Topical Bible: Tyre: City of Antiquity of

◄ Tyre: City of Antiquity of ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city, holds a significant place in biblical history and prophecy. Located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in what is now modern-day Lebanon, Tyre was renowned for its wealth, maritime prowess, and strategic trade position. The city consisted of two parts: the mainland settlement and an island fortress, which together formed a powerful and influential urban center.

Historical Background

Tyre's origins trace back to the early second millennium BC, and it quickly rose to prominence as a leading city-state among the Phoenicians. Known for its skilled sailors and shipbuilders, Tyre established extensive trade networks across the Mediterranean, exporting goods such as the famous Tyrian purple dye, glass, and cedar wood. The city's prosperity and influence are well-documented in ancient records, including those of Egypt, Assyria, and Greece.

Biblical References

Tyre is frequently mentioned in the Bible, often in the context of its interactions with Israel and its eventual judgment by God. One of the earliest references is found in the account of King Hiram of Tyre, who provided materials and craftsmen for the construction of King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5:1-12). This alliance highlights the close economic and political ties between Tyre and Israel during the united monarchy.

The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Amos all prophesied against Tyre, foretelling its downfall due to pride and idolatry. Ezekiel 26:3-5 declares, "Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea casting up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock. She will become a place to spread nets in the sea, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. She will become plunder for the nations."

These prophecies were fulfilled through a series of historical events, including the sieges by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon and later by Alexander the Great, who famously built a causeway to reach the island city, leading to its eventual conquest.

Symbolism and Theological Significance

In biblical literature, Tyre often symbolizes human pride and the futility of relying on wealth and earthly power. The city's downfall serves as a cautionary tale against arrogance and self-sufficiency, reminding believers of the sovereignty of God over nations and history. The lament over Tyre in Ezekiel 27 portrays the city as a majestic ship, ultimately wrecked and brought low, illustrating the transient nature of worldly glory.

Furthermore, Tyre's interactions with Israel and its role in the broader narrative of redemption underscore the theme of God's judgment and mercy. While the city faced divine retribution, the New Testament offers glimpses of hope and restoration. Jesus Himself visited the region of Tyre and Sidon, performing miracles and extending His ministry beyond the borders of Israel (Mark 7:24-30).

Conclusion

Tyre's legacy as a city of antiquity is marked by its historical significance, its role in biblical prophecy, and its enduring lessons on the dangers of pride and the ultimate authority of God. Through its rise and fall, Tyre serves as a testament to the unfolding of God's purposes throughout history.

Nave's Topical Index

Isaiah 23:7
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... Nero held sway, and in the holy city Jerusalem placed ... the king of the Phoenicians
at Tyre, and theirs ... cycle are placed amongst those of most remote antiquity. ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

Book 8 Footnotes
... part of the first island and city is now ... observes, these poor remains of Old Tyre
are now ... have very lately, in contradiction to all antiquity, supposed, and ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 8 footnotes.htm

Notes
... Tyre was the great maritime city of antiquity: its grandeur is conveyed under the
image of a ship which all the nations of the known world combine to build and ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/notes.htm

The History of Simon Magus.
... antiquity, and unbiassed by any particular interest, has assured us;" [11] that
Timothy was directed to ... Having brought from the city of Tyre an infamous ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture x the history of.htm

Canaan
... of it, claimed considerable antiquity. The temple of Melkarth or Melek-Kiryath,
"the King of the City," the name under which the Baal of Tyre was worshipped ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... [Illustration: 018.jpg MAP OF KINGDOM OF TYRE, THE CAMPAIGN OF SENNACHERIB]. ... This
new city must have been of some antiquity by the time of Elulai, for it ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

Altar and Temple
... them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring ... crowded with reminiscences from the
remote antiquity of the ... leave them unguarded and hasten to the desolate city. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

Vehicles of Revelation; Scripture, the Church, Tradition.
... is to be found in the documents of antiquity and the ... man's soul is capable of it,'
while the city of Psalm ... previous Synod at Rome; a Council at Tyre trying the ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 4 vehicles of revelation.htm

Church History
... Rulers who had governed the Jewish Nation in Regular Succession from the Days of
Antiquity came to an ... Chapter V. About the same time, in the city of Tyre? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/

Chapter x
... facts found nowhere else among the records of antiquity. ... Sidon" appears as the great
Phoenician city of later ... Later Tyre, twenty miles to the south, distinctly ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter x.htm