366

CONNEXION OF TYRE AND ISRAEL.

existence since the time of the first building of the city, (i.e. Palæ Tyrus,) 2300 years before ;—or A.M. 1290, and B.C. 2710. But the Tyrians would naturally be inclined to add to the antiquity of their city; and to this the prophet may refer when he says ironically-"Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days?"

Bishop Newton quotes from the fragments of Santhoniathon, the Phoenician historian, as to its antiquity; and this writer is supposed by Bochart and others to have flourished in the time of Gideon, or 1256, B. C.

The next record of Tyre occurs in 2 Samuel, where we are informed, that after David expelled the Jebusites, and established himself in the fortress of Zion, "Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons (or as it is in the original, hewers of the stone of the wall), and they built David an house." (2 Sam. v. 11.) This is supposed to have taken place, A.M. 2952, B.C. 1048, or after the departure from Egypt, 443 years, and 272 before the first Olympiad. It is mentioned when David numbered the people under the name of the "stronghold (or fortress) of Tyre." During the early part of its history, its inhabitants appear to have maintained most friendly intercourse with the Jews, and it was not one of the cities attacked, when Joshua led victorious Israel over the Jordan. In the year 1004, B.C., Tyre is again introduced to our notice, when Solomon enters into a league with their king Hiram,* to furnish workmen to beautify the temple.

The first siege of Palæ Tyrus on record, is that in which Shalmanazar, king of Assyria, warred against the Tyrians with a fleet of sixty ships and eight hundred rowers; yet the Tyrian navy, then consisting of only twelve ships, obtained the victory, and made 500 men prisoners, on which Shalmanazar returned home to Nineveh, leaving a land force before Tyre, (evidently the continental city,) where they lay five years, and then raised the siege. This is supposed to have taken place в. c. 717, during the reign of Hezekiah, and in the lifetime of Isaiah, who prophesied that it should be taken, not, however, by the army then before it, but by

* Hiram, a patronymic name, appears to have been the general title for the kings of Tyre, similar to that of the Pharaohs and Ptolemies of Egypt.

THE VARIOUS SIEGES OF TYRE.

367 the Chaldeans. This prophecy, which was repeated in still more awful terms by Ezekiel, was fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar. It is related by Menander, who translated the Tyrian archives into the Greek language, that the Assyrian king placed guards over the rivers and aqueducts, to prevent the Tyrians drawing water; but "still the Tyrians sustained the siege, and drank of the water which they had out of the wells they dug"-in all probability, the present wells or cisterns at Marshuk.*

It is mentioned by Jeremiah (xxvii. 3, 6) and by Amos (i. 9, 10) among the cities that should fall before the Chaldean conqueror. He besieged it in the reign of Ithobal, set engines against it, broke down its towers, and took it, after a siege of thirteen years; fifteen years after the captivity, and B. c. 573. When the Tyrians saw no hope from resistance, they fled with all their wealth, according to St. Jerome-on the authority of a Syrian historian whose works have been lost-to the islands; some say to Carthage, but it is generally supposed that they took refuge on the neighbouring island, which other writers affirm was then first built upon; but Vitringa proves that it existed as a port even at that time.

How beautifully the inspired poet describes the scenes that were to occur, and we know did take place upon the overthrow of this great seaport of the Levant, when the cry of the pilots rung through the suburbs, and the mariners that stood upon the shore wept in bitterness of soul over the destruction of the hearths and homes of their beloved city.

Nebuchadnezzar sacked the city, but was disappointed in the spoils he expected to gain, as the inhabitants carried all their valuable effects to the island previous to abandoning the city; however, in his subsequent conquest of Egypt he obtained a recompense for the disappointment he experienced at Tyre. Thus ended Palæ, or Old, or Continental Tyre; but it was still considered part of the city of Tyre, and Herodotus speaks of it as continuing to possess the temple of Hercules, though it must have been regarded as of little importance, from the Tyrians allowing the Grecian soldiers to go and worship there.

* Dr. Robinson, in his "Biblical researches in Palestine," appears to have fallen into the common error of supposing that at this period the chief city was upon the island.-See vol. III. p. 402.

368

PROPHETIC DENUNCIATIONS.

This Tyre never attained its former splendour or greatness, but continued to decline, till at length the prophetic declarations concerning its destruction were fully accomplished. "They shall break down the walls of Tyrus, and destroy her towers." "I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock."* "Thou shalt be built no more; though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again." "Thou shall be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more." And again, “They shall lay thy stones, and thy timbers, and thy dust, in the midst of the waters."

We shall see that all these prophecies have been fulfilled to the very letter.

