Ezekiel 26 commentary

To be secretly pleased with the death or decay of others, when we are likely to get by it; or with their fall, when we may thrive upon it, is a sin that easily besets us, yet is not thought so bad as really it is. But it comes from a selfish, covetous principle, and from that love of the world as our happiness, which the love of God expressly forbids. He often blasts the projects of those who would raise themselves on the ruin of others. The maxims most current in the trading world, are directly opposed to the law of God. But he will show himself against the money-loving, selfish traders, whose hearts, like those of Tyre, are hardened by the love of riches. Men have little cause to glory in things which stir up the envy and rapacity of others, and which are continually shifting from one to another; and in getting, keeping, and spending which, men provoke that God whose wrath turns joyous cities into ruinous heaps.

See how high, how great Tyre had been. See how low Tyre is made. The fall of others should awaken us out of security. Every discovery of the fulfilment of a Scripture prophecy, is like a miracle to confirm our faith. All that is earthly is vanity and vexation. Those who now have the most established prosperity, will soon be out of sight and forgotten.

CHAPTER 26

Eze 26:1-21. The Judgment on Tyre through Nebuchadnezzar (TWENTY-SIXTH THROUGH Twenty-eighth Chapters).

In the twenty-sixth chapter, Ezekiel sets forth:--(1) Tyre's sin; (2) its doom; (3) the instruments executing it; (4) the effects produced on other nations by her downfall. In the twenty-seventh chapter, a lamentation over the fall of such earthly splendor. In the twenty-eighth chapter, an elegy addressed to the king, on the humiliation of his sacrilegious pride. Ezekiel, in his prophecies as to the heathen, exhibits the dark side only; because he views them simply in their hostility to the people of God, who shall outlive them all. Isaiah (Is 23:1-18), on the other hand, at the close of judgments, holds out the prospect of blessing, when Tyre should turn to the Lord.

1. The specification of the date, which had been omitted in the case of the four preceding objects of judgment, marks the greater weight attached to the fall of Tyre.

eleventh year--namely, after the carrying away of Jehoiachin, the year of the fall of Jerusalem. The number of the month is, however, omitted, and the day only given. As the month of the taking of Jerusalem was regarded as one of particular note, namely, the fourth month, also the fifth, on which it was actually destroyed (Jr 52:6, 12, 13), Rabbi David reasonably supposes that Tyre uttered her taunt at the close of the fourth month, as her nearness to Jerusalem enabled her to hear of its fall very soon, and that Ezekiel met it with his threat against herself on "the first day" of the fifth month.

2. Tyre--(Jos 19:29; 2Sa 24:7), literally, meaning "the rock-city," Zor; a name applying to the island Tyre, called New Tyre, rather than Old Tyre on the mainland. They were half a mile apart. "New Tyre," a century and a half before the fall of Jerusalem, had successfully resisted Shalmaneser of Assyria, for five years besieging it (Menander, from the Tyrian archives, quoted by Josephus, Antiquities, 9.14. 2). It was the stronger and more important of the two cities, and is the one chiefly, though not exclusively, here meant. Tyre was originally a colony of Zidon. Nebuchadnezzar's siege of it lasted thirteen years (Eze 29:18; Is 23:1-18). Though no profane author mentions his having succeeded in the siege, Jerome states he read the fact in Assyrian histories.

Aha!--exultation over a fallen rival (Psa 35:21, 25).

she ... that was the gates--that is, the single gate composed of two folding doors. Hence the verb is singular. "Gates" were the place of resort for traffic and public business: so here it expresses a mart of commerce frequented by merchants. Tyre regards Jerusalem not as an open enemy, for her territory being the narrow, long strip of land north of Philistia, between Mount Lebanon and the sea, her interest was to cultivate friendly relations with the Jews, on whom she was dependent for corn (Eze 27:17; 1Ki 5:9; Ac 12:20). But Jerusalem had intercepted some of the inland traffic which she wished to monopolize to herself; so, in her intensely selfish worldly-mindedness, she exulted heartlessly over the fall of Jerusalem as her own gain. Hence she incurred the wrath of God as pre-eminently the world's representative in its ambition, selfishness, and pride, in defiance of the will of God (Is 23:9).

she is turned unto me--that is, the mart of corn, wine, oil, balsam, &c., which she once was, is transferred to me. The caravans from Palmyra, Petra, and the East will no longer be intercepted by the market ("the gates") of Jerusalem, but will come to me.

3-4. nations ... as the sea ... waves--In striking contrast to the boasting of Tyre, God threatens to bring against her Babylon's army levied from "many nations," even as the Mediterranean waves that dashed against her rock-founded city on all sides.

scrape her dust ... make her ... top of ... rock--or, "a bare rock" [Grotius]. The soil which the Tyrians had brought together upon the rock on which they built their city, I will scrape so clean away as to leave no dust, but only the bare rock as it was. An awful contrast to her expectation of filling herself with all the wealth of the East now that Jerusalem has fallen.

5. in the midst of the sea--plainly referring to New Tyre (Eze 27:32).

6. her daughters ... in the field--The surrounding villages, dependent on her in the open country, shall share the fate of the mother city.

7. from the north--the original locality of the Chaldeans; also, the direction by which they entered Palestine, taking the route of Riblah and Hamath on the Orontes, in preference to that across the desert between Babylon and Judea.

king of kings--so called because of the many kings who owned allegiance to him (2Ki 18:28). God had delegated to him the universal earth-empire which is His (Da 2:47). The Son of God alone has the right and title inherently, and shall assume it when the world kings shall have been fully proved as abusers of the trust (1Ti 6:15; Re 17:12-14; 19:15, 16). Ezekiel's prophecy was not based on conjecture from the past, for Shalmaneser, with all the might of the Assyrian empire, had failed in his siege of Tyre. Yet Nebuchadnezzar was to succeed. Josephus tells us that Nebuchadnezzar began the siege in the seventh year of Ithobal's reign, king of Tyre.

9. engines of war--literally, "an apparatus for striking." "He shall apply the stroke of the battering-ram against thy walls." Havernick translates, "His enginery of destruction"; literally, the "destruction (not merely the stroke) of his enginery."

axes--literally, "swords."

10. dust--So thick shall be the "dust" stirred up by the immense numbers of "horses," that it shall "cover" the whole city as a cloud.

horses ... chariots--As in Eze 26:3-5, New Tyre on the insular rock in the sea (compare Is 23:2, 4, 6) is referred to; so here, in Eze 26:9-11, Old Tyre on the mainland. Both are included in the prophecies under one name.

wheels--Fairbairn thinks that here, and in Eze 23:24, as "the wheels" are distinct from the "chariots," some wheelwork for riding on, or for the operations of the siege, are meant.

11. thy strong garrisons--literally, "the statutes of thy strength"; so the forts which are "monuments of thy strength." Maurer understands, in stricter agreement with the literal meaning, "the statues" or "obelisks erected in honor of the idols, the tutelary gods of Tyre," as Melecarte, answering to the Grecian Hercules, whose temple stood in Old Tyre (compare Jr 43:13, Margin).

12. lay thy stones ... timber ... in ... midst of ... water--referring to the insular New Tyre (Eze 26:3, 5; Eze 27:4, 25, 26). When its lofty buildings and towers fall, surrounded as it was with the sea which entered its double harbor and washed its ramparts, the "stones ... timbers ... and dust" appropriately are described as thrown down "in the midst of the water." Though Ezekiel attributes the capture of Tyre to Nebuchadnezzar (see on Eze 29:18), yet it does not follow that the final destruction of it described is attributed by him to the same monarch. The overthrow of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar was the first link in the long chain of evil--the first deadly blow which prepared for, and was the earnest of, the final doom. The change in this verse from the individual conqueror "he," to the general "they," marks that what he did was not the whole, but only paved the way for others to complete the work begun by him. It was to be a progressive work until she was utterly destroyed. Thus the words here answer exactly to what Alexander did. With the "stones, timber," and rubbish of Old Tyre, he built a causeway in seven months to New Tyre on the island and so took it [Curtius, 4, 2], 322 B.C.

13. Instead of the joyousness of thy prosperity, a death-like silence shall reign (Is 24:8; Jr 7:34).

14. He concludes in nearly the same words as he began (Eze 26:4, 5).

built no more--fulfilled as to the mainland Tyre, under Nebuchadnezzar. The insular Tyre recovered partly, after seventy years (Is 23:17, 18), but again suffered under Alexander, then under Antigonus, then under the Saracens at the beginning of the fourteenth century. Now its harbors are choked with sand, precluding all hope of future restoration, "not one entire house is left, and only a few fishermen take shelter in the vaults" [Maundrell]. So accurately has God's word come to pass.

15-21. The impression which the overthrow of Tyre produced on other maritime nations and upon her own colonies, for example, Utica, Carthage, and Tartessus or Tarshish in Spain.

isles--maritime lands. Even mighty Carthage used to send a yearly offering to the temple of Hercules at Tyre: and the mother city gave high priests to her colonies. Hence the consternation at her fall felt in the widely scattered dependencies with which she was so closely connected by the ties of religion, as well as commercial intercourse.

shake--metaphorically: "be agitated" (Jr 49:21).

The eleventh year - This was the year in which Jerusalem was taken; the eleventh of the captivity of Jeconiah, and the eleventh of the reign of Zedekiah. What month we are not told, though the day is mentioned. There have been many conjectures about this, which are not of sufficient consequence to be detailed.

