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“Son of man, Tyre has rejoiced over the fall of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Ha! She who was the gateway to the rich trade routes to the east has been broken, and I am the heir! Because she has been made desolate, I will become wealthy!’
Ezekiel 26:2 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken: the gate of the peoples; she is turned to me; I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste:
  • KJV Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste:
  • BSB “Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’
  • NKJV “Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.’
  • NASB “Son of man, because Tyre has said in regard to Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gateway of the peoples is broken; it has opened to me. I shall be filled, now that she is laid waste,’

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Tyre rejoiced over Jerusalem's fall, hoping to profit from her ruin as a rival trade gateway. It exposes the sin of greed that celebrates another's loss.

Overview

Tyre saw Jerusalem as a commercial competitor and gloated, expecting to be 'replenished' by inheriting her trade. This self-interested malice, rejoicing at a neighbor's devastation, provokes God's judgment. The passage warns that prosperity gained by delighting in others' ruin is offensive to the Lord, who calls His people instead to love their neighbor.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 22

  • Isa 23:1–18The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.
  • Jer 25:22and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea;
  • Joel 3:4“Yes, and what are you to me, Tyre, and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Will you repay me? And if you repay me, I will swiftly and speedily return your repayment on your own head.
  • Ezek 36:2Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because the enemy has said against you, Aha! and, The ancient high places are ours in possession;
  • 2 Sam 5:11Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, with cedar trees, carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house.
  • Jer 49:1Of the children of Ammon. Yahweh says: “Has Israel no sons? has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in its cities?
  • Zech 9:2–4and Hamath, also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, because they are very wise.
  • Ezek 25:6For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have clapped your hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced with all the despite of your soul against the land of Israel;
  • Ezek 25:2–3Son of man, set your face toward the children of Ammon, and prophesy against them:
  • Ezek 27:1–28Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying,
  • Ezek 25:10to the children of the east, to go against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the children of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations.
  • Ps 83:2–4For, behold, your enemies are stirred up. Those who hate you have lifted up their heads.
  • Josh 19:29The border turned to Ramah, to the fortified city of Tyre; and the border turned to Hosah. It ended at the sea by the region of Achzib;
  • Ps 40:15Let them be desolate by reason of their shame that tell me, “Aha! Aha!”
  • Ps 83:7Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
  • Jer 27:3Then send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
  • Ps 70:3Let them be turned because of their shame Who say, “Aha! Aha!”
  • Amos 1:9–10Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment; because they delivered up the whole community to Edom, and didn’t remember the brotherly covenant;
  • Jer 47:4because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains; for Yahweh will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.
  • Lam 1:1How the city sits solitary, that was full of people! She has become as a widow, who was great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become tributary!
  • Ps 35:21Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, “Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!”
  • Acts 2:5–10Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ezekiel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ezekiel 26:2YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EzekielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.

How Ezekiel 26:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.