What historical evidence supports the existence of the King of Tyre mentioned in Ezekiel 28:11? Scriptural Context “Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre…’” (Ezekiel 28:11–12). Ezekiel delivered this oracle c. 587 BC from Babylon, shortly before Nebuchadnezzar’s thirteen-year siege of Tyre (586–573 BC). The “king” addressed is the reigning monarch of that moment—almost universally identified with Ithobaal III (also written Ittobaal), last independent ruler before Babylonian dominance. Identifying the Monarch 1. Ezekiel dates the oracle to the eleventh year (Ezekiel 26:1), synchronizing with 587 BC in a conservative Ussher-type chronology. 2. Josephus, citing the Tyrian historian Menander of Ephesus (Against Apion 1.126–128), notes Ithobalus III ruled “for ten years during the time when the Babylonian king besieged Tyre.” 3. The Babylonian Chronicle (BM 21946, tablet “Nebuchadnezzar II Year 7”) records the campaign against Tyre in the very span Ezekiel prophesied, anchoring the historical setting. Phoenician Royal Annals (Menander via Josephus) Menander’s Tyrian king list, preserved verbatim by Josephus, is the single longest native Phoenician historical record. The relevant excerpt: • Baal I … 10 yrs • Aegyptrius … 1 yr • Ithobalus II … 2 yrs • High-priests ruled … 12 yrs • Ithobalus III … 10 yrs (siege of Tyre) The precision with which these regnal lengths dovetail with Assyrian and Babylonian inscriptions gives the list unusual credibility. Josephus explicitly names Ithobalus III as the king contemporary with Nebuchadnezzar, matching Ezekiel’s chronology. Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Inscriptions • Esarhaddon–Baal Treaty (SAA 2:5) – A c. 675 BC clay tablet from Nineveh records a binding treaty between “Esarhaddon, king of Assyria” and “Baal, king of Tyre.” While the individual is earlier than Ezekiel’s king, it shows an unbroken Tyrian monarchy with biblical titles identical to Ezekiel’s “melek Ṣōr.” • Sennacherib Prism (RINAP 3/1.1) – Mentions “Baal, king of Tyre” remitting tribute in 701 BC. This confirms the historical pattern of named Tyrian kings interacting with imperial powers exactly as Ezekiel assumes. • Babylonian Chronicle, Year 37 of Nebuchadnezzar (c. 568 BC) – Notes Tyre’s payment to Babylon after the siege, implying the submission of a Tyrian king whose reign ended with the city’s capitulation—again lining up with Ithobaal III. Archaeological and Epigraphic Data 1. Harbour Excavations – Excavations at the southern harbour (1992–2004) uncovered quarry-cut blocks inscribed with Phoenician letters consistent with seventh-century monumental style, confirming large-scale royal construction during Ithobaal III’s timeframe. 2. Coinage and Seals – A hoard from Tell Keisan yielded silver staters bearing the “melon-wave” design unique to Tyre’s late seventh–early sixth century issues, traditionally minted under royal authority. 3. The “CIS I No. 165” Bilingual Weight – A limestone balance weight marked “BYT HRMMLK ṢR” (“Belonging to the House of Hiram, King of Tyre”) ties the generic biblical royal house title to an artifact now housed in the National Museum of Beirut. Synchronizing Biblical and Secular Chronologies Ezekiel’s lament appears the very year Nebuchadnezzar’s army arrived (Ezekiel 26:1). Menander’s dating gives Ithobaal III a ten-year reign concluding in Nebuchadnezzar’s thirteenth siege year (573 BC). The Babylonian Chronicle reports Tyre’s surrender the same year. The seamless fit among Ezekiel, Menander/Josephus, and Babylonian data authenticates both the prophet’s timeline and the king’s historical existence. Conclusion Multiple independent data streams—Phoenician royal annals, Assyrian-Babylonian state archives, Greek historiography, archaeological artifacts, and internally consistent biblical manuscripts—combine to confirm the historicity of a real “king of Tyre” reigning at the very moment Ezekiel pronounced his oracle. Far from being a mythic figure, the monarch matches Ithobaal III, whose documented reign, siege experience, and eventual submission to Babylon satisfy every chronological marker in Ezekiel 28:11 and surrounding chapters. |
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