Tyrus hath said - From this it would appear that Jerusalem had been taken, which was on the fourth month of this year; but it is possible that the prophet speaks of the event beforehand.

She is broken that was the gates of the people - Jerusalem, a general emporium.

I shall be replenished - The merchandise that went to Jerusalem will come to me, (to Tyre.).

Will cause many nations to come up against thee - We have already seen that the empire of the Chaldeans was composed of many different provinces, and that Nebuchadnezzar's army was composed of soldiers from different nations: these may be the people meant; but I doubt whether this may not refer to the different nations which in successive ages fought against Tyre. It was at last finally destroyed in the sixteenth century of the Christian era.

I will also scrape her dust from her - I will totally destroy her fortifications, and leave her nothing but a barren rock, as she was before. This cannot refer to the capture of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar. It flourished long after his time.

A place for the spreading of nets - A place for the habitation of some poor fishermen, who spent the fishing season there, and were accustomed to dry their nets upon the rocks. See on Eze 26:11 (note).

And her daughters - The places dependent on Tyre. As there were two places called Tyre, one on the main land, and the other on a rock in the sea, opposite to that on the main land, sometimes the one seems to be spoken of, and sometimes the other. That on the land, Palaetyre, was soon taken; but that in the sea cost Nebuchadnezzar thirteen years of siege and blockade. The two formed only one city, and one state.

Nebuchadrezzar - king of kings - An ancient title among those proud Asiatic despots shahinshah and padshah, titles still in use.

Thy daughters in the field - This seems to be spoken of Palaetyre, or Tyre on the main land; for forts, mounts, engines of war, horses, and chariots could not be brought to act against the other.

And they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water - This answers to the taking of Tyre by Alexander; he actually took the timbers, stones, rubbish, etc. of old Tyre, and filled up the space between it and new Tyre, and thus connected the latter with the main land; and this he was obliged to do before he could take it.

Thou shalt be built no more - If this refer to Nebuchadnezzar's capture of the city, old Tyre must be intended: that was destroyed by him, and never rebuilt. But I doubt whether the whole of this prophecy do not refer to the taking of Tyre by Alexander, three hundred years after its capture by Nebuchadnezzar. Indeed it may include more recent conquests of this important city. It went through a variety of vicissitudes till 1289, when it and the neighboring towns were sacked and ravaged by the Mamelukes. Mr. Maundrell, who visited this place, says, "it is a Babel of broken walls, pillars, vaults, etc., there being not so much as one entire house left! Its present inhabitants are only a few poor wretches, harbouring themselves in the vaults, and subsisting chiefly on fishing; who seem to be preserved in this place by Divine Providence as a visible argument how God has fulfilled his word concerning Tyre, that it should be the top of a rock, a place for fishers to dry their nets on."

The isles shake at the sound of thy fall - All those which had traded with this city, which was the grand mart, and on which they all depended. Her ruin involved them all, and caused general wailing.

The princes of the sea - The chief maritime states, such as Leptis, Utica, Carthage, Gades, etc. See Calmet.

Wast strong in the sea - The strength of Tyre was so great, that Alexander despaired of being able to reduce it unless he could fill up that arm of the sea that ran between it and the main land. And this work cost his army seven months of labor.

And I shall set glory in the land of the living - Judea so called, the land of the living God.

Yet shalt thou never be found again - This is literally true; there is not the smallest vestige of the ancient Tyre, that which was erected on the main land. Even the ground seems to have been washed away; and the new Tyre is in nearly a similar state. I think this prophecy must be extended to the whole duration of Tyre. If it now be found to be in the state here described, it is sufficient to show the truth of the prophecy. And now it is found precisely in the state which the above prophetic declarations, taken according to the letter, point out! No word of God can ever fall to the ground.

Notwithstanding the former destructions, Tyre was a place of some consequence in the time of St. Paul. There was a Church there, (see Act 21:3, Act 21:4, etc.), which afterwards became famous. Calmet observes, it afforded a great number of martyrs for the Christian Church.

In the eleventh year - Of Jechoniah's captivity, the year wherein Jerusalem was taken. The month - That month which followed the taking of Jerusalem.

Because - Probably God revealed this to the prophet as soon as these insulting Tyrians spoke it. The gates - The great mart of nations, people from all parts. She is turned - The trading interest will turn to me.

Scrape - I will leave thee nothing; thou shalt be scraped, and swept, that not so much as dust shall remain in thee. Like - As bare as was the rock on which thy city is built.

Her daughters - The lesser cities. In the field - On the firm land.

Garrisons - Bastions, or forts, or triumphal arches.

Shall lay - It had been a quicker way, to have burnt all; but the greedy soldier might dream of treasures hid in walls, or under the timber, and therefore take the pains to pull all down, and throw it into the sea.

No more - Tho' there was a city of that name built, yet it was built on the continent; and in propriety of speech, was another city.

The isles - Isles which are places freest from danger of invasions, will shake with fear, when they learn that Tyre is fallen.

The princes - Who were lords of the islands of that sea. Come down - In token of condolence. Trembling - They shall be afraid of their own concerns, and astonished in the midst of their fears.

In the sea - At a great distance, and farther from land. Departure - Leaving thy ancient dwelling, to go into captivity.

The deep - Nebuchadnezzar's army. Great waters - Great afflictions.

Bring thee down - When I shall slay thee, and throw thee into the grave. With the people - Who are long since dead, and gone to eternity. The low parts - Another description of the grave, from the situation and solitude of it. Set glory - Then I will restore the beauty, strength, and wealth of Israel, and bring them back to Jerusalem. In the land - In the land of Judea, called, land of the living, because a land, where God will bless, and give life by his word, ordinances, and spirit: thus different shall Tyre's captivity and Jerusalem's be.

A terror - To all that hear of thee.

1 AND it came to pass in the eleventh year , in the first day of the month , that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Of Ieconiah's Captivity, the y[illegible: 2 letters]r, wherein Ierusalem was taken.

That Month, which followed the taking Ierusalem, i. e. the fifth month; for Ierusalem was taken on the fourth month, ninth day, and in twenty days after the news was brought to Tyrus, which behaved her self, as the Prophet will declare.

2 Son of man, Because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha , she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished , now she is laid waste.

The City for the People, 'tis probable it was a universal joy, therefore ascribed to the whole City built on a Rock, and Island of the same name, not far distant from the Continent, a very great Traded Port, and City.

Either God revealed this to the Prophet so soon as these insulting Tyrians spoke it, or else Ezekiel speaks of it prophetically, and as if 'twere done.

Shew'd grea[illegible: 1 letter] joy at the fall of Ierusalem, and triumpht over her.

By Nebuchadnezzars Army.

Near to the Gates of the Cities were usually the great Merchants, and so here Ierusalem is called the great Mart of Nations and People from all parts resorting to her for Trade, or Religion.

Trad[illegible: 2 letters]g interest will turn to me, they, that did carry Merchandize to Ierusalem, will now bring it to me.

Have full Trade, my Haven full of Ships, Streets full of Buyers and Sellers, Shops full of Wares, Houses full of Lodgers, and Purses full of Money.

She reflected on wasted Ierusalem with Joy, which was impious, iniurious, and inhumane to rejoyce in the ruine of her Neigh[illegible: 1 letter]our.

Marginal references: Isa. 23. Jer. 25.22. and 47.4. Amo. 1.9. Zech. 9.2.; chap. 25.3.

3 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.

And if God be against them, they'l soon have Enemies enough too against them, God purposeth, threatneth, and assureth them, he is, and will be against them.

For Number, and Mighty for Strength, Riches, Authority, and Fea[illegible: 1 letter]s of War already done.

With such Violence, Constancy, swelling in height, and making thee fear the issue, so shall the Babylonians come.

4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her Towers : I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.

Batter and demolish with their mighty Engines, which shall shake, disjoint, and beat down the strongest parts of their Walls.

Undermine, that they may tumble at once, or else employ hands to take them down, as men pull down Buildings.

Watch Towers, and those that were for defence, and safety of their City▪ which from their greatness have their name, Migdol.

I will leave thee nothing, thou shalt be scrapt, and brusht, and swept, that not so much as dust shall remain to thee.

As bare as was the Rock, on which thy City is built before Wealth, Beauty, Buildings, and strength was brought to it by mans industry.

5 It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD; and it shall become a spoil to the nations .

As barren sandy Islets in the midst of the Sea, good for nothing, but to dry Fishermens Nets, shalt thou be.

A prey, though the contexture of the words place this after its being made so bare, and poor, yet we are to observe, that these last words give us account how this poverty and barrenness shall come upon thy rich City; the Nations shall spoil her with thirteen years long siege, interruption of Trade, living on the quick stock, and finally taken on surrender.

Babylonians, and their Confederates, who made the Tyrians pay the reckoning.

6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword ; and they shall know that I am the LORD .

Either the lesser Cities, which were as Daughters to Tyre, a phrase most familiar to the Scriptures, or else their Virgins, and Daughters of the Family.

On the firm Land, if you mean Cities; or surprized in the fields, whether taking the Air, or seeking to scape, if you mean Daughters in the latter sense.

Barbarous Souldiers shall spare none.

Cap. 25. ver. 17.

7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north , with horses , and with chariots , and with horsemen , and companies , and much people .

Vid. chap. 23. ver. 46.

