OLD TESTAMENT

Ezekiel 27

The Holy Bible · English
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1

The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

2

“You, son of man, take up a lamentation over Tyre;

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Lamentation. Such canticles were usual, and very poetical.

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3

and tell Tyre, ‘You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, the Lord GOD says: “You, Tyre, have said, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 3. Entry, whence merchants may proceed from an excellent harbour to any place.

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4

Your borders are in the heart of the seas. Your builders have perfected your beauty.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 4. Neighbours of Sidon. Joshua 19:29. Calmet.—Septuagint “thy children.” Prot. “thy builders.” Bible.—The description of the Tyrian grandeur, shews their more woeful ruin. Worthington.

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5

They have made all your planks of cypress trees from Senir. They have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 5. Thee. Hebrew “all thy ship-boards.” Septuagint Prot. Bible.—S. Jerom has divided ( Calmet.) leuthim, “decks of the sea,” as yam denotes the sea. Bible.

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6

They have made your oars of the oaks of Bashan. They have made your benches of ivory inlaid in cypress wood from the islands of Kittim.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 6. Benches. Septuagint “temples.”—Italy. Hebrew Cetim. Macedonia. Boch. Calmet.—All distant places were styled islands, ( Bible.) when they went by water to them.

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7

Your sail was of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt, that it might be to you for a banner. Blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 7. Linen. Cotton, (Exodus 25:4) used for standards. Septuagint “for bed coverlets,” or for sails.—Mast. Cleopatra and Caligula were still more sumptuous in their sails.—Elisa, or Elis, famous for purple: yet Tyre was more so.

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8

The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men, Tyre, were in you. They were your pilots.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 8. Aradians. Sidon and Arad were then subject to Tyre, and supplied rowers.—Pilots. They studied no other science.

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9

The old men of Gebal and its wise men were your repairers of ship seams in you. All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to deal in your merchandise.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 9. Gebal. Septuagint “Biblos,” which is the same. 3 Kennicott. 5:18.—Furnished. Hebrew “were in thee to repair thy breaches.” Septuagint “strengthened thy designs.”

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10

“‘“Persia, Lud, and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you. They showed your beauty.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 10. Lybians. Hebrew “Phut.” They had been expelled by the Cyreneans. Tyre had in her pay the most warlike nations of Persia, and so forth Cyrus soon after shook off the yoke of the Medes, and conquered the Lydians.—Hung up. verse 11. This was very usual. Song of Songs 4:4. Isaiah 22:8. Calmet.

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11

The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, and valiant men were in your towers. They hung their shields on your walls all around. They have perfected your beauty.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 11. The Pygmeans. That is, strong and valiant men. In Hebrew Gammadim. Challoner.—He does not speak of those fabulous men hardly a cubit high. Gomed signifying a “cubit,” has caused them to be styled so here. Septuagint “guards;” or Sym. “Medes.” Ezechiel (38:6) speaks of the Gomerim.

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12

“‘“Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches. They traded for your wares with silver, iron, tin, and lead.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 12. Carthaginians. Hebrew “Tharsis,” in Cilicia; (Genesis 10:4. Calmet.) or distant merchants, who came by sea. Bible.

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13

“‘“Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders. They traded the persons of men and vessels of bronze for your merchandise.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Slaves. Those from Greece were much esteemed. Calmet.—Alas! thirty thousand Tyrians were themselves thus sold by Alexander! Bible.

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14

“‘“They of the house of Togarmah traded for your wares with horses, war horses, and mules.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 14. Horses. Those of Sarmatia ( Calmet.) were in high repute. Pliny viii. 42.

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15

“‘“The men of Dedan traded with you. Many islands were the market of your hand. They brought you horns of ivory and ebony in exchange.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 15. Dedan. Septuagint “Rhodians;” or rather Arabs are meant. verse 20. They might receive ivory from Ethiopia.—Teeth. Hebrew “horns or tusks,” which the elephant casts every year. The ivory is less brittle. 3 Kennicott. 10:18. Calmet.—Ebony; a hard black wood, like horn. Bochart.

