Ezekiel 26
PATmogeniture,- and the subduing of Edom by David after-, ward, (2 Sara. viii. 14.) Upon both these accounts they look hold of all opportunities of venting their spite towards the Jewish nation, particularly see 2 Chron. xXviii. 17. For this their behaviour they were in former times reproved by Amos, i. 11. and afterward by Obadiab, ver. 10. and by Ezekicl in this place, and xxxv. 5. The ill will that they shewed towards them at the time of their captivity, was very remarkable, as appears by those pathetical words of Psal. cxxxvii..7. Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, in the day of Jerusalem; how they said, Down with it, doivn with it, even to the ground*.. - ARGUMENT. - This and the following chapter, with part of the twentyeighth, foretell the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar, who took it after a thirteen years’ siege, (as Josephus relates out of Philostratus, and the Phoenicians’ Annals: see his Antiq. lib. x. cap. 11. ad fin. lib. i. contr. Appion. p.l04G.) and in the thirty-second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, according to the Babylonish account. (Sec the note on xxix. 17.), By reason of which hard service, every head was made bald, and every shoulder was f peeled, as our prophet speaks, xxix. 18. The same calamity is foretold by Isaiah, chap, xxiii. This siege forced the inhabitants to remove their effects into an island half a mile distant from the shore, where they built another’ city, called New Tyre. The learned Dr. Prideaux, in his 1 Connex. of Script. Hist. par. i. p. 91. 484. hath observed,’ that this prophecy of Ezckiel, as well as the. former one 4.of Isaiah, was fulfilled in the destruction of old Tyre/ a’ city that stood upon the continent, and which Nebuchadnezzar utterly destroyed; though he grants some ex- J pressions in both prophecies are applicable only to the last siege of that city, when it was conquered by Alexander the Great,
Ezekiel 26:1
JLN the eleventh year, in the first day of the month. The particular month not being named, some supply the’ word fifth, (as the word fourth is supplied, 2 Kings xxv. 3.) and understand it of the month following the taking of Jerusalem, at whose desolation Tyre rejoiced, (ver. 2.) But, as Archbishop Usher observes, ad A.M. 341G. the fifth month belongs to the twelfth year of Jehoiachin’s captivity/ So we may more probably understand the expression of the first month of the year: as the year of Evil-Merodach’s reign, (2 Kings xxv; 27.) is rightly understood by our interpreters to be the year when he began to reign; so the tenth’ day of the month is necessarily to be understood of the first month, xl. 1. of this prophecy. And the inhabitants of Tyre may very well b§ supposed to insult over Jerusalem at any.part of the time of her siege, which they saw must inevitably end in the taking of that city.
Ezekiel 26:2
She is broken that was the gates of the people. There was a great confluence of people to Jerusalem from all parts at the solemn feasts of the year, as well of Jews as proselytes. (See John xiii. 20.) She is turned unto me.] Her wealth is come into my stores. (Compare Isa. lx. 5.) I shall be replenished now she is laid ivaste.] Tyre was. a noted market for all sorts of trade: so when Jerusalem was taken and sacked, the spoil of the city was carried thi-* thcr for sale, and, probably, several of the inhabitants being made captives, were sold there for slaves, a traffic the Tyrians dealt in very much, (xxvii. 13.) This inter* pretation may be confirmed by comparing it with Joel iii. 4 — G. where the prophet upbraids the Tyrians for making merchandise both of the persons and substance of the Jews, when they came into their hands. To the same purpose we read Mace. iii. 41. that when Lysias came with great forces to subdue the Jews, the merchants of the country took silver and gold, and came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves. •
Ezekiel 26:3
I will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come tip. The Chaldeans and their confederates: (compare Jer. xxxiv. 1. Ii. 27.) whom the prophet compares to the waves of the sea, which come up with an irresistible force. (Sec Jer. Ii. 42.) Armies are elsewhere represented by an inundation, that carries all before it. (See Isa. viii. 7. Dan. ix. 2G. xi. 22.)