So he stiled himself according to the vaunting manner of those Countreys, and indeed, by the right of Conquest, he was King of Kings, having many Tributary Kings under him, and many Captive Kings with him in Babylon. 2 Kings. 18.28. Ier. 52.32.

So was Babylon accounted to lye, as observed, chap. 1. ver. 4. though it did not lie full North, but had some points of the North from Tyre.

Those Eastern Kings had store of horses, and used many in their Wars; see ver. 11.

See chap. 23. ver. 24. let. d.

See chap. 23. ver. 12.

An Assembly of all sorts, from all parts of the large Kingdom of Babylon.

A mighty Army for fighting, and mighty train of hangers on, who were ready enough to do mischief to the Country, though not very fit to assist the Army, if need required, these would sweep all before them where ere they came.

8 He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field : and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.

See ver. 6. let. y.

See chap. 4. ver. 2. l[illegible: 1 letter]t. o. and chap. 17. ver. 17. let. s.

He shall draw a line round about thee, and build-Bastions, raise Sconces to defend the lines, to keep in the besieged, and secure the besiegers, or he shall pour out the shot, mighty stones, or the like out of the Engines framed, and placed on the Forts before mentioned, for so did they of old build mighty wooden Towers, there placed Engines, out of which they could fling mighty stones, or darts against the besieged, who were much annoyed from these high Towers, overlooking their Walls and Streets that none could stir out.

See chap. 23. ver. 24. let. g.

Marginal references: Or, pour out [illegible: 1 word] engine of shot

9 And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers.

These were mighty Engines, whatever form made of, and had their description here from the irresistable Force, wherewith they cast stones, and beat down all before them.

Whatever made of Iron, and framed to demolish Buildings; see chap. 16. ver. 39.

10 By reason of the abundance of his horses, their dust shall cover thee, thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels , and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city, wherein is made a breach .

The dust they raise in their marching, or in their exercising, in their riding to and fro, but whether while on the Land, or when they entred the City may be doubted.

As a cloud it shall cover the City,

As Buildings do with great noise, motion, or beating on the ground.

Of their Engines, or Waggons, or Chariots,

Nebuchadnezzar.

Without fear shall enter and possess his Conquest, which Tyre at last yielded to him after thirteen years hard siege.

Whose Walls [illegible: 1 letter]attered and levelled, there is nothing left to defend the Citizen[illegible: 1 letter] who therefore yield, or offend the besieger, who therefore fearless entreth.

Marginal references: Heb. accor [illegible: 2 letters]ng to the en [illegible: 2 letters]ges of a city [illegible: 2 letters]ken up.

11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets, he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground .

In proud, stately, and menacing posture shall the King of Babylon ride through all the streets of thy City, to the grief, and sorrow of the Tyrians, and as he, so shall his Troops do too.

In the Wars some of thy people shall fall by his sword, but that no wonder, I rather think that 'tis meant of giving judgment against some of the most valiant, constant, and active Citizens, which were the cause of the Cities holding so long out against Nebuchadnezzar, as he did with some of the Nobles of Ierusalem.

Bastions, or Forts about the City, or Triumphal Arches built by Tyrians, or Statues erected in honour to some eminent Citizens, or to the Kings of Egypt, their antient Allies; Enemies to the Chaldaeans, or the Statues of their Gods Hercules, and Apollo chain'd, that neither in ill nature, and angry, nor yet charmed with other mens songs, should depart, and leave their Pupils without a guard.

Shall be all cast down together.

12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise , and they shall break down thy walls , and destroy thy pleasant houses : and they shall lay thy stones, and thy timber, and thy dust in the midst of the water.

Chaldaean Souldiers.

Hinder thy Trade during the War and plunder thee in the end of the War.

Intercepting much, as 'tis coming to thee whilst besieged, and taking what they find, when they conquer.

See ver. 4.9. there he speaks of the Walls of the City, here of the Walls of private Houses▪ as appears by that which follows.

That the Tyrians dwelt in with delight, or diverted themselves in as Houses of Pleasure, Summer Houses.

It had been a quicker way, and easier to have burnt all, but 'tis like the greedy Souldier might dream of Treasure hid in Walls, or under the Timber, and therefore they take the pains to pul[illegible: 1 letter] all down, and throw it into the Sea; the very dust too, thus God fulfills his word, and scrap't Tyrus.

Marginal references: Heb. houses of [illegible: 1 word] desire.

13 And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.

A Populous, Wealthy, Antient, and much frequented City in the midst of great security, no doubt, had all sorts of Musick, and loud Musick on the Water especially.

And Songs to their Musick, but God will dash it all.

This particular Musick mentioned as one of the noblest, and most in request, but no more shall be heard in Tyre after it is taken by Nebuchadnezzar.

Marginal references: Isa. 24.8. [illegible: 1 letter]er. 7.34. [illegible: 1 word] 16.9.

14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock : thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon ; thou shalt be built no more : for I the LORD have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

See ver. 4.

See ver. 5. let. [illegible: 1 letter].

Either not this long time, or else not built in greatness, and Glory, or not raised to be a Kingdom, or not by the Inhabitants of old Tyre, or not with the same Laws, Customs, and Usages; indeed, though there was a City of that name built, yet 'twas built on the Continent, and in propriety of speech, was another City, not Old Tyrus.

15 Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus, Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?

Isles, which are places freest from the danger of Invas[illegible: 1 letter]ons, and in those dayes thought themselves safe▪ will think themselves in danger, and shake with fear, when they hear, that Tyre is fallen, 'twill amaze, and fright them all, when they hear thy men were wounded, and slain in the midst of thee who dwellest in the Sea.

16 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling , they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble every moment, and be astonished at thee.

Who were Lords of the Islands in that Sea, and who Traded with Tyrus, and there were many such, or Sea Commanders, who, in their wooden world▪ are so many pe[illegible: 1 letter]ty Princes, but rather the former, the crowned heads whose Kingdoms were so many Islands.

In token of sadness, and condolence.

As farther sign of grief.

This is added also to shew, how greatly they were affected with sorrow at this sad fall of their Allie, and Friend.

This laying aside of their gallantry shall not be in complement, as now in such cases of condolence, but they shall be heartily afraid of their own concerns, and astonisht in the midst of their fears.

Marginal references: chap. 32.10.; Heb. tremblings.

17 And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, how art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of sea faring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terrour to be on all that haunt it?

Princes of the Sea, ver. 16.

Solemnly, heartily, and for many dayes bewail thee.

By a Pro[illegible: 1 letter]opopaeia, or Fiction of persons, personate a dismal, sorrowful congress with fallen Tyre.

Alas, is it so? Can it be true? How is it that thou art destroyed? Who hadst so many Friends, so much riches, &c.

For thy Strength, Wealth, and Wisdom.

Strong indeed▪ and thought impregnable.

Who durst set on thee, who overawdst all the bold adventurers at Sea?

Marginal references: Revel. 18.9.

18 Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall ; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure .

Or Ships, so it might be rendred, whether one or other, 'tis the thing for the men, as Isles for Islanders, or Ships for Mariners.

Apprehending that nothing can stand, if Tyre fall, and that they are in danger too.

At great distance, and farther from Land.

Grieved and perplext.

Leaving thy antient dwelling, which from eldest Ages thy people had enjoyed with liberty to go into Captivity.

19 For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee.

Have made thee what now I threaten I will make thee.

In the same state with Cities, that have not any to dwell in them, whose Walls are broken down, and into whose Streets all solitary wild Beasts may come at pleasure.

Figuratively, Nebuchadnezzars Army, Literally, when thy Walls, and Ramparts are so broken down by the Chaldaeans, that the Sea, at high Tides, and in stormy swelling Seas overflows part of thine Antient Seat.

Either Literally, as the deep coming up, or Metaphorically great Afflictions shall flow over thee.

20 When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit , with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living .

Destroy thee, s[illegible: 1 letter]ay thee, and

Bury thee, throw thee into the Grave.

Who are long since dead, and gone to Eternity, the people of Eternity.

Another Description of the grave, from the scituation, and from the solitudes, or desolation of it. In brief when Tyre, as a dead man, shall be buried, forgotten, and perish utterly, and my hand hath done it, then it shall be known my hand hath avenged, and punisht all her Insolence, inhumanity, and covetousness, that she discovered, when she rejoiced at Ierusalems [illegible: 1 letter]all.

Restore the Beauty, Strength, Wealth of Israel, bring them back to Ierusalem, to worship in a rebuilt Temple, where they shall enjoy me.

Land of Iudaea, called Land of the Living, because a Land, where God will bless, and give Life by his Word, Ordinances, and Spirit: Thus different shall Tyre's Captivity, and Ierusalem's be.

21 I will make thee a terrour , and thou shalt be no more : though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord GOD.

Or Consumption, I will utterly consume thee, with more, than one kind of destruction will I destroy thee, and make thee thereby a terrour to all, that hear the bruit of thee.

See ver. 14. let. o.

If any will be so curious, as to enquire, if come to seek out the Footsteps of this Antient Tyre, they shall lose their labour, no signs of it on the Rock, where once it stood.

Rich, Populous, Potent, Wise, renowned Tyre, as once thou wast, shalt never more be found, and alas that, which is now on the Continent, is not fit to bear its name, much less to be counted the same City.

Marginal references: chap. 27.36.28.19.; Heb. terrors.

