Tyre, Gateway to the Sea 27 1God’s Message came to me: 2“You, son of man, raise a funeral song over Tyre. 3Tell Tyre, gateway to the sea, merchant to the world, trader among the far–off islands, ‘This is what God, the Master, says:   “ ‘You boast, Tyre: “I’m the perfect ship—stately, handsome.” 4You ruled the high seas from a real beauty, crafted to perfection. 5Your planking came from Mount Hermon junipers. A Lebanon cedar supplied your mast. 6They made your oars from sturdy Bashan oaks. Cypress from Cyprus inlaid with ivory was used for the decks. 7Your sail and flag were of colorful embroidered linen from Egypt. Your purple deck awnings also came from Cyprus. 8Men of Sidon and Arvad pulled the oars. Your seasoned seamen, O Tyre, were the crew. 9Ship’s carpenters were old salts from Byblos. All the ships of the sea and their sailors clustered around you to barter for your goods.   10“ ‘Your army was composed of soldiers from Paras, Lud, and Put, Elite troops in uniformed splendor. They put you on the map! 11Your city police were imported from Arvad, Helech, and Gammad. They hung their shields from the city walls, a final, perfect touch to your beauty.   12“ ‘Tarshish carried on business with you because of your great wealth. They worked for you, trading in silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13“ ‘Greece, Tubal, and Meshech did business with you, trading slaves and bronze for your products. 14“ ‘Beth–togarmah traded work horses, war horses, and mules for your products. 15“ ‘The people of Rhodes did business with you. Many far–off islands traded with you in ivory and ebony. 16“ ‘Edom did business with you because of all your goods. They traded for your products with agate, purple textiles, embroidered cloth, fine linen, coral, and rubies. 17“ ‘Judah and Israel did business with you. They traded for your products with premium wheat, millet, honey, oil, and balm. 18“ ‘Damascus, attracted by your vast array of products and well–stocked warehouses, carried on business with you, trading in wine from Helbon and wool from Zahar. 19“ ‘Danites and Greeks from Uzal traded with you, using wrought iron, cinnamon, and spices. 20“ ‘Dedan traded with you for saddle blankets. 21“ ‘Arabia and all the Bedouin sheiks of Kedar traded lambs, rams, and goats with you. 22“ ‘Traders from Sheba and Raamah in South Arabia carried on business with you in premium spices, precious stones, and gold. 23“ ‘Haran, Canneh, and Eden from the east in Assyria and Media traded with you, 24bringing elegant clothes, dyed textiles, and elaborate carpets to your bazaars. 25“ ‘The great Tarshish ships were your freighters, importing and exporting. Oh, it was big business for you, trafficking the seaways!   26“ ‘Your sailors row mightily, taking you into the high seas. Then a storm out of the east shatters your ship in the ocean deep. 27Everything sinks—your rich goods and products, sailors and crew, ship’s carpenters and soldiers, Sink to the bottom of the sea. Total shipwreck. 28The cries of your sailors reverberate on shore. 29Sailors everywhere abandon ship. Veteran seamen swim for dry land. 30They cry out in grief, a choir of bitter lament over you. They smear their faces with ashes, Wear rough burlap, wildly keening their loss. 32They raise their funeral song: “Who on the high seas is like Tyre!”   33“ ‘As you crisscrossed the seas with your products, you satisfied many peoples. Your worldwide trade made earth’s kings rich. 34And now you’re battered to bits by the waves, sunk to the bottom of the sea, And everything you’ve bought and sold has sunk to the bottom with you. 35Everyone on shore looks on in terror. The hair of kings stands on end, their faces drawn and haggard! 36The buyers and sellers of the world throw up their hands: This horror can’t happen! Oh, this has happened!’”