Ezekiel – Chapter 26

Old Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And it came to pass in the eleventh year, the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" — so begins Ezekiel 26. Nebuchadnezzar stands at the center of this chapter. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and family and covenant relationships. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And it came to pass in the eleventh year, the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2Son of man, because Tyre hath said of Jerusalem: Aha, the gates of the people are broken, she is turned to me: I shall be filled, now she is laid waste.

3Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I come against thee, O Tyre, and I will cause many nations to come up to thee, as the waves of the sea rise up.

4And they shall break down the walls of Tyre, and destroy the towers thereof: and I will scrape her dust from her, and make her like a smooth rock.

5She shall be a drying place for nets in the midst of the sea, because I have spoken it, saith the Lord God: and she shall be a spoil to the nations.

6Her daughters also that are in the field, shall be slain by the sword: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

7For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will bring against Tyre Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, the king of kings, from the north, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and companies, and much people.

8Thy daughters that are in the field, he shall kill with the sword: and he shall compass thee with forts, and shall cast up a mount round about: and he shall lift up the buckler against thee.

9And he shall set engines of war and battering rams against thy walls, and shall destroy thy towers with his arms.

10By reason of the multitude of his horses, their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and wheels, and chariots, when they shall go in at thy gates, as by the entrance of a city that is destroyed.

11With the hoofs of his horses he shall tread down all thy streets, thy people he shall kill with the sword, and thy famous statues shall fall to the ground.

12They shall waste thy riches, they shall make a spoil of thy merchandise: and they shall destroy thy walls, and pull down thy fine houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber, and thy dust in the midst of the waters.

13And I will make the multitude of thy songs to cease, and the sound of thy harps shall be heard no more.

14And I will make thee like a naked rock, thou shalt be a drying place for nets, neither shalt thou be built any more: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God.

15Thus saith the Lord God to Tyre: Shall not the islands shake at the sound of thy fall, and the groans of thy slain when they shall be killed in the midst of thee?

16Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones: and take off their robes, and cast away their broidered garments, and be clothed with astonishment: they shall sit on the ground, and with amazement shall wonder at thy sudden fall.

17And taking up a lamentation over thee, they shall say to thee: How art thou fallen, that dwellest in the sea, renowned city that wast strong in the sea, with thy inhabitants whom all did dread?

18Now shall the ships be astonished in the day of thy terror: and the islands in the sea shall be troubled because no one cometh out of thee.

19For thus saith the Lord God: When I shall make thee a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited: and shall bring the deep upon thee, and many waters shall cover thee:

20And when I shall bring thee down with those that descend into the pit to the everlasting people, and shall set thee in the lowest parts of the earth, as places desolate of old, with them that are brought down into the pit, that thou be not inhabited: and when I shall give glory in the land of the living,

21I will bring thee to nothing, and thou shalt not be, and if thou be sought for, thou shalt not be found any more for ever, saith the Lord God.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 26

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I come against thee, O Tyre, and I will cause many nations to come up to thee, as the waves of the sea rise up.

Ezekiel 26:3

For thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will bring against Tyre Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, the king of kings, from the north, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and companies, and much people.

Ezekiel 26:7

Thus saith the Lord God to Tyre: Shall not the islands shake at the sound of thy fall, and the groans of thy slain when they shall be killed in the midst of thee?

Ezekiel 26:15

For thus saith the Lord God: When I shall make thee a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited: and shall bring the deep upon thee, and many waters shall cover thee:

Ezekiel 26:19

Historical Context

Ezekiel addresses the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 26 of 48 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Historical attention falls on Nebuchadnezzar, the principal figures named in this chapter. The chapter begins: "And it came to pass in the eleventh year, the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" The final verse reads: "I will bring thee to nothing, and thou shalt not be, and if thou be sought for, thou shalt not be found any more for…" In terms of historical background, Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 3: "Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I come against thee, O Tyre, and I will cause many nations to come up to thee, as the waves of the sea rise up." The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 721). Here, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize God's kingdom and kingship as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that God will give His people a new heart. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Ezekiel 26 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

People in This Chapter

Nebuchadnezzar1 mention

Reflection for Today

As Catholics read Ezekiel Chapter 26, we do so within the living Tradition that has guarded this text for two millennia.

The saints did not treat Scripture as antiquarian literature. St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis de Sales, and countless others used passages such as this to fuel daily conversion. intercession for others remains a practical lesson for modern disciples.

If this passage raises questions, seek the Church's teaching through the Catechism, a faithful priest, or sound Catholic commentaries. Private interpretation must remain in harmony with the Magisterium (CIC 113).

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 26 about?

Ezekiel 26 contains 21 verses. It opens with "And it came to pass in the eleventh year, the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" and closes with "I will bring thee to nothing, and thou shalt not be, and if thou be sought for, thou shalt not be found any more for…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 26?

One of the most significant verses is verse 3: "Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I come against thee, O Tyre, and I will cause many nations to come up to thee, as the waves of the sea rise up." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Ezekiel Chapter 26?

This chapter mentions Nebuchadnezzar.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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