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)
What strikes me here is the stark, almost poetic finality in the phrase "a place for the spreading of nets." It's not just about destruction; it's about a complete and utter transformation into something mundane and humble, a fishing station, utterly devoid of its former glory. This is the ultimate irony: a city renowned for its trade and wealth reduced to a place where its humble fishing industry, once perhaps a footnote to its grandeur, becomes its sole defining characteristic.
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)
Ezekiel is proclaiming God's judgment against the proud and wealthy city of Tyre, which rejoiced when Jerusalem fell. God declares that Tyre will be utterly destroyed, not just its mainland portion, but its island fortress as well, making it a barren, desolate place. This complete ruin ensures that Tyre will never again rise to its former glory, becoming a stark, permanent monument to God's spoken word.
Tyre was a powerhouse, known for its wealth and arrogance. How does God respond to such pride, and what does this verse reveal about His judgment?
Tyre's immense pride stemmed from its wealth and strategic island location, which made it seem invincible. This verse, however, paints a stark picture of divine retribution. Instead of a bustling metropolis, God declares Tyre will be reduced to a 'bare rock,' a place for fishermen to dry their nets.
This isn't just about physical destruction; it's a profound statement about the reversal of fortune for the proud. The city that boasted of its strength and self-sufficiency would become desolate, a symbol of God's power to humble those who exalt themselves. The imagery of nets drying on a bare rock highlights the complete loss of its former glory and purpose. It's a sobering reminder that no amount of power or wealth can shield a nation from God's righteous judgment against arrogance.
God's pronouncements in Scripture are not suggestions; they carry the weight of eternal authority. What does this verse teach us about the absolute certainty of God's spoken word?
The phrase 'for I the LORD have spoken, declares the Lord GOD' is more than just a concluding remark; it's the bedrock of the prophecy's certainty. This isn't human speculation or a conditional threat. It is God, the sovereign Lord of all creation, declaring His definitive will.
His words carry inherent power and authority. When God speaks, His decree is established. The history of Tyre, with its cycles of destruction and rebuilding, might seem complex, but the ultimate, final judgment described here—its complete desolation as a fishing ground—is assured because it comes from the LORD. This underscores the reliability and immutability of God's promises and judgments. What He has declared, He will bring to pass.
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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.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre, spoken in the context of Nebuchadnezzar's victory, remarkably foretells not just that immediate destruction but also the city's eventual, permanent desolation after Alexander's siege and its later ruin, leaving it a desolate place fit only for drying fishing nets.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Destroys Mainland Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers the mainland part of Tyre after a thirteen-year siege. This event marks a significant blow to the city's power and prosperity.
c. 586-566 BC
Tyre's Seventy Years of Desolation
Following Nebuchadnezzar's conquest, the mainland city of Tyre is left in ruins for approximately seventy years, fulfilling prophecies of its temporary demise.
c. 332 BC— this verse
Alexander the Great Captures Island Tyre
Alexander the Great lays siege to the island-city of Tyre. He famously builds a causeway to reach it, eventually conquering and destroying it, fulfilling further prophecies of its devastation.
Post-Alexander
Tyre Rebuilt on the Continent
After Alexander's destruction, Tyre is rebuilt, but primarily on the mainland. This new city differs significantly from the former island stronghold.
AD 636
Arab Conquest of Tyre
Tyre is conquered by Arab forces, marking another shift in its rule and further contributing to the decline of its former glory.
1291 AD
Mamluk Destruction of Tyre
The Mamluks sack and ravage Tyre, leaving it in ruins and largely uninhabited, further fulfilling prophecies of its permanent desolation.
This verse directly echoes Ezekiel 26:14, describing Tyre as a 'bare rock' where nets will be spread, emphasizing the utter desolation and loss of its former glory.
Jeremiah 51:62-64This passage describes the destruction of Babylon in a similar fashion, with its downfall being permanent and its existence marked by silence and desolation, mirroring the fate of Tyre.
Isaiah 23:15-16This prophecy about Tyre speaks of its restoration after seventy years of obscurity, but then foretells its ultimate downfall and becoming a place for merchants to spread their nets, a later stage of the judgment seen in Ezekiel.
Revelation 18:21-22This New Testament passage describes the judgment of a great city (often interpreted as a symbolic representation of worldly powers like ancient Tyre) with imagery of being cast into the sea and never being found again, emphasizing finality and 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 strikes me here is the stark, almost poetic finality in the phrase "a place for the spreading of nets." It's not just about destruction; it's about a complete and utter transformation into something mundane and humble, a fishing station, utterly devoid of its former glory. This is the ultimate irony: a city renowned for its trade and wealth reduced to a place where its humble fishing industry, once perhaps a footnote to its grandeur, becomes its sole defining characteristic.
Ezekiel is proclaiming God's judgment against the proud and wealthy city of Tyre, which rejoiced when Jerusalem fell. God declares that Tyre will be utterly destroyed, not just its mainland portion, but its island fortress as well, making it a barren, desolate place. This complete ruin ensures that Tyre will never again rise to its former glory, becoming a stark, permanent monument to God's spoken word.
Ezekiel is proclaiming God's judgment against the proud and wealthy city of Tyre, which rejoiced when Jerusalem fell. God declares that Tyre will be utterly destroyed, not just its mainland portion, but its island fortress as well, making it a barren, desolate place. This complete ruin ensures that Tyre will never again rise to its former glory, becoming a stark, permanent monument to God's spoken word.
"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 strikes me here is the stark, almost poetic finality in the phrase "a place for the spreading of nets." It's not just about destruction; it's about a complete and utter transformation into somet…
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Last reviewed October 2026