Against Tyre and Sidon - Ezekiel 26-28

The greater portion of these three chapters is occupied with the prophecy concerning Tyre, which extends from Eze 26:1 to Eze 28:19. The prophecy against Sidon is limited to Eze 28:20-26. The reason for this is, that the grandeur and importance of Phoenicia were concentrated at that time in the power and rule of Tyre, to which Sidon had been obliged to relinquish the hegemony, which it had formerly possessed over Phoenicia. The prophecy against Tyre consists of four words of God, of which the first (Ezekiel 26) contains the threat of destruction to the city and state of Tyre; the second (Ezekiel 27), a lamentation over this destruction; the third (Eze 28:1-10), the threat against the king of Tyre; the fourth (Eze 28:11-19), a lamentation over his fall.

Eze 26:1

In four sections, commencing with the formula, “thus saith the Lord,” Tyre, the mistress of the sea, is threatened with destruction. In the first strophe (Eze 26:2-6) there is a general threat of its destruction by a host of nations. In the second (Eze 26:7-14), the enemy is mentioned by name, and designated as a powerful one; and the conquest and destruction emanating from his are circumstantially described. In the third (Eze 26:15-18), the impression which this event would produce upon the inhabitants of the islands and coast-lands is depicted. And in the fourth (Eze 26:19-21), the threat is repeated in an energetic manner, and the prophecy is thereby rounded off.

This word of God bears in the introduction to the date of its delivery to the prophet and enunciation by him. - Eze 26:1. It came to pass in the eleventh year, on the first of the month, that the word of Jehovah came to me, saying. - The eleventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin was the year of the conquest and destruction of Jerusalem (Jer 52:6, Jer 52:12), the occurrence of which is presupposed in Eze 26:2 also. There is something striking in the omission of the number of the month both here and in Eze 32:17, as the day of the month is given. The attempt to discover in the words בּאחד an indication of the number of the month, by understanding לחדשׁ as signifying the first month of the year: “on the first as regards the month,” equivalent to, “in the first month, on the first day of it” (lxx, Luther, Kliefoth, and others), is as forced and untenable as the notion that that particular month is intended which had peculiar significance for Ezekiel, namely, the month in which Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed. The first explanation is proved to be erroneous by Eze 26:2, where the destruction of Jerusalem, which occurred in the fifth month of the year named, is assumed to have already happened. The second view is open to the objection that the conquest of Jerusalem happened in the fourth month, and the destruction in the fifth (Jer 52:6 and Jer 52:12); and it cannot be affirmed that the conquest was of less importance to Ezekiel than the destruction. We cannot escape the conclusion, therefore, that the number of the month has been dropped through a corruption of the text, which has occurred in copying; but in that case we must give up all hope of being able to determine what the month really was. The conjecture offered by Ewald and Hitzig, that one of the last months of the year is intended, because Ezekiel could not have known before then what impression the conquest of Jerusalem had made upon Tyre, stands or falls with the naturalistic view entertained by these writers with regard to prophecy.

Eze 26:2-14

Tyre shall be broken and utterly destroyed

Eze 26:2.Son of man, because Tyre saith concerning Jerusalem, “Aha, the door of the nations is broken; it turneth to me; I shall become full; she is laid waste;” Eze 26:3. Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will come upon thee, O Tyre, and will bring up against thee many nations, as the sea bringing up its waves. Eze 26:4. They will destroy the walls of Tyre, and throw down her towers; and I will sweep away her dust from her, and make her a bare rock. Eze 26:5. She shall become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, for I have spoken it, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah; and she shall become booty for the nations. Eze 26:6. And her daughters which are in the land shall be slain with the sword; and they shall learn that I am Jehovah. - Tyre, as in the prophecy of Isaiah (Ezekiel 23), is not the city of that name upon the mainland, ἡ πάλαι Τύρος or Παλαίτυρος, Old Tyre, which was taken by Shalmaneser and destroyed by Alexander (as Perizon., Marsh, Vitringa, J. D. Michaelis, and Eichhorn supposed), but Insular Tyre, which was three-quarters of a mile farther north, and only 1200 paces from the land, being built upon a small island, and separated from the mainland by a strait of no great depth (vid., Movers, Phoenizier, II p. 288ff.). This Insular Tyre had successfully resisted the Assyrians (Josephus, Antt. ix. 14. 2), and was at that time the market of the nations; and in Ezekiel’s day it had reached the summit of its greatness as mistress of the sea and the centre of the commerce of the world. That it is against this Tyre that our prophecy is chiefly directed, is evident from Eze 26:5 and Eze 26:14, according to which Tyre is to become a bare rock in the midst of the sea, and from the allusion to the daughter cities, בּשּׂדה, in the field, i.e., on the mainland (in Eze 26:6), as contrasted with the position occupied by Tyre upon a rocky island in the sea; and, lastly, from the description given in Ezekiel 27 of the maritime trade of Tyre with all nations, to which Old Tyre never attained, inasmuch as it possessed no harbour (vid., Movers, l.c. p. 176). This may easily be reconciled with such passages as Eze 26:6, Eze 26:8, and Ezekiel 27, 28, in which reference is also made to the continental Tyre, and the conquest of Tyre is depicted as the conquest of a land-city (see the exposition of these verses). - The threat against Tyre commences, as in the case of the nations threatened in Ezekiel 25, with a brief description of its sin. Tyre gave expression to its joy at the fall of Jerusalem, because it hoped to derive profit therefrom through the extension of its commerce and increase of its wealth. Different explanations have been given of the meaning of the words put into the mouth of Tyre. “The door of the nations is broken in pieces.” The plural דּלתות indicates the folding doors which formed the gate, and are mentioned in its stead. Jerusalem is the door of the nations, and is so called according to the current opinion of expositors, because it was the centre of the commerce of the nations, i.e., as a place of trade. But nothing is known to warrant the idea that Jerusalem was ever able to enter into rivalry with Tyre as a commercial city. The importance of Jerusalem with regard to other nations was to be found, not in its commerce, nor in the favourable situation which it occupied for trade, in support of which Hävernick refers to Herodotus, iii. 5, and Hitzig to Eze 23:40-41, but in its sanctuary, or the sacred calling which it had received for the whole world of nations. Kliefoth has therefore decided in favour of the following view: That Jerusalem is called a gate of the nations, not because it had hitherto been open to the nations for free and manifold intercourse, but for the very opposite reason, namely, because the gate of Jerusalem had hitherto been closed and barred against the nations, but was now broken in pieces through the destruction of the city, and thereby opened to the nations. Consequently the nations, and notably Tyre, would be able to enter now; and from this fact the Tyrians hoped to derive advantage, so far as their commercial interests were concerned. But this view is not in harmony with the text. Although a gate is opened by being broken in pieces, and one may force an entrance into a house by breaking the door (Gen 19:9), yet the expression “door of the nations” cannot signify a door which bars all entrance on the part of the nations, inasmuch as doors and gates are not made to secure houses and cities against the forcible entrance of men and nations, but to render it possible for them to go out and in. Moreover, the supposition that “door of the nations” is equivalent to shutting against the nations, is not in harmony with the words נסבּא אלי which follow. The expression “it has turned to me,” or it is turned to me, has no meaning unless it signifies that through the breaking of the door the stream of the nations would turn away from Jerusalem to Tyre, and therefore that hitherto the nations had turned to Jerusalem. נסבּה  is the 3rd pers. perf. Niphal of סבב, for נסבּה , formed after the analogy of נמס, etc. The missing subject to נסבּה  is to be found ad sensum in דּלתות העמּים. It is not the door itself, but the entrance and streaming in of the nations, which had previously been directed towards Jerusalem, and would now turn to Tyre. There is no necessity, therefore, for Hitzig’s conjecture, that  אמּלאה should be altered into מלאהּ, and the latter taken as the subject.

Consequently we must understand the words of the Tyrians as signifying that they had regarded the drawing of the nations to Jerusalem, i.e., the force of attraction which Jerusalem had hitherto exerted upon the nations, as the seat of the divine revelation of mercy, or of the law and judgment of the Lord, as interfering with their endeavour to draw all nations to themselves and gain them over to their purposes, and that they rejoiced at the destruction of Jerusalem, because they hoped that henceforth they would be able to attract the nations to themselves and enrich themselves with their possessions. This does not require that we should accredit the Tyrians with any such insight into the spiritual calling of Jerusalem as would lie beyond their heathen point of view. The simple circumstance, that the position occupied by Jerusalem in relation to the world apparently interfered with the mercantile interests of the Tyrians, would be quite sufficient to excite a malignant pleasure at the fall of the city of God, as the worship of God and the worship of Mammon are irreconcilably opposed. The source from which the envy and the enmity manifesting itself in this malicious pleasure took their rise, is indicated in the last words: “I shall fill myself, she (Jerusalem) is laid waste,” which Jerome has correctly linked together thus: quia illa deserta est, idcirco ego implebor. המּלא, to be filled with merchandise and wealth, as in Eze 27:25. On account of this disposition toward the kingdom of God, which led Tyre to expect an increase of power and wealth from its destruction, the Lord God would smite it with ruin and annihilation. הנני עליך, behold, I will come upon thee, as in Eze 13:8; Jer 50:31; Nah 3:5. God will lead a powerful army against Tyre, which shall destroy its walls and towers. Instead of the army, “many nations” are mentioned, because Tyre is hoping to attract more nations to itself in consequence of the destruction of Jerusalem. This hope is to be fulfilled, though in a different sense from that which Tyre intended. The comparison of the advancing army to the advancing waves of the sea is very significant when the situation of Tyre is considered. היּם is the subject to כּהעלות, and the Hiphil is construed with  ל instead of the accusative (compare Ewald, §292 c with §277 e). According to Arrian, ii. 18. 3, and Curtius, iv. 2. 9, 12, and 3. 13, Insular Tyre was fortified all round with lofty walls and towers, which were certainly in existence as early as Nebuchadnezzar’s time. Even the dust of the demolished buildings (עפרהּ) God would sweep away (סחיתי, ἁπ. λεγ., with a play upon שׁחתוּ), so that the city, i.e., the site on which it had stood, would become a bare and barren rock (צחיח סלע, as in Eze 24:7), a place where fishermen would spread out their nets to dry. “Her daughters” also, that is to say, the towns dependent upon Tyre, “on the field,” i.e., the open country - in other words, their inhabitants - would be slain with the sword.

