Ezekiel 26:10

Translation
King James Version
By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach.
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KJV (with Strong's)
By reason of the abundance H8229 of his horses H5483 their dust H80 shall cover H3680 thee: thy walls H2346 shall shake H7493 at the noise H6963 of the horsemen H6571, and of the wheels H1534, and of the chariots H7393, when he shall enter H935 into thy gates H8179, as men enter H3996 into a city H5892 wherein is made a breach H1234.
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Complete Jewish Bible
His horses are so many that their dust will cover you. The thunder of cavalry, wagons and chariots will shake your walls, as he enters your gates, like men storming a city through a breach.
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Berean Standard Bible
His multitude of horses will cover you in their dust. When he enters your gates as an army entering a breached city, your walls will shake from the noise of cavalry, wagons, and chariots.
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American Standard Version
By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wagons, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach.
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World English Bible Messianic
By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover you: your walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wagons, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into your gates, as men enter into a city in which is made a breach.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
The dust of his horses shall couer thee, for their multitude: thy walles shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheeles, and of the charets, when he shall enter into thy gates as into the entrie of a citie that is broken downe.
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Young's Literal Translation
From the abundance of his horses cover thee doth their dust, From the noise of horseman, and wheel, and rider, Shake do thy walls, in his coming in to thy gates, As the coming into a city broken-up.
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See also
Jeremiah 47:3Ezekiel 26:15Ezekiel 27:28Joshua 6:5Jeremiah 4:13Ezekiel 26:7Joshua 6:20
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A Lament Over Tyre
A Lament Over Tyre View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 21,111 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezekiel 26:10 delivers a chilling prophetic vision of the impending, overwhelming judgment against the proud and defiant city of Tyre. Through vivid imagery, the prophet describes the immense Babylonian army, led by Nebuchadnezzar, advancing with such a multitude of horses, chariots, and horsemen that their dust will literally obscure the city. Their thunderous approach will cause Tyre's formidable walls to tremble, signaling the collapse of its perceived invincibility, and they will ultimately breach its defenses with the ease of entering a city already broken, underscoring the certainty and devastating scale of divine judgment against human arrogance and self-sufficiency.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 26:10 is strategically placed within a comprehensive prophetic oracle against Tyre, which spans Ezekiel 26 through Ezekiel 28. This specific judgment begins in Ezekiel 26:1 with God's declaration of wrath against Tyre for its gloating over Jerusalem's destruction, seeing it as an opportunity for its own commercial gain ("Aha, she is broken that was the gates of the people; she is turned unto me: I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste," Ezekiel 26:2). The verses immediately preceding Ezekiel 26:10 detail the various instruments of destruction, including siege engines, battering rams, and the vast numbers of invading forces poised to dismantle the city's towers and walls (Ezekiel 26:9). Verse 10 specifically hones in on the cavalry and chariots, emphasizing the sheer scale, sensory impact, and terrifying inevitability of the invasion, painting a picture of total subjugation.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Tyre was an ancient Phoenician city, renowned throughout the ancient Near East for its immense wealth, extensive maritime trade network, and seemingly impregnable fortifications. It comprised a mainland settlement and a dominant island city, approximately half a mile offshore, which was considered militarily unassailable. Its strategic location and commercial prowess fostered a deep-seated sense of invincibility and self-reliance among its inhabitants. The prophecy in Ezekiel was delivered around 587-586 BC, coinciding with or shortly after Jerusalem's devastating fall to Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar, the formidable King of Babylon, was God's chosen instrument for this judgment. His army was legendary for its powerful cavalry and chariotry, units capable of generating vast clouds of dust and a thunderous roar during their advance. This imagery would have been deeply familiar and terrifying to any ancient city dweller, as it vividly depicted the overwhelming might of a conquering army. The comparison of entering "as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach" speaks to the common, brutal reality of siege warfare, where a successful breach meant the swift and often merciless end of all resistance.
  • Key Themes: The prophecy against Tyre, particularly as articulated in Ezekiel 26:10, contributes significantly to several overarching themes present in the book of Ezekiel and broader biblical theology. Firstly, it powerfully underscores the sovereignty of God over all nations and their destinies, demonstrating that even the most powerful human strongholds and economic empires are utterly subject to His divine will. Secondly, it highlights the severe consequences of pride and hubris, as Tyre's catastrophic downfall is directly attributed to its arrogant self-sufficiency and its malicious rejoicing over the misfortune of God's chosen people. This theme resonates throughout Scripture, serving as a solemn warning against human arrogance, as famously stated in Proverbs 16:18. Thirdly, the meticulous and vivid description of the siege emphasizes the certainty and comprehensiveness of divine judgment, conveying that God's prophetic word, once declared, will be fulfilled with devastating precision, leaving no aspect of the condemned city untouched. The imagery of the city being completely overwhelmed by dust and noise points to a total and inescapable destruction, a common motif in prophecies of judgment against proud nations, as also seen in Isaiah 23.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Dust (Hebrew, ʼâbâq', H80): This term (H80) refers to light particles, powder, or fine dust. In the context of Ezekiel 26:10, the "dust" generated by the "abundance of his horses" signifies an immense, suffocating quantity. It speaks to the sheer size of the invading force, so vast that their movement creates a literal cloud that "covers" the city. This imagery symbolizes not just a physical obscuring but also a metaphorical smothering, blinding, and humiliating subjugation of Tyre, emphasizing the overwhelming nature of the divine judgment.
  • Walls (Hebrew, chôwmâh', H2346): This word (H2346) denotes a protective wall or fortification, derived from a root suggesting "to join" or "to build up." Tyre's walls were legendary for their strength and perceived impregnability, serving as the city's primary defense and symbol of its security. The prophecy's declaration that "thy walls shall shake" at the noise of the army directly challenges Tyre's perceived invincibility, highlighting the ultimate fragility of even the strongest human defenses when confronted by divine decree. It underscores that what was built for protection will become a source of terror and eventual collapse.
  • Breach (Hebrew, bâqaʻ', H1234): This primitive root (H1234) means "to cleave," "to rend," "to break," or "to open." It conveys the forceful penetration and tearing apart of something previously whole and secure. In the phrase "as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach," it signifies a complete and decisive penetration of the city's defenses, not through a gate but through a violent rupture. This imagery underscores the ease and inevitability of the invasion, stripping Tyre of any illusion of security and emphasizing the utter collapse of its once-formidable fortifications.

