Zechariah 9:3

a strong hold There is a paronomasia, or play on the words -Tyre" and -stronghold," in the Hebrew. The reference is to the strongly fortified position of Tyre, which when Alexander attacked it "was situated on an island, nearly half a mile from the mainland. It was completely surrounded by prodigious walls, the loftiest portion of which on the side fronting the mainland reached a height not less than 150 feet; and notwithstanding his persevering efforts he could not have succeeded in his attempt, if the harbour of Tyre to the north had not been blockaded by the Cyprians, and that to the south by the Phœnicians, thus affording an opportunity to Alexander for uniting the island to the mainland by an enormous artificial mole." Dict. of Bible, Art. Tyre. "Plurimum fiduciæ Tyro munitionibus insulæ et præparatis rerum copiis." Diod. Sic. xvii. 40.

as the dust Comp. Job 27:16; 2 Chronicles 9:27.