Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 27

Verses 1-36

The Wreck of the gallant Ship

Under the figure of a ship, splendidly equipped, fully manned, and richly laden, but steered into stormy waters and wrecked, Ezekiel describes the fall of Tyre. In Ezekiel 27:10-20 the figure is partly dropped.

3. People] RV ’peoples’; and so everywhere.

5. Senir] Mt. Hermon (Deuteronomy 3:9).

6. The company of the Ashurites.. ivory] RV ’hey have made thy benches of ivory inlaid in boxwood.’ The ’teasshur’ (mistaken in AV for Ashurites or Assyrians) was a species of tree (probably box or cypress) found in Lebanon, and mentioned in Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 60:13. Chittim] Cyprus.

7. Elishah] mentioned in Genesis 10:4 along with Javan (Ionia), was some Mediterranean country, perhaps the Peloponnesus (Morea), which was famous for purple dye.

8. Arvad] a Canaanite city (Genesis 10:18; 1 Chronicles 1:16) built on an island (Ruwâd) 2 m. off the Syrian coast and nearly 100 m. N. of Tyre.

9. Gebal] a coast town some 50 m. N. of Tyre, the classical Byblos: see Joshua 13:5; 1 Kings 5:18 (RV).

Occupy] RM ’exchange.’ This is the old meaning of the word, which is regularly used in this sense in the Bible: see Luke 19:13.

10. Lud and.. Phut] Ludim appears in Genesis 10:6 as the eldest son of Mizraim (Egypt), and Phut in Genesis 10:6 as a son of Ham and brother of Mizraim. Both nations are mentioned as allies of Egypt in Genesis 30:5 (RV). They were probably N. African peoples.

11. Gammadim] a word of unknown reference.

12. Tarshish] either Tartessus in Spain, or the land of the Tyrsenians (Etruscans) in Italy.

13. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech] these nations are named together in Genesis 10:2. Javan is Ionia in Asia Minor. Tubal and Meshech are usually identified with the Tibareni and Moschi, two tribes in the N. of Asia Minor. For the slave trade of Javan see Joel 3:6.

14. Togarmah] (Genesis 10:8) probably Armenia.

15. Dedan] see on Ezekiel 25:13.

17. Minnith] an Ammonite town (Judges 11:33). For Ammonite wheat in Judah see 2 Chronicles 27:5.

Pannag] a word of unknown meaning. RM says, ’Perhaps a kind of confection.’

18. Helbon] a wine-growing district 13 m. N. of Damascus.

19. Dan also] RV ’Vedan.’ Going to and fro] RM ’from Uzal.’ Vedan and Uzal are uncertain localities.

21. Kedar] an Arabian district (Genesis 25:13).

22. Sheba and Raamah] countries in S. Arabia (Genesis 10:7).

23. Haran] in Mesopotamia (Genesis 11:31).

Canneh] perhaps Calneh, a Babylonian city (Genesis 10:10). Eden] either Beth-Eden, a state in the W. of Mesopotamia, mentioned in the inscriptions and in 2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12; Amos 1:5 (RM), or Aden in Arabia. Asshur] Assyria. Chilmad] an unknown place. Perhaps instead of taking it as a proper name we should read, ’Were as those accustomed to be thy merchants.’

25. Ships of Tarshish] deep-sea vessels in general: see 1 Kings 22:48. Did sing of thee in] RV ’were thy caravans for.’