Topical Bible: The Sea: Commercial Nations: Often Built Cities on the Borders of

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The sea has played a significant role in the development and prosperity of ancient civilizations, particularly those that engaged in commerce and trade. The strategic positioning of cities along the coastlines facilitated the exchange of goods, culture, and ideas, contributing to the wealth and influence of these nations. In the biblical context, several nations and cities are noted for their maritime activities and their reliance on the sea for economic growth.

Tyre and Sidon

Tyre and Sidon, prominent cities of the Phoenicians, are exemplary of commercial nations that thrived due to their coastal locations. The Bible frequently references these cities in the context of trade and wealth. Ezekiel 27 provides a detailed account of Tyre's extensive trade network, describing it as a "merchant of the peoples on many coastlands" (Ezekiel 27:3). The chapter lists various goods exchanged and the diverse nations involved in trade with Tyre, highlighting its significance as a commercial hub.

Philistia

The Philistines, another seafaring people, established cities along the Mediterranean coast, including Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ashdod. These cities were strategically positioned to control trade routes and access to the sea. The Philistines' maritime prowess is implied in passages such as Isaiah 23:1, which refers to the "ships of Tarshish" and the destruction of Tyre, indicating the interconnectedness of coastal cities and their reliance on sea trade.

Israel

While Israel was not primarily a maritime nation, its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea influenced its interactions with neighboring coastal nations. King Solomon's reign marked a period of increased maritime activity, as he established a fleet of ships in partnership with Hiram, king of Tyre. This fleet sailed to Ophir, bringing back gold and other valuable commodities (1 Kings 9:26-28). The collaboration with Tyre underscores the importance of the sea in expanding Israel's trade and wealth.

Egypt

Egypt, with its access to the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, also capitalized on its coastal position for trade. The Nile River served as a vital artery for commerce, connecting the interior of Egypt to the sea. Isaiah 19:5-7 speaks of the drying up of the Nile and the subsequent economic impact, illustrating the dependency of Egypt's economy on its waterways and access to the sea.

Babylon

Though primarily a land-based empire, Babylon's influence extended to the sea through its conquest of coastal regions. The prophet Jeremiah foretold the fall of Babylon, mentioning the "sea" and the "waves" in a metaphorical sense to describe the overwhelming forces that would come against it (Jeremiah 51:42). This imagery reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern understanding of the sea as both a source of wealth and a symbol of chaos and judgment.

In summary, the sea served as a critical factor in the rise and prosperity of commercial nations in biblical times. Coastal cities became centers of trade and cultural exchange, shaping the economic and political landscapes of the ancient world. The biblical narrative acknowledges the sea's role in commerce, illustrating the interconnectedness of nations and the impact of maritime activities on their fortunes.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Genesis 49:13
Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be to Zidon.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 27:3
And say to Tyrus, O you that are situate at the entry of the sea, which are a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus said the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, you have said, I am of perfect beauty.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nahum 3:8
Are you better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were wholly ... had developed a strong agricultural
and commercial civilization ... Israel took its place among the nations of the ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... The remaining portions of the nations who had taken part in ... from Asia Minor and the
AEgean Sea to the ... were too much absorbed in their commercial pursuits to ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... These three nations"the Lycians, Carians, and Leleges ... for large convoys; and its
commercial relations with ... or renowned for valour; sometimes by sea in their ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... Canaanites were more hopelessly divided than any of the surrounding nations. ... to the
left, between the Orontes and the sea, lay the commercial kingdom of ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... we may infer, those of other Oriental nations generally ... objects of exchange, and
in their commercial dealings with ... Egyptians with the barbarians of the Red Sea. ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Close of the Theban Empire
... in the list of the subjugated nations, recalling the ... his attention to the maintenance
of commercial and industrial ... taken from the peoples of the sea and the ...
/.../chapter iiithe close of the.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... culture was handed on to the Semitic nations of the ... In the court of the temple was
a "sea" or "deep ... Commercial intercourse was carried on with all parts of the ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... personal interest in more than one commercial undertaking, and ... of all the subject
or allied nations mentioned in ... between the Nile and the Red Sea, and between ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

The First Theban Empire
... of the XIIth dynasty were chiefly commercial, but occasionally ... the two Niles down
to the sea, the whole ... Irittt, and the Sitiu, all those nations which wandered ...
/.../chapter iiithe first theban empire.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... important of which, the Kara-Su, has often been confounded ... when I beheld the world
all terror and all sea. ... then he turns upon the foreign nations and carries ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm