Zechariah 9 3

Zechariah 9:3 kjv

And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

Zechariah 9:3 nkjv

For Tyre built herself a tower, Heaped up silver like the dust, And gold like the mire of the streets.

Zechariah 9:3 niv

Tyre has built herself a stronghold; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.

Zechariah 9:3 esv

Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust, and fine gold like the mud of the streets.

Zechariah 9:3 nlt

Tyre has built a strong fortress
and has made silver and gold
as plentiful as dust in the streets!

Zechariah 9 verses

Zechariah 9 3 Meaning

Zechariah 9:3 describes the city of Tyre's immense material wealth and formidable defenses. It portrays Tyre as a self-reliant power that accumulated an extraordinary amount of silver and gold, viewing them as abundant and commonplace, akin to dust or mire. This description sets the stage for the prophecy of its imminent divine judgment, highlighting its pride and reliance on worldly security.

Zechariah 9 3 Context

Zechariah 9 begins a significant prophetic section, the "burden concerning the word of the Lord against the land of Hadrach" (Zech 9:1). This chapter describes a coming divine judgment upon the nations surrounding Judah, particularly those in the north and west, leading up to the advent of the Messiah in Jerusalem. Tyre, a prominent Phoenician city-state located on the Mediterranean coast, was historically renowned for its maritime trade, immense wealth, and seemingly impregnable island fortress. In the ancient world, it represented the epitome of human might and material accumulation. Verse 3 precisely illustrates this perception of Tyre's formidable nature and riches, which sets up the dramatic reversal and judgment promised in the following verse (Zech 9:4), indicating that no human defense or wealth can stand against the Lord's will. The prophetic context for Judah was post-exilic, a period of rebuilding and vulnerability, where prophecies against dominant foreign powers would provide reassurance of God's sovereign control and protection.

Zechariah 9 3 Word analysis

• "And Tyre" (וְצֹר - ve-Tzor): Refers to the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre. Tzor itself means "rock," a fitting name for the city built on a rocky island and mainland. It symbolizes worldly power, commercial prowess, and human arrogance.
• "did build herself" (בָּנְתָה - banta): Literally, "she built." The reflexive nature, "herself," implies self-reliance and confidence in human endeavor and ingenuity. Tyre prided itself on its fortifications, attributing its security to its own architectural and military might.
• "a stronghold" (מָצוֹר - matzor): A fortress or besieged city. This word emphasizes impregnability and defensive power. It highlights the city's self-perceived invincibility.
• "and heaped up" (וַתֶּאֱצָר - va-te'etzar): Means to gather, store, or amass. It conveys the idea of extensive accumulation, indicating not just possession, but avarice and the hoarding of vast quantities of resources.
• "silver" (כֶּסֶף - kesef): Precious metal, a primary form of currency and wealth in the ancient world.
• "as the dust" (כֶּעָפָר - ke-aphar): A simile conveying immense, almost countless, quantity. Dust is common, abundant, and easily overlooked. This hyperbolic comparison stresses the sheer volume of silver Tyre possessed, to the point of treating it as something insignificant.
• "and fine gold" (וְזָהָב יָקָר - ve-zahav yaqar): "Gold" (zahav) is the most precious metal, signifying ultimate wealth. Yaqar means precious, valuable, rare.
• "as the mire of the streets" (כְּטִיט חוּצוֹת - ke-tiṭ khutzot): "Mire" (tiṭ) refers to mud or clay, something trodden upon, worthless, and easily discarded. "Streets" (khutzot) indicates public thoroughfares. This potent simile signifies not only an unimaginable quantity of gold but also hints at its debasement and ultimate worthlessness in the face of divine judgment, soon to be trampled and scattered.

Words-group analysis

• "build herself a stronghold": This phrase powerfully illustrates Tyre's focus on its own physical might and self-security, relying on human engineering rather than divine protection. It epitomizes a mindset of self-sufficiency.
• "heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets": This compound simile creates a dramatic picture of Tyre's excessive wealth. By comparing silver to common dust and even "fine" gold to worthless street mire, the text emphasizes both the boundless scale of their riches and, paradoxically, their eventual fate as something debased and scattered. It is a polemic against reliance on material accumulation, suggesting such wealth can become as valueless as common dirt when God's judgment falls.

Zechariah 9 3 Bonus section

• The exaggerated description of Tyre's wealth (gold like street mire) would have served as a vivid object lesson for the post-exilic Judeans who often struggled with poverty. It emphasized that worldly splendor, no matter how immense, is fleeting compared to God's enduring kingdom.
• The prophecy regarding Tyre's downfall and the "mire of the streets" found remarkable fulfillment, notably by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, who built a causeway from the mainland to the island city by throwing debris from the razed mainland city and timber into the sea. This literal action meant that much of what Tyre had (including possibly treasures) became literally trampled underfoot or built into a pathway, fulfilling the prophecy in a unique and visual manner.
• This verse stands in direct contrast to the subsequent verses describing the Messiah (Zech 9:9-10). Tyre's kingdom is one of human power and wealth, ultimately leading to destruction. The Messiah's kingdom is one of righteousness, salvation, and peace, built on divine rather than human might.

Zechariah 9 3 Commentary

Zechariah 9:3 vividly paints a picture of Tyre, a city confident in its fortified might and overwhelmed by its vast material possessions. The descriptive language, employing hyperbole that equates precious metals with common elements like dust and street mire, effectively conveys Tyre's astounding affluence. This imagery not only highlights Tyre's material pride but also implicitly critiques its reliance on human strength and accumulation. The verse sets the thematic tension for the impending divine judgment, illustrating that even the most impressive earthly stronghold and immeasurable wealth offer no shield against the sovereign will of the Lord. It serves as a stark reminder that true security and lasting value do not lie in temporal treasures or self-made defenses.