יחזקאל, פרק כ״ו, פסוק י״ד

A prophecy of destruction foretells a complete reversal of fortune for a once-thriving trading center. What was formerly a glorious hub of commerce will be reduced to a desolate and despised wasteland. The joyful sounds of wealthy merchants and nobles enjoying music will vanish, replaced entirely by the quiet toil of simple laborers.

The bustling city is destined to become a completely dry, barren rock. Commentators differ on how this total desolation will come about. Some explain that the waters of the sea will rise up and wash away the soil, leaving behind nothing but an exposed, uninhabitable stone surface [מלבי״ם]. Others suggest that the area will simply be overrun by mounds of rubble from the ruined buildings [מצודת דוד]. Out of this ruin, the landscape will serve a singular, humble purpose. Instead of functioning as a magnificent residential capital, the bare rocks will be used by lowly fishermen merely as a place to spread out and dry their nets [מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד].

The declaration that the city will never be rebuilt raises a historical question, as the city of Tyre was indeed resettled after its fall. The primary approach among commentators is that the promise means the city will never return to its exact former glory, nor will it be rebuilt on its original site. Following its initial destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, the inhabitants abandoned their homes and constructed a new fortified city out in the sea. Later, Alexander the Great brought total ruin to this new island city, sinking its walls into the depths [אברבנאל, מלבי״ם]. As a result, the ancient site of Tyre remained an exposed rock in the water, while the later city that took its name was built on the mainland shore, entirely outside its historical boundaries [רד״ק].

Ultimately, this permanent destruction is a direct decree from God. Because the judgment comes from Him, He possesses the absolute power to carry it out and ensure it remains in effect forever [מצודת דוד].