Isaiah23
New King James Version
1The burden against Tyre. Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, So that there is no house, no harbor; From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them.
2Be still, you inhabitants of the coastland, You merchants of Sidon, Whom those who cross the sea have filled.
3And on great waters the grain of Shihor, The harvest of the River, is her revenue; And she is a marketplace for the nations.
4Be ashamed, O Sidon; For the sea has spoken, The strength of the sea, saying, “I do not labor, nor bring forth children; Neither do I rear young men, Nor bring up virgins.”
5When the report reaches Egypt, They also will be in agony at the report of Tyre.
6Cross over to Tarshish; Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland!
7Is this your joyous city, Whose antiquity is from ancient days, Whose feet carried her far off to dwell?
8Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, Whose merchants are princes, Whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
9The Lord of hosts has purposed it, To bring to dishonor the pride of all glory, To bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
10Overflow through your land like the River, O daughter of Tarshish; There is no more strength.
11He stretched out His hand over the sea, He shook the kingdoms; The Lord has given a commandment against Canaan To destroy its strongholds.
12And He said, “You will rejoice no more, O you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, cross over to Cyprus; There also you will have no rest.”
13Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, This people which was not; Assyria founded it for wild beasts of the desert. They set up its towers, They raised up its palaces, And brought it to ruin.
14Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For your strength is laid waste.
15Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:
16“Take a harp, go about the city, You forgotten harlot; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, That you may be remembered.”
17And it shall be, at the end of seventy years, that the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire, and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth.
18Her gain and her pay will be set apart for the Lord; it will not be treasured nor laid up, for her gain will be for those who dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for fine clothing.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 23.
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.
Key Words
מַשָּׂא: a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, especially singing; mental, desire
צֹר: Tsor, a place in Palestine
יָלַל: to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with a boisterous one)
אֳנִיָּה: a ship
תַּרְשִׁישׁ: Tarshish, a place on the Mediterranean, hence, the ephithet of a merchant vessel (as if for or from that port); also the name of a Persian and of an Israelite
שָׁדַד: properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to ravage
מִן: properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אֶרֶץ: the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
Cross References
Isaiah 23Parallels the specific seventy-year period of judgment/servitude under the Babylonian empire.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Historical Pentateuchal reference identifying Chittim as a naval power, foreshadowing the maritime distress of Tyre.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
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
Parallels the final restoration where commerce and common objects become "holiness unto the Lord."
Supported by Matthew Henry
Illustrates "ships of Tarshish" as large merchant vessels trading in valuable foreign commodities.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Ezekiel's parallel lamentation depicting Tyre as the opulent merchant entry-port to the sea.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Highlights the extreme self-exaltation of the prince of Tyre dwelling in the heart of the seas.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explains the term "merchant city" (Hebrew: Canaan), linking mercantile success with deceptive scales.
Supported by JFB
Identifies "ships of Tarshish" as symbols of pride and human commerce targeted by divine judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Links the pines/boxwood of the "isles of Chittim" with Tyrian shipbuilding and luxury trade.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
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
Ezekiel's lament over Tyre, "the renowned city, which was strong in the sea."
Supported by JFB
Confirms the grueling historical reality of Nebuchadnezzar's long siege against Tyre.
Supported by JFB