John Gill Bible Commentary

And then the coast turneth to Ramah,.... Which was a city in the tribe of Naphtali, Jos 19:36; and on the borders of Asher; though Jerom (y) distinguishes them, and speaks of a Ramah in Asher, and another in Naphtali, as different cities of the same name; as there were several of this name, so called from their being built on an eminence. Masius conjectures it is the same with Sarepta, Luk 4:26; famous for its wine; and Bacchus, as the poet says, loves the hills: and to the strong city Tyre; it is thought this is not to be understood of the famous city, so much spoken of in other parts of Scripture, and in profane history; since, as it is observed, that is not mentioned in Scripture until the times of David; and though Homer makes frequent mention of Sidon, yet never of Tyre. The words signify the strong fortress of a rock, or a fortress on a high rock; so Kimchi and Ben Melech; and it might be a fortified city, which being built on a rock, might have the name of Zor or Tyre, and not be the famous city of that name. Jerom (z) renders it the fortified city of the Assyrians: and the coast turneth to Hosah; of which we nowhere else read: and the outgoings thereof are at the sea; the Mediterranean sea; where the coast ended this way: from the coast to Achzib; this Jerom (a) says is Ecdippa, nine miles from Ptolemais, as you go to Tyre; and this is confirmed by a learned traveller of our own nation (b); it is now called Zib; See Gill on Mic 1:14. (y) De loc. Heb. fol. 94. B. (z) De loc. Heb. fol. 94. B. (a) Ibid. fol. 88. I. (b) Maundrell's Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 53.