Ezekiel 27:16 Kommentar

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.

Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants,.... The inhabitants of Judah and Israel; the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and the other ten tribes of Israel, they all merchandised with the Tyrians, being near unto them: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith; the name of a place, Jdg 11:33, where probably the best wheat grew; so the Targum renders it; the Tyrians were supplied with wheat from the land of Israel, in the times of Solomon, long before this, Kg1 5:11 as they were in the times of Herod, long after, Act 12:20, it was four miles from Esbus or Heshbon, in the way to Philadelphia, according to Eusebius: and Pannag; which some take to be the name of a place, where the best wheat also was; which some say was Phoenicia, or the land of Canaan. The Septuagint render it "ointments": and the Latin interpreter of the Targum "balsam"; with which agrees Josephus ben Gorion (k), who says that at Jericho grew the balsam tree, from whence came a precious oil, which oil is "pannag": and Hillerus (l) translates it balsam: it follows, and honey, and oil: with which the land of Canaan abounded; for it was a land of oil olive and honey, a land that flowed with milk and honey, Deu 8:8 so that they had enough for themselves, and to spare for their neighbours, and which they carried to the market of Tyre: and balm; or balsam, of which there was plenty at Gilead, and near Jericho, however at the latter; we read of the balm of Gilead, Jer 8:22. The Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it "rosin"; and so the Targum; and this the Tyrians might make use of in their ships (m). The balm, or balsam plant, was peculiar to Judea, as Pliny (n); at least it was the place of it until transplanted into other countries; and so says Solinus (o). (k) Hist. 1. 4. c. 22. p. 379. (l) Onomastic. Sacr. p. 903. (m) Vid. Scheffer. de Militia Navali, p. 43. 319. (n) Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 25. (o) Polyhistor. c. 48.

(Vers. 15, 16.) Many islands have traded with your merchandise: they have exchanged ivory and ebony for your price. Your merchant, Syrus, because of the multitude of your works, has presented pearls, purple, embroidered garments, fine linen, silk, and scarlet in your market. LXX: They have multiplied your merchandise with islands: you were repaying your wages with elephant tusks and those who were being brought in. Your business has been purchased by many of your customers: They traded in aphec, stacten, and polymita from Tharsis and Ramoth and Chodchod in your market. The Hebrew text differs greatly from the Septuagint edition in this particular passage; therefore, a few things must be said according to each. So that we don't get too caught up in Tyrian merchandise, let's move on to the remaining prophecies. The sons of Dadan, Tyrian merchants, have multiplied their business in many islands, so that they traded elephant tusks with those who came for their commerce, and they had men in the markets because of the multitude of trade. But they had in Aphech what is added in Theodotion's edition to the Seventy: for which Symmachus translates, 'polymita.' Also, Stacte, for which all others interpret 'purple,' which is called Argaman in Hebrew: and varieties from Tharsis, for which in Hebrew it is called Bus, which is translated by all as 'byssus.' However, Tharsis is not found anywhere in this place. And they gave 'ramoth' and 'chodchod' in your markets; which is found thus in Hebrew, except that instead of 'ramoth,' Aquila interprets it as 'silk,' or 'fine.' All the interpreters indeed have accurately translated it in the way it is placed in Hebrew (). Therefore, according to the Septuagint, the sons of the Rhodians, the merchants of Tyre, increased his trade from many islands: according to the Hebrew (text), after the sons of Dadan, his merchants also enlarged their trade with the islands of various nations, bringing ivory from India and precious black lignum vitae, and exchanged (them) with other Tyrian goods. Syrus was also a Tyrian trader: for which reason in Hebrew it is written Aram (), in place of which the Seventy interpreters have rendered it Adam, and Res and Daleth, as above, being deceived by the similarity. However, to this day the innate ardor for trading remains in the Syrians, who with a desire for profit travel throughout the world, and have such a madness for commerce that, now that the Roman world has been conquered, they seek riches among swords and the deaths of the unfortunate, and flee poverty with dangers. There are such types of men in Tyre who trade in multicolored fabrics, purple, and embroidered cloth. They also offer linen and silk, and present precious goods in their market. Regarding purple, which everyone has interpreted, the Septuagint translates it as 'stacten,' which means 'drop.' However, I have not been able to find the meaning of 'chodchod' up until now. The Hebrews say that all precious goods are signified by this name, or that it is a certain type of precious merchandise that the Roman language does not mention, or simply a common term used by sellers. But from many islands, to move on to the mystical sense, which are beaten by the salty and bitter waves of this world, merchants of Dedan bring ivory teeth, promising the whiteness of eloquence; about whom it is written: Out of ivory palaces, from which the daughters of kings have delighted you in your glory (Ps. LIV, 9). But they are not white, nor do they imitate the bride, of whom it is said: Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved (Cant. VIII, 5)? But the Ethiopians of black color, who cannot change their blackness, as Jeremiah says: Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? (Jer. XIII, 21) . And also the Syrian, that is, Aram, which means high, and swells with pride, is a merchant of Tyre, and in the multitude of the works of the Tyrians carries the knowledge of false names, promising many varieties, and the sweet smell of the best ointment, and the purple of royal dignity, and the chequered work of dialectic art, and fine linen, for which the Septuagint have rendered Tharsis, being devoted to the works of the earth: and silk, for which in Hebrew it is written, Ramoth, which means vision of death. For all earthly works hasten towards destruction; and chodchod, whatever that is which is understood, proposing it in the markets of Tyre. But among these goods which are said to be brought by its merchants and islands, either the region of India should be understood, or that of the Idumaeans and vast solitude, as some estimate, and it signifies a connection, so that we may recognize the likeness of divine teachings in heretics.

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.

Syria - These were always a mercantile people. For the precious stones mentioned here see the notes on Exo 28:17 (note).

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.

"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 Luk 19:13. agate--Others translate, "ruby," "chalcedony," or "pearls."