Ezechiele 27:17 Commento

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.

Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making,.... Of the many things manufactured at Tyre, the inhabitants of Damascus, once the chief city of Syria, took some: for the multitude of all riches: in lieu of the vast quantity of rich things there made, they traded with them for them: in the wine of Helbon, and white wool; Helbon very probably is the same with the Chalybon of Ptolemy (p), which he places in Syria; a place famous for wine, as Strabo (q) reports; the kings of Persia, he says, through riches fell into luxury, so that they would have wheat brought from Assos in Aeolia, and Chalybonian wine out of Syria, and water from Eulaeus (the river Ulai in Dan 8:2), which was lightest of all; and so Athenaeus (r) says, the kings of the Persians drink only Chalybonian wine; which, says Posidonius, was made at Damascus in Syria, from whence the Persians transplant vines: Helbon is thought to be the same with Aleppo; the grapes there are all white, and make a strong wine, as Monsieur Thevenot (s) relates; and who also observes, that the wines of Damascus are treacherous and strong: and the wool they bought was such as it came off of the backs of the sheep, and the purer and whiter sort of it; which was brought to Tyre, and by them bought, and dyed purple, for which dye the Tyrians were famous. (p) Geograph. l. 5. c. 15. (q) Ibid. l. 12. p. 505. (r) L. 1. c. 22. (s) Travels, part 2. B. 1. c. 5. p. 25. & c. 7. p. 33.

(Verse 17.) Judah and the land of Israel themselves, your merchants, offered to you in your markets, as the first fruits: balsam and honey, and oil, and resin. LXX: Judah and the sons of Israel, these are your merchants in the wheat trade and in ointments: they gave you first honey and oil, and resin in your markets. The Hebrew word 'Phanag' (פַּנַּג) was translated by Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion in the way that it is written in Hebrew: for which the LXX translated 'ointment', we translate 'balsam'. It is said, however, that the land of Judaea, which is now called Palestine, abounds in provisions, such as grain, balsam, honey, oil, and resin, which are carried from Judaea and Israel to the market of Tyre. And when the literal meaning is clear, according to the spiritual sense, we say that the land of confession, and the understanding of God that pertains to the Church, should not carry to Tyre the first wheat, which, when it falls to the ground, multiplies and is taken as the word of God: For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Deut. 8:3). Then the balsam that grows in the vineyards of En-gedi, or the ointment, of which it is written: 'Like the ointment on the head, that ran down upon the beard, the beard of Aaron.' (Psalm 133:2). And the honey about which Solomon speaks: 'Thou hast found honey, eat what is sufficient for thee; lest thou be filled therewith and vomit it.' (Proverbs 25:16), for excessive satisfaction turns honey into wormwood. Also the oil with which the lamp in the tabernacle of God is lit, lest that prophetic saying be applied to us: 'Thou didst sell the oil in Egypt.' (Hosea 12:1). But if it is in Egypt and in Tyre, it will turn to the opposite, and it will be said of it, 'The oil of the sinner will not anoint my head' (Ps. CXL, 5). But resin is also gentle, suitable for bodies, and is taken as medicine. Hence it is written in Jeremiah: Is there not resin in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the healing of the daughter of my people not gone up? (Jer. VIII, 22). Jacob also had this resin, which he sent to his son Joseph with honey, balm, nuts, and frankincense (Gen. XLIII). The Ishmaelites who bought Joseph from the land of Israel were carrying these things to Egypt: resin, balm, honey, and oil, as well as frankincense from Gilead (Genesis 37). To better understand what wheat, balsam, honey, and oil, as well as resin, were used for in the market of Tyre, let us listen to the words of the Lord, who said: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; do not cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). And to the Canaanite woman who was praying for her daughter, saying: My daughter is cruelly tormented by a demon, the Lord replied: It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs (Matthew 15:22, 26). But because it had gone out from the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and was approaching the land of Israel, that which she had requested was obtained.

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.

Judah, and the land of Israel - traded in thy market wheat - The words have been understood as articles of merchandise, not names of places. So the Jews traded with the Tyrians in wheat, stacte, balsam, honey, oil, and resin.

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.

Minnith . . . Pannag--names of places in Israel famed for good wheat, wherewith Tyre was supplied (Kg1 5:9, Kg1 5:11; Ezr 3:7; Act 12:20); Minnith was formerly an Ammonite city (Jdg 11:33). "Pannag" is identified by GROTIUS with "Phenice," the Greek name for "Canaan." "They traded . . . wheat," that is, they supplied thy market with wheat. balm--or, "balsam."