Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 26

Verse 1

the eleventh year. The month not given; but see Jeremiah 39:1-7 ; Jeremiah 52:4-11 . See note on Ezekiel 30:20 . Jerusalem fell probably in the fifth month, after the fall but before the destruction in that year of the Temple (2 Kings 25:8 ). Compare Ezekiel 26:2 . This prophecy began to be fulfilled then, and Tyre was taken by Nebuchadnezzar after a thirteen years' siege (see Isaiah 23:1 ), and Josephus (Antiquities x. 11, 1; cont . Apion, i. 20); but not completely fulfilled till later. Jehovah secs the end from the beginning, and speaks of it by way of prophetic foreshortening. "The day of Jehovah" (Ezekiel 30:3 ) looks forward to the end.

the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .

Tyrus = Tyre, the city. Now, es Sur, Hebrew, tzur = a rock,

people = peoples.

she is turned: i.e. the tide of her traffic.

Verse 3

the Lord GOD . Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos . App-6 .

Verse 4

the top of a rock = a bare rock.

Verse 5

the midst of the sea. Tyre was on a promontory spreading out into the sea.

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle,

Verse 7

Nebuchadrezzar. Occurs thus spelled four times in this book (here; Ezekiel 29:18 , Ezekiel 29:19 ; and Ezekiel 30:10 ). See note on Daniel 1:1 .

companies = a gathered host.

Verse 8

daughters which are in the field = her daughter cities and towns inland.

Verse 9

engines of war = battering rams. Occurs only here.

axes = weapon

Verse 11

garrisons. or, pillars. Seen in vast numbers in the ruins to-day.

Verse 14

thou. The 1611 edition of tho Authorized Version reads "they". be built no more. Zidon's fate has boon different. Its extinction was not prophesied. See Ezekiel 28:20-26 .

the LORD . The Syriac and Vulgate, with some codices, and two early printed editions, omit "Jehovah" here.

Verse 15

isles = coastlands, or maritime countries.

Verse 16

trembling. Hebrew, plural = a great trembling.

Verse 17

take up = raise.

a lamentation = a dirge.

that wast inhabited of seafaring men: or, that west an abode from the seas. The Syriac kataluo means to lodge , and is the rendering of Hebrew. yashab in Numbers 25:1 .

Verse 20

descend into the pit . The people of Tyre are meant, as joining those who were dead and buried.

and I shall set glory . This is either a parenthetical contrast referring to Jerusalem (with which the prophecy begins, Ezekiel 26:2 ), or we may read, with Septuagint, "nor yet arise", &c, completing the end of Tyre, as in Ezekiel 26:21 .

in the land of the living . This expression occurs eight times without the Article ("the" living): here; Ezekiel 32:23 , Ezekiel 32:24 , Ezekiel 32:26 , Ezekiel 32:26 , Ezekiel 32:27 , Ezekiel 32:32 ; and Psalms 27:13 . It occurs three times with the Article ("the living "). See note on Isaiah 38:11 . In each case it refers to the condition of life, is contrast with " Sheol ', which is the condition of death.