Bible Commentaries

The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

The burden of Tyre. — Heb., Tsor, whence came Tyre. It was the chief city of Phoenicia, the chief market of the East, a very microcosm or epitome of the whole world, for its wealth and wickedness. It was not far from Judea - our Saviour Matthew 15:21 went from Galilee into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon - in whose misery she made herself merry, Ezekiel 26:2 and is therefore here threatened with utter destruction.

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, — i.e., Of Tartessus, in Spain, or of Tarsus, in Cilicia, St Paul’s country, or of the main ocean.

For it is laid waste, — viz., By Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards by Alexander the Great, who of an island made it part of the continent, and then razed it to the ground. Plin., lib. v. cap. 19.

So that there is no house. — Or thus: So that there is no house, nor coming in for those from Chittim, is made known to them.

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Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle. — A nundinatorio strepitu quiescite, et plorate, Be quiet, and mourn.

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And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, [is] her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

And by great waters the seed of Sihor, — i.e., Of Nile, by the overflowing whereof Egypt is made exceeding fertile, being styled the "granary of the world." Tyre was much enriched by its store thereto transported through the midland sea, called here great waters.

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Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, [even] the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, [nor] bring up virgins.

Be ashamed, O Zidon, — sc., Of Tyre, thy daughter and confederate.

For the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea. — Or, The seaport. By the sea and seaport we are to understand Tyre, who sat in the sea, as now Venice doth, and sovereigned it.

I travail not, nor bring forth children. — I send forth no colonies, as sometimes I have done. Pliny saith of Tyre, Olim partu clara urbibus genitis, Lepti, Utica, Carthagine, etiam Gadibus extra orbem conditis. Plin., lib. v. cap. 19. But now it was past that time of day with her.

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As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

As at the report concerning Egypt, — i.e, Concerning their overthrow once at the Red Sea. Exodus 15:14 They are also shortly to be overrun by Nebuchadnezzar, to whom God hath promised Egypt, as his pay for his pains taken in taking Tyre.

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Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

Pass ye over to Tarshish. — Tyrii migrate coloni, be packing any whither, and make any shift to save your lives, Ultra Sauromatas fugite hinc, … To Carthage many of them went, say some; and the Septuagint; for ships of Tarshish Isaiah 23:1 have ships of Carthage.

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[Is] this your joyous [city], whose antiquity [is] of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

Is this your joyous city? — q.d., So ye were wont to hold her, and to boast of her; but now it is somewhat otherwise. Cities die as well as men, a saith one. They also have their times and their turns, their rise and their ruin. Hic immoremur parum et pedem figamus oportet. Let this be duly considered, and an "abiding city" sought. Hebrews 12:14 The wicked may revel in this world, the godly only rejoice.

Whose antiquity is of ancient days. — Palaetyre, or the old town especially: and this was a piece of her silly glory;

“ Urbs fur ills Tyros priscis quae condita saeclis,

Innumerosque suo repetens ab Agenore soles,

Aeternos demens spe praesumebat honores. ”

a ’ Lποθνησκουσι και αι πολεις ωσπες οι ανθρωποι .

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Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traffickers [are] the honourable of the earth?

The crowning city. — Heb., The crowning or crowned: a city of kings, Vidi civitatem regum. See the state of kings. as Cyneas once said of Rome, This is a style better befitting heaven and the crowned saints there.

Whose merchants are princes. — Little kings, as we say. So they are at Venice; so the Hogens Moghens of the Netherlands.

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