Ezekiel 27:29

Translation
King James Version
And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land;
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KJV (with Strong's)
And all that handle H8610 the oar H4880, the mariners H4419, and all the pilots H2259 of the sea H3220, shall come down H3381 from their ships H591, they shall stand H5975 upon the land H776;
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Complete Jewish Bible
The oarsmen, crew and pilots will disembark and stand on shore,
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Berean Standard Bible
All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore.
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American Standard Version
And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships; they shall stand upon the land,
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World English Bible Messianic
All who handled the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships; they shall stand on the land,
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And all that handle the ore, the mariners and al the pilots of the sea shall come downe from their shippes, and shall stand vpon the land,
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Young's Literal Translation
And come down from their ships have all handling an oar, Mariners, all the pilots of the sea, on the land they stand,
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See also
Ezekiel 26:16Revelation 18:17Revelation 18:24Ezekiel 32:10
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A Lament Over Tyre
A Lament Over Tyre View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 21,151 of 31,102

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SUMMARY

Ezekiel 27:29 powerfully depicts the catastrophic aftermath of Tyre's prophesied destruction, illustrating a complete and humiliating reversal for its once-proud maritime empire. The verse vividly portrays all those intimately connected with Tyre's naval might—from the lowest oarsmen to the most skilled and authoritative pilots—being forcibly removed from their magnificent ships and compelled to stand helplessly on solid ground. This dramatic imagery encapsulates the absolute collapse of human power, pride, and self-sufficiency when confronted by divine judgment, leaving a once-invincible city stripped of its identity, purpose, and dominion.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel chapter 27 functions as an elaborate and poignant funeral dirge, or lament, against the powerful Phoenician city of Tyre. Prior to this verse, the prophet meticulously constructs an extended metaphor, personifying Tyre as a grand, perfectly crafted ship, built with the finest materials and crewed by skilled mariners drawn from numerous nations. This detailed description (Ezekiel 27:3-25) highlights Tyre's unparalleled commercial success, vast trade networks, and seemingly unassailable position as the queen of the seas, portraying an image of self-sufficient glory and global influence. Verse 29 marks a stark and dramatic turning point in this poetic prophecy, abruptly shifting from the zenith of Tyre's power to the devastating consequences of its prophesied downfall. It portrays the complete dismantling of its power structure, as those who once commanded the seas are now rendered utterly helpless and dispossessed, signaling the irreversible nature of its judgment.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Tyre was a preeminent ancient Phoenician city-state, strategically located as an island fortress on the eastern Mediterranean coast. Its renown stemmed from its dominance in maritime trade, serving as a vital hub connecting the ancient Near East with the wider world, facilitating the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures. Tyre's naval prowess was legendary, enabling it to establish extensive colonies and trade routes across the Mediterranean. Culturally, Tyre's identity, immense wealth, and national pride were inextricably linked to its ships, its skilled sailors, and its mastery of the sea. The city's prosperity and very existence were built upon its ability to navigate and control the waters, making the sea not merely a means of livelihood but the very symbol of its power, independence, and self-sufficiency. Therefore, the prophecy of its fall, particularly the imagery of its mariners abandoning their ships, struck at the very core of its existence, signifying the destruction of its economic engine, its military might, and its cherished cultural identity.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Ezekiel and broader biblical prophecy. Firstly, it highlights The Collapse of Earthly Power and Pride. Tyre's dramatic fall from maritime supremacy to utter helplessness on land vividly illustrates the inherent fragility of human achievements and the inevitable humbling of arrogance. The proud mariners, who once navigated the world's oceans with authority, are forced to abandon their vessels and stand defenseless, underscoring that no earthly empire, however grand or seemingly secure, is beyond the reach of divine judgment. This theme resonates throughout the prophetic books, as seen in prophecies against Babylon in Isaiah 13 or Egypt in Ezekiel 29. Secondly, the verse underscores Divine Sovereignty and Judgment. Tyre's destruction is not merely a geopolitical event but a direct act of God's sovereign will, bringing low those who exalt themselves. The scene of the mariners abandoning their ships signifies the complete and irreversible nature of this judgment, leaving no aspect of Tyre's power untouched, affirming that the Lord is supreme over all nations (Psalm 2:4-5). Finally, it speaks to the Loss of Identity and Purpose. For a people whose entire identity, livelihood, and national pride were inextricably linked to the sea and their magnificent fleet, being forced "down from their ships" and made to "stand upon the land" represents a profound and humiliating loss. It symbolizes the utter stripping away of their purpose, their way of life, and their very being, leaving them dispossessed and helpless, a stark reminder that true identity and purpose are not found in transient earthly achievements.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Pilots (Hebrew, chôbêl', H2259): This term, an active participle from a root meaning "to handle ropes," refers to a sailor, and more specifically, a shipmaster or pilot. Its inclusion here, alongside "those who handle the oar" and "mariners," emphasizes that the judgment extends to every level of naval personnel, from the lowest laborer to the most skilled and authoritative navigator. The pilot represents the strategic mind and experienced hand that guides the ship, and their forced descent signifies the collapse of all leadership, expertise, and navigational control.
