Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Ezekiel » Chapter 27 » Verse 1-28

Ezekiel 27:1-28 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came again unto me, saying, H559

2 Now, thou son H1121 of man, H120 take up H5375 a lamentation H7015 for Tyrus; H6865

3 And say H559 unto Tyrus, H6865 O thou that art situate H3427 at the entry H3997 of the sea, H3220 which art a merchant H7402 of the people H5971 for many H7227 isles, H339 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 O Tyrus, H6865 thou hast said, H559 I am of perfect H3632 beauty. H3308

4 Thy borders H1366 are in the midst H3820 of the seas, H3220 thy builders H1129 have perfected H3634 thy beauty. H3308

5 They have made H1129 all thy ship boards H3871 of fir trees H1265 of Senir: H8149 they have taken H3947 cedars H730 from Lebanon H3844 to make H6213 masts H8650 for thee.

6 Of the oaks H437 of Bashan H1316 have they made H6213 thine oars; H4880 the company H1323 of the Ashurites H839 have made H6213 thy benches H7175 of ivory, H8127 brought out of the isles H339 of Chittim. H3794

7 Fine linen H8336 with broidered work H7553 from Egypt H4714 was that which thou spreadest forth H4666 to be thy sail; H5251 blue H8504 and purple H713 from the isles H339 of Elishah H473 was that which covered H4374 thee.

8 The inhabitants H3427 of Zidon H6721 and Arvad H719 were thy mariners: H7751 thy wise H2450 men, O Tyrus, H6865 that were in thee, were thy pilots. H2259

9 The ancients H2205 of Gebal H1380 and the wise H2450 men thereof were in thee thy calkers: H919 H2388 all the ships H591 of the sea H3220 with their mariners H4419 were in thee to occupy H6148 thy merchandise. H4627

10 They of Persia H6539 and of Lud H3865 and of Phut H6316 were in thine army, H2428 thy men H582 of war: H4421 they hanged H8518 the shield H4043 and helmet H3553 in thee; they set forth H5414 thy comeliness. H1926

11 The men H1121 of Arvad H719 with thine army H2428 were upon thy walls H2346 round about, H5439 and the Gammadims H1575 were in thy towers: H4026 they hanged H8518 their shields H7982 upon thy walls H2346 round about; H5439 they have made H3634 thy beauty H3308 perfect. H3634

12 Tarshish H8659 was thy merchant H5503 by reason of the multitude H7230 of all kind of riches; H1952 with silver, H3701 iron, H1270 tin, H913 and lead, H5777 they traded H5414 in thy fairs. H5801

13 Javan, H3120 Tubal, H8422 and Meshech, H4902 they were thy merchants: H7402 they traded H5414 the persons H5315 of men H120 and vessels H3627 of brass H5178 in thy market. H4627

14 They of the house H1004 of Togarmah H8425 traded H5414 in thy fairs H5801 with horses H5483 and horsemen H6571 and mules. H6505

15 The men H1121 of Dedan H1719 were thy merchants; H7402 many H7227 isles H339 were the merchandise H5506 of thine hand: H3027 they brought H7725 thee for a present H814 horns H7161 of ivory H8127 and ebony. H1894

16 Syria H758 was thy merchant H5503 by reason of the multitude H7230 of the wares of thy making: H4639 they occupied H5414 in thy fairs H5801 with emeralds, H5306 purple, H713 and broidered work, H7553 and fine linen, H948 and coral, H7215 and agate. H3539

17 Judah, H3063 and the land H776 of Israel, H3478 they were thy merchants: H7402 they traded H5414 in thy market H4627 wheat H2406 of Minnith, H4511 and Pannag, H6436 and honey, H1706 and oil, H8081 and balm. H6875

18 Damascus H1834 was thy merchant H5503 in the multitude H7230 of the wares of thy making, H4639 for the multitude H7230 of all riches; H1952 in the wine H3196 of Helbon, H2463 and white H6713 wool. H6785

19 Dan H2051 H1835 also and Javan H3120 going to and fro H235 occupied H5414 in thy fairs: H5801 bright H6219 iron, H1270 cassia, H6916 and calamus, H7070 were in thy market. H4627

