Ezekiel 27:4 — Word Study
WLCבְּלֵ֥ב יַמִּ֖ים גְּבוּלָ֑יִךְ בֹּנַ֕יִךְ כָּלְל֖וּ יָפְיֵֽךְ׃
BSAYour bordersgᵉbûwl [in the midst of, situated within] are in the heartlêb [center, deepest part] of the seasyâm [large bodies of water, the Mediterranean] your buildersbânâh [constructors, establishers] perfectedkâlal■ [completed, made whole] your beautyyŏphîy [attractiveness, pleasing appearance]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| בְּלֵ֥ב | [were] in [the] heart of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| יַמִּ֖ים | [the] seas | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| גְּבוּלָ֑יִךְ | territories your | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| בֹּנַ֕יִךְ | builders your | Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| כָּלְל֖וּ | they perfected | Verb, Qal, perfect third person common plural |
| יָפְיֵֽךְ׃ | beauty your | Noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty. |
| KJV | Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. |
| ASV | Thy borders are in the heart of the seas; thy builders have perfected thy beauty. |
| YLT | In the heart of the seas [are] thy borders, Thy builders have perfected thy beauty. |
| WEB | Your borders are in the heart of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty. |
| BBE | Your builders have made your outlines in the heart of the seas, they have made you completely beautiful. |
Where they part company is גְּבוּלָ֑יִךְ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of one main clause and three subordinate phrases, which clarify the location and actions described.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbכָּלַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 27:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Prophecy Against Tyregenerated
Ezekiel 27:4 describes Tyre's borders as being located in the heart of the seas, highlighting its significant position in maritime trade. The verse emphasizes the skill of its builders who have perfected its beauty, showcasing the city's grandeur and importance in the ancient world. This passage is part of a larger prophecy that critiques Tyre's pride and reliance on its own strength and beauty, as seen throughout Ezekiel 26 and Ezekiel 27.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 26:5 | She will become a place to spread nets in the sea, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. She will become plunder for the nations, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — לֵב, be.Levgenerated
The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. In this context, it signifies the central location of Tyre's borders, indicating its deep connection to the seas surrounding it.
This word is often used figuratively to describe the core of something, making it a fitting choice to convey the idea of Tyre's borders being at the center of the seas.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is כָּלְל֖וּ, they perfected, which governs the subject and object: the builders and the beauty. The structure emphasizes the relationship between the builders and the beauty they have created.
The prepositional phrase בְּלֵ֥ב introduces the location of the borders, while the noun phrases provide clarity on the subjects and objects involved in the action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates לֵב as καρδίᾳ (kardía), which retains the concept of 'heart' but may also imply deeper emotional or spiritual connotations in the Greek context.
This choice shows a continuity in the understanding of Tyre's location as central, while also opening up the possibility for a broader interpretation of what it means to be at the 'heart' of the seas.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 27:4 tells us that Tyre's borders are in the heart of the seas, highlighting its central position in trade. The builders of Tyre have perfected its beauty, showcasing the city's grandeur.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This phrase emphasizes Tyre's strategic location in maritime trade, suggesting that it is surrounded by water and plays a central role in commerce.
The builders refer to the craftsmen and workers who constructed the city of Tyre, contributing to its impressive architecture and beauty.
The word 'perfected' indicates that the builders not only completed their work but made it whole and beautiful, reflecting the city's glory.
This verse highlights Tyre's pride in its beauty and strength, which is a recurring theme in Ezekiel's prophecies against the city, warning of its eventual downfall.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see pride manifesting in my own life, similar to Tyre?
- How can I appreciate the beauty of my surroundings while remaining humble?
- What lessons can I learn from the builders of Tyre about craftsmanship and dedication?
- How does understanding Tyre's position in the seas help me grasp its significance in ancient trade?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators, such as Jerome, reference this verse to discuss Tyre's beauty and the materials used in its construction.
Your neighbors who built you have filled your beauty. They built you with Sanir fir trees and all the planks of the sea. They brought cedar from Lebanon to make harm to you.Early Church Fathers on Ezekiel 27 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 27:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThy borders are in the midst of the seas, Fixed by the Lord himself, and which could never be removed.
