Tyre in Fausset's Bible Dictionary
Joshua 19:29; 2 Samuel 24:7; Isaiah 23:1; Ezekiel 26-28. In
Phoenicia, E. of the Mediterranean, 20 miles S. of Sidon.
Justin says the Sidonians founded Tyre after having been
defeated by the king of Ascalon, 1209 B.C. according to the
Parian marble. A double city, part on the mainland, part on
an island nearly one mile long, and separated from the
continent by a strait half a mile broad. Justin (xi. 10)
records the tradition of the inhabitants that there was a
city on the mainland before there was one on the island.
Ezekiel represents the mainland city as besieged by
Nebuchadnezzar's horses and chariots, and its walls assailed
with "engines of war, forts, and mounts," and its towers
broken down with axes; but the island city as sitting "in
the heart of the seas" (Ezekiel 28:2, margin). The former,
Old Tyre, stretched along the shore seven miles from the
river Leontes on the N. to the fountain Ras el ain on the
S., the water of which was brought into the city by
aqueducts.
Pliny (N. H., v. 17) says the circuit of both was 19
Roman miles, the island city being only 22 stadia. The
difficulty is that the name "Tyre," meaning a "rock,"
belongs properly to the island city, there being no "rock"
in the mainland city to originate the name; yet the mainland
city is called "Old Tyre." Probably the Phoenician name of
the mainland city resembled in sound but not sense the Greek
Palaeo-Tyrus, and the latter name was given from a
misunderstanding. Tyre is not mentioned in the Pentateuch,
but first in Joshua 19:29 "the strong city Tyre." From tsor
came its two names, Tyre, and Sara, now Sur (Arabic). Joshua
implies it was on the shore, but the city and chief temple
of Hercules (Melkarth, the tutelary god of Tyre) was
probably on the island. Unlike other oriental cities, space
being limited on the island, the houses were built in
stories. The majority of the population was on the mainland.
Hiram by substructures enlarged the eastern and southern
sides, so as to afford room for a public place, Eurychorus.
The northern or Sidonian harbour was 900 ft. long,
700 wide, protected by walls. The southern or Egyptian was
formed by a great breakwater; the barbours could be closed
by a boom; a canal through the city joined the harbours.
"Tyre did build herself a strong hold" (Zechariah 9:3); so
Diodorus Siculus (xvii. 40), "Tyre had the greatest
confidence, owing to her insular position, fortifications
and abundant stores." A double wall, 150 ft. high, besides
the sea, secured island Tyre. "Her merchants were princes,
and her traffickers the honourable of the earth" (Isaiah
23:7-8). Hiram, as friend and ally, supplied David...
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