Introduction: Lamentation over Tyre
Chapter 27 of Yechezkel is a direct continuation of the prophecies concerning Tyre. The Holy One, blessed be He, conveys another prophecy to Yechezkel, and now commands him to take up a lamentation over Tyre - to mourn its downfall. The central axis of the chapter is a response to Tyre's pride, having claimed, "I am the perfection of beauty." The prophet proceeds to prove, detail by detail, that all its beauty, wealth, wisdom, and might are not its own at all, but were gathered from the nations and islands surrounding it. The parable the prophet employs is that of a magnificent ship, in which every single component was imported from elsewhere.
(א) וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃ (ב) וְאַתָּה בֶן־אָדָם שָׂא עַל־צֹר קִינָה׃ - (1) And the word of Hashem came to me, saying: (2) And you, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre.
"Merchant of the Peoples" - What is a Peddler?
(ג) וְאָמַרְתָּ לְצוֹר הַיֹּשֶׁבֶת עַל־מְבוֹאֹת יָם רֹכֶלֶת הָעַמִּים אֶל־אִיִּים רַבִּים, כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה: צוֹר אַתְּ אָמַרְתְּ אֲנִי כְּלִילַת יֹפִי׃ - (3) And say to Tyre, who dwells at the entrances of the sea, who trades with the peoples to many islands, so said the Lord Hashem: Tyre, you have said, "I am the perfection of beauty."
"Who dwells at the entrances of the sea" - Tyre sits like an entryway, a gateway where all ships arrive to unload their merchandise. And what is "merchant of the peoples" (rochelet ha'amim)? A rochel (peddler or trader) is someone who buys merchandise from the large-scale merchant and sells it from place to place, traveling among towns and selling to individuals - what we call today a retailer, as distinguished from a wholesaler who sells in large quantities. A rochel is a person who moves around. Hence the connection between rochel and rogel: "Do not go about as a talebearer (rachil)" - referring to one who follows after someone to hear what he says, and likewise the way of a spy (meragel) who goes about spying. Rogel and rochel are related roots. The prophet says to her: You receive merchandise from the great merchants and distribute it to the maritime islands, in the manner of a peddler.
"I am the Perfection of Beauty" - The Arrogance that Usurped Jerusalem's Title
"Perfection of beauty" (kelilat yofi) comes from the word kelil, meaning absolute: consummate beauty, entirely beautiful. In this, Tyre took pride. Rashi emphasizes the word "I": until now, everyone said of Jerusalem that it was "the perfection of beauty," as stated in Eichah chapter 2 and Tehillim chapter 48 - "the joy of the whole earth." Now Tyre boastfully declares: I am the perfection of beauty, not Jerusalem. This is directly linked to the teaching of Chazal that Tyre was only filled from the destruction of Jerusalem.
Against this claim, all the subsequent verses come to prove that her beauty is not her own at all, but borrowed from others or granted to her by others.
(ד) בְּלֵב יַמִּים גְּבוּלָיִךְ, בֹּנַיִךְ כָּלְלוּ יָפְיֵךְ׃ - (4) In the heart of the seas are your borders; your builders have perfected your beauty.
"In the heart of the seas are your borders" - your beauty depends on your borders: what surrounds you is the sea. You are an island encircled by the sea, and furthermore, the islands scattered across the sea around you serve, as it were, as the markers of your borders, with Tyre standing as the central island surrounded by satellite isles. Your beauty derives from the strength of your surrounding neighbors, all the sea islands to whom you sell your wares - and from this you grew rich. Furthermore: "Your builders have perfected your beauty" - those who built you were the ones who took pains to make you beautiful. Simply put: your beauty is not intrinsic. The builders and the materials from which you were constructed came from the surrounding nations. Now the prophet will detail how all her beauty was drawn from her surroundings.
The Parable: A Ship Whose Every Part Is Imported
(ה) בְּרוֹשִׁים מִשְּׂנִיר בָּנוּ לָךְ אֵת כָּל־לֻחֹתָיִם, אֶרֶז מִלְּבָנוֹן לָקָחוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת תֹּרֶן עָלָיִךְ׃ - They fashioned all your planks from cypresses of Senir; they took a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.
