Zechariah 9 · Verse 3

Zechariah 9:3

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, King James Version

Zechariah 9:3 in other translations

BSBTyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
WEBTyre built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like the dust, and fine gold like the mire of the streets.
ASVAnd Tyre did build herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
YLTAnd Tyre doth build a bulwark to herself, And doth heap silver as dust, And gold as mire of out-places.
DARBYAnd Tyre hath built herself a stronghold, and hath heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.
BBEAnd Tyre made for herself a strong place, and got together silver like dust and the best gold like the earth of the streets.
WebsterAnd Tyre built herself a strong hold, and amassed silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

What does Zechariah 9:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. The heathen historian, Diodorus Siculus [17.40], confirms this. "Tyre had the greatest confidence owing to her insular position and fortifications, and the abundant stores she had prepared." New Tyre was on an island seven hundred paces from the shore. As Isaiah's and Ezekiel's (Eze 27:1-36) prophecies were directed against Old Tyre on the mainland and were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar, so Zechariah's are against New Tyre, which was made seemingly impregnable by a double wall one hundred fifty feet high, as well as the sea on all sides.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 And Tyrus did build herself - The rock on which Tyre was built was strongly fortified; and that she had abundance of riches has been already seen, Eze 28:1, etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Zechariah 9:1-8

Here are judgements foretold on several nations. While the Macedonians and Alexander's successors were in warfare in these countries, the Lord promised to protect his people. God's house lies in the midst of an enemy's country; his church is as a lily among thorns. God's power and goodness are seen in her special preservation. The Lord encamps about his church, and while armies of proud opposers shall pass by and…

Read the full comment on Zechariah 9:1-8 →

Zechariah 9:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתִּ֥בֶןva.Ti.venand it builtH1129
צֹ֛רtzorTyreH6865
מָצ֖וֹרma.Tzora fortificationH4692
לָ֑הּLahfor itself
וַתִּצְבָּר\־va.titz.bor-and it heaped upH6651
כֶּ֙סֶף֙ke.sefsilverH3701
כֶּֽעָפָ֔רke.'a.Farlike <the> dustH6083
וְחָר֖וּץve.cha.Rutzand goldH2742
כְּטִ֥יטke.Titlike [the] mud ofH2916
חוּצֽוֹת\׃chu.Tzot[the] streetsH2351

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Zechariah 9:3

  • Job 27:16

    Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;

  • Ezekiel 28:4-5

    With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:

  • Joshua 19:29

    And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib:

  • Ezekiel 27:33

    When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise.

  • 2 Samuel 24:7

    And came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even to Beer–sheba.

  • Isaiah 23:8

    Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

  • 1 Kings 10:27

    And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.

  • Job 22:24

    Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
build.
Jos 19:29; 2Sa 24:7
heaped.
1Ki 10:27; Job 22:24; 27:16; Isa 23:8; Eze 27:33; 28:4,5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Zechariah 9:2

    And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise.

  • Zechariah 9:3

    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 9:4

    Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

Read all of Zechariah 9

Zechariah 9:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Bien que Tiro se edificó fortaleza, y amontonó plata como polvo, y oro como lodo de las calles,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Tyr s’est bâti une forteresse, et elle amasse l’argent comme de la poussière, et l’or comme la boue des rues.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Tyrus hat sich eine Feste erbaut und Silber gehäuft wie Staub, und Feingold wie Straßenkot.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ædificavit Tyrus munitionem suam, et coacervavit argentum quasi humum, et aurum ut lutum platearum.