Ezekiel 26:2

2 "Son of man, Tyre cheered when they got the news of Jerusalem, exclaiming, "'Good! The gateway city is smashed! Now all her business comes my way. She's in ruins and I'm in clover.'

Ezekiel 26:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 26:2

Son of man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem,
aha
As rejoicing at her destruction, and insulting over her in it; which was barbarous and inhuman, and resented by the Lord: she is broken that was the gates of the people;
through whose gates the people went in and out in great numbers; a city to which there was very popular, not only for religion, from all parts, at their solemn feasts, but for merchandise from several parts of the world; and was now full of people before its destruction, the inhabitants of Judea having fled thither for safety, upon the invasion made by the king of Babylon; but now the city was broken up, as it is said it was, by the Chaldean army, ( Jeremiah 52:7 ) , its gates and walls were broken down, and lay in a ruinous condition. The Targum is,

``she is broken down that afforded merchandise to all people.''
She is turned unto me;
either the inhabitants of Jerusalem, which escaped and fled to Tyre for refuge; or the spoil taken out of it, which was carried there to be sold; and even the captives themselves to be sold for slaves, which was one part of the merchandise of Tyre; see ( Ezekiel 27:3 ) , or the business, trade, and merchandise carried on in Jerusalem, were brought to Tyre upon its destruction; so Jarchi and Kimchi. The Targum is,
``she is turned to come unto me;''
which favours the first sense; all may be intended. I shall be replenished, now she is laid waste;
or, "I shall be filled" {b}; with inhabitants, riches, and wealth, with merchants and merchandise, Jerusalem her rival being destroyed; this was what gave her joy; and is a common thing for persons to rejoice at the fall or death of those of the same trade with them; hoping for an increase of theirs by means of it, which yet is sinful.
FOOTNOTES:

F2 (halma) "implebor", Cocceius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 26:2 In-Context

1 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month, God's Message came to me:
2 "Son of man, Tyre cheered when they got the news of Jerusalem, exclaiming, "'Good! The gateway city is smashed! Now all her business comes my way. She's in ruins and I'm in clover.'
3 "Therefore, God, the Master, has this to say: "'I'm against you, Tyre, and I'll bring many nations surging against you, as the waves of the sea surging against the shore.
4 They'll smash the city walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I'll wash away the soil and leave nothing but bare rock.
5 She'll be an island of bare rock in the ocean, good for nothing but drying fishnets. Yes, I've said so.' Decree of God, the Master. 'She'll be loot, free pickings for the nations!
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.