Ezekiel Chapter 27 · Verse 36
The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more.
Original Language Analysis
סֹֽחֲרִים֙
The merchants
H5503
סֹֽחֲרִים֙
The merchants
Strong's:
H5503
Word #:
1 of 9
to travel round (specifically as a pedlar); intensively, to palpitate
בָּ֣עַמִּ֔ים
among the people
H5971
בָּ֣עַמִּ֔ים
among the people
Strong's:
H5971
Word #:
2 of 9
a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
שָׁרְק֖וּ
shall hiss
H8319
שָׁרְק֖וּ
shall hiss
Strong's:
H8319
Word #:
3 of 9
properly, to be shrill, i.e., to whistle or hiss (as a call or in scorn)
עָלָ֑יִךְ
H5921
עָלָ֑יִךְ
Strong's:
H5921
Word #:
4 of 9
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
הָיִ֔ית
H1961
הָיִ֔ית
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
6 of 9
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
וְאֵינֵ֖ךְ
H369
Cross References
Jeremiah 18:16To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.Psalms 37:36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.Psalms 37:10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.Jeremiah 19:8And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.Ezekiel 26:21I 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.Zephaniah 2:15This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
Historical Context
Ezekiel 26-28 was written circa 586 BC. Babylon besieged Tyre 585-573 BC. Alexander destroyed it completely 332 BC. By Roman times, Tyre was a minor port. Today, it's a small Lebanese city with ancient ruins—literally 'a terror and never shall be any more' as a commercial empire. The prophecy's fulfillment over centuries demonstrates God's sovereignty over history.
Questions for Reflection
- Why do those who profited from a system mock it when it falls?
- What does Tyre becoming 'a terror'—a cautionary example—teach subsequent generations?
- How should believers invest their lives to avoid Tyre's fate of building on temporal foundations?
Analysis & Commentary
The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more—The final verse: סֹחֲרִים בָּעַמִּים (sōḥărîm bāʿammîm, 'traders among the peoples') שָׁרְקוּ עָלָיִךְ (shārĕqû ʿālayik, 'hiss at you'). The verb שָׁרַק (shāraq) indicates shocked derision, a hissing sound expressing horror and contempt (1 Kings 9:8, Jeremiah 19:8).
Thou shalt be a terror—בַּלָּהוֹת הָיִית (ballāhôt hāyît, 'terrors you have become'), an object lesson of judgment. And never shalt be any more—וְאֵינֵךְ עַד־עוֹלָם (wĕʾênēkh ʿad-ʿôlām, 'and you are not until eternity'). This concludes the extended lament (chapters 26-28) with finality: Tyre's commercial glory is permanently ended. Those who profited from her trade now mock her—fair-weather friends revealed when prosperity ends. The chapter warns against building identity on economic achievement, participating in systems built on pride, or trusting wealth for security. Only God's kingdom endures; all else is vapor (James 4:14).