Ezekiel 27
EasyEnglish Bible
A funeral song about Tyre
27 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘Son of man, sing a funeral song about Tyre. 3 Tyre is a city on the coast of the sea. From there, traders go across the sea to sell things to people in many other countries. This is what the Almighty Lord says to Tyre:
“Tyre, you say that you are completely beautiful.
4 Your borders reached into the middle of the sea.
Your builders made you like a great ship.
5 They used wood from the pine trees of Senir.
They used a cedar tree from Lebanon to make your mast.[a]
6 They used oak trees from Bashan to make your oars.
They used pine wood from the coasts of Cyprus to make your deck.[b]
They made it beautiful with ivory.
7 They used good linen from Egypt to make your sail.
They made it pretty with many colours.
The sail was like a flag that everyone could see.
They made tents of cloth to cover your deck.
It was blue and purple cloth that came from Cyprus island.
8 Men from Sidon and Arvad used the oars to move the ship.
Your own clever men from Tyre were your sailors.
9 Leaders from Gebal went with you.
They brought men who knew how to mend the ship.
Sailors of ships from many countries
came to buy things from you.
10 There were brave soldiers from Persia, Lydia and Libya in your army.
They hung their shields and their helmets on your walls.
They caused people to give you honour.
11 Men from Arvad and Helech were guards who stood on your walls.
Soldiers from Gammad were in your strong towers.
They hung their weapons on your walls.
They made you look very beautiful.
12 You had many valuable things to sell. So traders came from Tarshish to buy things from you. They brought silver and other good metals to pay for those things.
13 Traders from Greece, Tubal and Meshech also came to buy things from you. They paid you with slaves and with things made of bronze.
14 Men from Beth Togarmah came. They paid you with horses to use in war or for work, and also with mules.
15 Traders came to you from Rhodes and from other countries beside the sea. They paid you with ivory and with ebony wood.[c]
16 Because you had so many things to sell, traders came to you from Syria. They paid you with different jewels, with valuable purple cloth, with other beautiful cloth and with good linen.
17 Traders came to you from Judah and Israel. They paid you with wheat from Minnith, with figs, with honey, with olive oil and with medicine.
18 Traders from Damascus came to you because you had many valuable things to sell. They sold you wine from Helbon and white wool from Zahar.
19 Greek men from Uzal came to buy your things. They paid you with iron and different spices.
20 Traders from Dedan sold you blankets for your horses.
21 Men from Arabia and the rulers of Kedar came to buy your things. They brought lambs, male sheep and goats to sell to you.
22 Traders from Sheba and Raamah came to buy things from you. They brought the best kinds of spices, jewels and gold to sell to you.
23 Traders came to you from Haran, Canneh and Eden, as well as from Sheba, Asshur and Kilmad. 24 They brought beautiful clothes made with expensive cloth. They also brought carpets that were made with threads of many different colours.[d] And they brought strong ropes. They brought these things to sell in your markets. 25 Big ships from Tarshish carried your valuable things across the sea.
You, Tyre, were like a great ship in the middle of the sea.
You were full with a heavy load of many things.
26 Your sailors took you into the great waves of the sea.
There, a strong east wind has caused you to break into small pieces.
27 All your valuable things and your riches will fall into the deep sea.
All your sailors, your captains, your traders and your soldiers
will also fall into the sea.
Yes, everyone in you will drown in the sea
on that day when you break into pieces.
28 When your sailors call out for help,
the cities on the coast of the sea will shake.
29 All the sailors of other ships will leave their ships.
The sailors and their captains will stand on the shore of the sea.
30 They will weep loudly because they are very upset about you.
They will throw dirt on their heads.
They will lie down in ashes.
31 They will cut all the hair off their heads.
They will wear sackcloth.
They will weep and be very upset
because of the terrible thing that has happened to you.
32 As they weep, they will sing this funeral song about you:
‘Tyre was the greatest city.
But now it lies at the bottom of the sea
and nobody knows that it is there.’
33 Your valuable things went to many people
in nations across the sea.
People were happy with the things that they received from you.
Even kings in far places became rich because of you.
34 Now the sea has broken you into pieces.
You have fallen to the bottom of the deep sea.
All your valuable things and the people who worked in you
lie at the bottom of the sea.
35 The people who live on the coast of the sea are afraid,
because of what has happened to you.
Their kings shake with fear.
Their faces look very sad.
36 Traders from other nations keep away from you.
A terrible thing has happened to you.
It will be the end of you for ever.” ’
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