2. Tyre--
(Jos 19:29;
2Sa 24:7),
literally, meaning "the rock-city," Zor; a name applying to the
island Tyre, called New Tyre, rather than Old Tyre on the
mainland. They were half a mile apart. "New Tyre," a century and
a half before the fall of Jerusalem, had successfully resisted
Shalmaneser of Assyria, for five years besieging it (MENANDER, from the Tyrian archives, quoted by JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 9.14. 2). It was the
stronger and more important of the two cities, and is the one chiefly,
though not exclusively, here meant. Tyre was originally a colony of
Zidon. Nebuchadnezzar's siege of it lasted thirteen years
(Eze 29:18;
Isa 23:1-18).
Though no profane author mentions his having succeeded in the siege,
JEROME states he read the fact in Assyrian
histories.
Aha!--exultation over a fallen rival
(Ps 35:21, 25).
she . . . that was the gates--that is, the single gate composed of two
folding doors. Hence the verb is singular. "Gates" were the place of
resort for traffic and public business: so here it expresses
a mart of commerce frequented by merchants. Tyre regards Jerusalem
not as an open enemy, for her territory being the narrow, long strip of
land north of Philistia, between Mount Lebanon and the sea, her interest
was to cultivate friendly relations with the Jews, on whom she was
dependent for corn
(Eze 27:17;
1Ki 5:9;
Ac 12:20).
But Jerusalem had intercepted some of the inland traffic which she
wished to monopolize to herself; so, in her intensely selfish
worldly-mindedness, she exulted heartlessly over the fall of Jerusalem
as her own gain. Hence she incurred the wrath of God as pre-eminently
the world's representative in its ambition, selfishness, and pride, in
defiance of the will of God
(Isa 23:9).
she is turned unto me--that is, the mart of corn, wine, oil,
balsam, &c., which she once was, is transferred to me. The caravans
from Palmyra, Petra, and the East will no longer be intercepted by the
market ("the gates") of Jerusalem, but will come to me.
JFB.
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