Verse Breakdown

  • "By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover thee:" This opening clause immediately sets the scene for an invasion of overwhelming scale. The sheer multitude of horses, encompassing both cavalry and those pulling chariots, is so vast that their collective movement generates an immense cloud of dust. This "dust" is not merely a byproduct but acts as a symbol of the suffocating, blinding, and humiliating nature of the attack, suggesting that Tyre will be physically and metaphorically engulfed and overwhelmed by the sheer mass of its enemies.
  • "thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wheels, and of the chariots," This segment shifts focus to the profound sensory impact of the invasion—specifically, the auditory and vibrational. The "noise" (qôwl) is a thunderous cacophony produced by the massed horsemen, the grinding of countless chariot wheels, and the clatter of the chariots themselves. This immense sound is so powerful that it causes Tyre's formidable "walls" (chôwmâh) to "shake" (râʻash), implying not just a physical tremor but also a profound psychological terror that undermines the city's deep-seated sense of security and stability.
  • "when he shall enter into thy gates, as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach." This final clause describes the climactic moment of the invasion: the successful entry into the city. The phrase "he shall enter into thy gates" initially suggests a conventional entry. However, the crucial comparison "as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach" intensifies the humiliation and defeat. It implies that the entry will not be a difficult, contested struggle through fortified gates, but rather an unhindered, almost casual, walk-in through a gaping, pre-existing hole in the defenses, symbolizing Tyre's utter vulnerability and the complete collapse of its once-impregnable fortifications.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 26:10 masterfully employs several powerful literary devices to convey the terror and inevitability of Tyre's destruction. Imagery is central, as the "dust" covering the city and the "noise" of the army create a vivid sensory experience, allowing the audience to almost see and hear the approaching doom. The description of walls that "shall shake" uses Personification, attributing a human-like reaction of fear or instability to inanimate objects, thereby emphasizing the overwhelming force of the invasion and the profound psychological impact on the city. Furthermore, the verse utilizes a potent Simile in the phrase "as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach." This comparison highlights the ease and certainty of the invasion, suggesting that Tyre's once-impenetrable defenses will be rendered as useless as a wall already torn open, underscoring the completeness of its defeat. The sheer "abundance of his horses" also borders on Hyperbole, emphasizing the vast, uncountable nature of the attacking force, designed to instill a sense of absolute futility in any resistance.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 26:10 serves as a stark and enduring reminder of God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and the unwavering certainty of His prophetic word. Tyre's fall, meticulously detailed in this passage, demonstrates that no human power, wealth, or fortification, however formidable, can ultimately withstand the divine will when judgment is decreed. This passage powerfully underscores the biblical principle that pride, self-sufficiency, and contempt for God's people inevitably lead to a devastating downfall. It is a profound illustration that all earthly security and strength are ultimately transient and fragile when confronted by the omnipotent God, who raises up and casts down kingdoms according to His righteous and unchangeable purposes.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

