יחזקאל, פרק כ״ז, פסוק כ״ה

The city-state of Tyre stands at the absolute peak of its commercial and maritime glory, serving as a global hub that draws immense wealth from every corner of the earth. The ongoing metaphor of the city as a grand, fully loaded vessel reaches its climax with the arrival of massive, sturdy ships. These vessels, known either for sailing a specific sea or simply for possessing the strength to navigate vast distances, arrive to transport the city's goods [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The movement of these merchant fleets is understood in several ways. The primary approach among commentators is that they operated like ocean-bound caravans; just as groups of merchants travel together across land, a massive fleet of ships would sail as a single united group to deliver cargo [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Another perspective suggests that the sea itself transformed into a paved, level road, making the journey smooth and effortless for the incoming vessels [רש״י]. A third view focuses on the fleet's complete devotion to the city, noting that these ships belonged entirely to Tyre and functioned as loyal servants ensuring the safe arrival of its merchandise [מלבי״ם].

As this relentless flow of global trade poured in, the city became incredibly full and heavily burdened. On a physical level, Tyre was weighed down by the sheer volume of its imported goods, much like a ship sitting low in the water under a massive cargo [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Beyond physical trade, this immense weight also represents the city's booming population and expanding power [רד״ק], as well as its overflowing honor and international greatness [אברבנאל].

All of this unprecedented prosperity takes place deep within the heart of the ocean [מצודת ציון]. This emphasizes Tyre's unique geographical reality as a city built directly out of the water [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Furthermore, the arrival of wealth from the seas in the plural form highlights that these merchant fleets did not just come from a single body of water. Instead, they navigated through all the interconnected oceans of the world to reach this single destination [רד״ק, אברבנאל].