Ezekiel 27:31-32
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What's striking here is that the intense mourning rituals – shaving heads bald and wearing sackcloth – were explicitly forbidden by God for His people in other parts of Scripture. This detail highlights that the profound despair and outward expressions of grief are so extreme they involve practices God deemed inappropriate, showing the utter depth of the lament over Tyre's destruction.
they make themselves bald for you and put sackcloth on their waist, and they weep over you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning. In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you and lament over you: ‘Who is like Tyre, like one destroyed in the midst of the sea?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of a powerful lament by Ezekiel over the downfall of the mighty city of Tyre, described as a magnificent ship. The prophet vividly portrays the intense grief and despair that will accompany Tyre's destruction, showing how even those who profited from its glory will be overcome with bitter mourning. This description of public displays of sorrow, like making oneself bald and wearing sackcloth, emphasizes the magnitude of the loss and the utter devastation Tyre will face.
Why would anyone make themselves bald in public grief? This wasn't just a quiet sadness; it was a dramatic, almost shocking display.
The passage describes extreme mourning rituals – shaving heads or tearing out hair, and wearing sackcloth. These weren't common practices for Israel, as God had forbidden them (Leviticus 21:5).
A Show of Despair
These actions were reserved for the most profound sorrow and despair. Making oneself 'utterly bald' was a public, physical manifestation of total devastation. Girding with sackcloth symbolized humility and deep distress.
Tyre's Loss
For the wealthy and proud city of Tyre, whose power and splendor were legendary, its fall was a catastrophe. These mourners aren't just sad; they're expressing the utter collapse of their world, a world built on commerce, pride, and a perceived invincibility.
What's the difference between a performance of grief and genuine sorrow? This verse points to a deep, soul-level pain.
Ezekiel doesn't just describe outward actions; he emphasizes the source of the grief. The mourning is 'with bitterness of heart' and results in 'bitter wailing.' This highlights a crucial distinction:
Inward vs. Outward Sorrow
While the customs like baldness and sackcloth are outward signs, the text stresses that the is internal. It's not a superficial show put on for others (like some hired mourners might do), but a profound, heartfelt anguish.
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When Foundations Crumble
This deep bitterness comes from the loss of something essential. For Tyre, it was their immense wealth, their maritime power, and their perceived security. When such foundational elements of life are destroyed, the sorrow cuts to the core of one's being.
Understand the original words
qorchah · Hebrew Noun
A ritual act of shaving the head, often signifying intense grief, shame, or total humiliation before God or as a response to severe catastrophe.
saq · Hebrew Noun
A coarse fabric, typically made of goat's hair, worn as a sign of extreme sorrow, repentance, or mourning, often associated with a state of humiliation.
merorah · Hebrew Noun
A state of deep, intense unhappiness and resentment, often linked to severe trial or the judgment of God. Biblically, it describes the emotional state of those suffering under divine discipline or tragic loss.
qinah · Hebrew Noun
A formal song, cry, or poem expressing profound grief, typically for the dead or for the fall of a city or nation. It reflects the community's acknowledgment of a catastrophic loss.
dumah · Hebrew Adjective/Participle
A person or entity brought to ruin or rendered desolate; it often carries the nuance of divine judgment where something once proud is brought down to nothing.
The lamentations described in Ezekiel 27, including making oneself bald and wearing sackcloth, vividly portray the profound grief and despair Tyre will experience. These were ancient customs of deep mourning, often forbidden to Israel as they were associated with pagan practices, highlighting the utter devastation and loss Tyre would face.
c. 590 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, laid siege to the island city of Tyre. This prolonged siege, though ultimately unsuccessful in capturing the main island, severely impacted Tyre's mainland territories and trade.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a major exile of Judeans. This event sent shockwaves throughout the ancient Near East, impacting alliances and trade routes.
c. 570s BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Prophecy Against Tyre
The prophet Ezekiel delivers a series of powerful oracles detailing the future downfall of the wealthy and proud city of Tyre, which had rejoiced over Jerusalem's destruction.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Conquers Tyre
After a seven-month siege, Alexander the Great achieved a decisive victory over Tyre by constructing a causeway to the island city. This marked the end of Tyre's independence.
This passage describes the Philistines making themselves bald in mourning for their destruction, mirroring the deep despair and cultural expressions of grief seen in Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre.
Micah 1:16Micah calls for the people to 'make themselves bald and cut off your hair for the children of your delight,' showing baldness as a sign of intense sorrow and loss, similar to the mourning for the fallen city of Tyre.
Leviticus 21:5This passage from the Law prohibits Israelite priests from making themselves bald or shaving the edges of their beards as signs of mourning, highlighting that such extreme displays of grief were a departure from God's ways and often associated with pagan practices, which makes Tyre's baldness and sackcloth even more profound as a sign of utter despair.
Revelation 18:19The lament over Babylon's fall in Revelation uses similar language of grief, with mourners casting dust on their heads and weeping, echoing the profound sorrow and destruction that Tyre's fall represents.
barnesEzekiel 27:31: "And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing."
Utterly bald - See Ezekiel 7:18 note.
pooleEzekiel 27:31: "And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing."
It was the custom of the heathen, to either pull off with their hands, or cut off, the hair of their heads in great mournings, which God forbade to his people, Leviticus 21:5 Deu 14:1 . Thus do Tyre’s mourners in baldness express their sorrow and despair. Gird them with sackcloth; another usual ceremony of mourners, well k…
What's striking here is that the intense mourning rituals – shaving heads bald and wearing sackcloth – were explicitly forbidden by God for His people in other parts of Scripture. This detail highlights that the profound despair and outward expressions of grief are so extreme they involve practices God deemed inappropriate, showing the utter depth of the lament over Tyre's destruction.
This passage is part of a powerful lament by Ezekiel over the downfall of the mighty city of Tyre, described as a magnificent ship. The prophet vividly portrays the intense grief and despair that will accompany Tyre's destruction, showing how even those who profited from its glory will be overcome with bitter mourning. This description of public displays of sorrow, like making oneself bald and wearing sackcloth, emphasizes the magnitude of the loss and the utter devastation Tyre will face.
This passage is part of a powerful lament by Ezekiel over the downfall of the mighty city of Tyre, described as a magnificent ship. The prophet vividly portrays the intense grief and despair that will accompany Tyre's destruction, showing how even those who profited from its glory will be overcome with bitter mourning. This description of public displays of sorrow, like making oneself bald and wearing sackcloth, emphasizes the magnitude of the loss and the utter devastation Tyre will face.
"they make themselves bald for you and put sackcloth on their waist, and they weep over you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning. In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you and lament over you:…" — What's striking here is that the intense mourning rituals – shaving heads bald and wearing sackcloth – were explicitly forbidden by God for His people in other parts of Scripture. This detail highlig…
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Last reviewed October 2026