The vivid imagery of Ezekiel 26:10, depicting the overwhelming force brought against Tyre, invites us to deeply reflect on the nature of true security and the inherent dangers of misplaced trust. Just as Tyre confidently relied on its physical walls and immense commercial might, we, too, often place our ultimate confidence in earthly resources—our wealth, our careers, our social standing, our intellectual prowess, or even our carefully constructed routines. This verse powerfully reminds us that all human fortifications, whether material, emotional, or ideological, are ultimately vulnerable and transient before the sovereign God. It calls us to a posture of profound humility, recognizing that true and lasting security, peace, and stability are found only in Him. When our "walls" shake, whether from external pressures, unforeseen crises, or internal anxieties, it is a divine invitation to shift our trust from the temporal and fleeting to the eternal and unfailing. This passage encourages us to critically examine where our ultimate confidence lies and to reorient our lives around God's unfailing word and His protective, sustaining presence, rather than the fleeting assurances of the world.

Questions for Reflection

  • What "walls" or sources of security do I tend to rely on in my own life, apart from God's sovereign provision and protection?
  • How does the certainty of God's judgment against Tyre challenge my understanding of divine justice and my own accountability before Him?
  • In what specific ways might I be exhibiting pride or self-sufficiency that needs to be surrendered to God's will and wisdom?
  • How can the vivid imagery of "dust" covering and "shaking walls" deepen my appreciation for God's omnipotence and my profound need for His constant presence and protection?

FAQ

Who is "he" referring to in Ezekiel 26:10, and how was this prophecy fulfilled?

Answer: The "he" in Ezekiel 26:10 primarily refers to Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, who was God's chosen instrument of judgment. Historical records indicate that Nebuchadnezzar indeed laid siege to Tyre for an astonishing thirteen years (c. 586-573 BC), as prophesied by Ezekiel. While the mainland city of Tyre was utterly destroyed and its walls breached by Nebuchadnezzar's forces, the island city proved more resilient and was not fully conquered by him in the comprehensive way described. However, the prophecy's ultimate and complete fulfillment came centuries later with Alexander the Great in 332 BC. Alexander, facing the same formidable island fortress, famously built a massive causeway (mole) from the mainland to the island, effectively turning it into a peninsula. This allowed his army to bring their powerful siege engines and forces directly to the island walls, breaching them and utterly destroying the city. This final act of destruction, particularly the ease of entry "as men enter into a city wherein is made a breach," perfectly fulfilled the comprehensive and devastating nature of Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Ezekiel 26:10, with its vivid depiction of the overwhelming force of judgment against Tyre, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a literal siege, but in the spiritual triumph of Jesus Christ over the strongholds of sin and death. The "breach" made in Tyre's walls, signifying utter vulnerability and defeat, foreshadows the ultimate "breach" that Christ made in the dominion of sin and death through His atoning work. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus broke down the formidable "walls" of separation between God and humanity, reconciling us to the Father, as beautifully articulated in Ephesians 2:14. The "dust" that covered Tyre, symbolizing overwhelming humiliation and destruction, contrasts powerfully with the cleansing and life-giving power of Christ's sacrifice, which washes away the dust of sin and shame, offering new life and purity. Just as an earthly king entered a breached city to claim decisive victory, so Christ, the King of kings, entered into the very stronghold of death, not as a conqueror of physical cities, but as the supreme victor over spiritual principalities and powers, leading captivity captive and distributing gifts to His people (Ephesians 4:8). The shaking of Tyre's walls at the noise of the invading army points to the trembling and ultimate collapse of all earthly powers and spiritual principalities before the supreme and undeniable authority of Christ, who has been given "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). Ultimately, the judgment on Tyre serves as a microcosm of the final judgment where all earthly kingdoms and their pride will fall before the eternal, unshakeable kingdom of God, established and eternally ruled by Christ, whose reign knows no end (Revelation 11:15).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 26 verses 1–14

