Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 27
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezekiel 27
"The word of Jehovah came again unto me, saying," — Ezekiel 27:1 (ASV)
The dirge for Tyre is written in poetic form. Tyre is compared to a fine ship, to whose outfitting various nations of the world contribute. This ship launches forth majestically, only to be wrecked and perish.
The nations mentioned identify Tyre as the center of commerce between the eastern and western world. This position, occupied for a short time by Jerusalem, was long maintained by Tyre, until the founding of Alexandria supplanted her in this trade. Compare the dirge for Babylon (Isaiah 14:3–23); in each case, the city named represents the world power antagonistic to God.
"and say unto Tyre, O thou that dwellest at the entry of the sea, that art the merchant of the peoples unto many isles, thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Thou, O Tyre, hast said, I am perfect in beauty." — Ezekiel 27:3 (ASV)
Entry - literally, “entries.” Ancient Tyre had two ports, that called the Sidonian to the north, the Egyptian to the south; the former exists to the present day. The term “entry of the sea” is naturally enough applied to a harbor as a place from which ships enter and return from the sea. The city was known in the earliest times as “Tyre the port.”
"They have made all thy planks of fir-trees from Senir; they have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for thee." — Ezekiel 27:5 (ASV)
Fir-trees (or, cypress) of Senir - The name by which the Amorites knew Mount Hermon.
"Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; they have made thy benches of ivory inlaid in boxwood, from the isles of Kittim." — Ezekiel 27:6 (ASV)
The company ... ivory - Rather, “your benches (or, deck) they made of ivory with boxwood” (or, larch), that is, boxwood inlaid with ivory.
The isles - (or, coasts) of Chittim is a phrase used constantly for Greece and the Grecian islands. It may probably be extended to other islands in the Mediterranean Sea (Genesis 10:5), and there ivory may have been brought from the coasts of North Africa.
"Of fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was thy sail, that it might be to thee for an ensign; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning." — Ezekiel 27:7 (ASV)
Or, Fine linen with embroidery from Egypt was (Genesis 41:42) your sail, that it might be to you for a banner. Sails from Egypt were worked with various figures upon them which served as a device. Their boats had no separate pennons.
Blue and purple - Tyrian purple was famous. The Tyrians no doubt imported from the neighboring coasts the mollusks from which they dyed the fine linen of Egypt.
Isles of Elishah - See Genesis 10:4. Elishah is considered equivalent to the Greek Aeolis on the western coast of Asia Minor. This and the islands adjacent would very naturally have commerce with the Tyrians. In early days, the supply of the murex from the coast of Phoenicia had been insufficient for the Tyrian manufactures. The isles of Greece abounded in the mollusks.
That which covered you - As an awning.
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