20 Dedan H1719 was thy merchant H7402 in precious H2667 clothes H899 for chariots. H7396

21 Arabia, H6152 and all the princes H5387 of Kedar, H6938 they occupied H5503 with thee H3027 in lambs, H3733 and rams, H352 and goats: H6260 in these were they thy merchants. H5503

22 The merchants H7402 of Sheba H7614 and Raamah, H7484 they were thy merchants: H7402 they occupied H5414 in thy fairs H5801 with chief H7218 of all spices, H1314 and with all precious H3368 stones, H68 and gold. H2091

23 Haran, H2771 and Canneh, H3656 and Eden, H5729 the merchants H7402 of Sheba, H7614 Asshur, H804 and Chilmad, H3638 were thy merchants. H7402

24 These were thy merchants H7402 in all sorts H4360 of things, in blue H8504 clothes, H1545 and broidered work, H7553 and in chests H1595 of rich apparel, H1264 bound H2280 with cords, H2256 and made of cedar, H729 among thy merchandise. H4819

25 The ships H591 of Tarshish H8659 did sing H7788 of thee in thy market: H4627 and thou wast replenished, H4390 and made very H3966 glorious H3513 in the midst H3820 of the seas. H3220

26 Thy rowers H7751 have brought H935 thee into great H7227 waters: H4325 the east H6921 wind H7307 hath broken H7665 thee in the midst H3820 of the seas. H3220

27 Thy riches, H1952 and thy fairs, H5801 thy merchandise, H4627 thy mariners, H4419 and thy pilots, H2259 thy calkers, H919 H2388 and the occupiers H6148 of thy merchandise, H4627 and all thy men H582 of war, H4421 that are in thee, and in all thy company H6951 which is in the midst H8432 of thee, shall fall H5307 into the midst H3820 of the seas H3220 in the day H3117 of thy ruin. H4658

28 The suburbs H4054 shall shake H7493 at the sound H6963 of the cry H2201 of thy pilots. H2259

Commentary on Ezekiel 27 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 27

Eze 27:1-36. Tyre's Former Greatness, Suggesting a Lamentation over Her Sad Downfall.

2. lamentation—a funeral dirge, eulogizing her great attributes, to make the contrast the greater between her former and her latter state.

3. situate at the entry of the sea—literally, plural, "entrances," that is, ports or havens; referring to the double port of Tyre, at which vessels entered round the north and south ends of the island, so that ships could find a ready entrance from whatever point the wind might blow (compare Eze 28:2).

merchant of … people for many isles—that is, a mercantile emporium of the peoples of many seacoasts, both from the east and from the west (Isa 23:3), "a mart of nations."

of perfect beauty—(Eze 28:12).

4. Tyre, in consonance with her seagirt position, separated by a strait of half a mile from the mainland, is described as a ship built of the best material, and manned with the best mariners and skilful pilots, but at last wrecked in tempestuous seas (Eze 27:26).

5. Senir—the Amorite name of Hermon, or the southern height of Anti-libanus (De 3:9); the Sidonian name was Sirion. "All thy … boards"; dual in Hebrew, "double-boards," namely, placed in a double order on the two sides of which the ship consisted [Vatablus]. Or, referring to the two sides or the two ends, the prow and the stern, which every ship has [Munster].

cedars—most suited for "masts," from their height and durability.

6. Bashan—celebrated for its oaks, as Lebanon was for its cedars.

the company of … Ashurites—the most skilful workmen summoned from Assyria. Rather, as the Hebrew orthography requires, "They have made thy (rowing) benches of ivory inlaid in the daughter of cedars" [Maurer], or, the best boxwood. Fairbairn, with Bochart, reads the Hebrew two words as one: "Thy plankwork (deck: instead of 'benches,' as the Hebrew is singular) they made ivory with boxes." English Version, with Maurer's correction, is simpler.

Chittim—Cyprus and Macedonia, from which, Pliny tells us, the best boxwood came [Grotius].

7. broidered … sail—The ancients embroidered their sails often at great expense, especially the Egyptians, whose linen, still preserved in mummies, is of the finest texture.

Elishah—Greece; so called from Elis, a large and ancient division of Peloponnesus. Pausanias says that the best of linen was produced in it, and in no other part of Greece; called by Homer, Alisium.

that which covered thee—thy awning.

