Isaiah 23:1-10

1 The 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.

2 Be still, you inhabitants of the coastland, You merchants of Sidon, Whom those who cross the sea have filled.

3 And on great waters the grain of Shihor, The harvest of the River, is her revenue; And she is a marketplace for the nations.

4 Be 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.

5 When the report reaches Egypt, They also will be in agony at the report of Tyre.

6 Cross over to Tarshish; Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland!

7 Is this your joyous city, Whose antiquity is from ancient days, Whose feet carried her far off to dwell?

8 Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, Whose merchants are princes, Whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

9 The 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.

10 Overflow through your land like the River, O daughter of Tarshish; There is no more strength.

Isaiah 23:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 23

This chapter gives an account both of the desolation and restoration of Tyre, an ancient city of Phoenicia. Its desolation is described as so complete, that a house was not left in it, Isa 23:1 and by the fewness and stillness of the inhabitants of it, with which it had been replenished, it having been a mart of nations, Isa 23:2,3 and by the shame and pain Zidon, a neighbouring city, was put into, on account of it, Isa 23:4,5 and by the removal of its inhabitants to other places, Isa 23:6,7,12 all which is attributed to the counsel, purpose, and commandment of God, to destroy it; whose view was to stain their pride, and bring them into contempt, Isa 23:8-11 the means and instruments made use of to this purpose were the Assyrians or Chaldeans, Isa 23:13 and its desolation is further aggravated by the loss of its trade; hence the merchants of other countries are called to mourning, Isa 23:1,14 the date and duration of this desolation were seventy years, Isa 23:15 after which it should be restored, and its merchandise and commerce with all the nations of the earth be revived again, Isa 23:15-18.

Footnotes

• [a]. Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint and Targum read passing over the water; Dead Sea Scrolls read your messengers passing over the sea.
• [b]. That is, the Nile
• [c]. That is, the Nile