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23:1 Onus Tyri. [Ululate, naves maris, quia vastata est domus unde venire consueverant : de terra Cethim revelatum est eis.
*H The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of the sea, for the house is destroyed, from whence they were wont to come: from the land of Cethim it is revealed to them.


Ver. 1. Tyre was destroyed, in part, by Nabuchodonosor. Cyrus permitted all the captives of this, as well as of other countries, to return. — Cethim; Cyrus, or rather Macedonia. Merchants come thence no longer.

23:2 Tacete, qui habitatis in insula ; negotiatores Sidonis, transfretantes mare, repleverunt te.
*H Be silent, you that dwell in the island: the merchants of Sidon passing over the sea, have filled thee.


Ver. 2. Island. Tyre was originally surrounded with water. A communication with the land was made afterwards. Jos. xix. 29. C. Ezec. xxvii. W.

23:3 In aquis multis semen Nili ; messis fluminis fruges ejus : et facta est negotiatio gentium.
*H The seed of the Nile in many waters, the harvest of the river is her revenue: and she is become the mart of the nations.


Ver. 3. Nile. Heb. Shichor, or "muddy water," designates that river. Jos. xiii. 3. — River. The overflowing of the Nile gave fertility to Egypt, insomuch that Tyre and other nations were supplied by it with corn.

23:4 Erubesce, Sidon ; ait enim mare, fortitudo maris, dicens : Non parturivi, et non peperi, et non enutrivi juvenes, nec ad incrementum perduxi virgines.
*H Be thou ashamed, O Sidon: for the sea speaketh, even the strength of the sea, saying: I have not been in labour, nor have I brought forth, nor have I nourished up young men, nor brought up virgins.


Ver. 4. Strength: people who sail. Sept. "but the strength...replied: I," &c. Sidon will not be concerned for the fall of her rival. She alleges that she has nothing to do with Tyre. That city would not allow that it was a colony of Sidon. v. 12. C.

23:5 Cum auditum fuerit in Aegypto, dolebunt cum audierint de Tiro.
When it shall be heard in Egypt, they will be sorry when they shall hear of Tyre:
23:6 Transite maria, ululate, qui habitatis in insula !
*H Pass over the seas, howl, ye inhabitants of the island.


Ver. 6. Seas. The rich Tyrians did so. S. Jer. — Sept. "to Carthage." Heb. Tharsis, in Cilicia. C. — Hence Nabuchodonosor did not find a sufficient reward. Ezec. xxix. 18.

23:7 Numquid non vestra haec est, quae gloriabatur a diebus pristinis in antiquitate sua ? Ducent eam pedes sui longe ad peregrinandum.
*H Is not this your city, which gloried from of old in her antiquity? her feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.


Ver. 7. Sojourn. Many fled, others were made captives.

23:8 Quis cogitavit hoc super Tyrum quondam coronatam, cujus negotiatores principes, institores ejus inclyti terrae ?
*H Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, that was formerly crowned, whose merchants were princes, and her traders the nobles of the earth?


Ver. 8. Earth. The merchants were as rich as kings, or the latter sent their merchandise to Tyre. Ezec. xxvii. 33.

23:9 Dominus exercituum cogitavit hoc, ut detraheret superbiam omnis gloriae, et ad ignominiam deduceret universos inclytos terrae.
The Lord of hosts hath designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory, and bring to disgrace all the glorious ones of the earth.
23:10 Transi terram tuam quasi flumen, filia maris ! non est cingulum ultra tibi.
*H Pass thy land as a river, O daughter of the sea, thou hast a girdle no more.


Ver. 10. Girdle, fortress; or rather, thou art naked, like a slave. C. xx. 4.

23:11 Manum suam extendit super mare ; conturbavit regna. Dominus mandavit adversus Chanaan, ut contereret fortes ejus ;
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he troubled kingdoms: the Lord hath given a charge against Chanaan, to destroy the strong ones thereof.
23:12 et dixit : Non adjicies ultra ut glorieris, calumniam sustinens virgo filia Sidonis : in Cethim consurgens transfreta : ibi quoque non erit requies tibi.
*H And he said: Thou shalt glory no more, O virgin daughter of Sidon, who art oppressed: arise and sail over to Cethim, there also thou shalt have no rest.


Ver. 12. Daughter; colony. C. — Oppressed. Lit. "calumniated." H.

23:13 Ecce terra Chaldaeorum, talis populus non fuit : Assur fundavit eam ; in captivitatem traduxerunt robustos ejus, suffoderunt domos ejus, posuerunt eam in ruinam.
*H Behold the land of the Chaldeans, there was not such a people, the Assyrians founded it: they have led away the strong ones thereof into captivity, they have destroyed the houses thereof, they have, brought it to ruin.


Ver. 13. It. Heb. adds, "for fishermen." It was formerly covered with water. Euseb. præp. ix. — Ruin. The fall of Babylon has been denounced. C. xiii.

23:14 Ululate, naves maris, quia devastata est fortitudo vestra.]
Howl, O ye ships of the sea, for your strength is laid waste.
23:15 Et erit in die illa : in oblivione eris, o Tyre ! septuaginta annis, sicut dies regis unius ; post septuaginta autem annos erit Tyro quasi canticum meretricis :
*H And it shall come to pass in that day that thou, O Tyre, shalt be forgotten, seventy years, according to the days of one king: but after seventy years, there shall be unto Tyre as the song of a harlot.


Ver. 15. King Nabuchodonosor, whose two sons reigned but a short time. The captivity of the people of God began also A. 3398, and ended A. 3468, the first of Cyrus. — Harlot. She shall be re-established, (C.) and shall invite people to her markets. Sanchez. — Before Cyrus, she had kings, but they were of small power. The city was become very rich, and well fortified, when Alexander was stopped by it for seven months. See Ezec. xxvi. 14. C. — Tyre had rejoiced at the misfortunes of the Hebrews, and was punished by the like captivity. W.

23:16 [Sume citharam, circui civitatem, meretrix oblivioni tradita : bene cane, frequenta canticum, ut memoria tui sit.
Take a harp, go about the city, harlot that hast been forgotten: sing well, sing many a song, that thou mayst be remembered.
23:17 Et erit post septuaginta annos : visitabit Dominus Tyrum, et reducet eam ad mercedes suas, et rursum fornicabitur cum universis regnis terrae super faciem terrae ;
*H And it shall come to pass after seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and will bring her back again to her traffic: and she shall commit fornication again with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.


Ver. 17. Commit. Sept. "be the emporium for all." Great injustice prevailed formerly among merchants, so that it is represented as a dishonest calling. H.

23:18 et erunt negotiationes ejus et mercedes ejus sanctificatae Domino : non condentur neque reponentur, quia his qui habitaverint coram Domino erit negotiatio ejus, ut manducent in saturitatem, et vestiantur usque ad vetustatem.]
*H And her merchandise and her hire shall be sanctified to the Lord: they shall not be kept in store, nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that shall dwell before the Lord, that they may eat unto fulness, and be clothed for a continuance.


Ver. 18. Sanctified to the Lord. This alludes to the conversion of the Gentiles. Ch. — Before, the Tyrians were great enemies to the Jews. 2 Esd. xiii. 16. and 1 Mac. v. 15. Our Saviour wrought a miracle in favour of one of this country. Mat. v. 22. Zac. viii. 20. C. — Continuance. Lit. "old age." Aquila, "with changes of dress." H.

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