  • Sea (Hebrew, yâm', H3220): From an unused root meaning "to roar," this word denotes a large body of water, specifically the Mediterranean Sea in this context. The sea represents Tyre's domain, the very source of its wealth, power, and identity. It is the element in which Tyre reigned supreme, and the phrase "pilots of the sea" highlights their mastery over this vast, often tumultuous, realm. Their forced removal from the sea symbolizes the complete loss of their dominion and the very foundation of their existence and self-perception.
  • Come down (Hebrew, yârad', H3381): This primitive root means "to descend," "to go downwards," or "to fall." In this context, it signifies a forced, humiliating descent from a position of power, elevation, and security (on their ships) to one of vulnerability, lowliness, and exposure (on the land). It is not a voluntary disembarkation but a compelled abandonment, emphasizing the irreversible nature of their downfall and the stripping away of their authority and control.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And all that handle the oar, the mariners, [and] all the pilots of the sea": This comprehensive enumeration signifies the totality of Tyre's maritime workforce and leadership. It includes everyone from the common oarsmen, who provided the brute force, to the experienced mariners, who managed the sails and general navigation, and finally to the highly skilled pilots, who guided the ships through treacherous waters. The inclusion of "all" underscores that no one associated with Tyre's naval power, regardless of rank, skill, or position, would be exempt from the impending, all-encompassing judgment.
  • "shall come down from their ships": This clause describes the immediate and dramatic consequence of Tyre's destruction. The "ships" represent not just vessels, but Tyre's entire commercial enterprise, its military might, its accumulated wealth, and its very identity as a maritime power. To "come down" from them is to be forcibly removed from their place of power, security, and livelihood. It signifies a complete loss of control, a forced abandonment of their domain, and the collapse of their entire way of life and source of pride.
  • "they shall stand upon the land;": This final clause paints a vivid picture of their new, humiliating reality. The "land" stands in stark contrast to the "sea"—their natural element and source of power and expertise. On land, they are disoriented, vulnerable, and stripped of their authority and purpose. It symbolizes their complete displacement, their helplessness, and their public humiliation. They are no longer masters of the waves but mere spectators, standing on foreign, solid ground, utterly dispossessed and without any means to resume their former life or assert their former dominion.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 27:29 employs powerful literary devices to convey its message of judgment and downfall with striking clarity. Personification is evident throughout chapter 27, where Tyre is depicted as a magnificent ship, and here, its crew, representing the city's people, experiences its fate. Symbolism is central to the verse's impact, with the "sea" representing Tyre's domain of power, wealth, and identity, while the "land" symbolizes vulnerability, displacement, and humiliation. The forced transition from sea to land is a potent symbol of complete loss and a dramatic reversal of fortune. The comprehensive list of "all that handle the oar, the mariners, [and] all the pilots" uses Synecdoche (a part representing the whole) and Hyperbole (exaggeration for emphatic effect) to underscore that every aspect of Tyre's maritime strength, from the lowest laborer to the highest authority, would be utterly devastated. Finally, the dramatic Contrast between their former mastery of the sea and their present helplessness on land amplifies the impact of the judgment, underscoring the absolute and irreversible nature of Tyre's collapse.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 27:29 serves as a profound theological statement on the transience of earthly power and the unwavering sovereignty of God. It highlights the biblical principle that pride precedes a fall, and that no human achievement, no matter how grand, self-sufficient, or seemingly invincible, can ultimately stand against the divine will. Tyre's collapse is a stark reminder that reliance on material wealth, military might, or human ingenuity ultimately leads to ruin when it eclipses dependence on the Creator. This passage underscores God's justice in bringing low those who exalt themselves and His ultimate control over the destinies of nations, demonstrating that His plans will prevail regardless of human resistance or perceived invincibility.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 27:29 offers timeless and profound lessons for individuals and societies today. It serves as a powerful caution against placing our ultimate trust, security, or identity in anything temporal—be it wealth, career, social status, national power, or even our own perceived competence. Like Tyre, we can become so engrossed in our achievements, self-sufficiency, and the systems we build that we forget our inherent dependence on God. This verse challenges us to critically examine where our true security and hope lie. Are we building our lives on the shifting sands of earthly success and transient possessions, or on the unshakeable foundation of God's eternal kingdom and His unfailing character? It reminds us that all human endeavors, however impressive or seemingly stable, are ultimately fragile and subject to divine will. True wisdom lies in cultivating humility, acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty over all aspects of life, and investing our resources and affections in what is eternal. When our "ships" of earthly security inevitably "come down," our hope must be in something far more enduring than fleeting power or material possessions.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what areas of my life might I be placing too much trust in my own "ships" or earthly achievements, rather than in God?
  • How does the imagery of "coming down from ships" and "standing on land" challenge my understanding of security and vulnerability in a world of constant change?
  • What does this passage teach me about the importance of humility and acknowledging God's sovereignty, especially in times of success or prosperity?
  • How can I practically shift my focus from building transient earthly empires to investing in eternal values and actively participating in God's kingdom work?

FAQ

Why is Tyre's fall described in such vivid and detailed maritime imagery?
Answer: The detailed maritime imagery in Ezekiel 27, culminating in verse 29, is crucial because it directly reflects Tyre's identity and the very source of its immense power, wealth, and pride. Tyre was renowned as the queen of the seas, its economic prosperity and global influence derived almost entirely from its naval prowess and extensive trade networks. By describing its destruction through the lens of its magnificent ships, skilled mariners, and authoritative pilots, the prophecy emphasizes that God's judgment would strike at the very core of Tyre's being, dismantling the foundation of its existence and leaving nothing untouched. This makes the fall particularly poignant and humiliating for a city that prided itself on its mastery of the waters, as seen in the earlier description of its glory in Ezekiel 27:3-9.

What does "standing upon the land" symbolize for the mariners?
Answer: For the mariners of Tyre, "standing upon the land" symbolizes a complete and humiliating reversal of their identity, status, and power. The sea was their natural domain, where they were skilled, powerful, and in control, navigating vast distances and accumulating wealth. The land, in stark contrast, represents an unfamiliar, alien, and vulnerable territory. It signifies their displacement, their profound loss of purpose, and their utter helplessness. They are stripped of their authority, their livelihood, and forced to confront their mortality and weakness outside their element. It is a powerful image of public humiliation and the stripping away of all that gave them their sense of self and security, highlighting the absolute nature of God's judgment and the fragility of human dominion.

Is this prophecy against Tyre still relevant for believers today?
Answer: Absolutely. While a specific historical prophecy against an ancient city, the underlying theological and moral themes in Ezekiel 27:29 are timeless and universally applicable. It serves as a powerful warning against the dangers of pride, self-sufficiency, and placing ultimate trust in worldly power, material wealth, or human ingenuity. It reminds us that all earthly empires, systems, and individual achievements are transient and ultimately subject to God's supreme sovereignty. For believers, it reinforces the call to humility, to seek true security and identity in God alone, and to invest in eternal values rather than fleeting earthly successes, echoing the wisdom found in Matthew 6:19-21.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 27:29 directly prophesies the judgment of Tyre, its themes find profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the broader narrative of God's kingdom and the ultimate triumph of Christ over all earthly powers. The forced descent of the proud mariners from their ships to stand helplessly on land foreshadows the ultimate dismantling of all human systems and dominions that exalt themselves against God. Just as Tyre's self-sufficient glory collapsed, so too will all kingdoms and powers of this world ultimately bow before the King of Kings. Christ, in His first coming, did not arrive on a magnificent ship of earthly power or pride but humbly "came down" from heavenly glory, emptying Himself and taking the form of a servant, even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). His "standing upon the land" was not one of forced humiliation but of redemptive solidarity with humanity, walking among us, experiencing our vulnerability, and ultimately conquering sin and death through His sacrifice and resurrection. In His second coming, Christ will return not as a vulnerable man, but as the triumphant Lord, before whom every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). The ultimate "coming down" will be that of the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, descending from God, where there will be no more sea (often symbolizing the turbulent, unstable realm of human rebellion and earthly powers), and God Himself will dwell with His people, establishing an eternal reign where no earthly "ship" or "pilot" can challenge His supreme authority (Revelation 21:1-4). Thus, Tyre's fall points to the final, glorious reign of Christ, where all earthly pride and power are utterly subdued, and God's sovereignty is fully realized in a new creation.

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Commentary on Ezekiel 27 verses 26–36

We have seen Tyre flourishing; here we have Tyre falling, and great is the fall of it, so much the greater for its having made such a figure in the world. Note, The most mighty and magnificent kingdoms and states, sooner or later, have their day to come down. They have their period; and, when they are in their zenith, they will begin to decline. But the destruction of Tyre was sudden. Her sun went down at noon. And all her wealth and grandeur, pomp and power, did but aggravate her ruin, and make it the more grievous to herself and astonishing to all about her. Now observe here, 1. How the ruin of Tyrus will be brought about, Eze 27:26. She is as a great ship richly laden, that is split or sunk by the indiscretion of her steersmen: Thy rowers have themselves brought thee into great and dangerous waters; the governors of the city, and those that had the management of their public affairs, by some mismanagement or other involved them in that war with the Chaldeans which was the ruin of their state. By their insolence, by some affront given to the Chaldeans or some attempt made upon them, in confidence of their own ability to contend with them, they provoked Nebuchadnezzar to make a descent upon them, and, by their obstinacy in standing it out to the last, enraged him to such a degree that he determined on the ruin of their state, and, like an east wind, broke them in the midst of the seas. Note, It is ill with a people when those that sit at the stern, instead of putting them into the harbour, run them aground. 2. How great and general the ruin will be. All her wealth shall be buried with her, her riches, her fairs, and her merchandise (Eze 27:27); all that had any dependence upon her, and dealings with her, in trade, in war, in conversation, shall ball with her into the midst of the seas, in the day of her ruin. Note, Those who make creatures their confidence, place their happiness in their interest in them and rest their hopes upon them, will of course fall with them; happy therefore are those that have the God of Jacob for their help, and whose hope is in the Lord their God, who lives for ever. 3. What sad lamentation would be made for the destruction of Tyre. The pilots, her princes and governors, when they see how wretchedly they have mismanaged and how much they have contributed to their own ruin, shall cry out so loud as to make even the suburbs shake (Eze 27:28), such a vexation shall it be to them to reflect upon their own bad conduct. The inferior officers, that were as the mariners of the state, shall be forced to come down from their respective posts (Eze 27:29), and they shall cry out against thee, as having deceived them, in not proving so well able to hold out as they thought thou hadst been; they shall cry bitterly for the common ruin, and their own share in it. They shall use all the most solemn expressions of grief; they shall cast dust on their heads, in indignation against themselves, shall wallow themselves in ashes, as having bid a final farewell to all ease and pleasure; they shall make themselves bald (Eze 27:31), with tearing their hair; and, according to the custom of great mourners, those shall gird themselves with sackcloth who used to wear find linen, and, instead of merry songs, they shall weep with bitterness of heart. Note, Losses and crosses are very grievous, and hard to be borne, to those that have long been wallowing in pleasure and sleeping in carnal security. 4. How Tyre should be upbraided with her former honour and prosperity (Eze 27:32, Eze 27:33); she that was Tyrus the renowned shall now be called Tyrus the destroyed in the midst of the sea. "What city is like Tyre? Did ever any city come down from such a height of prosperity to such a depth of adversity? Time was when thy wares, those of thy own making and those that passed through thy hands, went forth out of the seas, and were exported to all parts of the world; then thou filledst many people, and didst enrich the kings of the earth and their kingdoms." The Tyrians, though they bore such a sway in trade, were yet, it seems, fair merchants, and let their neighbours not only live, but thrive by them. All that dealt with them were gainers; they did not cheat or oppress the people, but did enrich them with the multitude of their merchandise. "But now those that used to be enriched by thee shall be ruined with thee" (as is usual in trade); "when thou shalt be broken, and all thou hast is seized on, all thy company shall fall too," Eze 27:34. There is an end of Tyre, that made such a noise and bustle in the world. This great blaze goes out in a snuff. 5. How the fall of Tyre should be matter of terror to some and laughter to others, according as they were differently interested and affected. Some shall be sorely afraid, and shall be troubled (Eze 27:35), concluding it will be their own turn to fall next. Others shall hiss at her (Eze 27:36), shall ridicule her pride, and vanity, and bad management, and think her ruin just. She triumphed in Jerusalem's fall, and there are those that will triumph in hers. When God casts his judgments on the sinner men also shall clap their hands at him and shall hiss him out of his place, Job 27:22, Job 27:23. Is this the city which men called the perfection of beauty?