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

This prophecy is dated in the eleventh year, which was the year that Jerusalem was taken, and in the first day of the month, but it is not said what month, some think the month in which Jerusalem was taken, which was the fourth month, others the month after; or perhaps it was the first month, and so it was the first day of the year. Observe here,

I. The pleasure with which the Tyrians looked upon the ruins of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was a great way off, in Babylon, but God told him what Tyrus said against Jerusalem (Eze 26:2): "Aha! she is broken, broken to pieces, that was the gates of the people, to whom there was a great resort and where there was a general rendezvous of all nations, some upon one account and some upon another, and I shall get by it; all the wealth, power, and interest, which Jerusalem had, it is hoped, shall be turned to Tyre, and so now that she is laid waste I shall be replenished." We do not find that the Tyrians had such a hatred and enmity to Jerusalem and the sanctuary as the Ammonites and Edomites had, or were so spiteful and mischievous to the Jews. They were men of business, and of large acquaintance and free conversation, and therefore were not so bigoted, and of such a persecuting spirit, as the narrow souls that lived retired and knew not the world. All their care was to get estates, and enlarge their trade, and they looked upon Jerusalem not as an enemy, but as a rival. Hiram, king of Tyre, was a good friend to David and Solomon, and we do not read of any quarrels the Jews had with the Tyrians; but Tyre promised herself that the fall of Jerusalem would be an advantage to her in respect of trade a commerce, that now she shall have Jerusalem's customers, and the great men from all parts that used to come to Jerusalem for the accomplishing of themselves, and to spend their estates there, will now come to Tyre and spend them there; and whereas many, since the Chaldean army became so formidable in those parts, had retired into Jerusalem, and brought their estates thither for safety, as the Rechabites did, now they will come to Tyre, which, being in a manner surrounded with the sea, will be thought a place of greater strength than Jerusalem, and thus the prosperity of Tyre will rise out of the ruins of Jerusalem. Note, To be secretly pleased with the death or decay of others, when we are likely to get by it, with their fall when we may thrive upon it, is a sin that does most easily beset us, but is not thought to be such a bad thing, and so provoking to God, as really it is. We are apt to say, when those who stand in our light, in our way, are removed, when they break of fall into disgrace, "We shall be replenished now that they are laid waste." But this comes from a selfish covetous principle, and a desire to be placed alone in the midst of the earth, as if we grudged that any should live by us. This comes from a want of that love to our neighbour as to ourselves which the law of God so expressly requires, and from that inordinate love of the world as our happiness which the love of God so expressly forbids. And it is just with God to blast the designs and projects of those who thus contrive to raise themselves upon the ruins of others; and we see they are often disappointed.

II. The displeasure of God against them for it. The providence of God had done well for Tyrus. Tyrus was a pleasant and wealthy city, and might have continued so if she had, as she ought to have done, sympathized with Jerusalem in her calamities and sent her an address of condolence; but when, instead of that, she showed herself pleased with her neighbour's fall, and perhaps sent an address of congratulation to the conquerors, then God says, Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus! Eze 26:3. And let her not expect to prosper long if God be against her.

1.God will bring formidable enemies upon her: Many nations shall come against thee, an army made up of many nations, or one nation that shall be as strong as many. Those that have God against them may expect all the creatures against them; for what peace can those have with whom God is at war? They shall come pouring in as the waves of the sea, one upon the neck of another, with an irresistible force. The person is named that shall bring this army upon them - Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, that had many kings tributaries to him and dependents on him, besides those that were his captives, Song 2:37, 38. He is that head of gold. He shall come with a vast army, horses and chariots, etc., all land-forces. We do not find that he had any naval force, or any thing wherewith he might attack it by sea, which made the attempt the more difficult, as we find Eze 29:18, where it is called a great service which he served against Tyrus. He shall besiege it in form (Eze 26:8), make a fort, and cast a mount, and (Eze 26:9) shall set engines of war against the walls. His troops shall be so numerous as to raise a dust that shall cover the city, Eze 26:10. They shall make a noise that shall even shake the walls; and they shall shout at every attack, as soldiers do when they enter a city that is broken up; the horses shall prance with so much fury and violence that they shall even tread down the streets though so ever well paved.

