יחזקאל, פרק כ״ז, פסוק א׳

God commands the prophet to mourn the absolute, future destruction of the city of Tyre. Because a true lament naturally recalls the greatness and honor that have been lost, God guides the prophet to vividly describe the city's splendor before its fall [אברבנאל]. Tyre sat exactly at the gateway to the sea. It was not an isolated island deep in the ocean, but rather positioned at the edge of the mainland, completely surrounded by water. It functioned as a massive global trading hub where merchants brought goods to be exported out to distant shores. The city boasted of absolute perfection, its streets and public squares radiating a flawless beauty. Remarkably, its builders managed to construct and maintain this magnificence right in the heart of the sea, ensuring the crashing waves never ruined its structures.

To capture the full extent of Tyre's might and wealth, the city is compared to a magnificent, grand ship crafted from the finest materials. The ship's frame was built from cypress trees brought from Senir. As noted by [ראב״ע] and cited by [אברבנאל], the ships of Tyre were uniquely constructed with a double layer of these wooden boards to provide extra strength. A single cedar from Lebanon was chosen to serve as the towering mast that held the sail, reflecting the reality that while a ship requires many boards, it relies on only one mast. For propulsion, hard and sturdy chestnut trees from Bashan were carved into long oars. Finally, as a pure display of prestige and honor, the heavy rudder board at the back of the ship was crafted from solid ivory. This luxurious ivory was imported by Assyrian merchants from islands under Roman control.