Ezekiel 27:1-36

YAHWEH spoke to me and said, “Son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre. Say to Tyre, the city with ports on the Mediterranean Sea, merchant city for many peoples and many islands: “ ‘Lord YAHWEH says to you: Tyre, you have boasted: “I am the most beautiful city in the world!” Your frontiers were on the high sea, and those who built you made you perfect in beauty. As if they were building a ship they used cypress from Mount Hermon for all your boards, and a tall cedar from Lebanon to make a mast to stand above you. They made your oars from oaks of Bashan, and made you a fine deck with pines they took from the coasts of Cyprus, and they decorated it with ivory. Your sails and banners were of colorful embroidered linen from Egypt. Your deck awnings were made from the finest purple and scarlet cloth from Cyprus. Your oarsmen were rulers from the cities of Sidon and Arvad, and your own seasoned men were your sailors. The elders and craftsmen of Byblos were those who caulked your seams. “ ‘Ships and sailors the world over came to trade with you. Your army was composed of warriors from Persia, Lud, and Libya. By hanging their weapons on your deck, they displayed your splendor. Soldiers from Arvad and Helech manned your walls all around. Brave warriors manned your watchtowers, hanging their shields all around your walls to make your beauty complete.’ ” “ ‘The people of Tarshish traded with you because of your abundant resources of every kind. They imported your products and exported silver, iron, tin, and lead. The Greeks along with nations of Tubal and Meshech traded with you. They sold you slaves and metal utensils. The people of Beth Togarmah traded for your goods, your war horses and work horses and mules. The people of Rhodes traded with you; many coastal lands were your special customers and paid you in ivory tusks and ebony wood. Edom traded with you emeralds, purple cloth, embroidered work and fine linen, coral and rubies for your many fine manufactured goods. Judah and the land of Israel also paid for your goods with the finest millet, spices, honey, olive oil, and balm. Damascus traded with you, for quantities of your abundant resources of every kind, furnishing you with wine from Helbon and unbleached wool, casks of wine from Izalla, polished iron, cassia and calamus in exchange for your goods. Dedan traded with you in saddle blankets. Arabia and all the sheikhs of Kedar were your clients, selling sheep and goats to you. Businessmen of Sheba and Raamah traded with you the finest spices, precious stones, and gold. Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad were your trading partners. In your marketplace they sold you gorgeous embroidered clothing, purple cloaks, multi-colored carpets, and well-made cords for your merchandise.’ ” “ ‘Heavily loaded Spanish ships carried your wares in the heart of the seas. Your oarsmen rowed you out to the open sea. Stormy east winds wrecked you and sent you to the bottom of the sea. On the day of your shipwreck, your riches, your goods, your cargo, your seamen, your sailors, your caulkers, your dealers, all the warriors you carry, and all the passengers who are aboard will sink into the heart of the sea! When they hear the shouts of your drowning sailors, the people on shore will tremble with fear. All the oarsmen will abandon ship; the seamen and sailors will come ashore. They will wail aloud over you and weep bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads in mourning and lie in ashes. They will shave their heads in sorrow for you and dress themselves in sackcloth. They will weep bitterly for you, Tyre, with heartfelt sorrow over your fall. Grieving, they will chant a funeral song for you, and wail with lament over you, saying: “Who is like Tyre, like a tower surrounded by the sea?” When you exported your goods to satisfy so many peoples with the abundance of your wealth and wares you enriched the kings of the earth. Now you are broken to pieces by the waves; you lie at the bottom of the sea. Your cargo and all your crew have foundered with you. Those who dwell on the coast and the islands are stunned at your fate. Horror is written on the faces of their kings, and their hair stands on end. Your trading partners hiss at you in scorn, for you have come to a dreadful end. You are gone forever, never to return!’ ”