Ezekiel 26:5 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 26:5 mean?

Ezekiel 26:5 says that the city of Tyre will be destroyed so completely that it will become a bare place in the sea, used only for spreading fishing nets, and that other nations will take its remains as plunder. This is presented as a certain outcome because God Himself has declared it.

The prophet Ezekiel is speaking God’s message to the people about the fate of Tyre, a powerful and wealthy city on the coast. The verse uses the image of fishermen spreading their nets on the ruins to show how total the destruction will be—what was once a bustling city will become just a flat, empty spot by the water, useful only for simple daily tasks. The verse also stresses that this is not just a prediction, but a decree from God.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 26:5

• "spreading" (מִשְׁטַח, mishtach): This word refers to a place that is spread out or laid flat, emphasizing that Tyre will be leveled and exposed, not rebuilt or inhabited.
• "nets" (חֶרֶם, cherem): While often meaning something devoted to destruction, here it refers to fishing nets, highlighting the ordinary use that will replace the city’s former glory.
• "midst" (תּוֹךְ, tokh): This word means "in the middle of," pointing to Tyre’s location surrounded by the sea, and that its ruins will be isolated and exposed.
• "spoil" (בַּז, baz): This word means plunder or loot, showing that Tyre’s wealth will be taken by other nations, not left for its own people.

Why Ezekiel 26:5 matters

• This verse clears up that the prophecy is not just about defeat in battle, but about a complete transformation of Tyre from a proud city to a place of no significance.
• The emphasis on God’s authority ("for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD") underlines that this is not just a human prediction, but a divine judgment.
• The image of fishermen using the site for their nets connects to the wider passage, where Tyre’s destruction is described in vivid, practical terms, making the prophecy concrete and memorable.