In Eze 26:7-14 the threat is carried still further. - Eze 26:7. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, from the north, the king of kings, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and a multitude of much people. Eze 26:8. Thy daughters in the field he will slay with the sword, and he will erect siege-towers against thee, and throw up a rampart against thee, and set up shields against thee, Eze 26:9. And direct his battering-rams against thy walls, and throw down thy towers with his swords. Eze 26:10. From the multitude of his horses their dust will cover thee; from the noise of the horsemen, wheels, and chariots, thy walls will shake when he shall enter into thy gates, as they enter a city broken open. Eze 26:11. With the hoofs of his horses he will tread down all thy streets; thy people he will slay with the sword, and thy glorious pillars will fall to the ground. Eze 26:12. They will make booty of thy possessions, and plunder thy merchandise, destroy thy walls, and throw down thy splendid mansions, and sink thy stones, thy wood, and thy dust in the water. Eze 26:13. I will put an end to the sound of thy songs, and the music of thy harps shall be heard no more. Eze 26:14. I will make thee a bare rock; thou shalt be a place for the spreading of nets, and be built no more; for I Jehovah have spoken it, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. - Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon, - this is the meaning of the rhetorical description in these verses, - will come with a powerful army (Eze 26:7), smite with the sword the inland cities dependent upon Tyre. (Eze 26:8, compare Eze 26:6), then commence the siege of Tyre, destroy its walls and towers (Eze 26:8 and Eze 26:9), enter with his army the city in which breaches have been made, put the inhabitants to death (Eze 26:10 and Eze 26:11), plunder the treasures, destroy walls and buildings, and cast the ruins into the sea (Eze 26:12). Nebuchadrezzar, or Nebuchadnezzar (for the name see the comm. on 2Ki 24:10, is called king of kings, as the supreme ruler of the Babylonian empire, because the kings of conquered provinces and lands were subject to him as vassals (see the comm. on Isa 10:8).

His army consists of war-chariots, and cavalry, and a great multitude of infantry. קהל  are co-ordinate, so far as the rhetorical style is concerned; but in reality עם־רב is subordinate to קהל , as in Eze 23:24, inasmuch as the קהל consisted of עם־רב. On the siege-works mentioned in Eze 26:8, see the comm. on Eze 4:2. הקים צנּה signifies the construction of a roof with shields, by which the besiegers were accustomed to defend themselves from the missiles of the defenders of the city wall while pursing their labours. Herodotus repeatedly mentions such shield-roofs as used by the Persians (ix. 61. 99, 102), though, according to Layard, they are not to be found upon the Assyrian monuments (see the comm. on Nah 2:6). There is no doubt that מחי קב signifies the battering-ram, called כּר in Eze 21:27, though the meaning of the words is disputed. מחי , literally, thrusting or smiting. קבלו, from קבל, to be pointed either קבלּו  or קבלּו  (the form קבלּו  adopted by v. d. Hooght and J. H. Michaelis is opposed to the grammatical rules), has been explained by Gesenius and others as signifying res opposita, that which is opposite; hence מחי קבלו, the thrusting or demolishing of that which stands opposite. In the opinion of others, קבל  is an instrument employed in besieging; but there is nothing in the usage of the language to sustain either this explanation or that adopted by Hävernick, “destruction of his defence.” הרבותיו, his swords, used figuratively for his weapons or instruments of war, “his irons,” as Ewald has very aptly rendered it. The description in Eze 26:10 is hyperbolical. The number of horses is so great, that on their entering the city they cover it with dust, and the walls shake with the noise of the horsemen and chariots. 'כּמבואי עיר מב, literally, as the marchings into a broken city, i.e., a city taken by storm, generally are. The simile may be explained from the peculiar situation of Insular Tyre. It means that the enemy will enter it as they march into a land-fortress into which a breach has been made by force. The words presuppose that the besieger has made a road to the city by throwing up an embankment or dam. מצּבות עזּך, the memorial pillars of thy might, and the pillars dedicated to Baal, two of which are mentioned by Herodotus (ii. 44) as standing in the temple of Hercules at Tyre, one of gold, the other of emerald; not images of gods, but pillars, as symbols of Baal. These sink or fall to the ground before the overwhelming might of the foe (compare Isa 46:1; Isa 21:9, and 1Sa 5:3). After the slaughter of the inhabitants and the fall of the gods, the plundering of the treasures begins, and then follows the destruction of the city. בּתּי המדּה are not pleasure-houses (“pleasure-towers, or garden-houses of the wealthy merchants,” as Ewald supposes), for there was not space enough upon the island for gardens (Strabo, xvi. 2. 23), but the lofty, magnificent houses of the city, the palaces mentioned in Isa 23:13. Yea, the whole city shall be destroyed, and that so completely that they will sweep stones, wood, and rubbish into the sea. - Thus will the Lord put an end to the exultation and rejoicing in Tyre (Eze 26:13; compare Isa 14:11 and Amo 5:23). - The picture of the destruction of this powerful city closes with the repetition of the thought from Eze 26:5, that Tyre shall be turned into a bare rock, and shall never be built again.

Eze 26:15-18

The tidings of the destruction of Tyre will produce great commotion in all her colonies and the islands connected with her. - Eze 26:15. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah to Tyre, Will not the islands tremble at the noise of thy fall, at the groaning of the wounded, at the slaughter in the midst of thee? Eze 26:16. And all the princes of the sea will come down from their thrones, and will lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered clothes, and dress themselves in terrors, sit upon the earth, and they will tremble every moment, and be astonished at thee. Eze 26:17. They will raise a lamentation for thee, and say to thee: How hast thou perished, thou who wast inhabited from out of the sea, thou renowned city, she who was mighty upon the sea, she and her inhabitants, who inspired all her inhabitants with fear of her! Eze 26:18. Now do the islands tremble on the day of thy fall, and the islands in the sea are confounded at thy departure. - הלא, nonne, has the force of a direct affirmation. קול מפּלה, the noise of the fall, stands for the tidings of the noise, since the noise itself could not be heard upon the islands. The fall takes place, as is added for the purpose of depicting the terrible nature of the event, at or amidst the groaning of the wounded, and the slaughter in the midst of thee. בּהרג is the infinitive Niphal, with the accent drawn back on account of the following Milel, and should be pointed בּהרג . The word איּים, islands, is frequently used so as to embrace the coast lands of the Mediterranean Sea; we have therefore to understand it here as applied to the Phoenician colonies on the islands and coasts of that sea. The “princes of the sea” are not kings of the islands, but, according to Isa 23:8, the merchants presiding over the colonies of Tyre, who resembled princes. כּסאות, not royal thrones, but chairs, as in 1Sa 4:13, etc. The picture of their mourning recalls the description in Jon 3:6; it is not derived from that passage, however, but is an independent description of the mourning customs which commonly prevailed among princes. The antithesis introduced as a very striking one: clothing themselves in terrors, putting on terrors in the place of the robes of state which they have laid aside (see the similar trope in Eze 7:27). The thought is rendered still more forcible by the closing sentences of the verse: they tremble לרנעים, by moments, i.e., as the moments return - actually, therefore, “every moment” (vid., Isa 27:3). - In the lamentation which they raise (Eze 26:17), they give prominence to the alarming revolution of all things, occasioned by the fact that the mistress of the seas, once so renowned, has now become an object of horror and alarm. נושׁבת מיּמּים, inhabited from the seas. This is not to be taken as equivalent to “as far as the seas,” in the sense of, whose inhabitants spread over the seas and settle there, as Gesenius (Thes.) and Hävernick suppose; for being inhabited is the very opposite of sending the inhabitants abroad. If מן were to be taken in the geographical sense of direction or locality, the meaning of the expression could only be, whose inhabitants spring from the seas, or have migrated thither from all seas; but this would not apply to the population of Tyre, which did not consists of men of all nations under heaven. Hitzig has given the correct interpretation, namely, from the sea, or out of the seas, which had as it were ascended as an inhabited city out of the bosom of the sea. It is not easy to explain the last clause of Eze 26:17 : who inspired all her inhabitants with their terror, or with terror of them (of themselves); for if the relative אשׁר is taken in connection with the preceding ישׁביה, the thought arises that the inhabitants of Tyre inspired her inhabitants, i.e., themselves, with their terror, or terror of themselves. Kimchi, Rosenmüller, Ewald, Kliefoth, and others, have therefore proposed to take the suffix in the second יושׁביה as referring to היּם ot gnirre, all the inhabitants of the sea, i.e., all her colonies. But this is open to the objection, that not only is ים of the masculine gender, but it is extremely harsh to take the same suffix attached to the two ישׁביה as referring to different subjects. We must therefore take the relative אשׁר and the suffix in חתּיתם as both referring to היא וישׁביה: the city with its population inspired all its several inhabitants with fear or itself. This is not to be understood, however, as signifying that the inhabitants of Tyre kept one another in a state of terror and alarm; but that the city with its population, through its power upon the sea, inspired all the several inhabitants with fear of this its might, inasmuch as the distinction of the city and its population was reflected upon every individual citizen. This explanation of the words is confirmed by the parallel passages in Eze 32:24 and Eze 32:26. - This city had come to so appalling an end, that all the islands trembled thereat. The two hemistichs in Eze 26:18 are synonymous, and the thought returns by way of conclusion to Eze 26:15. איּין has the Aramaean form of the plural, which is sometimes met with even in the earlier poetry (vid., Ewald, §177 a). צאת, departure, i.e., destruction.