2.They shall do terrible execution. (1.) The enemy shall make themselves masters of all their fortifications, shall destroy the walls and break down the towers, Eze 26:4. For what walls are so strongly built as to be a fence against the judgments of God? Her strong garrisons shall go down to the ground, Eze 26:11. And the walls shall be broken down, Eze 26:12. The city held out a long siege, but it was taken at last. (2.) A great deal of blood shall be shed: Her daughters who are in the field, the cities upon the continent, which were subject to Tyre as the mother-city, the inhabitants of them shall be slain by the sword, Eze 26:6. The invaders begin with those that come first in their way. And (Eze 26:11) he shall slay thy people with the sword; not only the soldiers that are found in arms, but the burghers, shall be put to the sword, the king of Babylon being highly incensed against them for holding out so long. (3.) The wealth of the city shall all become a spoil to the conqueror (Eze 26:12): They shall make a prey of the merchandise. It was in hope of the plunder that the city was set upon with so much vigour. See the vanity of riches, that they are kept for the owners to their hurt; they entice and recompense thieves, and not only cease to benefit those who took pains for them and were duly entitled to them, but are made to serve their enemies, who are thereby put into a capacity of doing them so much the more mischief. (4.) The city itself shall be laid in ruins. All the pleasant houses shall be destroyed (Eze 26:12), such as were pleasantly situated, beautified, and furnished, shall become a heap of rubbish. Let none please themselves too much in their pleasant houses, for they know not how soon they may see the desolation of them. Tyre shall be utterly ruined; the enemy shall not only pull down the houses, but shall carry away the stones and the timber, and shall lay them in the midst of the water, not to be recovered, or ever made use of again. Nay (Eze 26:4), I will scrape her dust from her; not only shall the loose dust be blown away, but the very ground it stands upon shall be torn up by the enraged enemy, carried off, and laid in the midst of the water, Eze 26:12. The foundation is in the dust; that dust shall be all taken away, and then the city must fall of course. When Jerusalem was destroyed it was ploughed like a field, Mic 3:12. But the destruction of Tyre is carried further than that; the very soil of it shall be scraped away, and it shall be made like the top of a rock (Eze 26:4, Eze 26:14), pure rock that has no earth to cover it; it shall only be a place for the spreading of nets (Eze 26:5, Eze 26:14); it shall serve fishermen to dry their nets upon and mend them. (5.) There shall be a full period to all its mirth and joy (Eze 26:13): I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease. Tyre had been a joyous city (Isa 23:7).; with her songs she had courted customers to deal with her in a way of trade. But now farewell all her profitable commerce and pleasant conversation; Tyre is no more a place either of business or of sport. Lastly, It shall be built no more (Eze 26:14), not built any more as it had been, with such state and magnificence, nor built any more in the same place, within the sea, nor built any where for a long time; the present inhabitants shall be destroyed or dispersed, so that this Tyre shall be no more. For God has spoken it (Eze 26:5, Eze 26:14); and when what he has said is accomplished they shall know thereby that he is the Lord, and not a man that he should lie nor the son of man that he should repent.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–14. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 6 onward.) For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring against Tyre (or against you, O Tyre) Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, from the north, the king of kings, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and a great gathering of people. He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword, and he will surround you with fortifications, and he will build up a siege mound against you, and he will lift up a shield against you, and he will temper vineyards, and rams (or spears), against your walls, and he will destroy your towers in his armor. The inundation of his horses will cover you with their dust; your walls will shake at the sound of the horsemen, chariots, and wheels. When he enters your gates, they will be broken down as if by the entrance of a ravaged city (or as if entering a city from the field). His horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your noble statues will fall to the ground (or the wealth of your strength will be brought down to the ground). They will plunder your wealth, destroy your businesses, and tear down your walls. They will overthrow your magnificent houses and throw your stones, wood, and dust into the midst of the waters. I will silence the multitude of your singers and the sound of your harps will no longer be heard. And I will make you a very clear (or shining) rock. You will be the drying up of the snares, and you will not be built up any longer, because I have spoken, says the Lord God. I have joined together the two editions according to custom, and I have joined together from the side those things in which they disagree, providing brevity of volumes. Therefore, what he had said, I will make many nations ascend to you as the fluctuating sea ascends, and Tyre will be a plunder for the