8. Arvad—a small island and city near Phœnicia, now Ruad: its inhabitants are still noted for seafaring habits.

thy wise men, O Tyrus … thy pilots—While the men of Arvad, once thy equals (Ge 10:18), and the Sidonians, once thy superiors, were employed by thee in subordinate positions as "mariners," thou madest thine own skilled men alone to be commanders and pilots. Implying the political and mercantile superiority of Tyre.

9. Gebal—a Phœnician city and region between Beirut and Tripolis, famed for skilled workmen (1Ki 5:18, Margin; Ps 83:7).

calkers—stoppers of chinks in a vessel: carrying on the metaphor as to Tyre.

occupy thy merchandise—that is, to exchange merchandise with thee.

10. Persia … Phut—warriors from the extreme east and west.

Lud—the Lydians of Asia Minor, near the Meander, famed for archery (Isa 66:19); rather than those of Ethiopia, as the Lydians of Asia Minor form a kind of intermediate step between Persia and Phut (the Libyans about Cyrene, shielded warriors, Jer 46:9, descended from Phut, son of Ham).

hanged … shield … comeliness—Warriors hanged their accoutrements on the walls for ornament. Divested of the metaphor, it means that it was an honor to thee to have so many nations supplying thee with hired soldiers.

11. Gammadims—rather, as the Tyrians were Syro-Phœnicians, from a Syriac root, meaning daring, "men of daring" [Ludovicus De Dieu]. It is not likely the keeping of watch "in the towers" would have been entrusted to foreigners. Others take it from a Hebrew root, "a dagger," or short sword (Jud 3:16), "short-swordsmen."

12. Tarshish—Tartessus in Spain, a country famed for various metals, which were exported to Tyre. Much of the "tin" probably was conveyed by the Phœnicians from Cornwall to Tarshish.

traded in thy fairs—"did barter with thee" [Fairbairn]; from a root, "to leave," something left in barter for something else.

13. Javan—the Ionians or Greeks: for the Ionians of Asia Minor were the first Greeks with whom the Asiatics came in contact.

Tubal … Meshech—the Tibareni and Moschi, in the mountain region between the Black and Caspian Seas.

persons of men—that is, as slaves. So the Turkish harems are supplied with female slaves from Circassia and Georgia.

vessels—all kinds of articles. Superior weapons are still manufactured in the Caucasus region.

14. Togarmah—Armenia: descended from Gomer (Ge 10:3). Their mountainous region south of the Caucasus was celebrated for horses.

horsemen—rather, "riding-horses," as distinct from "horses" for chariots [Fairbairn].

15. Dedan—near the Persian Sea: thus an avenue to the commerce of India. Not the Dedan in Arabia (Eze 27:20), as the names in the context here prove, but the Dedan sprung from Cush [Bochart], (Ge 10:7).

merchandise of thine hand—that is, were dependent on thee for trade [Fairbairn]; came to buy the produce of thy hands [Grotius].

a present—literally, "a reward in return"; a price paid for merchandise.

horns of ivory—Ivory is so termed from its resemblance to horns. The Hebrew word for "ivory" means "tooth"; so that they cannot have mistaken ivory as if coming from the horns of certain animals, instead of from the tusks of the elephant.

16. "Syria was thy mart for the multitude," &c. For "Syria" the Septuagint reads "Edom." But the Syrians were famed as merchants.

occupied—old English for "traded"; so in Lu 19:13.

agate—Others translate, "ruby," "chalcedony," or "pearls."

17. Minnith … Pannag—names of places in Israel famed for good wheat, wherewith Tyre was supplied (1Ki 5:9, 11; Ezr 3:7; Ac 12:20); Minnith was formerly an Ammonite city (Jud 11:33). "Pannag" is identified by Grotius with "Phenice," the Greek name for "Canaan." "They traded … wheat," that is, they supplied thy market with wheat.

balm—or, "balsam."

18. Helbon—or Chalybon, in Syria, now Aleppo; famed for its wines; the Persian monarchs would drink no other.

19. Dan also—None of the other places enumerated commence with the copula ("also"; Hebrew, ve). Moreover, the products specified, "cassia, calamus," apply rather to places in Arabia. Therefore, Fairbairn translates, "Vedan"; perhaps the modern Aden, near the straits of Bab-el-man-deb. Grotius refers it to Dana, mentioned by Ptolemy.

