you and their sailors bartered for your goods.
10 Men from [as far away as] Persia, Lydia, and Libya were [soldiers] in your army. They hung their shields and helmets on [the walls of] your [city], and that caused people to admire your city.
Men from Persia, Lydia, and Put were soldiers in your army. They lived among you, hanging up their shields and helmets with you, making you famous.
11 Men from Arvad and Helech [cities were watchmen] on the walls [of your city]; men from Gammad [town] were in your towers. They [also] hung their shields on your walls; they also caused your [city] to be very beautiful.
Men of Arvad and Helech defended all your city walls, while those from Gammad protected your towers. They hung their shields all around your walls. They made you so successful.
12 Because of the many things that you had [to trade], men from Tarshish [in Spain] sent merchants who brought silver, iron, tin, and lead to trade for things that you had.
Tarshish traded with you because you had so much of everything. They paid for your goods with silver, iron, tin, and lead.
13 [Merchants from] Greece, Tubal, and Meshech brought slaves and things made from bronze to trade for things that you had.
Greece, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you. They bought your goods, paying with slaves and objects made of bronze.
14 [Men from] Beth-Togarmah [in Armenia] brought work horses, war horses, and mules to trade for things that you had.
People from Beth-togarmah traded horses, war horses, and mules for your goods.
15 Merchants came to you from Rhodes [island]. [People from] nations along the coast traded with you; they brought (ivory/elephant tusks) and [valuable black] ebony [wood] to trade for things that you had.
People from Dedan traded with you. You had marketplaces in many coastal areas where the people bartered with you using ivory tusks and ebony wood.
16 Because you had very many things [to trade], people from Syria brought to you valuable turquoise stones, purple [cloth], embroidered [cloth], fine linen [cloth], and [jewelry made from] coral and rubies to trade for your things.
The Arameans traded with you because you had so much merchandise. They provided turquoise, purple cloth, embroidery, fine linen, coral, and red jasper in exchange for your goods.
17 Men from Judah and Israel brought wheat from Minnith [city in Ammon], and figs, honey, [olive] oil, and ointment to trade for your things.
Judah and the country of Israel traded with you, paying you with wheat from Minnith, pastries and honey, olive oil and balm in return for your goods.
18 Because you had very many things [to trade], men from Damascus brought wine from Helbon [town] and white wool from the Zahar [area] to trade for many things that you had.
Because you had many different products, in fact so much of everything, Damascus traded with you using wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar.
19 Greek men from the Uzal [area] brought things made of iron, and cassia [spice], and [fragrant] calamus [seeds] to trade for things that you had.
Vedan and Javan from Izal bought your goods using wrought iron, cassia, and sweet calamus.
20 [Merchants came from] Dedan [in southern Edom] bringing saddle blankets to trade for things that you had.
Dedan traded with you, providing riding blankets.
21 Men from Arabia and all the rulers of the Kedar [region] sent merchants to trade lambs and rams and male goats for things that you had.
Arabia and all the leaders of Kedar traded with you, supplying lambs, rams, and goats.
22 Merchants from Sheba and Raamah [in Arabia] brought many kinds of very good spices and jewels and gold to exchange for things that you had.
The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you, exchanging gold, the very best spices, and precious stones for your goods.
23 [Men came from] Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad [in Mesopotamia] with their goods.
Haran, Canneh, and Eden traded with you, as did Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad.
24 They brought pretty things to trade: Blue cloth, embroidered cloth, and rugs of [many] colors that were [rolled up and] tied with ropes.
In your marketplaces they traded with you, providing the finest blue clothing, embroidery, carpets made with different colored threads, and strong ropes of twisted strands.
25 Cargo ships from Tarshish carried [all] those things that you traded; and the warehouses on your island were full of all those things.’”
Trade ships from Tarshish transported your goods. You were like a ship sailing the sea, filled with heavy cargo.
26 “‘The men who row your boats took [the ships full of] cargo out on the stormy seas. But the strong east wind wrecked those cargo boats.
Your rowers took you a long way out on the water, but the east wind broke you apart in there in the open ocean.
27 Everything in the boats (was lost/sank to the bottom of the sea)— all the valuable cargo [DOU] and [many of] [HYP] the sailors and ship pilots, the ship workers and merchants and soldiers. On the day that the ships were wrecked, many of those on the ships sank to the bottom of the sea.
You've lost everything! You wealth, your goods, your cargo, your crew of sailors, officers, and repairmen, your traders and all the soldiers you had, along with everyone else on board, fall into the depths of the sea on the day of your shipwreck.
28 [The people in cities along] the coast trembled when they heard your ship pilots cry out.
The land around shakes when your sailors scream.
29 All the men who remained who pulled the oars left the ships; the sailors and pilots [go to the shore and] stand on the beach.
All the rowers abandon their ships. The sailors and all the ships' officers stand on the shore.
30 They cry aloud because of [what has happened to] your [wealth], and they weep bitterly. They throw dirt on their heads and roll around in ashes.
They shout out for you and burst out crying. They mourn for you by throwing dust on their heads and rolling in ashes.
31 They shave their heads to show that they are very sad because of [what has happened to] you, and they put on rough sackcloth. They weep for you very bitterly and mourn for you.
They shave their heads for you and clothe themselves in sackcloth. They weep for you, crying out in agony and heartfelt mourning
32 While they wail and mourn because of what has happened to you, they sing this sad funeral song: “There was certainly never [RHQ] a city like Tyre that now is silent, covered by the waves of the sea.”
As they weep and wail over you, they sing a funeral song for you: ‘Who could compare to Tyre, now destroyed out in the sea?
33 The goods that your merchants traded were things that pleased the people of many countries. Kings in very distant places became rich from the wealth that they obtained from trading with you.
You made many people happy when they received your goods from far across the sea. You made the kings of the earth rich with all your valuable goods and products.
34 But now your city is like a ship [MET] that is wrecked in the sea, and everything that was in it is broken, at the bottom of the sea. All of your cargo and your sailors have sunk to the bottom of the sea along with the ships.
Now you have been shipwrecked by the sea, sunk in deep water, and your cargo and your people have gone down with you.
35 All the people who live along the seacoast are appalled/horrified because of what has happened to you. Their kings are very horrified, [causing] their faces to be twisted [as they watch].
Everyone living on the coastlands is shocked at what happened to you. Their kings are horrified; their faces twisted with fear.
36 The merchants of the [other] nations shake their heads [because it is difficult for them to believe what has happened]; your city has disappeared, and it will not exist any more.’”
The traders of the nations hiss at you in derision; disaster has brought you down and you're finished forever.”

< Ezekiel 27 >