Zechariah 9:3

Zec 9:3 And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Ver. 3. And Tyrus did build herself a stronghold] Thor did build herself Matsor; an elegance not to be translated (such as are many in the Old Testament, but especially in Isaiah). It is as if it should be said, A stronghold (such as Tyre, which was naturally fortified) did build itself a stronghold, sc. by the industry and diligence of men; so that she might seem impregnable; yet all should not do. Alexander, after seven months’ siege, took it, and destroyed it.

And heaped up silver as dust] Pulverizavit argentum quasi pulverem. She had money enough (by means of her long and great trade with all the world, Eze 27:1-36), and so might hire what soldiers she pleased for her defence. The sinews of war were not wanting to her. She heaped up her hoards as it were to heaven; her magazines were full fraught. The word here rendered heaped up signifieth to comport and gather in money, as men do grain into barns and granaries, Exo 8:10 Psa 39:7. But riches avail not in the day of wrath. And Tyre converted, leaves laying up and treasuring, and falls to feeding and clothing God’s saints, Isa 23:18.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:3-4 Strong fortress (Hebrew matsor) is a pun on the name of the city of Tyre (Hebrew tsor). This famed island fortress (Isa 23:4; Ezek 26:5) was captured and destroyed by Alexander the Great in 332 BC.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The heathen historian, DIODORUS SICULUS [17.40], confirms this. "Tyre had the greatest confidence owing to her insular position and fortifications, and the abundant stores she had prepared." New Tyre was on an island seven hundred paces from the shore. As Isaiah's and Ezekiel's (Eze. 27:1-36) prophecies were directed against Old Tyre on the mainland and were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, so Zechariah's are against New Tyre, which was made seemingly impregnable by a double wall one hundred fifty feet high, as well as the sea on all sides.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 3. And Tyrus did build herself] The rock on which Tyre was built was strongly fortified; and that she had abundance of riches has been already seen, Eze 28:1, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For Tyrus has for herself built a fortress. The Prophet shows by these words how very cautious or prudent the Syrians had been; for they fortified themselves by strongholds, and thought themselves to be beyond the reach of danger. He then adds, and heaped to herself silver as dust, and gold as the mire of the streets, that is, accumulated wealth above measure; for he mentions “dust” and “mire” as signifying an immense heap; as though he had said, “They have worthless heaps of silver and gold for their vast abundance”. He no doubt includes silver and gold in the fortress which he mentions; for I do not confine the word fortress only to towers and strongholds; but the Prophet, as I think, states generally, that Tyrus was so furnished and fortified with wealth, forces, and all kinds of defences, that it thought itself impregnable.

There is a striking correspondence between צור, tsur, and מצור, metsur צור, Tsur, he says, has built מצור, metsur, a fortress. It is a paronomasia worthy of notice, but cannot be retained in Latin.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

3. a strong hold] There is a paronomasia, or play on the words ‘Tyre’ and ‘stronghold,’ in the Hebrew. The reference is to the strongly fortified position of Tyre, which when Alexander attacked it “was situated on an island, nearly half a mile from the mainland. It was completely surrounded by prodigious walls, the loftiest portion of which on the side fronting the mainland reached a height not less than 150 feet; and notwithstanding his persevering efforts he could not have succeeded in his attempt, if the harbour of Tyre to the north had not been blockaded by the Cyprians, and that to the south by the Phœnicians, thus affording an opportunity to Alexander for uniting the island to the mainland by an enormous artificial mole.” Dict. of Bible, Art. Tyre. “Plurimum fiduciæ Tyro munitionibus insulæ et præparatis rerum copiis.” Diod. Sic. xvii. 40.

as the dust] Comp. Job_27:16; 2Ch_9:27.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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 (e); 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 Isa 23:2 all which were to be holiness to the Lord, and for the sufficient feeding and durable clothing of them that dwell before him, Isa 23:18 his ministers.

