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Replying to post 27 by cnearing]
BABYLONIAN SEIGE OF TYRE
INTRODUCTION While the fate of Tyre is depicted in a series of prophecies pointing to various conquests (See Ezekiel 26:3-6), the bible book of Ezekiel describes the Babylonian attack of Tyre under Nebuchadnezzar specifically from verse 7 through 11, in the following terms:
EZEKIEL 26:7-11
"For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: Here I am bringing King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against Tyre from the north; he is a king of kings, with horses, war chariots, cavalrymen, and an army of many soldiers. He will destroy your settlements in the countryside with the sword, and he will build a siege wall and throw up a siege rampart against you and raise up a great shield against you. He will pound your walls with his battering ram, and with his axes he will pull down your towers. His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust, and the sound of the cavalry, the wheels, and the chariots will cause your walls to shake when he enters your gates, like men storming a city with broken walls. The hooves of his horses will trample down all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your mighty pillars will crash to the ground.
Does secular history support a Babylonian siege of Tyre? Yes, according to the Jewish historian Josephus, the Babylonians laid a siege of Tyre which lasted for 13 years (
see Against Apion, I, 156 [21]).
Can we believe Nebuchanezzar actually breached the walls and destroyed the city? Although secular history does not record exactly how thorough or effective Nebuchadnezzars efforts were, support for this reading comes from the fact that historian
Diodorus attested that Alexander later used the stones from the mainland "old city" of Tyre
destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar to build his mole (see Diodorus, 17.40; Wells 1936). The withdrawal of the city's wealth and military force to Tyres offshore Island annex*, is further evidence that the mainland city was in peril of immenent fall.
Did the bible predict that Tyre would be COMPLETELY destroyed at the hand of the Babylonians?
No, if we look carefully at the description the prophecy speaks of a siege and the city's defences falling and a destruction of "pillars" and "houses", no mention of utter destruction or desolation at his hands (the opening verses 1-6, not applying to this specific military endeavor). Indeed, though great, the bible does not in fact say that Nebuchanezzars seige would have total success. Ezekiel later predicts that Nebuchadnezzar would thereafter have to turn to the more profitable prize of the wealth of Egypt, stating "[...] Here I am giving to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon the land of Egypt, and he must carry off its wealth and make a big spoil of it and do a great deal of plundering of it; and it
must become wages for his military force." indicating his seige of Tyre would not provide the desired wealth*--
Ez 29:19. The fulfillment of this prophecy came was fulfilled when Nebuchanzzer moved on Egypt in 588.[/ul]
* The seaport city actually had two parts, the mainland city (seiged by the Babylonians) and the offshore annex. Lacking a fleet the Babylonians fail to take the island (where the bulk of the treasures of Tyres had been transfered).
Does the bible say Nebuchanezzar would be Tyre's last conquerer? "THEY" or "HE"
Ezekiel prophecies on the
Babylonian siege mentioned Nebuchanezzar by name. However in verses 1-6 and then again from verse 12 of his prophecy in
chapter 26 there is a shift and Ezekiel speaks not of one King ("
he") to a number of conquerers ("
they"). That chapter
26 is highlighting a number of different invasions, starting with Nebuchanezzar but not limited to him, is clear from the introduction to the passage which says
"and I will bring up against you many nations, just as the sea brings up its waves". So Ezekiel highlights the fact that "many nations" would crash against Tyre like a series of "
waves", culminating in the Grecian invasion that would forever end Tyres material dominance in the region (Compare Ezekiel 26:4, 5, 12). The Babylonian seige is depicted in scripture as but one of a series of events which turned out stretch over several centuries.