The prophet compares the entire island of Tyre to a ship at sea. This ship is constructed from a wide array of components, magnificent and splendid - and to this he says to her: Why are you boastful of your ship? Everyone around contributed a part to it, and it was not you who created this beauty. The planks, meaning the ship's outer timbers encircling its hull, were crafted from cypresses - and from Senir, not from Tyre. That is, this is not part of you; it came from abroad. And the cedar from which they made your mast, the tall timber standing at the center of the ship, is likewise not your own, but was taken from Lebanon.
(ו) אַלּוֹנִים מִבָּשָׁן עָשׂוּ מִשּׁוֹטָיִךְ, קַרְשֵׁךְ עָשׂוּ־שֵׁן בַּת־אֲשֻׁרִים מֵאִיֵּי כִּתִּיִּם׃ - Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; your rudder-board they made of ivory, native to Ashur, brought from the isles of Kittim.
The oars were crafted from oaks of Bashan - this too was not your own. And what is "karshech" ("your board")? The Malbim explains that this refers to the board used to steer the ship. The proof for this is that it does not say "kerashayich" in the plural, but "karshech" in the singular, indicating one singular, specific plank used for steering the ship, and it was crafted from ivory, elephant tusk. The Malbim refers to it in Yiddish as "der ruder", meaning the helm or rudder. Rashi follows a similar line of interpretation: this is a single board positioned at the stern of the vessel by which it is steered to the right and left. And where did that ivory come from? "Bat Ashurim" - originated in Ashur, and was brought "from the isles of Kittim". Thus, this too does not belong to you; rather, all the parts arrived to you from elsewhere.
(ז) שֵׁשׁ־בְּרִקְמָה מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיָה מִפְרָשֵׂךְ לִהְיוֹת לָךְ לְנֵס, תְּכֵלֶת וְאַרְגָּמָן מֵאִיֵּי אֱלִישָׁה הָיָה מְכַסֵּךְ׃ - Fine embroidered linen from Egypt was your sail, serving as your banner; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was your awning.
The prophet now turns to the sails. The sail is what Rashi and Chazal refer to as the ship's "curtain" (vilon), or its "banner" (nes) - the fabric serving as a curtain suspended from the mast. "Fine embroidered linen", an exquisite and richly decorated textile, was brought from Egypt - it, too, did not originate with you. Furthermore, "blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was your awning (mechasech)". And what was this covering? Radak explains that this was the ship's awning, sheltering the passengers from torrential downpours, rain, and scorching heat. This canopy was fashioned from sky-blue wool and purple dye, magnificent and splendid - yet imported from the isles of Elishah, not of your own manufacture.
See, then, that all of Tyre's wealth, glory, and splendor were not self-generated, but came through commerce with numerous nations and distant islands. This is precisely what the prophet conveys: You have flourished and advanced immensely, but only through the power of the nations around you who came to trade with you. Nothing of your own essence or independent power brought you to this grandeur.
The Crew Is Not Yours Either: Rowers and Mariners
(ח) יֹשְׁבֵי צִידוֹן וְאַרְוַד הָיוּ שָׁטִים לָךְ, חֲכָמַיִךְ צוֹר הָיוּ בָךְ הֵמָּה חֹבְלָיִךְ׃ - The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers; your wise men, O Tyre, who were within you, were your mariners.
After describing the ship itself and its fittings, and showing how the entire vessel was constructed by many different nations with nothing originating in Tyre, the prophet turns to the human element: the leaders of the ship and its crew also come from other nations. Just as its wealth and commerce came from the outside, so too the sages and leaders who governed you as a state were drawn from abroad. "The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers" - they rowed and propelled the ship. And the wise men found within you were "your mariners" (chovlayich), who piloted and governed the ship, and from whom kings and ministers arose - yet even they did not originate from you.
And why is a sea captain called a rav hachovel? Because he was responsible for unfurling the sails, and the unfurling of sails is accomplished by means of ropes (chavalim). Anyone who has seen depictions of Viking ships can clearly observe this: sails layered upon sails, all operated through an intricate system of pulleys pulling ropes to unfurl the sails, and pulling other ropes to furl them. Because he was in charge of the ropes and sails, he was called rav hachovel. There is another explanation: it is derived from tachbulot (clever strategies), as he required great resourcefulness to steer the ship. Navigating a ship is no simple craft, and often one must sail toward the very direction from which the wind blows against you, requiring skillful seamanship to ensure the wind does not blow you in the opposite direction of your destination.
The Elders of Gebal, Caulkers of Seams, and Exchangers of Merchandise
(ט) זִקְנֵי גְבַל וַחֲכָמֶיהָ הָיוּ בָךְ מַחֲזִיקֵי בִּדְקֵךְ, כָּל־אֳנִיּוֹת הַיָּם וּמַלָּחֵיהֶם הָיוּ בָךְ לַעֲרֹב מַעֲרָבֵךְ׃ - The elders of Geval and its wise men were within you, repairers of your leaks; all the ships of the sea and their sailors were within you to guarantee your merchandise.
The elders of Geval and its wise men were experts in construction, as we find: "And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites fashioned them" (I Kings 5:32). They were "repairers of your leaks" (machazikei vidkech) - those in charge of maintaining and repairing the ship. In the allegorical meaning: from among them they would bring sages to establish ordinances and civic protocols in the state.
"To guarantee your merchandise" (la'arov ma'aravech) - even in your commerce, you required a guarantor. A person who sets out to purchase goods does not always carry cash, so he buys on credit; and who will guarantee that he will repay the money? Guarantors are brought. The prophet tells Tyre: the ships of the sea and their sailors served as guarantors on your behalf. Because all their trade flowed through you, the security that allowed merchants to extend you credit was not derived from your own standing, but from theirs. This is a poetic expression: those who came to trade here were willing to sign as your guarantors, ensuring that you would repay the loans you took. Thus, your commercial prowess did not stem from your own strength either, but from an outside source.
And what is the origin of the word mallah (sailor)? Rashi notes in the Torah that it is related to memulach tahor kodesh ("thoroughly blended, pure, holy" - Shemot 30:35). What does a sailor do with his oars? He churns and blends the sea water. Memulach means mixed or stirred, and hence mallah comes from the idea of stirring the water. Others explain that mallah is related to saltiness (melichut), because an experienced sailor is so familiar with the seawater - as if he tastes it - that based on its taste he already knows where and in which direction to navigate.
Mercenaries and Military Power: "They Imparted Your Splendor"
(י) פָּרַס וְלוּד וּפוּט הָיוּ בְחֵילֵךְ אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחַמְתֵּךְ, מָגֵן וְכוֹבַע תִּלּוּ־בָךְ הֵמָּה נָתְנוּ הֲדָרֵךְ׃ - Paras, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war; shield and helmet they hung in you, they gave you your splendor.
Your soldiers as well, those who fought your battles, were not from your own people, but a hired army, foreign mercenaries: Paras, Lud, and Put. And what does tilu vach mean? Malbim explains that it derives from the word tel, a high, steep mound: they raised mounds upon mounds of shields and helmets, the implements of war. Through their might and military strength, they endowed Tyre with the power to prevent it from being conquered, and this is "they gave you your splendor" - for when a country possesses military might, it is a source of glory and strength for it.
We see this in our own day as well: the little "rocket man" from North Korea - whom we briefly thought might mature, but who turns out to have stayed small - is very powerful. Who is he, and what is he? What is the real strength of his country? Yet the moment he possesses nuclear weapons, people no longer look at the size of the country, its domestic condition, or its economy. People there are starving for bread, but no one seems to care about that anymore. Once a nation possesses martial and military power, that becomes its "splendor." When he speaks, people are gripped by fear; superpowers like China and Japan are wary of someone who holds weapons of war.
Radak, on the other hand, explains that tilu vach does not derive from mounds (telim) and heaps of shields and helmets, but from hanging (teliya): it was customary to hang shields and helmets atop towers and along the walls, driving a peg into the wall and hanging the shield and helmet upon it. According to this, the verse means that Tyre had so many warriors that their helmets and shields hung all along its walls.
