Topical Bible: Tyre: Antiquity of

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Tyre, an ancient Phoenician city, holds a significant place in biblical history and prophecy. Located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, Tyre was renowned for its wealth, maritime prowess, and as a center of trade and commerce. The city's antiquity is well-documented in the Bible, where it is frequently mentioned in both historical and prophetic contexts.

Biblical References and Historical Context

The city of Tyre is first mentioned in the Bible in the context of its relationship with Israel during the reign of King David. Hiram, the king of Tyre, played a crucial role in the construction of David's palace and later the Temple of Solomon. In 2 Samuel 5:11 , it is recorded, "Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David." This alliance highlights Tyre's significance and its skilled artisans, particularly in the use of cedar wood, which was highly prized in ancient construction.

Tyre's antiquity is further emphasized in the prophetic writings of the Old Testament. The city is often depicted as a symbol of pride and materialism, drawing the attention of prophets who foretold its eventual downfall. In Isaiah 23:1 , the prophet declares, "An oracle concerning Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is destroyed, without house or harbor. From the land of Cyprus word has come to them." This prophecy underscores Tyre's longstanding influence as a maritime power and its eventual judgment.

Economic and Cultural Influence

Tyre's antiquity is also reflected in its economic and cultural influence throughout the ancient Near East. As a major port city, Tyre was a hub for trade, connecting various civilizations through its extensive network of maritime routes. The city's merchants were known for their wealth and luxury goods, including the famous Tyrian purple dye, which was highly sought after by royalty and the elite.

Ezekiel 27 provides a detailed account of Tyre's commercial activities, listing the various goods traded and the nations with which it conducted business. In Ezekiel 27:3 , the lamentation over Tyre begins, "Say to Tyre, who is situated at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples to many coasts, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, "I am perfect in beauty."’" This passage highlights Tyre's self-perception and its role as a central trading power.

Prophetic Significance

The antiquity of Tyre is intricately linked to its prophetic significance in the Bible. The city's pride and eventual destruction serve as a powerful reminder of the transient nature of human achievement and the sovereignty of God over nations. In Ezekiel 26:3-4 , the Lord declares, "Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock."

The fulfillment of these prophecies is seen in the historical sieges and eventual conquest of Tyre by various empires, including the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar and later by Alexander the Great. These events underscore the accuracy of biblical prophecy and the enduring legacy of Tyre's antiquity as a testament to God's judgment and the unfolding of His divine plan throughout history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

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

Joshua 19:29
And then the coast turns to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turns to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:
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Library

Their High Antiquity, First of All, Claims Authority for These ...
... in the records of the past and noted for their antiquity in books of ... and Berosus
the Chaldean, and Hieromus the Phoenician king of Tyre; their successors too ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/apology/chapter xix their high antiquity.htm

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... to Vaphres king of Egypt, and to the king of the Phoenicians at Tyre, and theirs ...
the poets of the epic cycle are placed amongst those of most remote antiquity. ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

Early Years of his Episcopate. The Anti-Nicene Reaction, 328-335.
... The bishop of Alexandria, like many other influential bishops in antiquity, was
commonly ... lasts from June 8, 328, to July 11, 335 (departure for Tyre), a period ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/section 4 early years of.htm

Introduction
... the ablest of the Greek Apologies remained almost unknown in Christian antiquity.
Apart from a citation in a third century writer, Methodius of Tyre, [828] and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/richardson/early christian fathers/introduction 7.htm

Book 8 Footnotes
... them, as Mr. Maundrell distinctly observes, these poor remains of Old Tyre are now ...
as some 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

From the Flood to Abraham
... Two Great Empires of Antiquity. ... Three thousand years before Christ the Phoenicians
sent out ships from Tyre that had intercourse with the cities of the ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iii from the flood.htm

Altar and Temple
... and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring ... joyous feast
of the year, crowded with reminiscences from the remote antiquity of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/altar and temple.htm

Vehicles of Revelation; Scripture, the Church, Tradition.
... down orally [94] , but is to be found in the documents of antiquity and the ... reviewing
the decision of a previous Synod at Rome; a Council at Tyre trying the ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 4 vehicles of revelation.htm

Letter Lxx. To Magnus an Orator of Rome.
... books and that Solomon proposed questions to the philosophers of Tyre and answered ...
To prove the antiquity of the Jewish people Josephus [2149] has written two ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter lxx to magnus an.htm