A major Phoenician port city, known for its trade
Tyre
Named in 56 verses across 19 books, first in Joshua 19:29.
צֹרTyre
צֹרִיTyre
ΤύριοςTyre
ΤύροςTyre
The name means “Tyrus, strength; rock; sharp.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Tyre Written by AI
Tyre was a major Phoenician port city located on the Mediterranean coast, known for its wealth, trade, and skilled craftsmen. The city is first mentioned in the Bible as part of the boundary of the tribe of Asher (Josh. 19:29). Tyre's king, Hiram, provided cedar, cypress timber, and skilled workers to David for his palace (2Sam. 5:11; 1Chr. 14:1) and to Solomon for the construction of the Temple (1Kgs. 5:1; 9:11-12; 2Chr. 2:3-16). Despite this friendly relationship, Tyre is often denounced by the prophets for its pride, idolatry, and oppression of God's people (Isa. 23; Jer. 25:22; 27:3; 47:4; Ezek. 26-28; Amo.1.9-10). Ezekiel prophesied the destruction of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar (Ezek. 26) and its eventual restoration and dedication of its wealth to God (Isa. 23:17-18). In the New Testament, Jesus visited the region of Tyre and Sidon and performed miracles there (Matt. 15:21; Mrk.7.24-31). He also used Tyre and Sidon as examples of cities that would have repented if they had witnessed the miracles performed in Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matt. 11:21-22; Luke 10:13-14). The apostle Paul visited Tyre during his missionary journeys (Act.21.3-7). Throughout the Bible, Tyre is portrayed as a symbol of wealth, trade, and worldly influence, often contrasted with the values of God's kingdom.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
A rock, now es-Sur; an ancient Phoenician city, about 23 miles, in a direct line, north of Acre, and 20 south of Sidon. Sidon was the oldest Phoenician city, but Tyre had a longer and more illustrious history. The commerce of the whole world was gathered into the warehouses of Tyre. “Tyrian merchants were the first who ventured to navigate the Mediterranean waters; and they founded their colonies on the coasts and neighbouring islands of the AEgean Sea, in Greece, on the northern coast of Africa, at Carthage and other places, in Sicily and Corsica, in Spain at Tartessus, and even beyond the pillars of Hercules at Gadeira (Cadiz)” (Driver’s Isaiah). In the time of David a friendly alliance was entered into between the Hebrews and the Tyrians, who were long ruled over by their native kings (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:1; 2 Chr. 2:3).
Tyre consisted of two distinct parts, a rocky fortress on the mainland, called “Old Tyre,” and the city, built on a small, rocky island about half-a-mile distant from the shore. It was a place of great strength. It was besieged by Shalmaneser, who was assisted by the Phoenicians of the mainland, for five years, and by Nebuchadnezzar (B.C. 586-573) for thirteen years, apparently without success. It afterwards fell under the power of Alexander the Great, after a siege of seven months, but continued to maintain much of its commercial importance till the Christian era. It is referred to in Matt. 11:21 and Acts 12:20. In A.D. 1291 it was taken by the Saracens, and has remained a desolate ruin ever since.
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“The purple dye of Tyre had a worldwide celebrity on account of the durability of its beautiful tints, and its manufacture proved a source of abundant wealth to the inhabitants of that city.”
Both Tyre and Sidon “were crowded with glass-shops, dyeing and weaving establishments; and among their cunning workmen not the least important class were those who were celebrated for the engraving of precious stones.” (2 Chr. 2:7,14).
The wickedness and idolatry of this city are frequently denounced by the prophets, and its final destruction predicted (Isa. 23:1; Jer. 25:22; Ezek. 26; 28:1-19; Amos 1:9, 10; Zech. 9:2-4).
Here a church was founded soon after the death of Stephen, and Paul, on his return from his third missionary journey spent a week in intercourse with the disciples there (Acts 21:4). Here the scene at Miletus was repeated on his leaving them. They all, with their wives and children, accompanied him to the sea-shore. The sea-voyage of the apostle terminated at Ptolemais, about 38 miles from Tyre. Thence he proceeded to Caesarea (Acts 21:5-8).