(e) Arrian. de Exped. Alex. l. 2. c. 21.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And Tyre did build herself a stronghold - She built it for herself, not for God, and trusted to it, not to God, and so its strength brought her the greater fall. The words in Hebrew express yet more. “Tyre” (Zor) literally, “the rock,” “built herself mazor, tower,” a rock-like fort, as it were, a rock upon exceeding strength, binding her together. . “The walls, 150 feet high and of breadth proportionate, compacted of large stones, embedded in gypsum,” seemed to defy an enemy who could only approach her by sea. “In order to make the wall twice as strong they built a second wall ten cubits broad, leaving a space between of five cubits, which they filled with stones and earth.” Yet high walls do not fence in only; they also hem in. Mazor is both “a stronghold” and “a siege.” Wealth and strength, without God, do but invite and embitter the spoiler and the conqueror.”

And she heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets - “Though he heap up silver as the dust,” Job says, “The King” Job 27:16, Solomon, “made silver in Jerusalem as stones” 2Ch 9:27. Through her manifold commerce she gathered to herself wealth, as abundant as the mire and the dust, and as valueless. “Gold and silver,” said a pagan, “are but red and white earth.” Its strength was its destruction. Tyre determined to resist Alexander, , “trusting in the strength of the island, and the stores which they had laid up,” the strength within and without, of which the prophet speaks.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Tyrus; which was naturally a strong hold, situate on a great rock in the sea.

Did build herself a strong hold; fortified herself mightily, and then thought herself impregnable.

Heaped up silver; gathered treasure, and laid it up, so that there was no end of it.

As the dust: it is a proverbial speech, and speaks the very rich stores of their gold and silver, by which they might buy their peace, or maintain their war. So that here is wisdom, strength, and treasure, the master sinews of war, yet all these cannot profit them in the day of their calamities approaching.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Tyrus (Zor) did build herself a stronghold (mazor). Wright endeavours to imitate the parouomasia, "Tyre built for herself a tower. " It was in her strong fortifications and her amassing of riches that Tyre showed her worldly wisdom. The city was built partly on the mainland, and partly on an island nearly half a mile distant, which rose abruptly out of the water in rocky precipices, and was surrounded with walls a hundred and fifty feet high. The insular portion of the town was that which so long mocked the Macedonian"s utmost efforts, which were only successful when he had united the island to the mainland by erecting an enormous mole between them. This causeway has now become an isthmus of some half mile in width, owing to accumulations of sand and debris. As the dust. (comp. 2Ch_9:27 Job_27:16)

Will cast her out; will take possession of her; i.e. will conquer her by the hands of her enemies, as Jos_8:7 Jos_17:12. Septuagint, klhronomhsei , "will inherit;" Vulgate, possidebit; Ewald and Hitzig render, "will impoverish her." Will smite her power in the sea. "Power" here includes all that made Tyre proud and confident her riches, her fleets, her trade, her fortifications. God declares that she shall be smitten there as she stood in the midst of the sea, which formed her bulwark, and which should soon dash over her ruins. The LXX translates, "shall smite into the sea." Zechariah seems here to have a reminiscence of Eze_27:32, "What city is like Tyres, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea?". (comp. Eze_26:4) With fire. (comp. Amo_1:10) The city was burned by Alexander (see note on ver. 2. The siege is narrated by Arrian, 2:15-24; Quint. Curt., 4:2, etc.; Diod. Sic., 17:46, etc.).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

built herself a stronghold

Here the city of Tyre is pictured as a woman. AT: "built a strong fortress" or "built a high wall" (See: Personification)

heaped up silver like dust and refined gold like mud in the streets

Yahweh exaggerates to emphasize how rich Tyre was. AT: "accumulated silver and gold as much as soil in the streets" (See: Hyperbole and Generalization)

Look! The Lord will dispossess her

Here "Look!" tells the reader to pay attention to the important statement that follows. AT: "Pay attention! The Lord will take away Tyre's possessions"

destroy her strength on the sea

Tyre's "strength on the sea" refers to the ships that were used for commerce and conquest. AT: "destroy Tyre's ships in which men fight on the sea" (See: Metonymy)

so she will be devoured by fire

This can be stated in active form. AT: "and enemies will burn the city to the ground" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

stronghold

silver

gold

lord

devour

fire

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And Tyre built a fortification for herself and [Tyre] says, “Who will bring me down to earth?”

and she gathered silver like dust and boasts of her wealth.

and gold a certain appearance of gold.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.