After the days of Nebuchadnezzar it was forgotten or neglected seventy years, or during the remainder of the Babylonian empire, when it was prophesied by Isaiah that she should "turn to her hire" accordingly, at the end of seventy years, the Persians, under Cyrus, subverted the Babylonian dynasty, and restored the nations it held in bondage, to liberty. This brings us down to 503 years B. C. and the nineteenth year of Darius Hystaspes, who granted the Tyrians many immunities, in return for the assistance they rendered him in quelling the Ionians. They afterwards aided Xerxes with ships and other necessaries, in his expedition to Greece; and the prophet Zechariah says, that "Tyrus did build herself a stronghold," by which is meant the fortifications on the island, which must have been erected, according to the time in which this prophet wrote, about 518 years before Christ, and 55 years after the destruction of Palæ Tyrus.

The Tyrians, we have stated, fled to their island when Nebuchadnezzar took their former city. This island was distant, according to Pliny, 700 paces from the shore, and upon it the second city rose to considerable note and grandeur, situated "in the midst of the sea."

The word dust here, Archbishop Newcombe translates earth, and refers it "to the custom in Palestine of fertilizing particular spots, by carrying mould to them from other places less eligible for the purpose of sowing or planting—the top-the bare, shining surface of a rock." This learned authority, however, falls into the usual mistake of making Old Tyre situated on the peninsula.

TYRE TAKEN BY ALEXANDER.

369

Alexander, on his return from Babylon, passed through Judea, and was invited by the Sidonians to visit them, as, from their impoverished state at that time, they desired but an opportunity of throwing off the yoke of Persian bondage, under which they had remained since the Chaldean captivity, by flinging themselves into the arms of the conqueror. It is related of Alexander, that when he entered the temple of Jerusalem "he here inspected those sacred books in which were several prophecies to this effect-that Tyre should be destroyed by the Macedonians, and that Persia should be overcome by a Greek;" no doubt the writings of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, and Zechariah. "Syria subdued," says his historian, "the Macedonians had dominion over all Phoenicia, excepting Tyre." His track lay along the coast, and on arriving opposite that city, friendly messengers were sent to greet him; but, on his demanding admission, that he might sacrifice to the Tyrian Hercules, whose shrine isted exthere, they, with that prudence for which they were famed, peremptorily refused his demand, but directed him to the temple still standing in the old city in the place called Palæ Tyrus. An answer such as this would but ill suit the temper of the haughty Macedonian, who resolved to take their city, and punish them for their refusal; but having no navy with him, he constructed a causeway, two hundred feet broad, between the mainland and the island, with the stones and rubbish of the old city, and finished it in seven months. How beautifully and literally the prophecy was here fulfilled, when the very stones and timbers of the former city were used in the destruction of the island fortress, to which the inhabitants had retreated, and which they considered impregnable.* Pending the siege, the Grecian fleet arrived from Cyprus ;-may not this have been a fulfilment of one of Balaam's predictions, "ships shall come from Chittim

* It is related, that when Alexander destroyed the city, he built a castle two miles south of Tyre upon the shore, aud called it Sandalum; and it is so placed upon all the imaginary or home-constructed maps of Tyre. I found, however, a mound near the fountains of Solomon, marked in the map Tal-Habish, on which are some ancient remains, which I conceive to be those of Alexander's castle, with the account of which they correspond in site and distance.

370

PROPHETIC FULFILMENT.

(Cyprus), and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever?" (Numbers xxiv. 24;) if not, we have no record of its fulfilment. Alexander subdued the city, (B. C. 332,) killing 8,000 men in the attack, and crucifying 2,000 more after it had been taken, and afterwards sold 30,000 of the Tyrians as slaves. The remaining portion of the inhabitants, about 15,000 persons in number, were secretly conveyed away by the Sidonians; and Diodorus Siculus and others inform us, that their wives and children had been previously sent to Carthage. The city was finally set on fire by the victorious troops of Alexander.

How truly do we see fulfilled in the destruction of Tyre, those predictions which had been declared in the sure word of prophecy concerning it "The Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea, and she shall be devoured with fire." Well might it be said-" Howl, ye inhabitants of the isle; arise, pass over to Chittim; pass ye over to Tarshish, for thou shalt have no rest." "What city is like Tyrus, the Destroyed in the midst of the sea?" And again, in reference to those sold into slavery, Behold, I will return your recompense upon your own head, and will sell your sons and daughters." All these predictions were fulfilled, still Tyre was not totally destroyed, for we read of Alexander appointing a king over it. The island now became a peninsula; and about thirty years after this period, Antigonus again blockaded it, and, after fifteen months' siege, compelled it to receive a Grecian garrison. Afterwards, one of the Ptolemies invested and took it; and finally it fell into the hands of the Selucides, kings of Syria, until, along with that country, it came under the Roman yoke, when, says Quintius Curtius, (probably 130, B. c.) "And now, a long peace making all its concerns flourish anew, it enjoys serenity under the mild protection of Rome."

After this we hear little of it till the time of Christ, when many of the coast of Tyre and Sidon came to be taught of the Lord, partly accomplishing that prediction of the royal psalmist, who said that the daughter of Sidon should be there with her gifts. And in the days of Pliny, he says, that "all the glory and reputation thereof standeth upon the die of purple and crimson"-a trade which it carried on at the time of our Lord, when a Syro-Phoenician woman is represented as a seller of purple.