Eze 26:19-21

Thus will Tyre, covered by the waves of the sea, sink into the region of the dead, and vanish for ever from the earth. - Eze 26:19. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, When I make thee a desolate city, like the cities which are no longer inhabited, when I cause the deep to rise over thee, so that the many waters cover thee, Eze 26:20. I cast thee down to those who have gone into the grave, to the people of olden time, and cause thee to dwell in the land of the lower regions, in the ruins from the olden time, with those who have gone into the grave, that thou mayest be no longer inhabited, and I create that which is glorious in the land of the living. Eze 26:21. I make thee a terror, and thou art no more; they will seek thee, and find thee no more for ever, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. - Not only will ruin and desolation come upon Tyre, but it will sink for ever into the region of the dead. In this concluding thought the whole threat is summed up. The infinitive clauses of Eze 26:19 recapitulate the leading thoughts of the previous strophes, for the purpose of appending the closing thought of banishment to the under-world. By the rising of the deep we are to understand, according to Eze 26:12, that the city in its ruins will be sunk into the depths of the sea. יורדי , those who go down into the pit or grave, are the dead. They are described still further as עם עולם, not “those who are sleeping the long sleep of death,” or the generation of old whom all must join; but the people of the “old world” before the flood (2Pe 2:5), who were buried by the waters of the flood, in accordance with Job 22:15, where עולם denotes the generations of the primeval world, and after the analogy of the use of עם עולם in Isa 44:7, to describe the human race as existing from time immemorial.

In harmony with this, חרבות  are the ruins of the primeval world which perished in the flood. As עם עולם adds emphasis to the idea of יורדי בור, so also does בּחרבות מעולם to that of ארץ תּחתּיּות. Tyre shall not only descend to the dead in Sheol, but be thrust down to the people of the dead, who were sunk into the depths of the earth by the waters of the flood, and shall there receive its everlasting dwelling-place among the ruins of the primeval world which was destroyed by the flood, beside that godless race of the olden time. ארץ תּחתּיּות, land of the lowest places (cf. Eze 32:18, Eze 32:24), is a periphrasis for Sheol, the region of the dead (compare Eph 4:9, “the lower parts of the earth”). On 'ונתתּי צבי וגו Hitzig has observed with perfect correctness: “If we retain the pointing as the first person, with which the place assigned to the Athnach (-) coincides, we must at any rate not regard the clause as still dependent upon למען, and the force of the לא as continued. We should then have to take the clause as independent and affirmative, as the accentuators and the Targum have done.” But as this would give rise to a discrepancy between the two halves of the verse, Hitzig proposes to alter נתתּי retla ot seso into the second person ונתּתי, so that the clause would still be governed by למען לא. But the want of agreement between the two halves of the verse does not warrant an alteration of the text, especially if it lead to nothing better than the forced rendering adopted by Hitzig, “and thou no longer shinest with glory in the land of the living,” which there is nothing in the language to justify. And even the explanation proposed by Hävernick and Kliefoth, “that I no longer produce anything glorious from thee (Tyre) in the land of the living,” is open to this objection, that “from thee” is arbitrarily interpolated into the text; and if this were what Ezekiel meant, he would either have added לך or written נתתּיך. Moreover, the change of the person is a sufficient objection to our taking נתתּי as dependent upon למען, and supplying לא. ונתתּי is evidently a simple continuation of והושׁבתּיך. And nothing but the weightiest objections should lead us to give up a view which so naturally suggests itself. But no such objections exist. Neither the want of harmony between the two halves of the verse, nor the context, - according to which Tyre and its destruction are referred to both before and immediately after, - forces us to the adoption of explanations at variance with the simple meaning of the words. We therefore adhere to the natural interpretation of the words, “and I set (establish) glory in the land of the living;” and understand by the land of the living, not the theocracy especially, but the earth, in contrast to the region of the dead. The words contain the general thought, that on and after the overthrow of the glory of the ungodly power of the world, He will create that which is glorious on the earth to endure for ever; and this He really does by the establishing of His kingdom. - Tyre, on the contrary, shall become, through its fate, an object of terror, or an example of sudden destruction, and pass away with all its glory, not leaving a trace behind. For Eze 26:21, compare Isa 41:12 and Psa 37:36. וּתבקשׁי, imperf. Pual, has Chateph-patach between the two u, to indicate emphatically that the syllable is only a very loosely closed one (vid., Ewald, §31 b, p. 95).

The Burden of Tyre. (b. c. 588.)

1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: 3 Therefore thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up. 4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. 5 It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God : and it shall become a spoil to the nations. 6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the Lord . 7 For thus saith the Lord God ; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people. 8 He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee. 9 And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his axes he shall break down thy towers. 10 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach. 11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground. 12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy dust in the midst of the water. 13 And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard. 14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the Lord have spoken it, saith the Lord God .

This prophecy is dated in the eleventh year, which was the year that Jerusalem was taken, and in the first day of the month, but it is not said what month, some think the month in which Jerusalem was taken, which was the fourth month, others the month after; or perhaps it was the first month, and so it was the first day of the year. Observe here,

I. The pleasure with which the Tyrians looked upon the ruins of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was a great way off, in Babylon, but God told him what Tyrus said against Jerusalem (v. 2): "Aha! she is broken, broken to pieces, that was the gates of the people, to whom there was a great resort and where there was a general rendezvous of all nations, some upon one account and some upon another, and I shall get by it; all the wealth, power, and interest, which Jerusalem had, it is hoped, shall be turned to Tyre, and so now that she is laid waste I shall be replenished." We do not find that the Tyrians had such a hatred and enmity to Jerusalem and the sanctuary as the Ammonites and Edomites had, or were so spiteful and mischievous to the Jews. They were men of business, and of large acquaintance and free conversation, and therefore were not so bigoted, and of such a persecuting spirit, as the narrow souls that lived retired and knew not the world. All their care was to get estates, and enlarge their trade, and they looked upon Jerusalem not as an enemy, but as a rival. Hiram, king of Tyre, was a good friend to David and Solomon, and we do not read of any quarrels the Jews had with the Tyrians; but Tyre promised herself that the fall of Jerusalem would be an advantage to her in respect of trade a commerce, that now she shall have Jerusalem's customers, and the great men from all parts that used to come to Jerusalem for the accomplishing of themselves, and to spend their estates there, will now come to Tyre and spend them there; and whereas many, since the Chaldean army became so formidable in those parts, had retired into Jerusalem, and brought their estates thither for safety, as the Rechabites did, now they will come to Tyre, which, being in a manner surrounded with the sea, will be thought a place of greater strength than Jerusalem, and thus the prosperity of Tyre will rise out of the ruins of Jerusalem. Note, To be secretly pleased with the death or decay of others, when we are likely to get by it, with their fall when we may thrive upon it, is a sin that does most easily beset us, but is not thought to be such a bad thing, and so provoking to God, as really it is. We are apt to say, when those who stand in our light, in our way, are removed, when they break or fall into disgrace, "We shall be replenished now that they are laid waste." But this comes from a selfish covetous principle, and a desire to be placed alone in the midst of the earth, as if we grudged that any should live by us. This comes from a want of that love to our neighbour as to ourselves which the law of God so expressly requires, and from that inordinate love of the world as our happiness which the love of God so expressly forbids. And it is just with God to blast the designs and projects of those who thus contrive to raise themselves upon the ruins of others; and we see they are often disappointed.

II. The displeasure of God against them for it. The providence of God had done well for Tyrus. Tyrus was a pleasant and wealthy city, and might have continued so if she had, as she ought to have done, sympathized with Jerusalem in her calamities and sent her an address of condolence; but when, instead of that, she showed herself pleased with her neighbour's fall, and perhaps sent an address of congratulation to the conquerors, then God says, Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus! v. 3. And let her not expect to prosper long if God be against her.

1. God will bring formidable enemies upon her: Many nations shall come against thee, an army made up of many nations, or one nation that shall be as strong as many. Those that have God against them may expect all the creatures against them; for what peace can those have with whom God is at war? They shall come pouring in as the waves of the sea, one upon the neck of another, with an irresistible force. The person is named that shall bring this army upon them—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, that had many kings tributaries to him and dependents on him, besides those that were his captives, Dan. ii. 37, 38. He is that head of gold. He shall come with a vast army, horses and chariots, &c., all land-forces. We do not find that he had any naval force, or any thing wherewith he might attack it by sea, which made the attempt the more difficult, as we find ch. xxix. 18, where it is called a great service which he served against Tyrus. He shall besiege it in form (v. 8), make a fort, and cast a mount, and (v. 9) shall set engines of war against the walls. His troops shall be so numerous as to raise a dust that shall cover the city, v. 10. They shall make a noise that shall even shake the walls; and they shall shout at every attack, as soldiers do when they enter a city that is broken up; the horses shall prance with so much fury and violence that they shall even tread down the streets though so ever well paved.

