Killers. Hebrew, "Ceretheans." David's guards were of this nation, 2 Kings viii. 18. They came originally from Crete; and the Septuagint have here, "Cretans;" (Calmet) as Grabe substitutes for "Judges of Sidon." (Haydock) --- Chaldean, "archers." --- Remnant. They deserve not the name of a nation, having been much reduced by Egypt and the Chaldeans. (Calmet) CHAPTER XXV. Year of the prophet's captivity. (Haydock) --- He still dates from the transmigration of Joachin, chap. i., &c. (Worthington) --- Some think he speaks of the first, fourth, or fifth month. Tyre was not besieged till after the ninth day of the fourth month, when Jerusalem was taken; nor could she express her joy for that event before, unless God allude to her dispositions, &c., chap. xxv. 1. (Calmet) Gates: places of resort and commerce. The Jews came to Jerusalem frequently from all parts, which increased her beauty and trade. New Tyre expects that more will come to her. Up. Nabuchodonosor besieged the city for thirteen years. The profane historians read by St. Jerome took no notice of this; but Josephus quotes several. (Antiquities x. 11., and contra Apion i.) (Calmet) Dust. She shall be demolished, and the rubbish thrown into the sea, to make a road by which New Tyre in the island might be attacked, ver. 12. (Haydock) Sea. St. Jerome explains this of New Tyre; Marsham of the Old. To reconcile the different texts, we only need to suppose that both cities were connected by a road thrown up in the sea by Hiram, and repaired by Nabuchodonosor with great labour, (chap. xxix. 18.) after it had been destroyed by the inhabitants of New Tyre, when they saw the old city on the continent fall a prey. (St. Jerome) (Calmet) Kings: Nabuchodonosor (4 Kings xxv. 28.) or Alexander [the Great], who took Tyre. (Menochius) Daughters. Many towns were subject to Tyre: almost all Ph\'9cnicia acknowledged her dominion, as well as (Calmet) the seas to which her fleets went, ver. 15. (Selden, Mare i. 6.; Curtius iv.) --- These smaller cities shall fall, and the town shall be of no service except to dry nets. (Worthington) Engines. Literally, "vine." (Haydock) --- A covert was thus made for the soldiers, (Veget. iv. 15.) when they approached the walls. (Menochius) Destroyed. Old Tyre was taken by storm. It is doubtful whether it was pillaged, chap. xxix. 18. (Calmet) Statues. The citizens chained the golden statue of Apollo to the altar of Hercules, for fear of its leaving them, when Alexander [the Great] attacked the town. (Curtius iv.) --- Hiram placed a pillar of gold in the temple of Hercules. (Josephus, contra Apion i.) --- Herodotus (ii. 44.) saw another also of emerald stone, which illuminated the temple in the night. On such the Tyrian might depend; though some render, "the substance or guard of thy strength," denoting the soldiers (Calmet) and towers. (Haydock) --- The gods were treated like the people, and their precious ornaments plundered. More, for seventy years, Isaias xxiii. 15. The people returned at the same time as the Jews. (The year of the world 3468.) Soon after, Zacharias (chap. ix.) speaks of Tyre as then subsisting. It was very strong in Alexander's time, (who took it with difficulty, as Antigonus did eighteen years later) and had a very extensive commerce when St. Jerome wrote. But all this must be understood of New Tyre. The old city never regained much splendour. (Calmet) --- It is still in ruins. A modern traveller was struck with the completion of this prophecy, beholding a few miserable fishermen drying their nets on the spot! CHAPTER XXVI. Sea: colonies, or tributary to Tyre, ver. 8. (Haydock) --- Leptis, Utica, Carthage,and Cadiz, were founded by Tyrians. (Pliny, [Natural History?] v. 19.) --- Some pretend that these cities were attacked by the conquerors, for manifesting their grief. See Josephus, Antiquities x.; Pineda, &c. --- But we shall not here follow conjectures. --- Astonishment. Hebrew, "troubles," or mourning. (Calmet) Dwellest in. Hebrew, "of the seas." Protestants, "seafaring men," (Haydock) being near the sea, or thence deriving thy riches. Because. Hebrew, "at thy departure." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "into captivity." (St. Jerome) Waters; great armies, (ver. 3.) or when thou art in the regions below, Job xxvi. 5. (Calmet) --- Tyre was humbled for her pride, but restored after seventy years, Isaias xxiii. Our Saviour retired into those parts, Matthew xv. 21. (Worthington) Everlasting: in the grave, till the day of judgment, Psalm xlviii. 12., and Wisdom xii. 5. --- Living, assigned to Israel, (chap. xxxii. 24.; Calmet) where holy people adore the true God, and shall rise to life eternal. (Menochius) For ever: for a long time, (Theodoret) not at all in thy ancient glory. (Haydock) --- The city subsisted after the days of Nabuchodonosor and of Alexander [the Great], (Calmet) ver. 14. --- But the ancient city was reduced to a mere nothing. (Haydock) Lamentation. Such canticles were usual, and very poetical. Entry, whence merchants may proceed from an excellent harbour to any place. Neighbours of Sidon, Josue xix. 29. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "thy children." Protestants, "thy builders." (Haydock) --- The description of the Tyrian grandeur, shews their more woeful ruin. (Worthington) Thee. Hebrew, "all thy ship -boards." (Septuagint) (Protestants) (Haydock) --- St. Jerome has divided (Calmet) leuthim, "decks of the sea," as yam denotes the sea. (Haydock) Benches. Septuagint, "temples." --- Italy. Hebrew Cetim. Macedonia. (Bochart) (Calmet) --- All distant places were styled islands, (Haydock) when they went by water to them. Linen. Cotton, (Exodus xxv. 4.) used for standards. Septuagint, "for bed coverlets," or for sails. --- Mast. Cleopatra and Caligula were still more sumptuous in their sails. --- Elisa, or Elis, famous for purple: yet Tyre was more so. Aradians. Sidon and Arad were then subject to Tyre, and supplied rowers. --- Pilots. They studied no other science. Gebal. Septuagint, "Biblos," which is the same, 3 Kings v. 18. --- Furnished. Hebrew, "were in thee to repair thy breaches." Septuagint, "strengthened thy designs." Lybians. Hebrew, "Phut." They had been expelled by the Cyreneans. Tyre had in her pay the most warlike nations of Persia, &c. Cyrus soon after shook off the yoke of the Medes, and conquered the Lydians. --- Hung up, ver. 11. This was very usual, Canticle of Canticles iv. 4., and Isaias xxii. 8. (Calmet) The Pygmeans. That is, strong and valiant men. In Hebrew Gammadim. (Challoner) --- He does not speak of those fabulous men hardly a cubit high. Gomed signifying a "cubit," has caused them to be styled so here. Septuagint, "guards;" or Symmachus, "Medes." Ezechiel (xxxviii. 6.) speaks of the Gomerim. Carthaginians. Hebrew, "Tharsis," in Cilicia; (Genesis x. 4.; Calmet) or distant merchants, who came by sea. (Haydock) Slaves. Those from Greece were much esteemed. (Calmet) --- Alas! thirty thousand Tyrians were themselves thus sold by Alexander [the Great]! (Haydock) Horses. Those of Sarmatia (Calmet) were in high repute. (Pliny, [Natural History?] viii. 42. Dedan. Septuagint, "Rhodians;" or rather Arabs are meant, ver. 20. They might receive ivory from Ethiopia. --- Teeth. Hebrew, "horns or tusks," which the elephant casts every year. The ivory is less brittle, 3 Kings x. 18. (Calmet) --- Ebony; a hard black wood, like horn. (Bochart) Syrian: always much addicted to commerce. (St. Jerome) --- Septuagint read Adam for Aram, as if the traffic in men was meant: (Calmet) "ivory, and to those who brought, thou gavest thy rewards. Men of thy traffic," &c. (Haydock) --- Linen. Hebrew buts, "silk" extracted from the pinna fish, 1 Paralipomenon xv. 27. Silk. Hebrew ramoth, may rather denote unicorns, Job xxviii. 18. (Calmet) --- Chodchod. It is the Hebrew name for some precious stone, but of what kind in particular, interpreters are not agreed. (Challoner) --- Some say the carbuncle, &c. St. Jerome renders it the jasper, Isaias liv. 12. (Worthington) --- Here he confesses he knows not the meaning. (Calmet) Rosin. Our version generally renders this, balm. (Haydock) --- It was much used to heal, Jeremias viii. 22., and Genesis xxxvii. 