nations, then it makes it more evident that the Lord will bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the North, the king of kings, with horses and chariots, and with an infinite multitude of armies, who will first overturn the cities and fortresses subject to Tyre on the seashore, and afterwards will cause Tyre to be besieged, and he will attack it with an army, and with a wall, and with fortifications, and with ropes, and with battering rams and destroy the walls, and his cavalry will be such a multitude that the foundations of the city will be moved by the dust of the cavalry and the sound of the howling army, and the noise of the wheels and the neighing of the horses, and thus he will enter the city with the walls scattered, as if he were entering safely from the field, and there will be such security for the conquering army that the hooves of the horses will trample the streets of Tyre and all the people in the middle of the city will fall down, and the once noble statues or all the substance will fall to the ground, and none of the former riches will be preserved in the captured city, but even the noble houses will be destroyed along with the walls, and the cruelty of the victors will be so great that the remaining wood and stones that were burned will be thrown into the middle of the sea, and either Nebuchadnezzar or the Lord himself will cause all the joy of the city to cease, which used to resound in songs and psalms, and even the ground will be dried up. And what follows: You shall not be built up any more, seems to raise the question of how it is that we see today the most noble and beautiful city of Phoenicia, Tyre, which was not built thereafter. But how can they maintain that Tyre will suffer these things in the final time, if afterwards it is not to be built? But how can they preserve the person of Nebuchadnezzar, especially since we read in the following passages that Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre, and did not receive the reward of his labor, and therefore Egypt was delivered to him because he served the purposes of God in the siege of Tyre? They say that the Greeks and Phoenicians, especially Nicolaus of Damascus, and others among the Barbarians who contradict this history, have read histories and found nothing about the siege of the city of Tyre by the Chaldeans, even though we can prove that many things are said in the Scriptures that are not found in Greek volumes; and we should not acquiesce to their authority, whose treachery and lies we detest. Therefore, what is said, 'you shall be no more,' can be understood to mean that the queen of nations will no longer exist, nor will she have her own sovereignty, as she had under Hiram and other kings; but she will be subject either to the Chaldeans, or the Macedonians, or the Ptolemies, and finally to the Roman kings. But there is no doubt that by anagoge, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon who came from the North, is understood to be the devil, who, although he is a very harsh and adverse wind, is called by the name of the right hand, presuming for himself the dignity of the name. He is the king of kings and of all kingdoms, which he shows to the Lord, and he said to him: All these things have been given to me, and I will give them to you if you fall down and worship me (Matthew 4:9). He has horses and chariots, of which it is written: The deceitful horse is for salvation (Psalm 32:17). And: All those who mounted the horses fell asleep (Ps. LXXV). And in another place: He threw the horse and rider into the sea (Exod. XV, 1). This man kills the daughters of Tyre, souls placed in distress and in a certain prison of sin, in the wide field and countryside, and surrounds Tyre with his fortifications, so as to hold her captive, and no one from the kingdom of Babylon can escape his rule. He will destroy the walls and topple the towers, and whatever he had by way of doctrines, he will shake in terror with the onslaught of his horses, the sound of the riders' horses and chariots, and he will enter her gates without any hindrance, and the streets of the city: For wide and spacious is the way that leads to destruction (Matth. VII, 13), his horses' hooves will trample, and all the substance or noble statues, with which they fashioned false images for themselves, about which it is written: O Lord, you will scatter their images in your city (Ps. LXXII, 20), he will cast down to the ground, and with the walls destroyed, even the noble houses that he prepared for himself will be overthrown, in which he rejoiced, and he will come to such great desolation, that its stones and the wood with which he built the walls, and the cement he made, will be cast into the depths, and his songs and music, on which he relied in the wisdom of this world, and every sound of the lyres will no longer be heard, and his fishing will cease, and he will be made low, like the drying of reeds, and will no longer be rebuilt, because according to the judgment of the Lord, Nabuchodonosor has been utterly destroyed, as the Apostle also says: I have handed them over to Satan, so that they may learn not to blaspheme (I Tim. I, 20). The places are difficult, and the wise and diligent reader should forgive my effort. Or if he can find something better, I will adopt his opinion: provided he knows the leniency he will grant me, and that he will receive it from others.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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