The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots.
The verse describes how Tyre manned its ships with men of Zidon and Arvad as sailors while its own wise men aboard served as pilots who guided and steered them with skilled navigation. That crewing was part of Tyre's glory and perfect beauty as a wealthy maritime city, the commercial emporium of Phoenicia and merchant city of the Mediterranean and of the world. It stands in the lamentation over Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28, which foretells her utter ruin and destruction until she would be wiped out of existence. The very site of the city would become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, now seen in its ruins as an object-lesson of fulfilled prophecy. The chapter stands as a warning of judgment against a God-defying city for others who forget or defy God, for its spirit of merchandise made it corrupt and exalted until God had to humble her, the same traffic carried on by great Babylon, modern Tyre, whose riches are made desolate in one hour.
Tyre's Maritime Greatness
The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were Tyre's mariners or sailors, while Tyre's own wise men within the city were its pilots who guided and steered its ships. This crewing showed skilled navigation and skilled leadership, with its ships and navigation depending on coastal peoples and on Tyrian expertise. It was part of Tyre's glory and perfect beauty before her fearful fall, for her builders had made her of perfect beauty. That glory reflected its wealth and its extensive maritime trade and commerce.
The verse displays Tyre's system of merchandise and widespread traffic, with mariners and pilots carrying that traffic. It presents Tyre as a wealthy maritime city and merchant city of the Mediterranean and of the world, the commercial emporium of Phoenicia and one of the greatest and most famous cities of the ancient world. Its ancient site on the mainland was abandoned for a new city built on a small island half a mile from shore. That island city was joined to the shore by Alexander the Great by an artificial mole built by scraping bare the rock of ancient Tyre.
Tyre's history touches Israel's history, for Hiram king of Tyre assisted Solomon in building the temple. Jezebel wife of Ahab was the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians of Tyre. That worldwide seagoing commerce is why men of Tyre came into Judah bringing fish and all manner of ware to sell to the children of Judah in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day in the days of Nehemiah. The word for pilot means one who steers a course rightly, whose work was steering ships.
Prophecy of Tyre's Destruction
Ezekiel 27:8 belongs to the lamentation over Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28. It stands among the prophecies of the other nations in Ezekiel 25-31 concerning Ammon, Moab, Tyre, and Egypt. It is part of the prophecy concerning Tyre, the merchant city of the Mediterranean, and of the prophecy foretelling the destruction of Tyre and Sidon.
The prophecy foretells the utter ruin and destruction of Tyre. It declares that Tyre, the great commercial city of the world, would be utterly wiped out of existence. Its destruction is foretold as certain.
The very place on which Tyre stood would become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. Its ruins are now seen as an object-lesson of fulfilled prophecy. Its fulfilment as a remarkable prophecy is evident today.
Through Ezekiel Jehovah pleaded with Israel for twenty-two years to turn to God. He used the kingdoms on all sides of Israel to show how God has brought down their pride and will bring down the pride of those who remain. Nebuchadnezzar, whom the false prophets said was not coming against Jerusalem, would capture Tyre, and from Tyre would conquer Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 27 describes Tyre's great wealth and greatness as a wealthy maritime city. When the city faced capture, its ships and commerce carried its possessions away.
Warning to Proud Cities
Ezekiel 27 is a warning of judgment against a God-defying city, set forth as a lesson for other cities and for people who forget or defy God. Tyre is numbered among cities visited with preliminary punishments, and her fate shows that a proud city may meet the judgment its wickedness invites.
Her system of merchandise, with mariners from abroad and her own pilots carrying her widespread traffic, embodied a spirit of merchandise that made her corrupt and exalted until God had to humble her. That same kind of traffic is carried on by great Babylon, the modern Tyre, which is not one city but a federation taking in all the earth. Its commercialism overrides honor and integrity, seeks to possess all nations and to gather every commodity, even the bodies and souls of men, while forgetting God and putting the god of gold first. When that great combination falls, its riches are made desolate in one hour.
The wise men within Tyre were its pilots, whose work was the steering of ships, and the word for pilot means one who steers a course rightly. Applied to life, it means the power to steer one's course rightly on the dangerous sea of life.
