Topical Bible: Tyre: Called: The Crowning City

◄ Tyre: Called: The Crowning City ►

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Introduction:
Tyre, often referred to as "The Crowning City," is a significant ancient Phoenician city mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Known for its wealth, commerce, and strategic location, Tyre played a crucial role in the ancient Near East. Its influence extended through trade and political alliances, making it a prominent city in biblical narratives.

Geographical and Historical Context:
Tyre was located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in what is now modern-day Lebanon. It consisted of two parts: the mainland settlement and an island city. The island portion was particularly renowned for its fortifications and harbors, which contributed to Tyre's reputation as a formidable maritime power.

Biblical References:
Tyre is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in the context of its wealth and pride. Isaiah 23:8-9 refers to Tyre as "The Crowning City," highlighting its role as a center of commerce and influence: "Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth?" This passage underscores Tyre's economic power and the esteem in which its merchants were held.

In Ezekiel 27, Tyre is depicted as a magnificent trading city, with a detailed account of its extensive trade networks and the variety of goods exchanged. The chapter poetically describes Tyre as a ship filled with riches, emphasizing its central role in international trade.

Prophecies and Judgments:
The Bible contains several prophecies concerning Tyre, often focusing on its impending judgment due to pride and idolatry. Ezekiel 26:3-5 prophesies the city's downfall: "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 the soil from her and make her a bare rock."

Isaiah 23 also foretells Tyre's destruction and subsequent restoration, illustrating the cyclical nature of judgment and redemption. The chapter concludes with a promise of Tyre's future consecration to the LORD, indicating a transformation from pride to service.

Relations with Israel:
Tyre maintained complex relations with Israel throughout biblical history. King Hiram of Tyre is noted for his alliance with King David and Solomon, providing materials and skilled labor for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5:1-12). This cooperation highlights a period of mutual benefit and peaceful relations between Tyre and Israel.

However, Tyre's later interactions with Israel were not always amicable. The city is criticized by prophets for its role in the slave trade and its alliances with Israel's enemies (Amos 1:9-10).

Cultural and Economic Influence:
Tyre's influence extended beyond its immediate geographical boundaries. As a leading city of the Phoenicians, Tyre was instrumental in the spread of the Phoenician alphabet, which significantly impacted the development of writing systems in the ancient world. Its economic prowess and strategic location made it a hub of cultural exchange and innovation.

Conclusion:
Tyre's legacy as "The Crowning City" is a testament to its historical significance and the complex interplay of pride, judgment, and redemption in biblical narratives. Its account serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human power and the enduring sovereignty of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 23:8
Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Temple and Its Dedication
... progressing under the leadership of Hiram of Tyre, "a cunning ... And now, in order that
the palace crowning the heights ... house which I have built is called by Thy ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 2 the temple and.htm

Under the Ban of Theodosius and of the Latrocinium.
... At last came news of the crowning wrong. ... Tyre and the later Ephesian, though both
were summoned at the ... The councils of Nic??a and of Ephesus, called the first ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/iv under the ban of theodosius.htm

Notes
... This story is the first attempt at crowning a king ... This illustrates a variety of
story called 'Idyl': the ... Tyre was the great maritime city of antiquity: its ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/notes.htm

Caesar Fell Down.
... emperor Leo had succeeded Marcian; and his crowning of Leo ... The monks, called, from
their never intermitted worship, the ... one of its archbishops at Tyre, as the ...
/.../allies/the formation of christendom volume vi/chapter ii caesar fell down.htm

Sources and Literature of the Apostolic Age.
... Samaria, Damascus, Joppa, Caesarea, Tyre, Cyprus, the provinces of ... Paul was called
last and out of the regular ... which represent the last and crowning work of ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 20 sources and literature.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... was found near Amrith, at the place called Nahr-Abrek. ... southerly region, in the country
about Tyre, there are ... base, but the chapel and its crowning pyramid are ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... Hosea (x.5), where Bethel is called Beth-aven ... the surrounding countries"Damascus,
Gaza, Tyre, Edom, Ammon ... had afflicted them with the crowning misfortunes of ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
... attract customers in the markets of Tyre, Sidon, Babylon ... a single fief, which the
Greeks called the kingdom ... As a crowning stroke of misfortune, a reinforcement ...
/.../chapter iithe last days of 2.htm