271 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying, 2 And you, son of man, make a song of grief for Tyre; 3 And say to Tyre, O you who are seated at the doorway of the sea, trading for the peoples with the great sea-lands, these are the words of the Lord: You, O Tyre, have said, I am a ship completely beautiful. 4 Your builders have made your outlines in the heart of the seas, they have made you completely beautiful. 5 They have made all your boards of fir-trees from Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make the supports for your sails. 6 Of oak-trees from Bashan they have made your driving blades; they have made your floors of ivory and boxwood from the sea-lands of Kittim. 7 The best linen with needlework from Egypt was your sail, stretched out to be a flag for you; blue and purple from the sea-lands of Elishah gave you shade. 8 The people of Zidon and Arvad were your boatmen; the wise men of Zemer were in you; they were guiding your ships; 9 The responsible men of Gebal and its wise men were in you, making your boards watertight: all the ships of the sea with their seamen were in you trading in your goods. 10 Cush and Lud and Put were in your army, your men of war, hanging up their body-covers and head-dresses of war in you: they gave you your glory. 11 The men of Arvad in your army were on your walls, and were watchmen in your towers, hanging up their arms on your walls round about; they made you completely beautiful. 12 Tarshish did business with you because of the great amount of your wealth; they gave silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your traders; they gave living men and brass vessels for your goods. 14 The people of Togarmah gave horses and war-horses and transport beasts for your goods. 15 The men of Rodan were your traders: a great number of sea-lands did business with you: they gave you horns of ivory and ebony as an offering. 16 Edom did business with you because of the great number of things which you made; they gave emeralds, purple, and needlework, and the best linen and coral and rubies for your goods. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your traders; they gave grain of Minnith and sweet cakes and honey and oil and perfume for your goods. 18 Damascus did business with you because of the great amount of your wealth, with wine of Helbon and white wool. 19 ... for your goods: they gave polished iron and spices for your goods. 20 Dedan did trade with you in cloths for the backs of horses. 21 Arabia and all the rulers of Kedar did business with you; in lambs and sheep and goats, in these they did business with you. 22 The traders of Sheba and Raamah did trade with you; they gave the best of all sorts of spices and all sorts of stones of great price and gold for your goods. 23 Haran and Canneh and Eden, the traders of Asshur and all the Medes: 24 These were your traders in beautiful robes, in rolls of blue and needlework, and in chests of coloured cloth, corded with cords and made of cedar-wood, in them they did trade with you. 25 Tarshish ships did business for you in your goods: and you were made full, and great was your glory in the heart of the seas.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 27:1-25
Commentary on Ezekiel 27:1-25
(Read Ezekiel 27:1-25)
Those who live at ease are to be lamented, if they are not prepared for trouble. Let none reckon themselves beautified, any further than they are sanctified. The account of the trade of Tyre intimates, that God's eye is upon men when employed in worldly business. Not only when at church, praying and hearing, but when in markets and fairs, buying and selling. In all our dealings we should keep a conscience void of offence. God, as the common Father of mankind, makes one country abound in one commodity, and another in another, serviceable to the necessity or to the comfort and ornament of human life. See what a blessing trade and merchandise are to mankind, when followed in the fear of God. Besides necessaries, an abundance of things are made valuable only by custom; yet God allows us to use them. But when riches increase, men are apt to set their hearts upon them, and forget the Lord, who gives power to get wealth.