Ezekiel 26:4
I will scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. I will make an entire riddance of her buildings, so that not so much as any dust or rubbish of them shall be* left: (compare ver. 12.) an4 Microsoft® 4G [chap. XXVII. nothing shall be seen but the rocks upon the sea-shore, in the place where the city formerly stood. Nebuchadnezzar quite demolished old Tyre, and the stones and rubbish of it were afterward made use of by Alexander, to carry on a causey from the continent to the island where New Tyre stood, by which means he tpok that. (See Dr. Pridcaux, tibi supra.) This latter city is since so decayed, that there are no remains of it left, but a few huts for fishermen to hang out their nets a drying upon the rocks, as it is related by travellers that have been upon the place. (Seo Maundrcll’s Travels, p. 48. and Huctius, Demonst Evang. prop. yi. adfinem.)
Ezekiel 26:6
Her daughters which are in the field shall be slain with the sword. By the daughters of Tyre arc meant the lesser towns which are under her jurisdiction, as the mother-city and seat of the kingdom. (Compare xvi. 46. and Jcr. xlix. 2.)
Ezekiel 26:7
Nebuchadnezzar, a king of kings. Who hath kings for his vassals and tributaries. (See xvii. 14. 16. Dan. ii. 37.) The kings of Persia affected the same title afterward: (sec Ezra vii. 12.) as the kings of Assyria had done before. (Seo Isa. x. 8. Hos. viii. 10.)
Ezekiel 26:8
He shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, &c. This expression of a siege properly relates to old Tyre, which stood upon the continent, and was besieged and taken by Nebuchadnezzar.
Ezekiel 26:9
And xvith his axes he shall break down thy towns. The word we render axes, signifies any instrument used in demolishing buildings. (Sec the note on Jer. xxxiii. 4.)
Ezekiel 26:10
By reason of the abundance of his horses, their dust shall cover thee, &c. A lively description of the tumult and desolation that attend a conquering army making themselves masters of a great city. (Compare Nahum ii. 3, 4. 9. iii. 2, 3.)
Ezekiel 26:11
And thy strong garrisons shall go down to the ground. Some render the word matseboth, thine images, and understand it of the images of their tutelar gods.
Ezekiel 26:12
They shall lay thy stones, thy timber, and thy dust in the midst of the water. The. sea shall overflow thy ruins. (Sec ver. 19.)
Ezekiel 26:13
I will stretch out my hand upon Edom, and cut off man and beast from it. See xxxv, 7 — 9. Jer. xlix. 17, 18. Zeph. ii. 9. Mai. i. 3, 4. And I will make it desolate from Teman, and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.] Teman is a noted place in Idumea: (see Jer. xlix. 7. Amos i. 12.) to which Dedanis joined, ver. 8. (Compare Isa. xxi. 13, 14.) The Dedanites were originally Arabians, the posterity of Dedan,* Abraham’s grandson; but they seem afterward to have been incorporated with the Idumeans. (See the note upon that place of Jeremiah.), And I will caitse the noise of thy songs to cease, &c] Great cities arc full of all kind of gaiety and luxury; this shall be turned into a melancholy silence. (Compare Isa. xiv. 11. xxiii. 7. 16. Jer. vii. 34. xxv. 10.)
Ezekiel 26:14
And I ivill lay my vengeance upon Edom by the handof my people Israel. The Jews themselves, whom the Edomites have so often insulted, shall be instruments of my vengeance upon Edom, and shall requite the wrongs they have received by subduing Idumea, which they did under the conduct of Judas Maccabacus. (See 1 Mace, v. 3. 2 Mace. x. 1G, 17. compare Jer. xlix. 2.) And afterward the high-priest Hircanus made an entire conquest of this country. (Sec Dr. Prideaux, par. ii. p. 307.) I will make thee like the top of a rock, thou shall be built no more.] This part of the prophecy was fulfilled upon New Tyre, whose inhabitants were quite destroyed by Alexander when he took the city, and afterward the city itself became desolate. (Sec ver. 5.)
