EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:1 In terms of length, Ezekiel’s oracles against Tyre are second only to his oracles against Egypt (Ezekiel 29:1). This is probably because, of the nations addressed by Ezekiel, only Tyre and Egypt had the power to withstand Babylon: Egypt’s power was military, Tyre’s was e... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:3 The agents of destruction here are MANY NATIONS. They are described as the crashing of the SEA and ITS WAVES. The description that follows continues this figurative language. This threat was fulfilled partially by Nebuchadnezzar’s siege, and then more fully by Alexander... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:4 Tyre’s location IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA, often seen in extrabiblical sources as a sign of its security, is now described in mocking language (see also v. Ezekiel 26:17). Tyre was indeed destroyed and made like a BARE ROCK by Alexander’s conquest. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = docu... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:6 HER DAUGHTERS ON THE MAINLAND are the villages on the mainland near the island city of Tyre. They were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and again by Alexander. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:12 That Tyre’s wealth should be subject to PLUNDER is poetic justice, given the city’s greed (v. Ezekiel 26:2). However, by the time Nebuchadnezzar conquered Tyre, much of value had already been removed. Apparently little wealth remained after 13 years of siege (see Ezekie... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:14 YOU SHALL NEVER BE REBUILT. Tyre was rebuilt and reconquered several times after Alexander the Great, so the complete fulfillment of this prophecy did not come immediately. The modern city of Tyre is of modest size and is near the ancient site, though not identical to i... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 26:19 These verses are a preview of the close of the entire foreign-nation oracle collection, which mourns the arrival of the nations in the underworld place of the dead (Ezekiel 32:17). The repeated phrase THOSE WHO GO DOWN TO THE PIT (twice, Ezekiel 26:20; compare Ezekiel 3... [ Continue Reading ]