1The riches and large commerce of Tyrus. 26Her great and irrecoverable fall.
1THE word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at 1the entry of the sea, which art a 2merchant of the people for many 3isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfecta beauty.
1 That is, to where they sail from the sea, and where the sea beats upon every side. See 1 Kings 5 on verse 1.
2 Or, which is the most important among the nations in dealing or exercising merchandise. Hebr. properly: the dealer of the nations.
3 See Psalm 72 on verse 10.
a Ezek. 28:12.
4Thy borders are in the 4midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
4 Or, in the heart, that is, in the midst (as verse 32), or directly in the sea. Compare Deut. 4 on verse 11. Also verses 25, 26, 27; Ezek. 28:2, 8.
5They have made all thy ship 5boards of fir trees of 6Senir: they have 7taken 8cedars from Lebanon to make 9masts for thee.
5 Hebr. two tables, whereby is meant the landing of a ship. The Hebrew word is used in the dual number, as the landing of ships are frequently divided into two, going down on both sides.
6 Growing on that mountain. See Deut. 3:9.
7 Or, fetched. Hebr. taken, that is, taken and brought or fetched. See Gen. 12 on verse 15; Jer. 37 on verse 17.
8 Hebr. cedar. See Judges 9 on verse 15.
9 Hebr. flagstaff.
6Of the oaksb of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made 10thy 11benches of 12ivory, brought out of the isles of 13Chittim.
b Isa. 2:13.
10 Hebr. thy board or bench, or we may render it, bench-work.
11 Hebr. a daughter of steps or goings, that is, which has lain long in the ground, and where consequently men have long gone over, which is counted the right ivory, Plinius, lib. 8, chapter 3. See of this manner of speech Job 5 on verse 7; Isa. 5 on verse 1. Other, thy ships benches (whereon they rowed, or whereon sat the passengers for pomp) have those of the company of the Assyrians (or Ashurites, see 2 Sam. 2:9 with the annotation) made of ivory, etc., because the Hebrew words aschur and asschur are very similar to each other.
12 See 1 Kings 10 on verse 18.
13 See Gen. 10 on verse 4. Some understand by these nations which were situated westward from Palestina.
714Fine linen with 15broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy 16sail; 17blue and purple from the isles of 18Elishah was that which covered thee.
14 See Gen. 41 on verse 42.
15 Or, stitched.
16 Or, ensign, flag.
17 That is, garments of this color.
18 See Gen. 10 on verse 4.
8The inhabitants of 19Zidon and 20Arvad were thy mariners: thy 21wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy 22pilots.
19 See Gen. 10 on verse 15.
20 See Gen. 10 on verse 18. Also verse 11.
21 Who were expert, skilful and well versed in navigation; also verse 9.
22 Or, shipmasters, steersman; also in the sequel.
9The ancients of 23Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy 24calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy 25thy merchandise.
23 See 1 Kings 5 on verse 18.
24 Hebr. breach, split, rent, that is, to repair thy costly buildings and houses. Or, as some, to stop the holes; to caulk the ships.
25 Hebr. to mix thy mixture, that is, to interchange merchandise with thee. The Hebrew words, being of one root, are used for trading, interchanging, dealing with one another for any commodity, to contract together, to be surety for one another, etc. Also in the sequel.
10They of Persia and of 26Lud and of 27Phut were in thine army, thy 28men of war: they 29hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they 30set forth thy comeliness.
26 See Gen. 10 on verse 13.
27 See Gen. 10 on verse 6.
28 Whom thou, as well for thine own garrison as otherwise to help thy friends, and to awe thine enemies and for pomp, didst most stately maintain in thy service.
29 For pomp and ornament, as is also yet practiced at this day with fair and beautiful weapons.
30 Or, brought thine ornament. Hebr. properly: gave, have given, that is, they made thee elegant, adorned thee, and served for thy ornament or beauty.
11The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the 31Gammadims were in thy 32towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.
31 These are placed by some in a region of Phœnicia, or in a certain city there called Gammale, by changing the letter d into an l (see Plinius, lib. 2, chapter 91) not far from Tyrus, northward. Hebr. Gammadim. Some guess that it comes from the word gomed, Judges 3:16, signifying an ell or cubit, elbow, of which also these people had their name as being expert archers or watchmen, guards, who kept the forts, being strong in their elbows, arms and hands, and thus suitable and serviceable for that use.
32 That is, city forts and strongholds.
1233Tarshish 34was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of 35all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they 36traded in thy fairs.
33 See Gen. 10 on verse 4.
34 Or, was thy dealer. Also verses 16 and 18.
35 Hebr. all, that is, all manner of riches, substance, goods, as verse 33. Also verses 18 and 22.
36 Or, set themselves in, embarked in, applied themselves. Hebr. gave, or, they have given. And so often in the sequel.
1337Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy 38merchants: they traded the 39persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.
37 That is, the posterity of these three. See Gen. 10 on verse 2.
38 Or, traders, factors, dealers.
39 Or, souls of men; that is, persons or people. See Gen. 12 on verse 5; Rev. 18:13. Understand to sell them for slaves or otherwise to deal with them.
14They of the 40house of 41Togarmah 42traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.
40 That is, family or people.
41 See Gen. 10 on verse 3.
42 Or, they brought, they traded with, etc., as verse 12, etc.
1543The men of 44Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine 45hand: they 46brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.
43 That is, posterity.
44 See Gen. 10 on verse 7; Jer. 25 on verse 23.
45 That is, which thou hadst for thy merchandise and wares ready at hand, or wherewith thou didst trade in buying and selling, wherein the giving of the hand, or striking of hands was a thing usual in concluding or making up of the bargain, as also in other mutual transactions. Compare verse 21.
46 Or, gave. Hebr. they brought again thy present, that is, thee for a present; or (as some) in payment.
1647Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the 48wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and 49broidered work, and fine linen, and 50coral, and 51agate.
47 Hebr. Aram. See Gen. 10 on verse 22. Understand the Syrians.
48 Hebr. thy works, that is, all manner of wares which are made in thee with which to trade. Also verse 18.
49 Or, needlework, stitchery.
50 See Job 28 on verse 18.
51 See Isa. 54:12.
1752Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of 53Minnith, and 54Pannag, and honey, and oil, and 55balm.
52 Compare 1 Kings 5:9; Acts 12:20.
53 See Judges 11:33.
54 Which some conceive to be balm, others for Phœnicia.
55 See Gen. 37:25; Jer. 8:22.
1856Damascus was thy merchant 57in the multitude of the 58wares of thy making, for the multitude of 59all riches; in the wine of 60Helbon, and white wool.
56 See Gen. 14 on verse 15; 2 Sam. 8 on verse 5.
57 Or, with, for.
58 As verse 16.
59 As verse 12.
60 Which some conceive to be Chalibon in Syria.
1961Dan also and 62Javan 63going 64to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.
61 The descendants of Dan, dwelling at Dan, by mount Lebanon. See Judges 18:29.
62 See Gen. 10 on verse 2.
63 Or, traded, as verse 12.
64 Hebr. muzzal, that is, he that is done, that is, is driven to travel to and fro, he that is chased about, driven about, namely, out of a desire of gain, as merchants and traders are. Some conceive it to be the proper name of a nation.
2065Dedan was thy merchant in 66precious clothes for 67chariots.
65 That is, the descendants of Dedan. See Gen. 25:3.
66 Hebr. clothes of liberty, that is, which free men use and not servants or slaves; that is, rich, costly apparel.
67 Or, carriage, saddle-rigging.
2168Arabia, and all the princes of 69Kedar, 70they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.
68 That is, the Arabians.
69 See Gen. 25 on verse 13; Jer. 2 on verse 10.
70 See verse 15.
22The merchants of 71Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with 72chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.
71 See of these two Gen. 10 on verse 7.
72 That is, all sorts of the most important and most excellent spices. Also in the sequel. Compare verse 12.
2373Haran, and 74Canneh, and 75Eden, the merchants of 76Sheba, 77Asshur, and 78Chilmad, were thy merchants.
73 See Gen. 11 on verse 31.
74 Some conceive this to be Calneh, Gen. 10:10.
75 See Gen. 2 on verse 8.
76 Some hold this to be Seba in Desert Arabia, by Mesopotamia. See Job 1 on verse 15.
77 That is, Assyrians. See Gen. 10 on verse 22.
78 Some hold this to be a region situated in the uppermost part of Media, between Assyria and Parthia.
24These were thy merchants in 79all sorts of things, in 80blue clothes, and 81broidered work, and in 82chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of 83cedar, 84among thy merchandise.
79 See Ezek. 23:12. Or, with perfect adornings, or in gross. Hebr. perfections, accomplishments.
80 Or, bales, folded pieces. Hebr. as if one said: foldings, wrappings. Other, cloaks, skirts, gowns.
81 Or, needlework.
82 Or, coffers.
83 Hebr. cedared, that is, put, laid or packed in chests of cedar. Or, in chests made of cedar, cedar chests.
84 Or, upon thine exchange.
25The 85ships of 86Tarshish did sing of thee 87in thy market: and thou wast 88replenished, and made very glorious in the 89midst of the seas.
85 That is, the seafaring men, or the passengers.
86 The city of Tharsish, or the Ocean Sea. See 1 Kings 10 on verse 22.
87 Or, on your market.
88 Namely, with all manner of riches.
89 As verse 4, and in the sequel.
26¶Thy 90rowers have brought thee into 91great waters: the 92east windc hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.
90 That is, thy rulers, king and princes, who are your leaders, who are like the rowers in the ships.
91 Or, mighty, that is, have brought thee into great peril and danger of shipwreck. Compare 2 Sam. 22 on verse 17. Or, thou art come to such a great height, that thy fall shall be greater, to which thou hast given occasion by thy great splendor, as ships in great large waters carried with main high sails are the sooner tossed aside and broken in pieces by a storm.
92 See Exod. 10 on verse 13; Job 27 on verse 21; Psalm 48:7; Ezek. 17:10.
c Ezek. 17:10.
27Thyd riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin.
d Rev. 18:9, etc.
28The 93suburbs shall shakee at the sound of the cry of thy pilots.
93 Other, tossed waves of the sea.
e Ezek. 26:10, 15.
29And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land;
30And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall 94cast up 95dust upon their heads, they shall 96wallow themselves in the ashes:
94 Hebr. cause to come up, bring up, cast up.
95 See 2 Sam. 1 on verse 2.
96 As Jer. 6:26.
31And they shall make themselves 97utterly baldf for thee, and gird them with 98sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with 99bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
97 Hebr. properly: baldness, or, make themselves bald with baldness. See Jer. 16 on verse 6.
f Jer. 48:37.
98 See Gen. 37 on verse 34.
99 That is, bitter grief of heart.
32And 100in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the 101destroyed in the midst of the sea?
100 Other, their children shall, etc.
101 Namely, city.
33When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise.
34In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall.
35All the inhabitants of the 102isles shall be 103astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their 104countenance.
102 Compare Ezek. 26:15.
103 As Ezek. 32:10.
104 Showing great dreadfulness in their countenance.
36The merchants among the people shall hiss at 105thee; thou shalt be a 106terror,g and never shalt be any 107more.
105 Or, over thee. See 1 Kings 9 on verse 8; Jer. 18 on verse 16.
106 Hebr. terrors; also Ezek. 28:19.
g Ezek. 26:21.
107 Compare Ezek. 26:14 with the annotation.