Isaiah 23

Chapter context

What is happening in Isaiah 23?

holinessjudgmentremnantmessiah

Isaiah 23 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as narratives around Assyria and Hezekiah. Isaiah is one of Scripture’s grandest prophetic books, moving from holy judgment to consolation, servant imagery, and new-creation hope. Read this chapter with the wider themes of holiness, judgment, and remnant in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ The 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 Chittim it is revealed to them. ² Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. ³ And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. ⁴ Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. ⁵ As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. ⁶ Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. ⁷ Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. ⁸ Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? ⁹ The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. ¹⁰ Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. ¹¹ He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. ¹² And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. ¹³ Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. ¹⁴ Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. ¹⁵ And 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 shall Tyre sing as an harlot. ¹⁶ Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. ¹⁷ And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. ¹⁸ And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Study helps

Glossary

Cyprus Place v. 1, 12: Biblical island. Modern identification: Cyprus.
Tarshish Place v. 1, 6, 10, 14: A Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning “the sea coast. ” (1. ) One of the “sons” of Javan ( Gen. 10:4 ; 1 Chr. 1:7 ). (2. ) The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon. Modern identification: Huelva.
Tyre Place v. 1, 3-5, 8, 10, 15, 17: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tyre.
Sidon Place v. 2, 4, 12: A fishery, a town on the Mediterranean coast, about 25 miles north of Tyre. It received its name from the “first-born” of Canaan, the grandson of Noah ( Gen. 10:15 , 19). Modern identification: Sandikli archaeological site in Sidon.
Nile Place v. 3, 10: Biblical river. Modern identification: Nile River.
Shihor Place v. 3: The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. Modern identification: Pelusiac branch of the Nile.
Egypt Place v. 5: The land of the Nile and the pyramids, the oldest kingdom of which we have any record, holds a place of great significance in Scripture. Modern identification: Ain Shams.
City People v. 7-8, 11, 16: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
Canaan Place v. 11: Biblical region. Modern identification: Canaan.
Assyria Place v. 13: Biblical region. Modern identification: Nineveh.
Babylon Place v. 13: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Chaldea Place v. 13: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tell el Muqayyar.