The verse describes how Tyre manned its ships with men of Zidon and Arvad as sailors while its own wise men aboard served as pilots who guided and steered them with skilled navigation. That crewing was part of Tyre's glory and perfect beauty as a wealthy maritime city, the commercial emporium of Phoenicia and merchant city of the Mediterranean and of the world. It stands in the lamentation over Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28, which foretells her utter ruin and destruction until she would be wiped out of existence. The very site of the city would become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea, now seen in its ruins as an object-lesson of fulfilled prophecy. The chapter stands as a warning of judgment against a God-defying city for others who forget or defy God, for its spirit of merchandise made it corrupt and exalted until God had to humble her, the same traffic carried on by great Babylon, modern Tyre, whose riches are made desolate in one hour.
Tyre's Maritime Greatness
The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were Tyre's mariners or sailors, while Tyre's own wise men within the city were its pilots who guided and steered its ships. This crewing showed skilled navigation and skilled leadership, with its ships and navigation depending on coastal peoples and on Tyrian expertise. It was part of Tyre's glory and perfect beauty before her fearful fall, for her builders had made her of perfect beauty. That glory reflected its wealth and its extensive maritime trade and commerce.
The verse displays Tyre's system of merchandise and widespread traffic, with mariners and pilots carrying that traffic. It presents Tyre as a wealthy maritime city and merchant city of the Mediterranean and of the world, the commercial emporium of Phoenicia and one of the greatest and most famous cities of the ancient world. Its ancient site on the mainland was abandoned for a new city built on a small island half a mile from shore. That island city was joined to the shore by Alexander the Great by an artificial mole built by scraping bare the rock of ancient Tyre.
Tyre's history touches Israel's history, for Hiram king of Tyre assisted Solomon in building the temple. Jezebel wife of Ahab was the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians of Tyre. That worldwide seagoing commerce is why men of Tyre came into Judah bringing fish and all manner of ware to sell to the children of Judah in Jerusalem on the Sabbath day in the days of Nehemiah. The word for pilot means one who steers a course rightly, whose work was steering ships.
Prophecy of Tyre's Destruction
Ezekiel 27:8 belongs to the lamentation over Tyre in Ezekiel 26-28. It stands among the prophecies of the other nations in Ezekiel 25-31 concerning Ammon, Moab, Tyre, and Egypt. It is part of the prophecy concerning Tyre, the merchant city of the Mediterranean, and of the prophecy foretelling the destruction of Tyre and Sidon.
The prophecy foretells the utter ruin and destruction of Tyre. It declares that Tyre, the great commercial city of the world, would be utterly wiped out of existence. Its destruction is foretold as certain.
The very place on which Tyre stood would become a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea. Its ruins are now seen as an object-lesson of fulfilled prophecy. Its fulfilment as a remarkable prophecy is evident today.
Through Ezekiel Jehovah pleaded with Israel for twenty-two years to turn to God. He used the kingdoms on all sides of Israel to show how God has brought down their pride and will bring down the pride of those who remain. Nebuchadnezzar, whom the false prophets said was not coming against Jerusalem, would capture Tyre, and from Tyre would conquer Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 27 describes Tyre's great wealth and greatness as a wealthy maritime city. When the city faced capture, its ships and commerce carried its possessions away.
Warning to Proud Cities
Ezekiel 27 is a warning of judgment against a God-defying city, set forth as a lesson for other cities and for people who forget or defy God. Tyre is numbered among cities visited with preliminary punishments, and her fate shows that a proud city may meet the judgment its wickedness invites.
Her system of merchandise, with mariners from abroad and her own pilots carrying her widespread traffic, embodied a spirit of merchandise that made her corrupt and exalted until God had to humble her. That same kind of traffic is carried on by great Babylon, the modern Tyre, which is not one city but a federation taking in all the earth. Its commercialism overrides honor and integrity, seeks to possess all nations and to gather every commodity, even the bodies and souls of men, while forgetting God and putting the god of gold first. When that great combination falls, its riches are made desolate in one hour.
The wise men within Tyre were its pilots, whose work was the steering of ships, and the word for pilot means one who steers a course rightly. Applied to life, it means the power to steer one's course rightly on the dangerous sea of life.