Yechezkel 27:5

5 They have built all thy ship plank boards of beroshim (juniper) of Senir; they have taken cedars from Levanon to make masts for thee.

Yechezkel 27:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 27:5

They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir
The same with Sion and Hermon, which the Sidonians called Sirion, and the Amorites Shenir, ( Deuteronomy 3:9 ) ( 4:48 ) here, it seems, grew the best of fir trees, of which the Tyrians made boards and planks for shipping; of these the two sides of the ship, as the word ^F18 here used in the dual number is thought to signify, or the fore and hind decks, were made. The Targum is,

``with fir trees of Senir they built for thee all thy bridges;''

the planks from which they went from one ship to another; but these are of too small consequence to be mentioned; rather the main of the ship is intended, which was built of fir planks; but ours made of oak are much preferable: they have taken cedars from Lebanon, to make masts for thee;
large poles for the yards and sails to be fastened to, for receiving the wind necessary in navigation; called the main mast, the foremast, the mizzenmast, and the boltsprit; all these are only in large vessels; whether the Tyrians had all of these is not certain; some they had, and which were made of the cedars of Lebanon; which, being large tall trees, were fit for this purpose. The Tyrians ^F19 are said to be the first inventors of navigation.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F18 (Mytwxl) "tabulata duplicia", Munster; "duas tabulas", Vatablus.
F19 "Prima ratem ventis credere docta Tyros." Catullus.

Yechezkel 27:5 In-Context

3 And say unto Tzor (Tyre), O thou that dwell at the entrance of the yam, which art a merchant of the peoples for many coastlands, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; O Tzor (Tyre), thou hast said, I am perfect in beauty.

4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy bonim (builders) have perfected thy beauty.

5 They have built all thy ship plank boards of beroshim (juniper) of Senir; they have taken cedars from Levanon to make masts for thee.

6 Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; thy hull of pines inlaid with ivory, they made from that brought out of the isles of Kittim (Cyprus).

7 Fine linen with embroidered work from Mitzrayim was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy nes (sail); blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah was that which covered thee.