King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 26:15 Mean?

Ezekiel 26:15 in the King James Version says “Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the sla...” — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 26 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?”

Ezekiel 26:15 · KJV

Context

13

And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.

14

And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

15

Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?

16

Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. trembling: Heb. tremblings

17

And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it! of: Heb. of the seas

Read Ezekiel 26 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?—The rhetorical question expects affirmative answer: Yes, the coastlands will tremble. The Hebrew iyim (אִיִּים, "isles") refers to Mediterranean coastal regions and islands dependent on Tyre's trade network. Ra'ash (רָעַשׁ, "shake") denotes violent trembling from terror, not just economic disruption but existential fear—if mighty Tyre can fall, no city is secure.

"When the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee"—the Hebrew ne'ekah chalal (נֶאֱקַת חָלָל, "groaning of the wounded") and herog (הֶרֶג, "slaughter") depict graphic urban warfare. Island Tyre was considered impregnable; its fall would be catastrophic. This prophecy found initial fulfillment in Nebuchadnezzar's 13-year siege (585-572 BC) and complete fulfillment when Alexander the Great utterly destroyed the island city in 332 BC. The "isles" shaking refers to the cascading collapse of Phoenician commercial colonies from Cyprus to Carthage to Spain—the ancient world's first global economic crisis.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Tyre's commercial empire was the ancient world's most extensive, establishing colonies throughout the Mediterranean (Carthage, founded 814 BC, was Tyre's greatest colony). When Tyre fell, the entire Phoenician trading network collapsed. Coastal cities that depended on Tyrian merchant ships, banking, and purple dye production faced economic devastation. The 'islands' include Cyprus, Sicily, Sardinia, Malta, and coastal regions of North Africa and Spain. Alexander's 332 BC siege—building a causeway to the island and destroying the city so thoroughly that its stones were literally thrown into the sea (fulfilling 26:12)—sent shockwaves throughout the Hellenistic world. Ancient Tyre never recovered; modern Tyre is a small Lebanese town.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Tyre's 'impossible' fall remind us that no human power or economic system is ultimately secure apart from God?
  2. What modern economic or political powers do we treat as 'too big to fail' that God's sovereignty could humble in a moment?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
כֹּ֥ה1 of 15
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַ֛ר2 of 15

“Thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֲדֹנָ֥י3 of 15

“the Lord”

H136

the lord (used as a proper name of god only)

יְהוִ֖ה4 of 15

“GOD”

H3069

god

לְצ֑וֹר5 of 15

“to Tyrus”

H6865

tsor, a place in palestine

הֲלֹ֣א׀6 of 15
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

מִקּ֣וֹל7 of 15

“at the sound”

H6963

a voice or sound

מַפַּלְתֵּ֗ךְ8 of 15

“of thy fall”

H4658

fall, i.e., decadence; concretely, a ruin; specifically a carcase

בֶּאֱנֹ֨ק9 of 15

“cry”

H602

to shriek

חָלָ֜ל10 of 15

“when the wounded”

H2491

pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted

בֵּהָ֤רֵֽג11 of 15

“is made”

H2026

to smite with deadly intent

הֶ֙רֶג֙12 of 15

“when the slaughter”

H2027

slaughter

בְּתוֹכֵ֔ךְ13 of 15

“in the midst”

H8432

a bisection, i.e., (by implication) the center

יִרְעֲשׁ֖וּ14 of 15

“shake”

H7493

to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.; also a field of grain), particularly through fear; specifically, to spring (as a locust)

הָאִיִּֽים׃15 of 15

“Shall not the isles”

H339

properly, a habitable spot (as desirable); dry land, a coast, an island

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezekiel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezekiel 26:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezekiel 26:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 27:35Jeremiah 49:21Ezekiel 26:18Ezekiel 31:16Hebrews 12:26-27Ezekiel 27:28

Places in This Verse

TyreSettlement · Modern: Tyre · 33.27°N, 35.20°E64 verses across 19 books
View all places in Ezekiel 26 →

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