Ezekiel 26:21
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 page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just about Tyre being destroyed; it's about its complete erasure from history, so utterly gone that even its memory and physical remnants vanish, making it a terrifying, permanent example of God's judgment. The promise that it will "never be found again" emphasizes a finality that transcends mere defeat, pointing to a disappearance so absolute that all traces are wiped out forever.
This declaration marks the absolute conclusion of God's judgment against the proud city of Tyre. Ezekiel has just described Tyre's former glory and its eventual, utter destruction by Nebuchadnezzar's siege and subsequent calamities, leaving the island city so completely annihilated that no trace of it would ever be found again. This final verse seals that fate, emphasizing its total disappearance and the lasting dread it would inspire.
Imagine a city so powerful, so prosperous, that its downfall sends shockwaves across the known world. Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre paints a picture of absolute destruction, not just a temporary setback, but a complete erasure.
God declares through Ezekiel that Tyre will meet a 'dreadful end.' This isn't simply about military defeat; it's about a divine judgment designed to be a 'terror' to all who witness or hear of it. The language emphasizes not just destruction, but an utter annihilation that serves as a stark warning. This concept of divine judgment is a recurring theme in Scripture, reminding us that God is sovereign and will hold nations and peoples accountable for their actions, especially those that defy Him and oppress His people.
What does it mean to be 'no more'? Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre isn't just about its destruction, but its utter disappearance from existence and memory.
The verse powerfully states, 'you shall be no more.' This signifies more than just the end of Tyre's political power or economic prosperity. The prophecy assures that Tyre, as it was known, would cease to exist. Even if people searched for it, 'you will never be found again.' This speaks to a finality and completeness in God's judgment. It's a profound declaration of God's power to erase, to remove, and to ensure that His pronouncements have ultimate and lasting effect. It assures us that what God declares will come to pass, leaving no trace of the former state.
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.
Ezekiel's prophecy speaks of Tyre's utter, permanent disappearance as a major power. While the city itself was rebuilt and existed for centuries, its original, dominant form was indeed destroyed, and its location on the mainland was rendered uninhabitable, fulfilling the chilling words that it would be sought but never truly found again in its former glory.
c. 586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, besieged Tyre for thirteen years. While the exact outcome is debated, historical accounts suggest the city either capitulated or the Babylonians withdrew without achieving complete victory.
332 BC— this verse
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great besieged and captured Tyre after an arduous seven-month campaign. He famously built a causeway to reach the island city, a feat that echoes the prophecy of Tyre's utter destruction and disappearance.
c. 300 BC onwards
Rise of New Tyre
After Alexander's conquest, Tyre was rebuilt on the island. This 'New Tyre' flourished, becoming a significant commercial and Christian center, but it never regained the global dominance of Old Tyre.
AD 313
Christianity Legalized in Roman Empire
This passage describes the complete desolation of Babylon, which, like Tyre, will become uninhabited and forgotten, echoing the profound finality of God's judgment on wicked cities.
Ezekiel 28:19This verse, speaking of the King of Tyre, prophesies his utter destruction and disappearance, mirroring the theme of total annihilation and the end of an era found in Ezekiel 26:21.
Revelation 18:21This New Testament passage uses similar language to describe the judgment of 'Babylon the great,' a symbolic representation of oppressive systems, stating it will be 'hurled into the sea with great violence' and 'will never be found again,' powerfully reinforcing the concept of irreversible ruin.
Psalm 37:36This Psalm contrasts the fate of the wicked with the righteous, noting how the wicked are cut off and vanish, even when sought, which parallels the absolute disappearance of Tyre described in Ezekiel.
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 verse isn't just about Tyre being destroyed; it's about its complete erasure from history, so utterly gone that even its memory and physical remnants vanish, making it a terrifying, permanent example of God's judgment. The promise that it will "never be found again" emphasizes a finality that transcends mere defeat, pointing to a disappearance so absolute that all traces are wiped out forever.
This declaration marks the absolute conclusion of God's judgment against the proud city of Tyre. Ezekiel has just described Tyre's former glory and its eventual, utter destruction by Nebuchadnezzar's siege and subsequent calamities, leaving the island city so completely annihilated that no trace of it would ever be found again. This final verse seals that fate, emphasizing its total disappearance and the lasting dread it would inspire.
This declaration marks the absolute conclusion of God's judgment against the proud city of Tyre. Ezekiel has just described Tyre's former glory and its eventual, utter destruction by Nebuchadnezzar's siege and subsequent calamities, leaving the island city so completely annihilated that no trace of it would ever be found again. This final verse seals that fate, emphasizing its total disappearance and the lasting dread it would inspire.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 26:21 is available in the Sola app.
Tyre became an important bishopric within the Roman Empire, with a significant Christian population and a reputation for martyrdom, showing it was still a notable city.
AD 636
Arab Conquest of Tyre
Tyre fell to the Arab Muslim armies, marking another shift in its political and cultural identity and contributing to its eventual decline as a major world power.
1124 AD
Crusader Capture of Tyre
During the Crusades, Tyre was captured by Christian forces and became a significant port and stronghold for the Kingdom of Jerusalem. This demonstrates its continued existence as a recognizable city, though its ancient glory was long past.
"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 verse isn't just about Tyre being destroyed; it's about its complete erasure from history, so utterly gone that even its memory and physical remnants vanish, making it a terrifying, permanent ex…
