The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to barter for your wares.
English Standard Version (ESV)
While it sounds like Tyre was simply hiring out ships and workers, notice how the text says the skilled men of Gebal were "your caulkers." This wasn't just about trade; it highlights how Tyre's influence was so vast that even essential, specialized tradesmen from other skilled cities were integrated into its operations, serving as the very "seam-seal" that held its maritime dominance together.
The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to barter for your wares.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel's prophecy continues its detailed lament over the mighty city of Tyre, this time personifying Tyre as a magnificent ship. The preceding verses established Tyre's unparalleled beauty and strength. This verse describes the skilled craftsmen and vast maritime resources drawn from various cities, like Gebal (Byblos), who were essential for maintaining Tyre's fleet and facilitating its extensive trade.
Tyre, the magnificent trading city, wasn't just about goods. It was powered by people with specialized skills.
Ezekiel 27 paints a vivid picture of Tyre's economic engine, and verse 9 highlights the crucial role of skilled labor. The 'ancients of Gebal' and their 'wise men' were the 'calkers' – the experts who sealed the seams of ships.
More Than Just Repair
This wasn't just basic maintenance. These were experienced, master craftsmen, essential for building and maintaining the vast fleet that made Tyre a global power. Their expertise ensured ships were seaworthy, able to withstand long voyages and carry precious cargo. This points to a deeper truth: even the most impressive commercial empires are built on the foundation of human skill and dedication.
Imagine a bustling harbor filled with ships from every corner of the known world, all converging on one city.
Ezekiel 27:9 vividly describes Tyre as a central hub for international shipping. It wasn't just that Tyre had ships; rather, 'all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee.'
The World's Marketplace
This phrase suggests that Tyre's ports were so significant that ships from all over were drawn there. They weren't just passing through; they were actively engaged ('to occupy thy merchandise') – buying, selling, and trading Tyre's vast array of goods. This illustrates the immense reach of Tyre's economy and its role as a pivotal marketplace where the world's commerce intersected.
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Understand the original words
zaqen · Hebrew Noun
In the Old Testament, 'elders' refer to the leadership, wisdom, and governing authorities of a community or city, often representing the maturity and experience of a civilization.
ma'arav · Hebrew Verb
A metaphorical and practical term describing the exchange of goods and commerce. In a biblical context, it often highlights the vanity or moral danger inherent in worldly wealth and material accumulation.
This verse highlights how Tyre, a dominant maritime power, relied on the specialized skills of its Phoenician neighbors, like the skilled shipbuilders and caulkers from Gebal (Byblos), showcasing the interconnectedness of the ancient Near Eastern economy.
c. 1000 BC
Solomon's Temple Construction
King Solomon of Israel hired skilled Phoenician craftsmen, including many from Gebal (Byblos), to assist in building the First Temple in Jerusalem, demonstrating the long-standing maritime and construction expertise of these cities.
c. 8th Century BC
Assyrian Influence in Phoenicia
Assyrian kings exerted increasing political and economic control over Phoenician city-states like Tyre and Gebal, often demanding tribute and integrating them into their vast empire.
c. 701 BC
Sennacherib's Campaign in Phoenicia
The Assyrian king Sennacherib campaigned against Phoenician cities, further solidifying Assyrian dominance and impacting the region's trade routes and political independence.
c. 680 BC— this verse
Assyrian Kingsponsor of Tyre
Assyrian kings continued to exert influence, with Tyre being a key economic center within their empire, drawing skilled labor and resources from surrounding Phoenician cities.
586 BC
Babylonian Destruction of Jerusalem
The Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple marked a major shift in regional power, though Tyre, initially allied with Babylon, eventually faced its own siege.
This passage highlights the ancient connection between Gebal (Giblites) and maritime trade, as they provided skilled labor for Solomon's great building projects, mirroring their expertise employed by Tyre in Ezekiel's time.
Psalm 83:7This verse lists Gebal among nations that conspired against Israel, showing its historical significance and widespread influence as a seafaring people, reinforcing the idea that Tyre drew skilled individuals from across the region.
Revelation 18:17-19This New Testament passage offers a parallel lament over the fall of a great trading city (symbolically Babylon, but reflecting Tyre's destiny), emphasizing the economic disruption and loss of all valuable trade goods and ships that followed its destruction.
Ezekiel 27:25This verse directly follows the description of Tyre's strength and describes how all the ships and mariners that traded with Tyre would lament its fall, underscoring the vast network of maritime commerce Ezekiel is detailing.
clarkeEzekiel 27:9: "The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise."
The ancients of Gebal - This was a city of Phoenicia, near Mount Libanus, Joshua 13:5 . It was called Biblos by the Greeks. Thy calkers - Those who repaired their vessels; paying, as it is termed, pitched hemp into the seams, to prevent the water from oozing through. To occupy thy merchandise - That is, to be thy agents or…
barnesEzekiel 27:9: "The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise."
Gebal - i. e., Byblos (modern Gebeil) in Phoenicia, the chief seat of the worship of Adonis, and situated on an eminence over-looking the river Adonis, north of Beirut, not far from the Mediterranean sea. The "ancients" is a term for the council that presided over maritime cities.
While it sounds like Tyre was simply hiring out ships and workers, notice how the text says the skilled men of Gebal were "your caulkers." This wasn't just about trade; it highlights how Tyre's influence was so vast that even essential, specialized tradesmen from other skilled cities were integrated into its operations, serving as the very "seam-seal" that held its maritime dominance together.
Ezekiel's prophecy continues its detailed lament over the mighty city of Tyre, this time personifying Tyre as a magnificent ship. The preceding verses established Tyre's unparalleled beauty and strength. This verse describes the skilled craftsmen and vast maritime resources drawn from various cities, like Gebal (Byblos), who were essential for maintaining Tyre's fleet and facilitating its extensive trade.
Ezekiel's prophecy continues its detailed lament over the mighty city of Tyre, this time personifying Tyre as a magnificent ship. The preceding verses established Tyre's unparalleled beauty and strength. This verse describes the skilled craftsmen and vast maritime resources drawn from various cities, like Gebal (Byblos), who were essential for maintaining Tyre's fleet and facilitating its extensive trade.
"The elders of Gebal and her skilled men were in you, caulking your seams; all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to barter for your wares." — While it sounds like Tyre was simply hiring out ships and workers, notice how the text says the skilled men of Gebal were "your caulkers." This wasn't just about trade; it highlights how Tyre's influ…
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Last reviewed October 2026