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16

“‘“Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 16. Syrian: always much addicted to commerce. Saint Jerome—Septuagint read Adam for Aram, as if the traffic in men was meant: ( Calmet.) “ivory, and to those who brought, thou gavest thy rewards. (16) Men of thy traffic,” and so forth Bible.—Linen. Hebrew buts, “silk” extracted from the pinna fish. 1 Chronicles 15:27. Silk. Hebrew ramoth, may rather denote unicorns. Job 28:18. Calmet.—Chodchod. It is the Hebrew name for some precious stone, but of what kind in particular, interpreters are not agreed. Challoner.—Some say the carbuncle, and so forth S. Jerom renders it the jasper. Isaiah 54:12. Worthington.—Here he confesses he knows not the meaning. Calmet.

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17

“‘“Judah and the land of Israel were your traders. They traded wheat of Minnith, confections, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 17. Rosin. Our version generally renders this, balm. Bible.—It was much used to heal. Jeremiah 8:22. Genesis 37:25.

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18

“‘“Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon, and white wool.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 18. Rich. Hebrew Chelbon; perhaps the city Chelba. Judith 1:31. The kings of Persia used this wine, and planted vines at Damascus on purpose.

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19

“‘“Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were among your merchandise.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 19. Dan: the citizens of Peneas, the tribe of Dan was in captivity. Grotius places these nations in Zeilan, ( Calmet.) or Ceylon. Bible.

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20

“‘“Dedan was your merchant in precious saddle blankets for riding.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 20. Seats, such as the Turks still use, or to throw over horses instead of saddles.

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21

“‘“Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favorite dealers in lambs, rams, and goats. In these, they were your merchants.

22

“‘“The traders of Sheba and Raamah were your traders. They traded for your wares with the best of all spices, all precious stones, and gold.

23

“‘“Haran, Canneh, Eden, the traders of Sheba, Asshur and Chilmad, were your traders.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 23. Haran, or Charæ, famous for the residence of Abraham and the defeat of Crassus.—Eden, the province where Paradise was situated.

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24

These were your traders in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work, and in cedar chests of rich clothing bound with cords, among your merchandise.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 24. Cords, in boxes, which had then no locks.

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25

“‘“The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise. You were replenished and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 25. Sea. Hebrew Tharsis, in Cilicia; or large, and fit for long voyages. Thine were the best. Calmet.

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26

Your rowers have brought you into great waters. The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 26. South. Hebrew kodim, ( Bible.) “eastern,” or rather “burning,” here means Nabuchodonosor, who came from the north, (Calmet. 26:7. Calmet.) or east. The fall of Tyre is described as a shipwreck. Bible.

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27

Your riches, your wares, your merchandise, your mariners, your pilots, your repairers of ship seams, the dealers in your merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, with all your company which is among you, will fall into the heart of the seas in the day of your ruin.

28

At the sound of the cry of your pilots, the pasture lands will shake.

29

All who handle the oars, the mariners and all the pilots of the sea, will come down from their ships. They will stand on the land,

30

and will cause their voice to be heard over you, and will cry bitterly. They will cast up dust on their heads. They will wallow in the ashes.

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 30. Ashes. They followed the same customs as the Jews. Calmet.—The latter were ordered to avoid cutting the hair, like them; yet did so. Deuteronomy 14. Isaiah 22:22. Worthington.

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31

They will make themselves bald for you, and clothe themselves with sackcloth. They will weep for you in bitterness of soul, with bitter mourning.

32

In their wailing they will take up a lamentation for you, and lament over you, saying, ‘Who is there like Tyre, like her who is brought to silence in the middle of the sea?’

33

When your wares came from the seas, you filled many peoples. You enriched the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.

34

In the time that you were broken by the seas, in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company fell within you.

35

All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you, and their kings are horribly afraid. They are troubled in their face.

36

The merchants among the peoples hiss at you. You have come to a terrible end, and you will be no more.”’”

ExplanationCommentary
EXPLANATION

Verse 36. Hissed, through pity and astonishment. Calmet.

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