ezekiel 25 and 26

Read Ezekiel 25 and 26 at Bible Gateway.

Hebrew paragraph divisions

Eze 25:1-5 {p} The prophecy against the Ammonites, because they rejoiced at Judah’s desolation
Eze 25:6-7 {p} Because they rejoiced against the land of Israel, they will perish from the nations
Eze 25:8-11 {p} The prophecy against Moab: she shall be cleared of her cities + given to the East
Eze 25:12-17 {s} The prophecy against Edom + Philistia, because they took vengeance on Judah
Eze 26:1-6 {p} Prophecy against Tyre: nations shall come against you, break down your walls
Eze 26:7-14 {s} Nebuchadnezzar shall come against Tyre/ she shall not be rebuilt
Eze 26:15-18 {s} The lament of the princes of the sea over the destruction of Tyre
Eze 26:19-21 {p} YHVH to make Tyre a desolation/ descent to the Pit, never to be inhabited again

Eze 26 is the beginning of the prophecy against Tyre (which is concluded in Eze 27 and 28). This chapter is one the skeptics use to say that the biblical prophecies are inaccurate, because these prophecies were never fulfilled the way the Bible says they will be. But if we look at them with the teaching tools of Scripture, some interesting truths surface that would otherwise be missed.

The city of Tyre existed in two parts: the island city, and the city on the seacoast closest to it. Both cities were surrounded by defensive walls and strongly fortified. The LORD proclaims that He will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre, who will lay siege to it, and destroy the city (Eze 26:7-11). In fact, Nebuchadnezzar did lay siege to Tyre. Before the island city could be taken, the seacoast city of Tyre first had to be overcome. It was the seacoast city which Nebuchadnezzar besieged for thirteen years, beginning three years following Ezekiel’s prophecy. At the end of the siege, the seacoast city did fall to Nebuchadnezzar, but the island city did not. Nebuchadnezzar gave up the attempt after taking the seacoast city.

Notice that in Eze 26:7-11, the LORD proclaims what Nebuchadnezzar will do against Tyre: “He will slay with the sword;” “he will heap up a siege mound;” “he will direct his battering rams.” But in verse 12, the grammar changes: all of the sudden, the one who is destroying the city, is “they:” “They will plunder your riches;” “They will lay your stones in the midst of the water.” The LORD is no longer speaking of Nebuchadnezzar, but He is still speaking of the king of kings. In fact, the next king to besiege Tyre, the island city (for the seacoast city was destroyed) was Alexander the Great and the Macedonians. In fact, they did use the stones and timbers of the destroyed seacoast city to build a causeway out to the island city, from which they were able to breach the strong walls of the island city and finish the destruction of Tyre.

Today the place of the island city is mostly covered by water, as the causeway built by Alexander changed the shore currents; but a few rocky outcrops remain. The sea birds nest there, and fishermen spread their nets there.