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 27 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty. Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 27 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWeak borders, which an enemy easily breaks through, are a great defect in a state; well, Tyre, thou art well secured here, thine are in the sea that surrounds and secureth thee. Thy builders; thy first founders, whoever they were; Agenor king of Phoenice chose wisely to build a city in safety: or by builders may be meant those who in aftertimes did add to the first foundation: these were masters of their art, and added this to the natural strength and beauty of the place; thus thou art perfected at home.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 27 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 27:4 Thy borders [are] in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.Ver. 4. Thy borders are in the midst of the sea.] Wherewith thou art compassed and crowned, as it were, being half a mile distant from the continent, till first Nebuchadnezzar, and then Alexander the Great, by casting earth, wood, and stones into the sea, made of it an island, a peninsula, &c. Thy builders.] The Sidonians, saith Justin; 240 years before Solomon’ s temple was built, saith Josephus. Lib. xviii., lib. viii. Ant., cap. 2.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 27 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Thy builders have perfected thy beauty.] Under the allegory of a beautiful ship, the prophet, here and in the following verses, paints the glory of this ancient city. Horace describes the commonwealth of Rome by the same allegory, and is as minute in his description, Carm. lib. i. Od. xiv: - O navis, referent in mare te novi Fluctus? O quid agis? Fortiter occupa Portum. Nonne video, ut Nudum remigio latus, Et malus celeri saucius Africo, Antennaeque gemant? ac sine funibus Vix durare carinae Possint imperiosius AEquor! non tibi sunt integra lintea; Non Di, quos iterum pressa votes malo: Quamvis Pontica pinus, Sylvae filia nobilis, Jactes et genus, et nomen inutile Nil pictis…
Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 27 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. borders … midst of the seas] lit. heart of the seas, a phrase which appears to mean not “far out at sea,” but, in the deep waters of the sea, ch. Ezekiel 28:2; Ezekiel 28:8; Exodus 15:8; Jonah 2:3; Psalms 46:2. The term “borders” seems to mean station, moorings (Ezekiel 27:25). The proud ship was conscious of her beauty. The ship is a figure for the maritime city, the mistress of trade, built upon an ocean rock, as if moored in the sea. The city was without doubt beautiful (ch. Ezekiel 28:12); a similar phrase is used of Jerusalem, Psalms 50:2 (Psalms 48:2); Lamentations 2:15. Ezekiel 27:5-6 the ship’s timbers. made thy ship boards] built thy planks. The word is dual, referring to the…
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 27 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4. Thy borders — Cornill reads, by a little change, the anchorage. Thy builders have perfected thy beauty — Here begins a most beautiful picture of Tyre as a ship.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezekiel 27 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty.
Your borders are in the heart of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders perfected your beauty.
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders have perfected your beauty.
Tyndale line
Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Thy borders are in the heart of the seas; thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Thy borders are in the middes of the sea, and thy builders haue made thee of perfit beauty.
Strictly literal
Thy borders are in the heart of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
In the heart of the seas [are] thy borders, Thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
Your borders [are] in the heart of the seas, || Your builders have perfected your beauty.
In the heart of the seas were thy boundaries, thy builders had perfected thy beauty.
Your borders are in the heart of the seas; your builders have perfected your beauty.
From the Latin
And situate in the heart of the sea. Thy neighbours, that built thee, have perfected thy beauty:
Simplified
Your borders extend far across the sea. Your builders put you together perfectly like a beautiful ship.
Your builders have made your outlines in the heart of the seas, they have made you completely beautiful.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five of the six words matched. The Septuagint's word order and articles differ, reflecting its unique syntactical structure.
בְּלֵ֥ב יַמִּ֖ים גְּבוּלָ֑יִךְ בֹּנַ֕יִךְ כָּלְל֖וּ יָפְיֵֽךְ׃
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 27:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word לֵב (lev) means 'heart' and encompasses the inner man, mind, will, and emotions. It refers to the center of feelings, intellect, and moral character, as well as the seat of appetites and courage. The entries suggest a broad range of meanings related to human experience and thought, with a specific mention of its use in Jeremiah 51:1.
לֵב 599 n.m. (f.) inner man, mind, will, heart
seldom of things in the midst of the sea
elsewhere of men
the inner man in contrast with the outer
the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
specific reference to mind
spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
spec. ref. to conscience
[various]
for the man himself
as seat of appetites
as seat of emotions and passions
seat of courage
base
לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash Je 51:1.
ref
H3820a לֵב inner man, mind, will, heart . seldom of things in the midst of the sea
. elsewhere of men . the inner man in contrast with the outer
. the inner man, indef., soul, comprehending mind, affections and will
. specific reference to mind
. spec. ref. to inclinations, resolutions and determinations of the will
. spec. ref. to conscience
. [various]
. for the man himself
. as seat of appetites
. as seat of emotions and passions
. seat of courage
H3820b לֵב קָמָי prob. late Atbash
3820 leb labe
a form of 3824; the heart; also used (figuratively) very
widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect;
likewise for the centre of anything:--+ care for, comfortably,
consent, X considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-),
(hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart((-ed)), X
heed, X I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), X regard((-ed)), X
themselves, X unawares, understanding, X well, willingly,
wisdom.
see HEBREW for 03824
לֵב (lev) — heart.
1) inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding
1a) inner part, midst
1a1) midst (of things)
1a2) heart (of man)
1a3) soul, heart (of man)
1a4) mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
1a5) inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
1a6) conscience
1a7) heart (of moral character)
1a8) as seat of appetites
1a9) as seat of emotions and passions 1a10) as seat of courage
לֵב (lev) — Leb.
§ Leb- = "heart of"
(probably a cryptic name for Babylon by Atbash)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יָם (yam) means 'sea' and refers to various large bodies of water, including the Mediterranean, Red, and Dead Seas, as well as the Sea of Galilee. It can also denote a mighty river like the Nile and has geographical implications, indicating directions such as west or south. The term is derived from a root meaning to roar, suggesting the noise of breaking surf.
יָם 390 n.m. sea
base
H3220 יָם sea
3220 yam yawm
from an unused root meaning to roar; a sea (as breaking in
noisy surf) or large body of water; specifically (with the
article), the Mediterranean Sea; sometimes a large river, or
an artifical basin; locally, the west, or (rarely) the
south:--sea (X -faring man, (-shore)), south, west (-ern,
side, -ward).
יָם (yam) — sea.
: sea
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — sea: west.
: west
1) sea
1a) Mediterranean Sea
1b) Red Sea
1c) Dead Sea
1d) Sea of Galilee
1e) sea (general)
1f) mighty river (Nile)
1g) the sea (the great basin in the temple court)
1h) seaward, west, westward
יָם (yam) — (Mt. Ephron in the) West.
This name means sea, seaward, westward
Another name of eph.ron (עֶפְרוֹן "(Mount )Ephron" H6085H)
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
גְּבוּל (gbuwl) refers to a border or boundary, often implying a defined territory. It can denote a physical limit, such as a coast or landmark, and can also have figurative uses, like a region of darkness. The word is derived from a root meaning 'cord' and encompasses various meanings related to boundaries and territories.
גְּבוּל 240 n.m. border, boundary, territory
border, boundary
territory (enclosed within boundary)
base
H1366 גְּבוּל border, boundary, territory
1366 gbuwl gheb-ool'
or (shortened) gbul {gheb-ool'}; from 1379; properly, a cord
(as twisted), i.e. (by implication) a boundary; by extens. the
territory inclosed:--border, bound, coast, X great, landmark,
limit, quarter, space.
see HEBREW for 01379
גְּבוּל (ge.vul) — border: boundary.
: boundary
1) border, territory
1a) border
1b) territory (enclosed within boundary)
1c) region, territory (of darkness) (fig.)
Also means: ge.vul (גְּבוּל ": area" H1366H)
גְּבוּל (ge.vul) — border: area.
: area
1) border, territory
1a) border
1b) territory (enclosed within boundary)
1c) region, territory (of darkness) (fig.)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp2fs
The Hebrew word בָּנָה (banah) means "to build" and encompasses various forms such as rebuilding, establishing, and making permanent. It can refer to physical construction, like building a house or family, as well as metaphorical uses, such as the establishment of restored exiles. The entries indicate that it can also imply being built up, particularly in the context of a childless wife becoming a mother.
בָּנָה 373 vb. build
Qal build
Niph.
be built
be rebuilt
(fig.) of restored exiles, = established
established, made permanent
base
H1129 בָּנָה build .build
.. . be built
. be rebuilt
. . (fig.) of restored exiles, = established
. established, made permanent
1129 banah baw-naw'
a primitive root; to build (literally and
figuratively):--(begin to) build(-er), obtain children, make,
repair, set (up), X surely.
בָּנָה (ba.nah) — to build.
1) to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to build, rebuild
1a2) to build a house (ie, establish a family)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be built
1b2) to be rebuilt
1b3) established (of restored exiles) (fig.)
1b4) established (made permanent)
1b5) to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine)
Aramaic equivalent: be.nah (בְּנָה "to build" H1124)
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVqrmpc/Sp2fs
כָּלַל (kalal) is a primitive root meaning to complete or perfect. The entries indicate it covers the idea of making something whole or flawless, primarily used in the Qal form. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
כָּלַל vb. complete, perfect
base
H3634 כָּלַל
3634 kalal kaw-lal'
a primitive root; to complete:--(make) perfect.
כָּלַל (ka.lal) — to perfect.
1) to complete, perfect, make complete, make perfect
1a) (Qal) to perfect
V-Qal-Perf-3cp — Verb · Qal · perfect third person common pluralHVqp3cp
יֳפִי (yophiy) means 'beauty' and is derived from the root word represented by Strong's H3302. The entries consistently define it as a noun referring to beauty, without any significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[יֳפִי] n.m. beauty
base
H3308 [יֳפִי] beauty
3308 yophiy yof-ee'
from 3302; beauty:--beauty.
see HEBREW for 03302
יֳפִי (yo.phi) — beauty.
beauty
N-ms | Suff — Noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHNcmsc/Sp2fs