I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord GOD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about a city disappearing; it's about the complete annihilation of its identity. The promise isn't merely that Tyre will be destroyed, but that even if people search for it, its former glory and existence will be utterly erased, leaving no trace or memory behind. This speaks to a judgment so thorough it eradicates a nation's very place in history.
I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord GOD.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just finished detailing the complete destruction of the proud city of Tyre, emphasizing how its fall will shake the nations. Now, He declares that Tyre will not just be destroyed but utterly erased, becoming a terrifying example of divine judgment that will leave no trace of its former glory. This finality is so absolute that the city, once a renowned center of commerce and power, will be sought after in vain, never to be found again.
Imagine a city so thoroughly destroyed that even its ruins vanish. Ezekiel's prophecy to Tyre speaks of an end so complete it defies finding.
The prophecy against Tyre in Ezekiel 26:21 describes an unparalleled destruction. God declares that Tyre will not just fall, but be utterly erased.
The Finality of God's Judgment
What happens when a nation's legacy is meant to be erased? This prophecy reveals God's intention not just to judge, but to make a lasting statement.
The complete destruction of Tyre wasn't just about punishment; it served a purpose in God's grand narrative. It was meant to be a testament to His sovereign power and justice.
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A Terrifying Example
Understand the original words
ballahoth · Hebrew Noun
A state of being terrified or caused to tremble, often in the context of divine judgment or the overwhelming presence of God. It signifies the removal of splendor and the onset of total destruction or ruin.
Adonai Yahweh · Hebrew Noun/Title
A title for God that combines the personal name of the covenant-keeping God (Yahweh) with the title for sovereignty (Adonai). It emphasizes God's supreme authority, lordship, and faithfulness to His covenant promises.
This prophecy about Tyre's utter destruction and disappearance wasn't fully realized by Nebuchadnezzar's siege. It was fulfilled progressively over centuries, with Alexander's conquest and later events ensuring its ancient prominence was erased, leaving no trace of the original city.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple, exiling many Israelites. This event set a precedent for God's judgment on nations.
c. 585 BC - 573 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar besieged the island city of Tyre for thirteen years. While the city eventually submitted, historical accounts are unclear on the extent of its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar's forces.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great, after a prolonged siege, conquered Tyre by building a causeway to the island. This siege resulted in significant destruction and a large-scale slave market.
c. 126 BC
Tyre Becomes Independent
Tyre gained independence from the Seleucid Empire and established itself as a powerful maritime republic, marking a resurgence after earlier conquests.
AD 33
Paul Visits Tyre
The Apostle Paul visited Tyre, where a Christian community had been established. This indicates that a city named Tyre still existed and had a significant Christian presence.
AD 1200s
Mamluk Conquest
The Mamluks conquered the region, leading to the final destruction of the Crusader city built on Tyre's ruins, leaving it largely abandoned.
This passage describes Babylon's utter destruction and disappearance, echoing Ezekiel's prophecy that Tyre would be sought but never found again, emphasizing God's complete judgment on rebellious nations.
Revelation 18:21This New Testament passage uses imagery similar to Ezekiel's judgment on Tyre to describe the final, unrecoverable destruction of a corrupt system, highlighting the theme of irrevocable divine judgment.
Ezekiel 28:19This verse, also concerning Tyre, reiterates the theme of utter annihilation and eternal disappearance, reinforcing the severity and finality of God's judgment pronounced in chapter 26.
Psalm 37:35-36This psalm contrasts the fate of the wicked, who are ultimately cut off and vanish, with the righteous, who endure, paralleling the complete erasure of Tyre with the transient existence of those who defy God.
clarkeEzekiel 26:21: "I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD."
Yet shalt thou never be found again - This is literally true; there is not the smallest vestige of the ancient Tyre, that which was erected on the main land. Even the ground seems to have been washed away; and the new Tyre is in nearly a similar state. I think this prophecy must be extended to the whole duration of Tyre. If it now be found to…
pooleEzekiel 26:21: "I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD."
A terror, or consumption; I will utterly consume thee; with more than one kind of destruction will I destroy thee, and make thee thereby a terror to all that hear the bruit of thee. Thou shalt be no more: see Ezekiel 26:14 . If any will be so curious as to inquire, if they come to seek out the footsteps of this ancient Tyre, they shall lose t…
This isn't just about a city disappearing; it's about the complete annihilation of its identity. The promise isn't merely that Tyre will be destroyed, but that even if people search for it, its former glory and existence will be utterly erased, leaving no trace or memory behind. This speaks to a judgment so thorough it eradicates a nation's very place in history.
God has just finished detailing the complete destruction of the proud city of Tyre, emphasizing how its fall will shake the nations. Now, He declares that Tyre will not just be destroyed but utterly erased, becoming a terrifying example of divine judgment that will leave no trace of its former glory. This finality is so absolute that the city, once a renowned center of commerce and power, will be sought after in vain, never to be found again.
God has just finished detailing the complete destruction of the proud city of Tyre, emphasizing how its fall will shake the nations. Now, He declares that Tyre will not just be destroyed but utterly erased, becoming a terrifying example of divine judgment that will leave no trace of its former glory. This finality is so absolute that the city, once a renowned center of commerce and power, will be sought after in vain, never to be found again.
"I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more. Though you be sought for, you will never be found again, declares the Lord GOD.”" — This isn't just about a city disappearing; it's about the complete annihilation of its identity. The promise isn't merely that Tyre will be destroyed, but that even if people search for it, its for…
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Last reviewed October 2026