Ezekiel 27:1-36

Ezekiel 27. The Dirge over Tyre. The interest of the brilliant poem that follows is greatly enhanced by the description of the commerce of Tyre in a passage (Ezekiel 27:9 b - Ezekiel 27:25 a) remarkable alike for its textual difficulty and for its importance as a source for our knowledge of the trade of the ancient world. Tyre is compared to a gallant ship, of finished beauty, with equipments the finest and costliest, manned and piloted by the most skilful of sailors (Ezekiel 27:1). In Ezekiel 27:5, Senir = Herman. In Ezekiel 27:6, Kittim = Cyprus. In Ezekiel 27:7, Elishah possibly= Italy or Sicily. In Ezekiel 27:8, Zidon, N. of Tyre: Arvad, N. of Zidon: Gebal, between Zidon and Arvad.

Then follows (Ezekiel 27:9 b - Ezekiel 27:25 a) a gorgeous account of the commerce of Tyre, the varied commodities which were brought to her (as mistress of the seas), and the distant lands from which they came. In the description of the lands a certain order is observable: (a) the Mediterranean shores, (b) Eastern lands in three parallel lines drawn from south to north. Two verses (Ezekiel 27:10 f.) describe the mercenaries of Tyre. (By Lud and Put, if not also Persia in Ezekiel 27:10, are probably meant African peoples. Gammadim (Ezekiel 27:11) is quite obscure. Tarshish (Ezekiel 27:12) in S. Spain: Javan=Ionia or Greece: Tubal and Meshech (Psalms 120:5 *), S. and S.E. of the Black Sea. Togarmah (Ezekiel 27:14)= Armenia. For Syria (Ezekiel 27:16) read Edom. Note the products of Judah and Israel in Ezekiel 27:17. Minnith, an Ammonite town. Pannag, unknown, should perhaps be donag = wax. Helbon (Ezekiel 27:18), slightly N. of Damascus. The first sentence of Ezekiel 27:19 should probably read, From Uzal in S. Arabiacame well-wrought iron. Dedan (Ezekiel 27:20), S. of Edom. Kedar (Ezekiel 27:21), N. of Arabia. Sheba (Ezekiel 27:22), in S. Arabia. Raamah, possibly near Persian Gulf. Haran (Ezekiel 27:23), in Mesopotamia, associated with Abraham. Canneh, site unknown. Eden on middle of Euphrates. Chilmad (Ezekiel 27:23) unknown.)

With wares from all these far-off lands the gallant ship (i.e. Tyre) is laden, and rowed out to the high seas, where she is wrecked by a mighty east wind (symbolic of Nebuchadrezzar). Very graphic is the description of the ship, her wares and company, engulfed in the heart of the sea (Ezekiel 27:26). (In Ezekiel 27:28, suburbs perhaps = surrounding regions). Then the other sea peoples with whom Tyre traded, and who are themselves involved in her ruin, utter a dirge in expression of their amazement and sorrow (Ezekiel 27:29).