Zechariah 9:3

3 And Tyrus builded his stronghold, and gathered silver as earth, and gold as fen of streets. (And Tyre built its fortress, and gathered silver like the dust, and gold like the mire, or like the mud, in the streets.)

Zechariah 9:3 Meaning and Commentary

Zechariah 9:3

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold
Tyre was built upon a rock, and was a strong fortress itself, from whence it had its name; and, besides its natural defence, it had a wall one hundred and fifty feet high, and its breadth was answerable to its height ^F5; but yet, as it could not defend itself against Alexander the great, who took it; so neither against the Gospel of Christ, which found its way into it, and was mighty to pull down strong holds in a spiritual sense: and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the
streets;
the riches of these cities, especially Tyre, are often made mention of; they were famous for their wealth, being places of great trade and merchandise; see ( Isaiah 23:2 Isaiah 23:8 ) ( Ezekiel 27:3 ) ( Ezekiel 28:4 Ezekiel 28:5 ) all which were to be holiness to the Lord, and for the sufficient feeding and durable clothing of them that dwell before him, ( Isaiah 23:18 ) his ministers.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Arrian. de Exped. Alex. l. 2. c. 21.

Zechariah 9:3 In-Context

1 The burden of the word of the Lord, in the land of Hadrach, and of Damascus, (shall be for) the rest thereof; for of the Lord is the eye of man, and of all [the] lineages of Israel. (The charge, or the heavy burden, of the word of the Lord, for the land of Hadrach, and the city of Damascus, which be his; and the eyes of these people, like those of all the tribes of Israel, shall be upon the Lord.)

2 And Hemath shall be in the terms thereof, and Tyrus, and Sidon; for they took to them wisdom greatly. (And Hamath shall be within its borders, and Tyre, and Sidon; even though they think themselves to have great wisdom.)

3 And Tyrus builded his stronghold, and gathered silver as earth, and gold as fen of streets. (And Tyre built its fortress, and gathered silver like the dust, and gold like the mire, or like the mud, in the streets.)

4 Lo! the Lord shall wield it, and shall smite in the sea the strength thereof, and it shall be devoured by fire. (Lo! the Lord shall possess it, and shall strike down its strength into the sea, and the city itself shall be devoured by fire.)

5 Ashkelon shall see, and shall dread; and Gaza, and shall sorrow full much; and Ekron, for the hope thereof is confounded; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited; (Ashkelon shall see it, and shall have great fear; and Gaza, and it shall have great sorrow; and Ekron too, for its hope is confounded, or what it trusted in hath perished; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited;)