Isaiah 23:1-11

1 The Burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, For it hath been destroyed, Without house, without entrance, From the land of Chittim it was revealed to them.

2 Be silent, ye inhabitants of the isle, Trader of Zidon, passing the sea, they filled thee.

3 And in many waters [is] the seed of Sihor, The harvest of the brook [is] her increase, And she is a mart of nations.

4 Be ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea spake, The strength of the sea, saying: `I have not been pained, nor have I brought forth, Nor have I nourished young men, [nor] brought up virgins.

5 As [at] the report of Egypt they are pained, So [at] the report of Tyre.

6 Pass over to Tarshish, howl, ye inhabitants of the isle,

7 Is this your exulting one? From the days of old [is] her antiquity, Carry her do her own feet afar off to sojourn.

8 Who hath counselled this against Tyre, The crowning one, whose traders [are] princes, Her merchants the honoured of earth?'

9 Jehovah of Hosts hath counselled it, To pollute the excellency of all beauty, To make light all the honoured of earth.

10 Pass through thy land as a brook, Daughter of Tarshish, there is no more a girdle.

11 His hand He hath stretched out over the sea, He hath caused kingdoms to tremble, Jehovah hath charged concerning the merchant one, To destroy her strong places.

Isaiah 23:1-11 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.