Ezekiel 26:14
I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easy to miss here is the stark, absolute contrast between Tyre's former glory and its future desolation. God doesn't just say it will be destroyed; He says it will become a "bare rock" where fishermen dry their nets, stripped of all its former splendor and never to rise again as the powerful city it once was. This isn't just ruin; it's a complete, utter end to its identity as a great metropolis.
Ezekiel has just delivered a severe judgment against Tyre for rejoicing over Jerusalem's destruction. Now, he emphasizes the utter desolation that will come upon Tyre itself, describing it becoming a barren, exposed rock. This complete destruction ensures Tyre will never be rebuilt to its former glory, a testament to God's spoken word and sovereign power.
Imagine a vibrant, wealthy metropolis completely reduced to desolation. Ezekiel 26:14 paints a stark picture of this future for Tyre. How does God's judgment turn a city into a barren landscape?
God declares through Ezekiel that Tyre will be transformed into a 'bare rock.' This isn't just about destruction; it's about a complete erasure of its former glory and identity.
A Complete Erasure
In a world of shifting promises, what makes God's declaration about Tyre so absolute? It's not just a prediction; it's a divine decree with eternal weight.
The prophecy culminates with the powerful assertion: 'for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.' This isn't a casual statement; it's the bedrock of the entire prophecy.
Divine Authority
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The sovereign Ruler of the universe, the covenant-keeping God of Israel. The use of this name emphasizes His personal relationship with His people and His authority over all nations and history.
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
A title for God emphasizing His absolute sovereignty and lordship over all creation. It is a compound form, often used in prophetic literature to denote the ultimate authority of the Creator to command and judge.
This prophecy against Tyre is remarkable for its long-term fulfillment. While Nebuchadnezzar's actions initiated its decline, it was Alexander the Great's complete destruction of the island city that most dramatically set the stage for its becoming a 'bare rock' – a place for fishermen to dry their nets, a state from which it has never truly recovered its former splendor.
c. 586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged the island city of Tyre for 13 years. While he eventually conquered the mainland settlements, the island fortress remained largely intact, though its prosperity was severely damaged.
332 BC— this verse
Alexander the Great's Conquest of Tyre
Alexander besieged the island city of Tyre for seven months, eventually building a causeway to reach it. The city was utterly destroyed, and its inhabitants were either killed or enslaved, fulfilling aspects of the prophecy.
c. 332 BC - Roman Period
Rebuilding and Continued Occupation
After Alexander's conquest, Tyre was rebuilt and continued to be a significant city under Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine rule, though it never regained its former glory and was eventually sacked by Crusaders and later the Mamluks.
1291 AD
Mamluk Destruction of Tyre
This verse directly parallels Ezekiel 26:14 by describing Tyre as a 'bare rock,' setting the stage for its utter desolation and inability to be rebuilt.
Isaiah 23:15-16This passage speaks of Tyre being forgotten for seventy years and then resuming its commercial activities, offering a perspective on the cycles of Tyre's prosperity and downfall before its ultimate, permanent ruin described in Ezekiel.
Jeremiah 25:22This verse broadens the scope to include the surrounding nations in God's judgment, showing that Tyre's destruction was part of a larger, divinely orchestrated judgment against those who defied the Lord.
Amos 1:9-10This passage also prophesies against Tyre, specifically mentioning the breaking of their covenant and the scattering of their people, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the judgment that would lead to their ruin.
barnesEzekiel 26:14: "And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD."
The siege had been on land, but the victory was to be completed by the subjection of the island-citadel.
cambridgeEzekiel 26:14: "And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD."
14 . the top of a rock ] a naked rock , Ezekiel 26:4 .
What's easy to miss here is the stark, absolute contrast between Tyre's former glory and its future desolation. God doesn't just say it will be destroyed; He says it will become a "bare rock" where fishermen dry their nets, stripped of all its former splendor and never to rise again as the powerful city it once was. This isn't just ruin; it's a complete, utter end to its identity as a great metropolis.
Ezekiel has just delivered a severe judgment against Tyre for rejoicing over Jerusalem's destruction. Now, he emphasizes the utter desolation that will come upon Tyre itself, describing it becoming a barren, exposed rock. This complete destruction ensures Tyre will never be rebuilt to its former glory, a testament to God's spoken word and sovereign power.
Ezekiel has just delivered a severe judgment against Tyre for rejoicing over Jerusalem's destruction. Now, he emphasizes the utter desolation that will come upon Tyre itself, describing it becoming a barren, exposed rock. This complete destruction ensures Tyre will never be rebuilt to its former glory, a testament to God's spoken word and sovereign power.
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Tyre was sacked and ravaged by the Mamluks, marking a significant decline in its importance and population. This event further contributed to the prophecy's fulfillment of its ultimate desolation.
"I will make you a bare rock. You shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall never be rebuilt, for I am the LORD; I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD." — What's easy to miss here is the stark, absolute contrast between Tyre's former glory and its future desolation. God doesn't just say it will be destroyed; He says it will become a "bare rock" where f…
