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Isaiah 23
The series of nation-burdens reaches the sea: "the burden of Tyre" (v.1). Isaiah summons the merchant ships of Tarshish to howl because their home port is laid waste, and Sidon, the mother-city of the coast, is told to be ashamed (v.4). This is judgment aimed not at an army but at a trading empire whose merchants were "princes" (v.8). Watch the question in verse 8 — who planned this against the crown-giver of nations? — answered flatly in verse 9: the LORD of Armies, to stain the pride of all glory.
- 1
The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.
- 2
Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.
- 3
On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.
- 4
Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed, nor given birth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.”
- 5
When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.
- 6
Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!
- 7
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?
- 8
Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
- 9
The LORD of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
- 10
Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.
- 11
He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.
- 12
He said, “You shall rejoice no more, you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Kittim. Even there you will have no rest.”
- 13
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people didn’t exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.
- 14
Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!
- 15
It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.
- 16
Take a harp; go about the city, you prostitute that has been forgotten. Make sweet melody. Sing many songs, that you may be remembered.
- 17
It will happen after the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. She will return to her wages, and will play the prostitute with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.
- 18
Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to the LORD. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
Seventy years, then a strange restoration
Tyre is to be forgotten seventy years, "according to the days of one king" (v.15), then return to her trade — pictured bluntly as a forgotten prostitute taking up her harp again to be remembered (vv.15-16).
The twist comes last: her renewed merchandise and wages will be "holiness to the LORD" (v.18), set apart to feed and clothe those who dwell before him. Even a ruined commercial power is folded into a larger purpose rather than simply erased.
Context layers
Keep these closed by default and open them only when you want more context.
- HolinessWhat holiness means in the Bible, how it relates to God's character and the believer's life, and how to read it without drifting into legalism.
- Fear of the LordWhat the fear of the Lord means in the Bible, how it relates to wisdom, reverence, obedience, and trust.
- Kingdom of GodWhat the kingdom of God means in the Bible, how it relates to Christ's reign, and where to read it without flattening it into politics or vague spirituality.
- Leviticus 19:1-2Key passage connected to Holiness.
- 1 Peter 1:14-16Key passage connected to Holiness.
- Hebrews 12:14Key passage connected to Holiness.
- Proverbs 1:7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Psalms 111:10Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Luke 12:4-7Key passage connected to Fear of the Lord.
- Mark 1:14-15Key passage connected to Kingdom of God.
- Matthew 13:31-33Key passage connected to Kingdom of God.
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