Ezekiel 26:15
Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, &c. The Philistines, being borderers upon the Jews, were their ancient enemies from the very time of the judges downward, more particularly in the time of Ahaz. (See 2 Chron. xxviii. 18.) Ver.lG. Behold,! will stretch out my hand upon+the Philistines.] I will subdue them by Nebuchadnezzar. (See ver. xxv. 20. xlvii. 1.) And I will cut off the Cherethims.] The Cherethims, or Cherethites, are the same with the Philistines, or a tribe of that people. (See 1 Sam. xxx. 14. Zeph. ii. 5. and the notes upon Jer. xlvii. 4.) And destroy the remnant of the sea-coast.] The same who are called the remnant of the Philistines, Amos i. 8. the remnant ofAshdod, Jer. xxv. 20. and the remnant of the country of Caphtor, Jer. xlvii. 4. (See the notes upon these two last places.).; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall?] All those that are upon the sea-coast near thee shall be frightened at the news of thy destruction. (Compare xxvii. 28. xxxi. 16. Jcr. xlix. 21.),Ver.l6, 17. Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, &c] All the princes and rich merchants of Sidon, Carthage, and other maritime cities, that maintained a trade with Tyre, and got great wealth by that means; they whose merchants are j>rinces, as Isaiah speaks of the merchants of Tyre, xxiii. 8. (compare ver. 2. 6. 10. of that chapter): they shall express a deep sense and concern for her misfortunes. (Compare xxvii. 30 — 32. xxxii. 10. Rev. xviii. 11.17.19.).Shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes.*] Such was tho behaviour of the king of Nineveh at the time of his solemn humiliation, (Jonah iii. 6.) They shall clothe themselves With trembling, &c] They shall put on the habit of mourners, and sit upon the ground in a disconsolate condition. (Sec Job ii. 13. compare vii. 17.)
Ezekiel 26:17
Tlie renowned city which was strong at sea, &c. Tyre is called the strength of the sea, Isa. xxiii. 4. being strong at sea, both by its situation and the strength of its naval forces, upon which account it was formidable to all that had any trading upon the sea.
Ezekiel 26:18
Now shall the isles tremble at the day of thy fall. See ver. 15. St Jerome translates it, Notv shall the ships tremble, &c. i. e. all seafaring men. (Compare xxvii. 29, 30. Isa. xxiii. 14.) The isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.] When thy people shall be carried captive. (Seo Isa. xxiii. 27.)
Ezekiel 26:19
When I shall bring up the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee. Thy walls being demolished, the sea shall come up and cover thy ruins: (see ver. 12.) or else the prophet compares the destruction of Tyre to a shipwreck. (Sec xxiii. 26.)
Ezekiel 26:20
When I shall bring thee down tvith them that. ♦ N descend into the pit, &c. When thou shalt bo thrust down into hell, as our Saviour speaks concerning Capernaum, Luke x. 15. and brought to utter desolation, like cities w T hich have been long ago buried in ruins and oblivion. (Cbmpare xxxii. 18. 24.) When I shall set glory in the land of the living.] Compare this and the following verse with xxxv. 14. When I shall restore other cities conquered by the king of Babylon, to that flourishing condition they formerly enjoyed among the inhabitants of this world; so the land of the living signifies, xxxii. 23. 26, 27. 32. The word tsebi is in many places appropriated to Judea, as being in several respects the glory of all lands, (xx. 6.) but is sometimes applied to other countries. (See xxv. 9.) Some expositors understand it here of Judea, to this sense; That when God should return the captivity of the Jews, and restore them to those marks of his grace and favour, which distinguished them from all other nations, and made them the nearest resemblance of heaven that could be found upon earth: yet even then, as it follows —
Ezekiel 26:21
I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more. Thou shalt be left in utter ruins and desolation, and a terrible example of my vengeance. The word balaloth, which our interpreters translate terrors, is generally joined with words importing utter destruction, and so the LXX. understood it here, and in other places of this prophecy. (See xxvii. 36. xxviii. 19. and compare Psal. Ixxiii. 19. Isa. xvii. 14.) Tliongh thou be sought for, thou shalt never be found a gain.] An expression denoting utter destruction. (Sec Psal. xxxvih 36. and compare ver. 5. 14.)