And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about silencing music; it's about the complete removal of the sounds of joy and prosperity that defined Tyre, a city renowned for its culture and commerce. God declares He will directly erase the very markers of its vibrant life, leaving behind an absolute silence where once there was lively celebration.
And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God is speaking directly to the prosperous city of Tyre, declaring His judgment upon them for their pride and exploitation of others. This prophecy recounts Tyre's future utter desolation and the complete end of its vibrant commerce and joyous life, symbolized by the silencing of all music and celebration. The surrounding context emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God, bringing a profound and permanent stillness to a city once filled with the sounds of revelry and trade.
Imagine a city known for its vibrant music and joyous celebrations. What happens when all that sound suddenly stops?
Tyre was a city defined by its wealth, culture, and the evident joy it brought. Its songs and the music of its lyres weren't just entertainment; they were outward expressions of prosperity and pride. God declares through Ezekiel that this music, a symbol of Tyre's self-sufficiency and boasting, would cease.
This wasn't just about losing a pleasant pastime. It was about God directly intervening to strip away the very things Tyre relied on for its identity and glory. Their jubilant sounds were a sign of their confidence in their own power and riches, not in God. The silence that follows is the sound of judgment, a stark contrast to their former revelry.
When disaster strikes, it's easy to see it as random chance. But Scripture reveals a divine authority behind such events.
The prophecy isn't a passive prediction; it's an active declaration. The phrase 'I will cause' appears multiple times in this prophecy, emphasizing that God Himself is orchestrating the downfall of Tyre. He is the one who will stop the music, silence the lyres, and bring about devastation.
This highlights a crucial theological point: God is sovereign, even over judgments that affect nations and cities. He uses human actions (like Nebuchadnezzar's invasion) as instruments of His will. The destruction of Tyre serves as a divine statement against its arrogance, its exploitation of others, and its self-reliance, demonstrating that earthly powers and pleasures are ultimately subject to God's decree.
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What does a city's silence truly signify beyond the absence of noise?
The silencing of Tyre's songs and lyres points to a complete and utter desolation. This isn't just a temporary pause in festivities; it signifies the end of Tyre as a vibrant, thriving center.
This deep silence represents the death of its culture, the end of its trade, and the finality of its destruction. It becomes a place where nets are spread, a stark image of emptiness and abandonment, as described in later verses of the chapter. The absence of music becomes the loudest testament to God's judgment, a place once filled with the sounds of life now utterly void and silent.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre, delivered during the Babylonian exile, uses the city's vibrant culture and music as symbols of its impending judgment. The silencing of its songs and harps represents the complete cessation of its joy, wealth, and influence, a stark contrast to the exiles' own sorrow and a warning against misplaced trust in worldly prosperity.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, a significant event that signaled the decline of neighboring states and foreshadowed future conquests.
c. 701 BC
Siege of Jerusalem
The Assyrian King Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem during the reign of King Hezekiah. While Jerusalem is spared, the surrounding Judean cities fall, demonstrating Assyria's military might.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Jerusalem and deports some of the royal family and nobility, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
597 BC— this verse
Second Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar deports more of Judah's elite, including the prophet Ezekiel and King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. This is the context in which Ezekiel receives his prophecies.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar utterly destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Kingdom of Judah and completing the Babylonian exile. This event deeply impacted the exiles' understanding of God's judgment.
573 BC
Prophecy Against Tyre
Ezekiel delivers prophecies against the wealthy and proud Phoenician city-state of Tyre, which had allied with Egypt against Babylon. This prophecy foretells Tyre's utter destruction and desolation.
This passage similarly describes the downfall of Tyre, mentioning their 'merchandise and hire' will be 'holiness to the LORD,' implying a spiritual transformation and cessation of their worldly pursuits, which would include their music.
Jeremiah 7:34This verse foretells a similar silencing of joy and celebration in Judah due to sin, stating 'the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride' will cease, paralleling the loss of music and song in Tyre.
Revelation 18:22This New Testament passage describes the judgment of a great city (often interpreted as a spiritual successor to Tyre) and explicitly states that 'the sound of the harpist and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will not be heard in you anymore,' directly echoing Ezekiel's prophecy.
Ezekiel 28:13While focusing on the king of Tyre's sin, this passage lists the elaborate and costly music and instruments he possessed, providing context for the richness of the songs and harps that Ezekiel 26:13 says will be silenced.
gillEzekiel 26:13: "And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard."
And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease,.... As this city abounded with riches, so with carnal mirth and pleasure; it was a "joyous city", Isaiah 23:7 , the inhabitants lived merrily and jovially; were much given to music, which was very diverting and amusing to foreigners that traded with them; but now it would be all over with them; there would be no more songs, nor a…
ellicottEzekiel 26:13: "And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard."
(13) I will cause. —Here God speaks of His own direct action, and declares that all these calamities are ordered by Him; and in this and the following verse the prophecy of Ezekiel 26:4-5 , is repeated that Tyre shall be utterly wasted and desolate, and never be rebuilt. In Ezekiel 26:15-21 the effect of the fall of Tyre upon other maritime people is set forth. It is to be remem…
This isn't just about silencing music; it's about the complete removal of the sounds of joy and prosperity that defined Tyre, a city renowned for its culture and commerce. God declares He will directly erase the very markers of its vibrant life, leaving behind an absolute silence where once there was lively celebration.
God is speaking directly to the prosperous city of Tyre, declaring His judgment upon them for their pride and exploitation of others. This prophecy recounts Tyre's future utter desolation and the complete end of its vibrant commerce and joyous life, symbolized by the silencing of all music and celebration. The surrounding context emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God, bringing a profound and permanent stillness to a city once filled with the sounds of revelry and trade.
God is speaking directly to the prosperous city of Tyre, declaring His judgment upon them for their pride and exploitation of others. This prophecy recounts Tyre's future utter desolation and the complete end of its vibrant commerce and joyous life, symbolized by the silencing of all music and celebration. The surrounding context emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God, bringing a profound and permanent stillness to a city once filled with the sounds of revelry and trade.
"And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more." — This isn't just about silencing music; it's about the complete removal of the sounds of joy and prosperity that defined Tyre, a city renowned for its culture and commerce. God declares He will direct…
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Last reviewed October 2026