The Men of Arvad and the Dwarfs in the Towers
(יא) בְּנֵי אַרְוַד וְחֵילֵךְ עַל־חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ סָבִיב וְגַמָּדִים בְּמִגְדְּלוֹתַיִךְ הָיוּ, שִׁלְטֵיהֶם תִּלּוּ עַל־חוֹמוֹתַיִךְ סָבִיב הֵמָּה כָּלְלוּ יָפְיֵךְ׃ - The men of Arvad and your army were upon your walls all around, and dwarfs were in your towers; they hung their shields upon your walls all around, they perfected your beauty.
The men of Arvad were the garrison that guarded your walls - and they too were not your own people, but a foreign nation. And just as we saw earlier that foreigners were the ones who repaired its leaks, so too were foreigners the ones who guarded it against an enemy attacking from without.
And who are the Gamadim? Targum Yonatan explains that this is the name of a nation, the Cappadocians, who were called Gamadim. Rashi cites an additional explanation in the name of Rabbi Menachem: they were called Gamadim because they would descend into the depths of the sea and measure its depth in cubits (gomdim). Some explain that the Gamadim were divers - in the language of Chazal, an amodai is a diver, a term also used in modern Hebrew, though less common today. And why were they called Gamadim? Because a gomed is the measure of a cubit, and they would measure the sea's depth. Why did they dive into the sea? Usually to retrieve pearls. Thus, according to this explanation, these Gamadim were deep-sea divers.
Rashi cites another interpretation: that they were actual midgets, whose height was only one cubit - a gomed tall - and were therefore called Gamadim. And why were they stationed specifically in the towers? The Metzudat David explains: so that they would not be seen, for if they were visible, the enemy could strike them. They took such compact men and placed them there, where they could hide without being noticed and without the enemy shooting arrows at them.
The Malbim, however, explains differently: it is not that they took actual dwarfs and stationed them on the towers, but rather that when men ascended those lofty towers, they appeared from below like dwarfs only a cubit tall. Due to the extreme height, they looked as small as dwarfs. A story is told of someone on the hundredth floor of a building in New York who looked down out the window. Later, when he went down to the street, a man came over, hugging and kissing him. He asked him, "What happened? Where do I know you from?" The man answered, "What do you mean? I have known you since you were this small!" - just fifteen minutes earlier he had seen him looking tiny from high above. So says the Malbim: the towers were so high that those looking from below saw the sentries stationed up above as dwarfs.
"They hung their shields upon your walls round about" - shilteihem refers to quivers holding arrows, though some say it refers to shields. According to the Malbim, tilu comes from the concept of heaps: they placed heaps of their shields on the walls all around. And this is the meaning of "they perfected your beauty" - they were the ones who brought you your special beauty. This refutes your claim, "I am the perfection of beauty," for your beauty was not truly your own, but gathered from the various nations around you.
In summary:
The prophet laments over Tyre, which sits at the gateways of the sea and is a merchant to the nations, having grown arrogant and declared, "I am the perfection of beauty" - a title previously reserved for Jerusalem - and having enriched itself from Jerusalem's destruction. In contrast to this arrogance, Yechezkel portrays Tyre as a magnificent ship and demonstrates that not a single component belongs to her: the planks are of junipers from Senir, the mast of cedars from Lebanon, the oars of oaks from Bashan, the deck of ivory brought from the isles of Kittim, the sail of fine Egyptian linen, and the awning of turquoise and purple wool from the isles of Elishah. The same is true of her people: the rowers are from Sidon and Arvad, the repairers of seams are from the elders of Geval, the commercial guarantees are provided by the ships of the sea and their mariners, and the warriors are mercenaries from Paras, Lud, and Put, who bestowed upon her her splendor and might. All of Tyre's wealth, wisdom, and power were borrowed from the nations surrounding her, leaving her with no ground for pride - and the enduring message remains: whoever possesses only borrowed glory will ultimately see it taken away.