Isaiah 23

King James Version

Full text for Isaiah Chapter 23

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.

2Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, [is] her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

4Be 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.

5As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6Pass 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.

8Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning [city], whose merchants [are] princes, whose traffickers [are] the honourable of the earth?

9The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, [and] to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

10Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: [there is] no more strength.

11He 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.

12And 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.

13Behold 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.

14Howl, 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.

16Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

17And 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.

18And 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Isaiah 23 pronounces a "burden" against Tyre, a powerful maritime city, foretelling its utter destruction and the lament of its trading partners like the ships of Tarshish. The Lord of hosts is declared as the one who purposed this downfall to humble the city's pride and its princely merchants. After a period of seventy years of desolation, Tyre is prophesied to be restored to its commercial activity, likened to a harlot returning to her trade. Intriguingly, its future merchandise is ultimately dedicated as holiness to the Lord, for the benefit of those who dwell before Him.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with a prophetic "burden" against Tyre, a prominent trading city, declaring its desolation and calling upon the ships of Tarshish to howl. Zidon, its mother city, is also shamed, as Tyre, once a mart of nations enriched by trade, faces ruin. The prophet questions who orchestrated this downfall against the "crowning city" with its princely merchants, revealing that the Lord of hosts purposed it to stain all human glory and bring the honorable into contempt. Tyre is commanded to pass through its land, for its strength is gone, and even fleeing to Chittim will offer no rest. After seventy years of being forgotten, Tyre is prophesied to be visited by the Lord and will resume its commerce, likened to a harlot seeking her hire. Its future merchandise and hire are declared to be holiness to the Lord, intended to provide for those who dwell before Him, for their food and clothing.

Long Summary

Isaiah 23 begins with a solemn "burden" against Tyre, a powerful Phoenician city renowned for its maritime trade. The prophecy foretells its complete destruction, causing the ships of Tarshish, its trading partners, to lament its desolation. The inhabitants of the isle are urged to be still, as Tyre, once replenished by the merchants of Zidon and enriched by the "seed of Sihor" (the Nile's produce), will be laid waste. Zidon is called to shame, as the sea itself seems to lament its barrenness, symbolizing the cessation of Tyre's commercial offspring. The report of Tyre's fall is likened to the pain felt at the report concerning Egypt. The prophet then asks who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the "crowning city" whose merchants were princes and traffickers the honourable of the earth. The answer is revealed: the LORD of hosts has purposed it, specifically to stain the pride of all glory and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Tyre is told to pass through its land like a river, for its strength is no more, and the Lord has stretched out His hand over the sea, shaking kingdoms and commanding the destruction of Tyre's strongholds. Even if Tyre, the "oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon," flees to Chittim, she will find no rest. An interjection mentions the land of the Chaldeans, founded by the Assyrians, also brought to ruin, perhaps as a parallel warning. The ships of Tarshish are again called to howl, for their strength is laid waste. A significant shift occurs with a prophecy that Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, "according to the days of one king." After this period, Tyre is likened to a harlot who has been forgotten, taking up her harp and singing to be remembered and to return to her "hire." The Lord will indeed visit Tyre, and she will resume her "fornication" (commerce) with all the kingdoms of the world. However, a surprising twist concludes the prophecy: her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD, not to be treasured up, but to provide sufficiently for those who dwell before the Lord, for their food and durable clothing.

Core Concepts

  • Burden of TyreThis phrase introduces a prophetic declaration of judgment and impending destruction against the powerful maritime city of Tyre, signifying a heavy pronouncement from the Lord.
  • Pride and HumiliationThe Lord's explicit purpose in Tyre's downfall is to "stain the pride of all glory" and bring into contempt the "honourable of the earth," demonstrating divine sovereignty over human arrogance and worldly power.
  • Maritime CommerceTyre is depicted as a "mart of nations" with "princely merchants" and "traffickers," highlighting its central role in ancient sea trade and its reliance on this for wealth and influence among nations.
  • Seventy Years of DesolationA specific period of seventy years is prophesied during which Tyre will be forgotten, a duration likened to the reign of "one king," after which a restoration is foretold.
  • Tyre as a HarlotAfter its desolation, Tyre is metaphorically described as a harlot who has been forgotten, returning to her "hire" (trade) with all nations, symbolizing its renewed commercial activity and perhaps its worldly entanglements.
  • Sanctified MerchandiseIn a surprising conclusion, Tyre's future "merchandise and her hire" are declared to be "holiness to the LORD," not to be treasured, but to provide for the needs of those who dwell before Him, signifying a divine purpose for its restored commerce.