Javan—not the Greeks of Europe or Asia Minor, but of a Greek settlement in Arabia.

going to and fro—rather, as Hebrew admits, "from Uzal." This is added to "Javan," to mark which Javan is meant (Ge 10:27). The metropolis of Arabia Felix, or Yemen; called also Sanaa [Bochart]. English Version gives a good sense, thus: All peoples, whether near as the Israelite "Dan," or far as the Greeks or "Javan," who were wont to "go to and fro" from their love of traffic, frequented thy marts, bringing bright iron, &c., these products not being necessarily represented as those of Dan or Javan.

bright iron—Yemen is still famed for its sword blades.

calamus—aromatic cane.

20. Dedan—in Arabia; distinct from the Dedan in Eze 27:15 (see on Eze 27:15). Descended from Abraham and Keturah (Ge 25:3) [Bochart].

precious clothes—splendid coverlets.

21. Arabia—the nomadic tribes of Arabia, among which Kedar was pre-eminent.

occupied with thee—literally, "of thy hand," that is, they traded with thee for wares, the product of thy hand (see on Eze 27:15, 16).

22. Sheba … Raamah—in Arabia.

chief of … spices—that is, best spices (De 33:15). Obtained from India and conveyed in caravans to Tyre.

23. Haran—the dwelling-place of Abraham in Mesopotamia, after he moved from Ur (Ge 11:31).

Canneh—Calneh, an Assyrian city on the Tigris; the Ctesiphon of the Greeks (Ge 10:10).

Eden—probably a region in Babylonia (see Ge 2:8).

Chilmad—a compound; the place designated by Ptolemy "Gaala of Media." The Chaldee version interprets it of Media. Henderson refers it to Carmanda, which Xenophon describes as a large city beyond the Euphrates.

24. all sorts of things—Hebrew, "perfections"; exquisite articles of finery [Grotius].

clothes—rather, "mantles" or "cloaks"; literally, "wrappings." For "blue," Henderson translates, "purple."

chests of rich apparel, bound with cords—treasures or repositories of damask stuffs, consisting of variegated threads woven together in figures [Henderson].

cedar—The "chests" were made of cedar, in order to last the longer; and it also keeps off decay and has a sweet odor.

25. sing of thee—personification; thy great merchant ships were palpable proofs of thy greatness. Others translate from a different Hebrew root, "were thy (mercantile) travellers." Fairbairn translates, "Were thy walls." But the parallelism to "thou wast glorious" favors English Version, "sing of thee."

26. In contrast to her previous greatness, her downfall is here, by a sudden transition, depicted under the image of a vessel foundering at sea.

east wind—blowing from Lebanon, the most violent wind in the Mediterranean (Ps 48:7). A Levanter, as it is called. Nebuchadnezzar is meant. The "sea" is the war with him which the "rowers," or rulers of the state vessel, had "brought" it into, to its ruin.

27. The detailed enumeration implies the utter completeness of the ruin.

and in all thy company—"even with all thy collected multitude" [Henderson].

28. The suburbs—the buildings of Tyre on the adjoining continent.

29. So on the downfall of spiritual Babylon (Re 18:17, &c.).

shall stand upon … land—being cast out of their ships in which heretofore they prided themselves.

30. against thee—rather, "concerning thee."

31. utterly bald—literally, "bald with baldness." The Phœnician custom in mourning; which, as being connected with heathenish superstitions, was forbidden to Israel (De 14:1).

32. take up—lift up.

the destroyed—a destroyed one. Literally, (as opposed to its previous bustle of thronging merchants and mariners, Eze 27:27), "one brought to death's stillness."

in … midst of … sea—insular Tyre.

33. out of the seas—brought on shore out of the ships.

filledst—didst supply plentifully with wares.

enrich … kings—with the custom dues levied on the wares.

34. In the time when … shall … shall—Now that thou art broken (wrecked) … thy merchandise … are fallen [Maurer].

35. isles—seacoasts.

36. hiss—with astonishment; as in 1Ki 9:8.