Ezekiel 27:21 Komentář

Still we are attending the funeral of Tyre and the lamentations made for the fall of that renowned city. In this chapter we have, I. A large account of the dignity, wealth, and splendour of Tyre, while it was in its strength, the vast trade it drove, and the interest it had among the nations (v. 1-25), which is designed to make its ruin the more lamentable. II. A prediction of its fall and ruin, and the confusion and consternation which all its neighbours shall thereby be put into (Eze 27:26-36). And this is intended to stain the pride of all worldly glory, and, by setting the one over-against the other, to let us see the vanity and uncertainty of the riches, honours, and pleasures of the world, and what little reason we have to place our happiness in them or to be confident of the continuance of them; so that all this is written for our learning.

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 27 This chapter contains a lamentation on Tyre; setting forth her former grandeur, riches, and commerce; her ruin and destruction; and the concern of others on that account. The prophet is bid to take up his lamentation concerning it, Eze 27:1, observing her situation and magnificence, of which she boasted, Eze 27:3, describing the excellency of her shipping and naval stores, Eze 27:5, declaring who were her mariners, pilots, and caulkers, Eze 27:8, her military men, Eze 27:10 her several merchants, and the things they traded in with her in her fairs and markets, Eze 27:12, then follows an account of her destruction, Eze 27:26, the lamentation of pilots and mariners because of it, Eze 27:28, and of the kings and inhabitants of the isles, and merchants of the people, Eze 27:33.

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants,.... This Sheba was the son of Raamah, Gen 10:7 who settled in Arabia Felix; where, according to Ptolemy (x), is a city called Rhegma; and so Raamah is pronounced in the Septuagint version of Gen 10:7, they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices; as with myrrh and frankincense, with which they abounded: Pliny (y) says that the Arabians paid annually to the kings of Persia a thousand talents of frankincense; and that the Sabaeans (z) boiled their food, some with wood of frankincense, and others with wood of myrrh: and with all precious stones, and gold; as jaspers, emeralds, carbuncles, and others, which Pliny (a) says are found in Arabia; and mention is made of the gold of Sheba, Psa 72:15 and Bochart thinks that Ophir, from whence the famous gold of that name was fetched, was in Arabia Felix; and it may be observed, that the queen of Sheba gave great quantities of gold, of spices, and of precious stones, to Solomon; and that he had much of these kinds yearly from the spice merchants, and kings of Arabia, Kg1 10:10; see Gill on Isa 60:6. (x) Geograph. l. 6. c. 7. (y) Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 17. (z) "----Solis est thurea virga Sabaeis". Virgil. Georgic. l. 2. (a) Nat. Hist. l. 37.

(Verse 21.) Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they themselves the merchants of your hand, came to you with lambs and rams and goats. For the lambs, rams, and goats, they interpreted seventy camels and rams and lambs. But Arabia and the princes of Kedar (which today is the land of the Saracens, as is fully proven in the words of Jeremiah, who writes against Kedar) abound in these animals, namely lambs and rams and goats, and they increase the commerce of Tyre with this importation (Jeremiah 49). But also a very fertile region of the camels is due to the breadth of pastures, and the temperate air which this animal enjoys. Arabia is interpreted as 'evening', and Cedar as 'darkness'. Concerning which regions, it is said in the Psalms: 'I have dwelt with them that hate peace: when I spake unto them, they fought against me without a cause.' (Psalm 120:7). These regions supply the city of Tyre with camels, burdened with the weight of heavy sins, either lambs or rams or goats, which they sacrifice on their altars, which they have fashioned from a wicked and rebellious heart. But even in this same passage, we read in the vision of the shepherds that rams disturb the purest waters, and push the sheep with their sides, and fight with their horns (Ezekiel 34); also goats, which are accustomed to stand on the left, and lambs that pretend to be a lamb (Matthew 25); of whom it is written: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). But Isaiah writes favorably about camels (Isaiah 60), from Midian, which is interpreted as the judgement of the Lord, coming to Jerusalem, and Ephah, and rams from Nebaioth, and Sheba bringing gold and frankincense: the last two of which are also offered to the Lord by the Magi (Matthew 2). And so, camels with the burden of sins can enter the narrow and tight path that leads to life (Matthew VII and XIX).

This chapter may be considered as the second part of the prophecy concerning Tyre. The prophet pursues his subject in the manner of those ancient lamentations or funeral songs, in which the praeficiae or mourning women first recounted whatever was great or praiseworthy in the deceased, and then mourned his fall. Here the riches, glory, and extensive commerce of Tyre are enlarged upon, vv. 1-25. Her downfall is then described in a beautiful allegory, executed in a few words, with astonishing brevity, propriety, and perspicuity, Eze 27:26; upon which all the maritime and commercial world are represented as grieved and astonished at her fate, and greatly alarmed for their own, Eze 27:27-36. Besides the view which this chapter gives of the conduct of Providence, and the example with which it furnishes the critic and men of taste of a very elegant and highly finished piece of composition, it likewise affords the antiquary a very curious and interesting account of the wealth and commerce of ancient times. And to the mind that looks for "a city that hath foundations," what a picture does the whole present of the mutability and inanity of all earthly things! Many of the places mentioned in ancient history have, like Tyre, long ago lost their political consequence; the geographical situation of others cannot be traced; they have sunk in the deep waters of oblivion; the east wind hath carried them away.

Arabia, and all the princes of Cedar - Arabia Deserta, on the confines of the Dead Sea. The Kedarenes inhabited the same country. These brought lambs, rams, and goats for the consumption of the city.

TYRE'S FORMER GREATNESS, SUGGESTING A LAMENTATION OVER HER SAD DOWNFALL. (Eze. 27:1-36) lamentation--a funeral dirge, eulogizing her great attributes, to make the contrast the greater between her former and her latter state.

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).