“It is noticed on monuments as early as B.C. 1500, and claiming, according to Herodotus, to have been founded about B.C. 2700. It had two ports still existing, and was of commercial importance in all ages, with colonies at Carthage (about B.C. 850) and all over the Mediterranean. It was often attacked by Egypt and Assyria, and taken by Alexander the Great after a terrible siege in B.C. 332. It is now a town of 3,000 inhabitants, with ancient tombs and a ruined cathedral. A short Phoenician text of the fourth century B.C. is the only monument yet recovered.”
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
33.276, 35.193 See it on a map
Where the Bible names it
- Joshua 19:29
The border then turned back toward Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah, and came out at the Sea in the region of Achzib,
- 2 Samuel 5:11
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.
- 2 Samuel 24:7
They went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to the Negev of Judah, to Beersheba.
- 1 Kings 5:1
Now when Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king in his father’s place, he sent envoys to Solomon; for Hiram had always been a friend of David.
- 1 Kings 7:13
Now King Solomon sent to bring Huram from Tyre.
- 1 Kings 7:14
He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a craftsman in bronze. Huram had great skill, understanding, and knowledge for every kind of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and carried out all his work.
- 1 Kings 9:11
King Solomon gave twenty towns in the land of Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, who had supplied him with cedar and cypress logs and gold for his every desire.
- 1 Kings 9:12
So Hiram went out from Tyre to inspect the towns that Solomon had given him, but he was not pleased with them.
- 1 Chronicles 14:1
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs, stonemasons, and carpenters, to build a palace for him.
- 1 Chronicles 22:4
and more cedar logs than could be counted; for the Sidonians and Tyrians had brought a large quantity of cedar logs to David.
- 2 Chronicles 2:3
Then Solomon sent word to Hiram king of Tyre: “Do for me as you did for my father David when you sent him cedars to build himself a house to live in.
- 2 Chronicles 2:11
Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.”
- 2 Chronicles 2:14
He is the son of a woman from the daughters of Dan, and his father is a man of Tyre. He is skilled in work with gold and silver, bronze and iron, stone and wood, purple, blue, and crimson yarn, and fine linen. He is experienced in every kind of engraving and can execute any design that is given him. He will work with your craftsmen and with those of my lord, your father David.
- Ezra 3:7
They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by Cyrus king of Persia.
- Nehemiah 13:16
Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
- Psalm 45:12
The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor.
- Psalm 83:7
of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
- Psalm 87:4
“I will mention Rahab and Babylon among those who know Me—along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush—when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”
- Isaiah 23:1
This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus.
- Isaiah 23:5
When the report reaches Egypt, they will writhe in agony over the news of Tyre.
- Isaiah 23:8
Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?
- Isaiah 23:15
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:
- Isaiah 23:17
And at the end of seventy years, the LORD will restore Tyre. Then she will return to hire as a prostitute and sell herself to all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.
- Jeremiah 25:22
all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the coastlands across the sea;
- Jeremiah 27:3
Send word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah.
- Jeremiah 47:4
For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every remaining ally. Indeed, the LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.
- Ezekiel 26:2
“Son of man, because Tyre has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha! The gate to the nations is broken; it has swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will be filled,’
- Ezekiel 26:3
therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, O Tyre, I am against you, and I will raise up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves.
- Ezekiel 26:4
They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock.
- Ezekiel 26:7
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.
- Ezekiel 26:15
This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: ‘Will not the coastlands quake at the sound of your downfall, when the wounded groan at the slaughter in your midst?
- Ezekiel 27:2
“Now you, son of man, take up a lament for Tyre.
- Ezekiel 27:3
Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’
- Ezekiel 27:8
The men of Sidon and Arvad were your oarsmen. Your men of skill, O Tyre, were there as your captains.
- Ezekiel 27:32
As they wail and mourn over you, they will take up a lament for you: ‘Who was ever like Tyre, silenced in the middle of the sea?
- Ezekiel 28:2
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god.
- Ezekiel 28:12
“Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
- Ezekiel 29:18
“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre. Every head was made bald and every shoulder made raw. But he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the labor they expended on it.
- Hosea 9:13
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a meadow. But Ephraim will bring out his children for slaughter.
- Joel 3:4
Now what do you have against Me, O Tyre, Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you rendering against Me a recompense? If you retaliate against Me, I will swiftly and speedily return your recompense upon your heads.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.