Isaiah 23ASV
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Isaiah23

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.

2Be still, ye inhabitants of the coast, thou whom the merchants of Sidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3And on great waters the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.

4Be thou ashamed, O Sidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.

5When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6Pass ye over to Tarshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast.

7Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her afar off to sojourn?

8Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?

9Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

10Pass through thy land as the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint any more.

11He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken the kingdoms: Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof.

12And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon: arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest.

13Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: this people was not; the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they set up their towers; they overthrew the palaces thereof; they made it a ruin.

14Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for your stronghold is laid waste.

15And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years it shall be unto Tyre as in the song of the harlot.

16Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to Jehovah: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 23.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The overthrow of Tyre. (1-14). It is established again. (15-18).

vv1-14

Tyre was the mart of the nations. She was noted for mirth and diversions; and this made her loth to consider the warnings God gave by his servants. Her merchants were princes, and lived like princes. Tyre being destroyed and laid waste, the merchants should abandon her. Flee to shift for thine own safety; but those that are uneasy in one place, will be so in another; for when God's judgments pursue sinners, they will overtake them. Whence shall all this trouble come? It is a destruction from the Almighty. God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he who exalts himself shall be abased. God will do it, who has all power in his hand; but the Chaldeans shall be the instruments.

vv15-18

The desolations of Tyre were not to be for ever. The Lord will visit Tyre in mercy. But when set at liberty, she will use her old arts of temptation. The love of worldly wealth is spiritual idolatry; and covetousness is spiritual idolatry. This directs those that have wealth, to use it in the service of God. When we abide with God in our worldly callings, when we do all in our power to further the gospel, then our merchandise and hire are holiness to the Lord, if we look to his glory. Christians should carry on business as God's servants, and use riches as his stewards.

Cross References

Isaiah 23
v15Jeremiah 25:11thematic

Parallels the specific seventy-year period of judgment/servitude under the Babylonian empire.

Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole

v1Numbers 24:24thematic

Historical Pentateuchal reference identifying Chittim as a naval power, foreshadowing the maritime distress of Tyre.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Jeremiah 2:18thematic

Identifies "Sihor" as the waters of the Nile, explaining the source of Egypt's agricultural harvest.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

Expands on the widespread panic and mourning among nations upon hearing of Tyre's catastrophic fall.

Supported by JFB

v18Zechariah 14:21thematic

Parallels the final restoration where commerce and common objects become "holiness unto the Lord."

Supported by Matthew Henry

v11 Kings 10:22thematic

Illustrates "ships of Tarshish" as large merchant vessels trading in valuable foreign commodities.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Ezekiel 27:3thematic

Ezekiel's parallel lamentation depicting Tyre as the opulent merchant entry-port to the sea.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v2Ezekiel 28:2thematic

Highlights the extreme self-exaltation of the prince of Tyre dwelling in the heart of the seas.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v11Hosea 12:7allusion

Explains the term "merchant city" (Hebrew: Canaan), linking mercantile success with deceptive scales.

Supported by JFB

v1Isaiah 2:16thematic

Identifies "ships of Tarshish" as symbols of pride and human commerce targeted by divine judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Ezekiel 27:6thematic

Links the pines/boxwood of the "isles of Chittim" with Tyrian shipbuilding and luxury trade.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v1Daniel 11:30thematic

Uses Chittim to denote the western coastlands and naval forces of the Mediterranean.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

The New Testament echo where the merchants of the earth weep because their market is gone.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v4Ezekiel 26:17thematic

Ezekiel's lament over Tyre, "the renowned city, which was strong in the sea."

Supported by JFB

v13Ezekiel 29:18thematic

Confirms the grueling historical reality of Nebuchadnezzar's long siege against Tyre.

Supported by JFB