Bible Commentaries

the eleventh year. The month not given; but see Jeremiah 39:1-7; Jeremiah 52:4-11. See note on Ezekiel 30:20. Jerusalem fell probably in the fifth month, after the fall but before the destruction in that year of the Temple (2 Kings 25:8). Compare Ezekiel 26:2. This prophecy began to be fulfilled then, and Tyre was taken by Nebuchadnezzar after a thirteen years" siege (see Isaiah 23:1), and Josephus (Antiquities x. 11, 1; cont. Apion, i. 20); but not completely fulfilled till later. Jehovah secs the end from the beginning, and speaks of it by way of prophetic foreshortening. "The day of Jehovah" (Ezekiel 30:3) looks forward to the end.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1.

Tyrus = Tyre, the city. Now, es Sur, Hebrew, tzur = a rock,

people = peoples.

she is turned: i.e. the tide of her traffic.

the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah. See note on Ezekiel 2:4

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

the top of a rock = a bare rock.

the midst of the sea. Tyre was on a promontory spreading out into the sea.

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle,

Nebuchadrezzar. Occurs thus spelled four times in this book (here; Ezekiel 29:18, Ezekiel 29:19; and Ezekiel 30:10). See note on Daniel 1:1.

companies = a gathered host.

daughters which are in the field = her daughter cities and towns inland.

engines of war = battering rams. Occurs only here.

axes = weapon

garrisons. or, pillars. Seen in vast numbers in the ruins to-day.

thou. The 1611 edition of tho Authorized Version reads "they". be built no more. Zidon's fate has boon different. Its extinction was not prophesied. See Ezekiel 28:20-26.

the LORD. The Syriac and Vulgate, with some codices, and two early printed editions, omit "Jehovah" here.

isles = coastlands, or maritime countries.

trembling. Hebrew, plural = a great trembling.

take up = raise.

a lamentation = a dirge.

that wast inhabited of seafaring men: or, that west an abode from the seas. The Syriac kataluo means to lodge, and is the rendering of Hebrew. yashab in Numbers 25:1.

descend into the pit. The people of Tyre are meant, as joining those who were dead and buried.

and I shall set glory. This is either a parenthetical contrast referring to Jerusalem (with which the prophecy begins, Ezekiel 26:2), or we may read, with Septuagint, "nor yet arise", &c, completing the end of Tyre, as in Ezekiel 26:21.

in the land of the living. This expression occurs eight times without the Article ("the" living): here; Ezekiel 32:23, Ezekiel 32:24, Ezekiel 32:26, Ezekiel 32:26, Ezekiel 32:27, Ezekiel 32:32; and Psalms 27:13. It occurs three times with the Article ("the living "). See note on Isaiah 38:11. In each case it refers to the condition of life, is contrast with "Sheol ", which is the condition of death.