25. Rich. Hebrew Chelbon; perhaps the city Chelba, Judges i. 31. The kings of Persia used this wine, and planted vines at Damascus on purpose. Dan: the citizens of Peneas, the tribe of Dan was in captivity. Grotius places these nations in Zeilan, (Calmet) or Ceylon. (Haydock) Seats, such as the Turks still use, or to throw over horses instead of saddles. CHAPTER XXVII. Haran, or Char\'e6, famous for the residence of Abraham and the defeat of Crassus. --- Eden, the province where Paradise was situated. Cords, in boxes, which had then no locks. Sea. Hebrew Tharsis, in Cilicia; or large, and fit for long voyages. Thine were the best. (Calmet) South. Hebrew kodim, (Haydock) "eastern," or rather "burning," here means Nabuchodonosor, who came from the north, (chap. xxvi. 7.; Calmet) or east. The fall of Tyre is described as a shipwreck. (Haydock) Ashes. They followed the same customs as the Jews. (Calmet) --- The latter were ordered to avoid cutting the hair, like them; yet did so, Deuteronomy xiv., and Isaias xxii. 22. (Worthington) Hissed, through pity and astonishment. (Calmet) Prince. The Jews say Hiram, (St. Jerome) supposing that he lived a thousand years; though this is not requisite, as he died only four hundred and thirty years before. The idea is childish. The king who was taken and slain, at this siege, was probably (Calmet) Ithobalos. (Josephus, Antiquities x. 11.) --- Origen applies this to the angel guardian of Tyre. St. Augustine thins an allusion is made to the fall of Lucifer. But it may all refer to the king, (Calmet) though others explain part of him and the rest of the devil. (St. Jerome) (Estius) Than Daniel; viz., in thy own conceit. The wisdom of Daniel was so much celebrated in his days, that it became a proverb among the Chaldeans, when any one would express an extraordinary wisdom, to say he was as wise as Daniel. (Challoner) (Worthington) --- He was now at court, and had explained the dream of Nabuchodonosor, Daniel ii. 27. Uncircumcised. The Jews deemed this a disgrace, 1 Kings xxxi. 4. The king would be exposed to eternal death, being devoid of faith, &c. (Calmet) Resemblance. The king of Tyre, by his dignity and his natural perfections, bore in himself a certain resemblance to God, by reason of which he might be called the seal of resemblance, &c. But what is here said to him is commonly understood of Lucifer, the king over all the children of pride. (Challoner) --- A seal is perfect when it represents things exactly. The prophet speaks ironically, to repress the king's vanity. Paradise. Thou hadst every thing delightful at Tyre. (Calmet) --- Covering. Hebrew, "bandage;" diadem, (Haydock) or belt. Septuagint specify twelve stones. See Exodus xxviii. 17. --- Pipes; music used at the coronation, which was celebrated as a birth-day. (Calmet) --- God give and withdraws power from all kings. As long as they act well, they are a sort of sanctuary. (Haydock) Stretched out. That is, thy wings extended. This alludes to the figure of the cherubims in the sanctuary, which with stretched out wings covered the ark, (Challoner) on the holy mountain. (St. Jerome, &c.) --- Fire. That is, bright and precious stones, which sparkle like fire. (Challoner) --- With these the king's robes glittered, or he walked upon them, Esther i. 6. (Calmet) --- Calcacabatur onyx. (Lucan x.) Iniquity. Tyre was before wicked; but when the king pretended to be a god, (ver. 2.) it could no longer be endured. (Worthington) Beauty. Riches have corrupted thy heart. Sanctuaries, or temples, which was a crime (Calmet) in an idolater, as he took them to be the temples of a real deity. (Haydock) Sidon. It gave rise to Tyre, yet was now inferior, though independent of it, (Isaias xxiii. 4.) or subject to Egypt. (Diodorus ii. 2.) --- It was now pillaged. Bitterness. Jezabel came hence; (4 Kings xvi. 31.) and the Ph\'9cnicians hemmed in the Israelites as much as possible, and fought against them. (Calmet) --- Sidon was near Tyre, and imitating her crimes was also punished. When. All shall praise God, seeing that he receives his people again after he has justly chastised them. (Worthington)