Isaiah 23:4-14

4 Thou, Sidon, be ashamed, said the sea, the strength of the sea, and said, I travailed not of child, and I childed not, and I nourished not young men, and I brought not fully virgins to increasing. (O Sidon, be ashamed; for the sea, yea, the strength of the sea, hath said, I have not laboured with child, and I did not give birth, and I did not nourish young men, and I did not bring up virgins into womanhood.

5 When it shall be heard in Egypt, they shall make sorrow, when they hear of Tyre.

6 Pass ye the seas; yell ye, that dwell in the isle. (Go ye over to Tarshish; yell, ye who live on the island.)

7 Whether this city is not yours, that had glory from eld days in his eldness? the feet thereof shall lead it [a]far, to go in pilgrimage (its feet shall take it far away, to go on a journey).

8 Who thought this thing on Tyre (Who thought this word against Tyre), (that was) sometime crowned, whose merchants were princes, (yea,) the sellers of (the) merchandise thereof were (the) noble men of [the] earth?

9 The Lord of hosts thought this thing, that he should draw down the pride of all glory, and that he should bring to shame all the noble men of (the) earth.

10 Thou daughter of the sea, pass [over] thy land as a flood; a girdle is no more to thee. (O daughter of Tarshish, pass over thy land like a river; no more hath thou a girdle, or a market.)

11 It stretched forth his hand above the sea, and troubled realms (He stretched forth his hand over the sea, and troubled kingdoms). The Lord sent (his command) against Canaan, for to all-break the strong men thereof;

12 and he said, Thou maid(en), the daughter of Sidon, that sufferest challenge, shalt no more add, that thou have glory. Rise thou (up), and pass over the sea into Chittim; there also no rest shall be to thee (even there, there shall be no rest for thee).

13 Lo! the land of Chaldees, such a people was not; Assur founded that Tyre (Lo! the land of the Chaldeans, such a people were not, until the Assyrians founded that Tyre); they led over into captivity the strong men thereof; they (under)mined the houses thereof; they setted it into falling.

14 Yell, ye ships of the sea (Yell, ye ships of Tarshish), for your strength be destroyed

Isaiah 23:4-14 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.