The Pulpit Commentary — Ezekiel — Volume 2 — Section 119

a fire of their own kindling." "The fire of lust and covetous desire draws after it the otber fire of judgment." CONCLUSION. Several important leRsons are enforced by this subject. We mention three of them. 1. The unsatiifactoriness of temporal prosperity when dissociated from righteous principles and intelligent piety. 2. The peculiar moral perils of successful traders, whether as communities or individuals. 8. The necessity of resisting the earliest risings of pride.-W. J. Vere. 20-24.-God glorified in the execution of judgment. "Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Zidon," etc. Zidon was "an ancient and wealthy city of Phcenicia, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, less than twenty English miles to the north of Tyre," and on the extreme north- western border of the land of Israel. The Hebrew word Tsidon signifies" Fishing," and indicates the earliest employment of its inhabitants. The land in the neighbourhood of Zidon wa~ of great fertility. "Adjoining the city there are luxuriant gardens and orchards, iu which there is a profusion of the finest fruit trees suited to the climate." "The gardens of Zidon," says Dean Stanley, "are conspicuous even from a distance." In early times Zidon seems to have been a more important city than its neighbour, Tyre (cf. Josh. xi. 8 ; :xix. 28). Homer, in his poems, makes no mention of Tyre, but several times he mentions Zidon and the Zidonians. But from the time of Solomon until the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, Zidon appears to have been less influential than Tyre. Our text declares the judgment of God against Zidon, and that in that judgment he will be glorified; and it suggests that he is glorified. I. IN TEE REASONS OF HIS JUDGMENT. 'l'hese reasons may be arranged under two heads. 1. Tile conduct of the Zidonians in relation to himself. They were idolaters, worshipping Baal, tho sun-god (1 Kings xvi. 31), and Ashtoreth as their tutelary goddess (1 Kings xi. 6, 33; 2 Kings xxiii. 13). It WBS from them that these idolatries had been introduced amongst the chosen people. The influence of ZiJ.onian women upon the religious character of Solomon was most deplorable; and the marriage of Ahab to Jezebel, a Zidonian princess, was prolific of most disastrous consequences to tbe kingdom of Israel, both religiously and in other ways. 'l'he Zidonians might have obtained the knowledge of the true God from their neighbours the Israelites, nnd have turned to him in heart and life, if they had been so disposed. But instead of that, they corrupted Israel with their idols. 'l'hus they robbed God of his rightful honour and praise. And his glory he will not give to another, neither his praise unto graven images (Isa. xiii. 8). 2. The conduct of the Zidonians in relation to his people. We have already spoken of their evil influence over them religiously. In other ways they were troublesome to them. They had been as " a pricking brier" and "a grieving thorn" to Israel (ver 24). Thero is probably a reference in this verse to Numb. xxxiii. 66 and Josh. xxiii. 13. And, like others of the neighbours of the Israelites, the  122 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [ou. xxvm. 1-28.