Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Amos 1:10
But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre – Tyre had long ere this become tributary to Assyria. Asshur-ban-ipal (about 930 b.c.,) records his taking tribute from the kings of all the chief Phoenician cities as Tyre, Sidon, Biblus and Aradus . His son Shalmanubar records his taking tribute from them in his 21st year about 880, b.c.), as did Ivalush III , and after this time Tiglath-pileser II , the same who took Damascus and carried off its people, as also the east and north of Israel. The Phoenicians had aided Benhadad, in his unsuccessful war or rebellion against Shalmanubar , but their city had received no hurt. There was nothing, in the time of Amos, to indicate any change of policy in the Assyrian conquerors.
They had been content hitherto with tribute from their distant dependencies; they had spared them, even when in arms against them. Yet Amos says absolutely in the name of God, I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and the fire did fall, first from Shalamaneser or Sargon his successor, and then from Nebuchadnezzar. The Tyrians (as is mens custom) inserted in their annals their successes, or the successful resistance which they made for a time. They relate that , Elulaeus, king of Tyre, reduced the Kittiaeans (Cypriotes) who had revolted. The king of Assyria invaded all Phoenicia, and returned, having made peace with all. Sidon and Ace and old Tyre, and many other cities revolted from the Tyrians, and surrendered to the king of Assyria. Tyre then not obeying, the king returned against them, the Phoenicians manning 60 ships for him. These, he says, were dispersed, 500 prisoners taken; the honor of Tyre intensified. The king of Assyria, removing, set guards at the river and aqueducts, to hinder the Tyrians from drawing water. This they endured for 5 years, drinking from the wells sunk.
The Tyrian annalist does not relate the sequel. He does not venture to say that the Assyrian King gave up the siege, but, having made the most of their resistance, breaks off the account. The Assyrian inscriptions say, that Sargon took Tyre , and received tribute from Cyprus, where a monument has been found, bearing the name of Sargon . It is not probable that a monarch who took Samaria and Ashdod, received tribute from Egypt, the Chief of Saba, and Queen of the Arabs, overran Hamath, Tubal, Cilicia, Armenia, reduced Media, should have returned baffled, because Tyre stood out a blockade for 5 years. Since Sargon wrested from Tyre its newly-recovered Cyprus, its insular situation would not have protected itself. Nebuchadnezzar took it after a 13 years siege (Eze 26:7-12, see the notes at Isa. 23).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus] The destructive fire or siege by Nebuchadnezzar, which lasted thirteen years, and ended in the destruction of this ancient city; see on Ezekiel, Eze 26:7-14, as above. It was finally ruined by Alexander, and is now only a place for a few poor fishermen to spread their nets upon.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
10. fire(Compare Amo 1:4;Amo 1:7; Isa 23:1-18;Eze 26:1-28). Many parts ofTyre were burnt by fiery missiles of the Chaldeans underNebuchadnezzar. Alexander of Macedon subsequently overthrew it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus,…. An enemy to destroy the walls of it: this was done either by Shalmaneser king of the Assyrians, in the times of Eulaeus king of the Tyrians, of whose expedition against it Josephus s makes mention: or by Nebuchadnezzar, who took it after thirteen years’ siege of it, in the time of Ithobalus t: or by Alexander, by whom it was taken, as Curtius u relates, after it had been besieged seven months:
which shall devour the palaces thereof; of the governor, the great men and merchants in it. Alexander ordered all to be slain but those that fled to the temples, and fire to be put to the houses; which made it a most desolate place, as the above historian has recorded.
s Antiqu. l. 9. c. 14. sect. 2. t Hist. Phoenic. apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 21. u Hist. l. 4. c. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
But he adds, that God would send a fire on the wall of Tyrus to consume its palaces. When this happened, cannot with certainty be known: for though Tyrus was demolished by Alexander, as Gaza also was, these cities, I doubt not, suffered this calamity long before the coming of Alexander of Macedon; and it is probable, as I have already reminded you, that the Assyrians laid waste these countries, and also took possession of Tyrus, though they did not demolish that city; for in Alexander’s time there was no king there, it had been changed into a republic; the people were free, and had the chief authority. There must then have been there no small changes, for the state of the city and its government were wholly different from what they had been. We may then conclude that Tyrus was laid waste by the Assyrians, but afterwards recovered strength, and was a free city in the time of Alexander the Great. Let us now proceed: for I dwell not on every word, as we see that the same expressions are repeated by the Prophet.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Amo 1:10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus, which shall devour the palaces thereof.
Ver. 10. Therefore I will send a fire upon the walls of Tyrus ] This was fulfilled shortly after in the war that Shalmaneser waged against the Tyrians, whereof see Joseph. lib. ix. chap. 14. Or in Nebuchadnezzar’s war with them, whereof read Eze 29:18 Jer 27:3 ; Jer 47:4 . Joseph. cont. Apion, lib. 2. Or Alexander’s, Curt. lib. 4; Justin. lib. 11. It is good for men to tremble at God’s judgments while they hang in the threatenings, as Josiah did; and not to tempt the Spirit of the Lord, as Ananias and Sapphira did, Act 5:9 , by putting it to the proof, whether he will be dicti sui Dominus, as good as his word.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Amo 1:4, 7-2:16; Eze 26:12, Zec 9:4
Reciprocal: Num 21:28 – a fire Isa 23:1 – burden Jer 17:27 – then Jer 25:22 – Tyrus Jer 47:4 – Tyrus Jer 50:32 – kindle Eze 26:2 – Tyrus Eze 26:4 – destroy Eze 28:18 – therefore Eze 30:8 – when I Eze 39:6 – I will Hos 8:14 – I will send Zec 9:2 – Tyrus Mat 11:22 – Tyre
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Amo 1:10. Devour the palaces means to destroy the houses of the kings of Tyre.