Mark 7:24

The Syrophœnician Woman

24. from thence he arose The malevolence of our Lord's enemies was now assuming hourly a more implacable form. The Pharisaic party in Eastern Galilee were deeply offended (Matthew 15:12); even those who once would fain have prevented Him from leaving them (Luke 4:42) were filled with doubts and suspicions; Herod Antipas was inquiring concerning Him (Luke 9:9), and his inquiries boded nothing but ill. He therefore now leaves for awhile eastern Galilee and makes His way north-west through the mountains of upper Galilee into the border-land of Phœnicia. See the Analysis of the Gospel, p. 22.

the borders of Tyre and Sidon His travelling towards these regions was the prophetic and symbolical representation of the future progress of Christianity from the Jews to the Gentiles. So in ancient times Elijah travelled out of his own land into Phœnicia (1 Kings 17:10-24). Our Lord, however, does not actually go into Phœnicia, but into the adjoining borders of Galilee, the district of the tribe of Asher.

Tyre A celebrated commercial city of antiquity, situated in Phœnicia. The Hebrew name "Tzôr" signifies "a rock," and well agrees with the site of Sû, the modern town on a rocky peninsula, which was formerly an island, and less than 20 miles distant from Sidon. We first get glimpses of its condition in 2 Samuel 5:11 in connection with Hiram, King of Tyre, who sent cedar-wood and workmen to David and afterwards to Solomon (1 Kings 9:11-14; 1 Kings 10:22). Ahab married a daughter of Ithobal, King of Tyre (1 Kings 16:31), and was instrumental in introducing the idolatrous worship of Baalim and Ashtaroth. The prosperity of Tyre in the time of our Lord was very great. Strabo gives an account of it at this period, and speaks of the great wealth which it derived from the dyes of the celebrated Tyrian purple. It was perhaps more populous even than Jerusalem.

Sidon The Greek form of the Phœnician name Zidon, an ancient and wealthy city of Phœnicia, situated on the narrow plain between the Lebanon and the Sea. Its Hebrew name Tsidônsignifies "Fishing" or "Fishery." Its modern name is Saida. It is mentioned in the Old Testament as early as Genesis 10:19; Joshua 11:8; Judges 1:31, and in ancient times was more influential even than Tyre, though from the time of Solomon it appears to have been subordinate to it.

would have no man know it desiring seclusion and rest after His late labours.