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 26–36. 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 28, 29) From the sound of the shouting of your helmsmen, the fleets will be thrown into confusion, and all who held the oar will come down from their ships. The sailors, and all the helmsmen of the sea, the shipmasters and the rowers, will stand on land, and they will wail loudly over you, and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads, and cover themselves with ashes (or spread ashes on themselves). And what follows: They will shave their heads because of you, and put on sackcloth; they will weep for you with bitter mourning, and take up a lamentation over you. In the Septuagint it is not found, but it is added in the Theodotian Edition. When Tyre falls, its governors will be troubled, and they will descend from their ships, and oarsmen and sailors and rowers, and all the governors of the sea, tossed by the waves, will finally stand on solid ground; and they will lament with a loud voice over it, which they previously enriched with their merchandise, and they will signify the bitterness of their minds with a clamor: and they will also throw dust or dirt on their heads, repenting of their earthly deeds. And they shall be sprinkled with ashes or calves, according to the Law (Num. XX), in order to be purified: or certainly they shall lay ashes upon themselves, according to that which is said to Jerusalem: Scatter the earth upon thy head, and lay ash beneath thee, and make lamentation (Jerem. VI, 16). And in the Gospel it is written: If these signs had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have done penance long ago in sackcloth and ashes (Luc. X, 13). And the Psalmist says: I have eaten ashes like bread (Psal. CI, 10). And they shave their head over Tyre, and they make baldness, which usually happens in mourning, at that time when the magnitude of sorrow has excluded all joy. But the apostles' hair was numbered, because they had consecrated their hair like the Nazarenes to the Lord (Matthew 10; Luke 6). And as long as Samson had hair, he possessed strength, but when his hair was cut off, he was captured by the Philistines (Judges 16). But when it is said, and they shall gird themselves with sackcloth, the old lust of the loins is condemned, so that those who lived in pleasures may afterwards live in austerity and hardness, repenting. The people of Nineveh had sackcloth. And again, it is said to Jerusalem: 'Wail to me like a bride wearing sackcloth, grieving for her husband as a virgin.' And they will mourn for you, it says, with bitter weeping. For it is better to enter the house of mourning than the house of feasting, so that they may mourn for Tyre and sing a mournful song, as the following Scripture adds. But in order to know the progress of those who mourn the falling, and who dwelled before in the heart of the sea, let the prophets teach us by their example: they themselves are commanded to mourn for Tyre, so that, after the time of repentance is fulfilled, it may be restored to its former state, and, taking up the lyre, may sound forth for the Lord. Read Isaiah. Some, though ridiculous (but still worth reading), interpret governors as bishops of heretics, counselors as priests, helmsmen as archdeacons, rowers and sailors as deacons, and carriers refer to the whole people. If they had added the devil as the shipmaster, they would have completed the tragedy. All of them will wail together and cry bitterly, and they will repent after they sense the shipwreck of their own ship and stand on land, and they will lose all the splendor of the false name of knowledge. And instead of joy and happiness, they will mark repentance with bitterness in their hearts.
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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