βThe burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.β
Tyre was destroyed, in part, by Nabuchodonosor. Cyrus permitted all the captives of this, as well as of other countries, to return. β Cethim; Cyrus, or rather Macedonia. Merchants come thence no longer.
βBe still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. still: Heb. silentβ
Island. Tyre was originally surrounded with water. A communication with the land was made afterwards, Josue xix. 29. (Calmet) (Ezechiel xxvii.) (Worthington)
βAnd by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.β
Nile. Hebrew Shichor, or βmuddy water,β designates that river, Josue xiii. 3. β River. The overflowing of the Nile gave fertility to Egypt, insomuch that Tyre and other nations were supplied by it with corn.
βBe thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.β
Strength: people who sail. Septuagint, βbut the strengthβ¦.replied: I,β &c. Sidon will not be concerned for the fall of her rival. She alleges that she has nothing to do with Tyre. That city would not allow that it was a colony of Sidon, ver. 12. (Calmet)
βPass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.β
Seas. The rich Tyrians did so. (St. Jerome) β Septuagint, βto Carthage.β Hebrew Tharsis, in Cilicia. (Calmet) β Hence Nabuchodonosor did not find a sufficient reward, Ezechiel xxix. 18.
βIs this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. afar: Heb. from afar offβ
Sojourn. Many fled, others were made captives.
βWho hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?β
Earth. The merchants were as rich as kings, or the latter sent their merchandise to Tyre, Ezechiel xxvii. 33.
βPass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. strength: Heb. girdleβ
Girdle, fortress; or rather, thou art naked, like a slave, chap. xx. 4.
βAnd he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.β
Daughter; colony. (Calmet) β Oppressed. Literally, βcalumniated.β (Haydock)
βBehold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.β
It. Hebrew adds, βfor fishermen.β It was formerly covered with water. (Eusebius, prΔp. ix.) β Ruin. The fall of Babylon has been denounced, chap. xiii.
βAnd it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. shall Tyre: Heb. it shall be unto Tyre as the song of an harlotβ
King Nabuchodonosor, whose two sons reigned but a short time. The captivity of the people of God began also the year of the world 3398, and ended the year of the world 3468, the first of Cyrus. β Harlot. She shall be re-established, (Calmet) and shall invite people to her markets. (Sanchez) β Before Cyrus, she had kings, but they were of small power. The city was become very rich, and well fortified, when Alexander [the Great] was stopped by it for seven months. See Ezechiel xxvi. 14. (Calmet) β Tyre had rejoiced at the misfortunes of the Hebrews, and was punished by the like captivity. (Worthington)
βAnd it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.β
Commit. Septuagint, βbe the emporium for all.β Great injustice prevailed formerly among merchants, so that it is represented as a dishonest calling. (Haydock)
βAnd her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. durable: Heb. oldβ
Sanctified to the Lord. This alludes to the conversion of the Gentiles. (Challoner) β Before, the Tyrians were great enemies to the Jews, 2 Esdras xiii. 16., and 1 Machabees v. 15. Our Saviour wrought a miracle in favour of one of this country, Matthew v. 22., and Zacharias viii. 20. (Calmet) β Continuance. Literally, βold age.β Aquila, βwith changes of dress.β (Haydock)