Concerning Tyre: the fall of Tyre (Eze 26); a lamentation (Eze
27); dirge on prince of Tyre (Eze 28:1-19).
"The prophetic messages against Ammon, Moab, Edom and the
Philistines were comparatively short. That against Tyre occupied three chapters.
This nation occupied a position of greater privilege and therefore was given
greater punishment. Tyre had acted inconsistently in its relationship with
Israel, and now was to hear its doom from the prophet. It rejoiced in the
adversity of Israel, believing that this would result in added profit. The
reformation of Josiah had reached north (2Ki 23:19), destroying the gods of the
Phoenicians, and drawing people to the worship of Yahweh in the temple.
Jerusalem thus became the gate to the nations (Eze 26:2), but later, the Tyrians
became proud (Eze 28:2; Isa 23:9), and developed a measure of anti-Semitism (Psa
83:6,7). Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took Tyre after 13 years' siege, according to
Josephus, but prophecy was fulfilled by Alexander the Great 240 years later. For
this difficult siege, Nebuchadnezzar received special wages (Eze 29:18-20). The
prophecy reveals: [1] Divine judgment and its cause: vv 1-6. [2] First wave:
destruction of Tyre: vv 7-11. [3] Another wave: Alexander's attack: vv 12-14.
[4] Tyre's fall: an object lesson to others: vv 15-21" (GEM).
Eze 26:4
"If you wish to survey the ruins of ancient Tyre, however, you
really should have a frogman's suit. History tells how the ruins of the city
really were cast into the sea, hundreds of years after Ezekiel had said they
would be. In 332 BC Alexander the Great wanted to subdue an island fortress off
the coast, near the ruins of the former city. He achieved his aim by building a
causeway out to the island, and he used the remains of ancient Tyre for
material.
"Every scrap of rubble from the ruins of Tyre was used by
Alexander, so that the site really was, as Ezekiel put it, 'made like the top of
a rock'. Moreover, as the prophet foretold, the site of the old city was never
built on again. The city of Tyre mentioned in the New Testament, and which still
exists today, stands on an entirely different site" (GT ch 2).
Eze 26:6
HER SETTLEMENTS ON THE MAINLAND: Lit, as KJV, "her
daughters which are in the fields". But this refers not to actual people, but to
the suburbs of Tyre: cp Eze 16:46,48.
Eze 26:13
AN END TO YOUR NOISY SONGS: As it was said of Babylon:
"The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never
be heard in you again" (Rev 18:22).
Eze 26:15
WILL NOT THE COASTLANDS TREMBLE...?: Because her
commerce was so extensive.
Eze 26:17
CITY OF RENOWN: As is "Babylon": Rev 17:18.
"Dim is her glory; gone her fame.
Her boasted wealth has fled.
On her proud rock, Alas! her shame,
The fisher's net is spread.
The Tyrian harp has slumbered long;
And Tyria's mirth is low;
The timbrel, dulcimer, and song
Are hushed; or wake to woe" (LB 185).