Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew in your midst have sunk with you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it sounds like a literal shipwreck, "broken by the seas" is a vivid metaphor for the overwhelming, destructive force of the Babylonian army. This imagery underscores that Tyre's riches and diverse population, the very things that made her great, are now lost with her, swallowed by the "depths of the waters" of judgment. It's a stark reminder that even the most impressive worldly gains are utterly lost when caught in God's ultimate reckoning.
Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew in your midst have sunk with you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the culmination of Ezekiel's elaborate lament over the pride and impending destruction of the wealthy city of Tyre. Having detailed Tyre's vast trading network and its luxurious lifestyle in preceding verses, the prophet now paints a vivid picture of its utter ruin. The powerful imagery shifts from Tyre as a mighty ship sailing the seas to a vessel utterly wrecked, its treasures and people lost in the deep, signaling the complete end of its dominance.
Tyre, the mighty trading city, boasted in its strength and fleet. But this verse uses a powerful image to describe its downfall. What could possibly overwhelm such a maritime power?
The prophecy likens the invading forces to destructive seas. The Babylonians, and later the Greeks, are depicted not just as an army, but as an overwhelming, uncontrollable force of nature.
A Flood of Judgment
This imagery emphasizes the totality of the destruction. Just as a ship can be shattered by colossal waves and pulled into the deep, Tyre is overwhelmed by its enemies. The "seas" here represent the Babylonian army, a force so vast and powerful it could engulf the entire city.
Beyond Human Control
When God brings judgment, it's not like a skirmish; it's like a natural disaster. The enemies are not just soldiers; they are the instruments of divine wrath, acting with the unstoppable force of a tempest.
Tyre was a global hub of trade, a city teeming with merchants and diverse peoples. What happens to all that vibrancy when disaster strikes?
This verse paints a stark picture of utter devastation, where not only the city's structure but its entire economic and social fabric is destroyed.
Trade Reduced to Rubble
Tyre's pride was its wealth, its "merchandise" from all corners of the known world. The prophecy declares that all of it sinks. The bustling markets, the exotic goods, the profits – all are gone, swallowed by the "waters."
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Every Soul Lost
"All your company" refers to everyone within the city: its citizens, its sailors, its hired soldiers, and the foreign traders. The catastrophe spares no one. This highlights the communal nature of God's judgment – it affects the entire entity, leaving no remnant of its former glory.
Ezekiel's vivid imagery of Tyre being wrecked by the sea and sinking into the depths powerfully portrays the city's utter destruction. This language echoes the trauma of prolonged sieges, particularly the Babylonian siege, where Tyre's wealth and people were submerged under overwhelming force, mirroring a foundering ship.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian Siege of Tyre
Tyre successfully withstands a 5-year siege by the Neo-Assyrian Empire under Shalmaneser V. This demonstrates Tyre's resilience and maritime strength.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II destroys Jerusalem and exiles many Judeans. This event marks the growing power of Babylon in the region.
574–563 BC— this verse
Babylonian Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar II lays siege to mainland Tyre for 13 years. While the city endures, it signifies a major challenge to Tyre's dominance and its naval power.
332 BC
Siege of Tyre by Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great captures the island city of Tyre after a seven-month siege, building a causeway to reach it. This marks a significant loss of independence for Tyre.
This passage echoes the judgment against a proud city, describing destruction as a fire that consumes and brings ruin, similar to the complete wreckage of Tyre described in Ezekiel.
Revelation 18:17-19This New Testament passage offers a profound parallel, depicting the fall of a great commercial city and the lamentation over its complete destruction, mirroring the fate of Tyre with its trade and people lost.
Isaiah 23:1-14This earlier prophecy against Tyre already foretold its humiliation and destruction, setting the stage for the detailed account of its final ruin by the seas as described by Ezekiel.
Luke 5:6-7This passage illustrates a miraculous catch of fish so large it begins to sink the boats, visually representing how overwhelming abundance or disaster can lead to total loss, much like Tyre's downfall.
gillEzekiel 27:34: "In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall."
In the time when thou shall be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters..... By the Chaldean army, which came upon them like the waves of the sea, Ezekiel 26:3 by which they were overpowered and destroyed; just as a ship on the mighty waters is dashed and broke to pieces by the waves thereof: thy merchandise, and all thy compan…
wesleyEzekiel 27:34: "In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall."
27:34 By the seas - The Babylonians, that like seas shall swell, roar, and break in upon thee.
While it sounds like a literal shipwreck, "broken by the seas" is a vivid metaphor for the overwhelming, destructive force of the Babylonian army. This imagery underscores that Tyre's riches and diverse population, the very things that made her great, are now lost with her, swallowed by the "depths of the waters" of judgment. It's a stark reminder that even the most impressive worldly gains are utterly lost when caught in God's ultimate reckoning.
This verse marks the culmination of Ezekiel's elaborate lament over the pride and impending destruction of the wealthy city of Tyre. Having detailed Tyre's vast trading network and its luxurious lifestyle in preceding verses, the prophet now paints a vivid picture of its utter ruin. The powerful imagery shifts from Tyre as a mighty ship sailing the seas to a vessel utterly wrecked, its treasures and people lost in the deep, signaling the complete end of its dominance.
This verse marks the culmination of Ezekiel's elaborate lament over the pride and impending destruction of the wealthy city of Tyre. Having detailed Tyre's vast trading network and its luxurious lifestyle in preceding verses, the prophet now paints a vivid picture of its utter ruin. The powerful imagery shifts from Tyre as a mighty ship sailing the seas to a vessel utterly wrecked, its treasures and people lost in the deep, signaling the complete end of its dominance.
"Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters; your merchandise and all your crew in your midst have sunk with you." — While it sounds like a literal shipwreck, "broken by the seas" is a vivid metaphor for the overwhelming, destructive force of the Babylonian army. This imagery underscores that Tyre's riches and dive…
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Last reviewed October 2026