2. They shall do terrible execution. (1.) The enemy shall make themselves masters of all their fortifications, shall destroy the walls and break down the towers, v. 4. For what walls are so strongly built as to be a fence against the judgments of God? Her strong garrisons shall go down to the ground, v. 11. And the walls shall be broken down, v. 12. The city held out a long siege, but it was taken at last. (2.) A great deal of blood shall be shed: Her daughters who are in the field, the cities upon the continent, which were subject to Tyre as the mother-city, the inhabitants of them shall be slain by the sword, v. 6. The invaders begin with those that come first in their way. And (v. 11) he shall slay thy people with the sword; not only the soldiers that are found in arms, but the burghers, shall be put to the sword, the king of Babylon being highly incensed against them for holding out so long. (3.) The wealth of the city shall all become a spoil to the conqueror (v. 12): They shall make a prey of the merchandise. It was in hope of the plunder that the city was set upon with so much vigour. See the vanity of riches, that they are kept for the owners to their hurt; they entice and recompense thieves, and not only cease to benefit those who took pains for them and were duly entitled to them, but are made to serve their enemies, who are thereby put into a capacity of doing them so much the more mischief. (4.) The city itself shall be laid in ruins. All the pleasant houses shall be destroyed (v. 12), such as were pleasantly situated, beautified, and furnished, shall become a heap of rubbish. Let none please themselves too much in their pleasant houses, for they know not how soon they may see the desolation of them. Tyre shall be utterly ruined; the enemy shall not only pull down the houses, but shall carry away the stones and the timber, and shall lay them in the midst of the water, not to be recovered, or ever made use of again. Nay (v. 4), I will scrape her dust from her; not only shall the loose dust be blown away, but the very ground it stands upon shall be torn up by the enraged enemy, carried off, and laid in the midst of the water, v. 12. The foundation is in the dust; that dust shall be all taken away, and then the city must fall of course. When Jerusalem was destroyed it was ploughed like a field, Mic. iii. 12. But the destruction of Tyre is carried further than that; the very soil of it shall be scraped away, and it shall be made like the top of a rock (v. 4, 14), pure rock that has no earth to cover it; it shall only be a place for the spreading of nets (v. 5, 14); it shall serve fishermen to dry their nets upon and mend them. (5.) There shall be a full period to all its mirth and joy (v. 13): I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease. Tyre had been a joyous city (Isa. xxiii. 7); with her songs she had courted customers to deal with her in a way of trade. But now farewell all her profitable commerce and pleasant conversation; Tyre is no more a place either of business or of sport. Lastly, It shall be built no more (v. 14), not built any more as it had been, with such state and magnificence, nor built any more in the same place, within the sea, nor built any where for a long time; the present inhabitants shall be destroyed or dispersed, so that this Tyre shall be no more. For God has spoken it (v. 5, 14); and when what he has said is accomplished they shall know thereby that he is the Lord, and not a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should repent.

The Burden of Tyre. (b. c. 588.)

15 Thus saith the Lord God to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee? 16 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee. 17 And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee, How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it! 18 Now shall the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure. 19 For thus saith the Lord God ; When I shall make thee a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; 20 When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living; 21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord God .

The utter ruin of Tyre is here represented in very strong and lively figures, which are exceedingly affecting.

1. See how high, how great, Tyre had been, how little likely ever to come to this. The remembrance of men's former grandeur and plenty is a great aggravation of their present disgrace and poverty. Tyre was a renowned city (v. 17), famous among the nations, the crowning city (so she is called Isa. xxiii. 8), a city that had crowns in her gift, honoured all she smiled upon, crowned herself and all about her. She was inhabited of seas, that is, of those that trade at sea, of those who from all parts came thither by sea, bringing with them the abundance of the seas and the treasures hidden in the sand. She was strong in the sea, easy of access to her friends, but to her enemies inaccessible, fortified by a wall of water, which made her impregnable. So that she with her pomp, and her inhabitants with their pride, caused their terror to be on all that haunted that city, and upon any account frequented it. It was well fortified, and formidable in the eyes of all that acquainted themselves with it. Every body stood in awe of the Tyrians and was afraid of disobliging them. Note, Those who know their strength are too apt to cause terror, to pride themselves in frightening those they are an over-match for.

2. See how low, how little, Tyre is made, v. 19, 20. This renowned city is made a desolate city, is no more frequented as it has been; there is no more resort of merchants to it; it is like the cities not inhabited, which are no cities, and having none to keep them in repair, will go to decay of themselves. Tyre shall be like a city overflowed by an inundation of waters, which cover it, and upon which the deep is brought up. As the waves had formerly been its defence, so now they shall be its destruction. She shall be brought down with those that descend into the pit, with the cities of the old world that were under water, and with Sodom and Gomorrah, that lie in the bottom of the Dead Sea. Or, she shall be in the condition of those who have been long buried, of the people of old time, who are old inhabitants of the silent grace, who are quite rotted away under ground and quite forgotten above ground; such shall Tyre be, free among the dead, set in the lower parts of the earth, humbled, mortified, reduced. It shall be like the places desolate of old, as well as like persons dead of old; it shall be like other cities that have formerly been in like manner deserted and destroyed. It shall not be inhabited again; none shall have the courage to attempt the rebuilding of it upon that spot, so that it shall be no more; The Tyrians shall be lost among the nations, so that people will look in vain for Tyre in Tyre: Thou shalt be sought for, and never found again. New persons may build a new city upon a new spot of ground hard by, which they may call Tyre, but Tyre, as it is, shall never be any more. Note, The strongest cities in this world, the best-fortified and best-furnished, are subject to decay, and may in a little time be brought to nothing. In the history of our own island many cities are spoken of as in being when the Romans were here which now our antiquaries scarcely know where to look for, and of which there remains no more evidence than Roman urns and coins digged up there sometimes accidentally. But in the other world we look for a city that shall stand for ever and flourish in perfection through all the ages of eternity.

3. See what a distress the inhabitants of Tyre are in (v. 15): There is a great slaughter made in the midst of thee, many slain, and great men. It is probable that, when the city was taken, the generality of the inhabitants were put to the sword. Then did the wounded cry, and they cried in vain, to the pitiless conquerors; they cried quarter, but it would not be given them; the wounded are slain without mercy, or, rather, that is the only mercy that is shown them, that the second blow shall rid them out of their pain.

4. See what a consternation all the neighbours are in upon the fall of Tyre. This is elegantly expressed here, to show how astonishing it should be. (1.) the islands shall shake at the sound of thy fall (v. 15), as, when a great merchant breaks, all that he deals with are shocked by it, and begin to look about them; perhaps they had effects in his hands, which they are afraid they shall lose. Or, when they see one fail and become bankrupt of a sudden, in debt a great deal more than he is worth, it makes them afraid for themselves, lest they should do so too. Thus the isles, which thought themselves safe in the embraces of the sea, when they see Tyrus fall, shall tremble and be troubled, saying, "What will become of us?" And it is well if they make this good use of it, to take warning by it not to be secure, but to stand in awe of God and his judgments. The sudden fall of a great tower shakes the ground round about it; thus all the islands in the Mediterranean Sea shall feel themselves sensibly touched by the destruction of Tyre, it being a place they had so much knowledge of, such interests in, and such a constant correspondence with. (2.) The princes of the sea shall be affected with it, who ruled in those islands. Or the rich merchants, who live like princes (Isa. xxiii. 8), and the masters of ships, who command like princes, these shall condole the fall of Tyre in a most compassionate and pathetic manner (v. 16): They shall come down from their thrones, as neglecting the business of their thrones and despising the pomp of them. They shall lay away their robes of state, their broidered garments, and shall clothe themselves all over with tremblings, with sackcloth that will make them shiver. Or they shall by their own act and deed make themselves to tremble upon this occasion; they shall sit upon the ground in shame and sorrow; they shall tremble every moment at the thought of what has happened to Tyre, and for fear of what may happen to themselves; for what island is safe if Tyre be not? They shall take up a lamentation for thee, shall have elegies and mournful poems penned upon the fall of Tyre, v. 17. How art thou destroyed! [1.] It shall be a great surprise to them, and they shall be affected with wonder, that a place so well fortified by nature and art, so famed for politics and so full of money, which is the sinews of war, that held out so long and with so much bravery, should be taken at last (v. 21): I make thee a terror. Note, It is just with God to make those a terror to their neighbours, by the suddenness and strangeness of their punishment, who make themselves a terror to their neighbours by the abuse of their power. Tyre had caused her terror (v. 17) and now is made a terrible example. [2.] It shall be a great affliction to them, and they shall be affected with sorrow (v. 17); they shall take up a lamentation for Tyre, as thinking it a thousand pities that such a rich and splendid city should be thus laid in ruins. When Jerusalem, the holy city, was destroyed, there were no such lamentations for it; it was nothing to those that passed by (Lam. i. 12); but when Tyre, the trading city, fell, it was universally bemoaned. Note, Those who have the world in their hearts lament the loss of great men more than the loss of good men. [3.] It shall be a loud alarm to them: They shall tremble in the day of thy fall, because they shall have reason to think that their own turn will be next. If Tyre fall, who can stand? Howl, fir-trees, if such a cedar be shaken. Note, The fall of others should awaken us out of our security. The death or decay of others in the world is a check to us, when we dream that our mountain stands strongly and shall not be moved.

5. See how the irreparable ruin of Tyre is aggravated by the prospect of the restoration of Israel. Thus shall Tyre sink when I shall set glory in the land of the living, v. 20. Note, (1.) The holy land is the land of the living; for none but holy souls are properly living souls. Where living sacrifices are offered to the living God, and where the lively oracles are, there the land of the living is; there David hoped to see the goodness of the Lord, Ps. xxvii. 13. That was a type of heaven, which is indeed the land of the living. (2.) Though this land of the living may for a time lie under disgrace, yet God will again set glory in it; the glory that had departed shall return, and the restoration of what they had been deprived of shall be so much more their glory. God will himself be the glory of the lands that are the lands of the living. (3.) It will aggravate the misery of those that have their portion in the land of the dying, of those that are for ever dying, to behold the happiness of those, at the same time, that shall have their everlasting portion in the land of the living. When the rich man was himself in torment he saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham, and glory set for him in the land of the living.

CHAP. XXVI.

Ver. 1. IN the eleventh year] Of Je[illegible: 1 letter]ojachim's captivity, and Zedekiah's reign.

In the firſt day of the moneth] i. e. Of the fifth moneth; when the news came to Tyre of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem twenty dayes before, which fell out on the ninth day of the fourth moneth, 2 Kings 25.1.

Ver. 2. Becauſe that Tyrus hath ſaid] Wicked men ſhall give account for their hard ſpeeches alſo.Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 2. Sarrano dormiat oſtro. Virg. Geor. l. 2. Jude 15. if not ſooner, yet certainly at the laſt day, with the whole world all on a light fire about their cares. Tyrus was the chief City of Phaenicia, built before Solomons Temple, ſaith Joſephus: and anciently called Sarra, ſaith Servius, of the Hebrew Tſor which ſignifieth a rock; becauſe it was built upon a rock. It became the moſt famous and wealthy Mart-town of the whole Eaſt: and having ſo great reſort to it from all parts, it was a very ſinful place; and framing comedies out of the Churches tragedies, hath this Prophecy to champ upon, for a rebater of its pride and petulancy.

Aha] See chap. 25.3.

That was the gates of the people] Whereinto they entered by troops and caravant, for religion and traffique.

She is turned unto me] Vide hic ingenia mercatorum. Her ruine ſhall be my riſe; Loe, this is the world: envy and avarice rejoyce at, and are fed with other mens tears and loſſes: ſed gaudent pyrauſtae gaudium. Contrarywiſe, God is rich to all that call upon him, Rom. 10. and in ſpiritual things there is no envy, becauſe they may be divided in ſolidum, one may have as much as another, and all alike.

I ſhall be repleniſhed] Mercibus & opibus, with wars and wealth. But how long will it hold?

[non-Latin text not transcribed]. Pindar.Ver. 3. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God] And thy Merchants will ſoon doe thee word of it: for they are great news-mongers, and ill-news is ſwift of foot.

Behold I am againſt thee] Neither can thine Apollo help or deliver thee out of my hands: no though thou chain that idol and nail him to a poſt, that thou maiſt be ſure of him: for ſo theſe Tyrians did when Alexander beſieged their City and took it.

Ver. 4. And they ſhall deſtroy the walls of Tyrus] Which thou holdeſt to be inexpugnable: Hence this and the two following Chapters, purpoſely to undeceive thee, if it may be.

I will alſo ſcrape her duſt from her] Brought from other places, to make her gardens: for ſhe was built upon a rock, & in petram glabram: to a naked rock will God now reduce her.

Ver. 5. It ſhall be a place for the ſpreading of nets] Of fiſhers nets, hung up in the Sun to be dryed. The Prophets uſually fetch their compariſons from things the people were moſt acquainted with and accuſtomed to, as here. Let Miniſters now do the like.

Ver. 6. And her daughters which are in the field] i. e. Other Cities and colonies ſent out by her, and ſubject to her; as ſhe was olim partu clara urbibus genitis, as Pliny ſaith of her, the mother of many fair Cities, Leptis, Ʋtica, Carthage. Some take it literally for people of both ſexes.

Ver. 7. Behold I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadnezzar] A name as dreadful then, as was at any time the name of the great Turk: a man as famous for his valour and victories as ever was Hercules, ſaith Megaſthenes in in Joſephus: Antiq. l. 10. c. 13. and ſuch as whom we may well call as Oroſius doth Alexander, magnum miſeriarum gurgitem, & totius Orientis atrociſſimum turbinem, the great Trouble-world.

Ver. 8. He ſhall ſlay with the ſword] See on ver. 6.

He ſhall lift up the buckler] Or, a continued ſeries of bucklers,

— ut omnes Ferre queant jubter denſa teſtudine caſus.Helepoles injiciet.

Ver. 9. He ſhall ſet engines of war] A graphical deſcription of a ſiege.

And with his axes] Or, battering-rams, or ſlings. Heb. with his ſwords. Gr. with his launces, ferramentis mucronatis helepoleos. Vide Am. Marcell. lib. 23.

Ver. 10. Thy walls ſhall ſhake] With the noiſe of one charret, walls and windows ſeem to ſhake: what then with the rattle of ſo many? Me thought I heard the noiſe and fright that ſhall be at the laſt day, ſaid one that was at the taking of a Town in the Low-countries. The fragour and terrour was ſo great ſay,A Lapide. the Turkiſh hiſtories (ſpeaking of a bloody battel betwixt Amurath the third, and Lazarus Deſpot of Sernia) that the Angels in heaven (ſo they are pleaſed to Hyperbolize)Turk. Hiſt. amazed with that hideous noiſe, for that time forgat the heavenly hymnes wherewith they alwaies glorifie God.

When he ſhall enter into thy gates] As our Henry the eighth did into Tournay a City of France, which was ever counted ſo impregnable that this ſentence was engraven over one of the gates, Jannes ton me a perdu ton pucellage, i. e. Thou haſt never loſt thy maiden-head.

Ver. 11. And thy ſtrong garriſons] Or ſtatues, or idols. Their chief idols were Apollo, Hercules, and Aſtarie: See on ver. 3.Curt. l. 4. Plut. Probl.

Ver. 12. And they ſhall make a ſpoil of thy riches] Raked together by right and wrong. See on ver. 2. Malè parta malè dilàbuntur. Salluſt.

Ver. 13. And I will cauſe the noiſe of thy ſongs to ceaſe] The Tyrians were much addicted to Muſick, Iſa. 23.16. Ezek. 28.13. Pleaſure-mongers ſhall ſuffer deeply, by pain of loſſe and pain of ſenſe.

And the ſound of thy harp] Qua tu O Tyre, mercatrix quaſi meretrix mercatores ad te pellicis, wherewith thou getteſt cuſtom.

Ver. 14. Thou ſhalt be built no more] i. e. Not in haſte, and not at all by the ſame inhabitants, nor with the like neatneſſe, and celebrity. Some ſay it was not built in the ſame place with Palaetyrus or old Tyre: yet was it a famous City again, near unto which our Saviour wrought miracles; Hieron. Ulp. diget. Tit. de [illegible: 1 letter]enſ. in which Paul abode ſeven dayes with the brethren. Here Origen dyed, Ʋlpian the great Lawyer was born, &c. Of this City read Gul. Tyrius de bello ſacro. lib. 13. cap. 1.

Ver. 15. Shall not the Iſles] See the like Eſa. 23.

Ver. 16. All the Princes of the ſea] i. e. Of the neighbouring Iſlands.

Cloath themſelves with trembling] Luth. with mourning.

Ver. 17. And they ſhall take up a lamentation] The like ſhall be done ſhortly at Rome, Rev. 18.9.

That waſt inhabited of ſeafaring men] Who are uſually the worſt of men; whence the Proverb Maritimi mores, &c.

On all that haunt it] Haunt the ſea, littorales qui ſunt ferè duri, horridi, immanes, latrociniis dediti, feri & inhoſpitales, tales olim Britanni.

Iſidor.Ver. 18. Now ſhall the Iſles tremble] And ſeeing thy ſhipwrack, they ſhall look better to their tackling. Alterius perditio tua ſit cautio.

At thy departure] Into captivity. Or tuus exitus, hoc eſt tuum exitium.

Ver. 19. When I ſhall bring up the deep upon thee] As ver. 3. great forces.

And great waters ſhall cover thee] So that thou ſhalt be irrecoverably loſt, as places drowned and never ſeen any more: Godwins ſands here in Kent for inſtance. Theſe did once belong to Godwin Earle of Kent as his lands: but in the reign of William Rufus they were overflowed, and remain to this day a dangerous ſandy place, where periſhed this preſent year 1658. Col. Reynolds and others, in their return from Mardike.

Ver. 20. With the people of old time] The multitude of thoſe that are dead from the beginning of the world. Or, with the people of the old world, as Hierom will have it: and that the Tyrians deſtruction both temporal and eternal is hereby hinted.

When I ſhall ſet glory in the land of the living] i. e. In Judaes, (where the living and true God is worſhipped, and where are the right heires of life) will I reeſtabliſh my Church, which is my glory. Or when I ſhall glorifie mine elect in mine heavenly Kingdom.

Ver. 21. Yet ſhalt thou never be found again] See on ver. 14.