Isaiah 23
23
1A message about Tyre. Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish! Tyre has been destroyed—nothing is left of the houses and the harbor. They heard the news from the people of Cyprus. 2Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors. 3Egyptian grain#23:3. “Egyptian grain”: literally, “the grain of Shihor.” came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.
4Feel the shame, Sidon! For the fortress of the sea says,#23:4. Tyre was called the daughter of Sidon (Isaiah 23:12), so the words that follow could be Sidon mourning the loss of her “daughter.” Alternatively it could be Tyre, mourning the loss of her children (inhabitants). “I have no children, having never been in labor or given birth. I have not brought up young men or brought up young women.”
5When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
6Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands! 7Is this really your triumphant city, whose beginnings are from the distant past, who has sent out people to colonize faraway places? 8Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world! 9The Lord Almighty planned it, to humble its pride in all its glory, and to bring down all who receive worldly honor.
10Work your land, people of Tarshish, as they do beside the Nile, for you don't have a harbor anymore.#23:10. The Hebrew of this verse is unclear. It apparently suggests that the people of Tarshish should turn to agriculture now that there won't be any more trade from the mother city of Tyre. 11The Lord held his hand out over the sea and shook kingdoms.#23:11. “Kingdoms”: presumably the other Phoenician kingdoms along the coast from Tyre. He has condemned Phoenicia, giving the order to destroy their fortresses. 12He said, “Don't celebrate any more, mistreated virgin daughter of Sidon. Go and sail over to Cyprus—however, even there you won't find rest.”
13Look at the country of the Babylonians, this people that are not as they used to be! The Assyrians have turned it into a place for desert animals. They set up their siege towers, they demolished the fortresses, and ruined the country.
14Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, a king's lifetime, as it were. But at the end of these seventy years, Tyre will be like the song about a prostitute, 16“Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!” 17After seventy years, the Lord will restore Tyre. But then she will go back to hiring herself out as a prostitute, selling herself to all the kingdoms of the world. 18However, her profits and what she earns will be consecrated to the Lord. They won't be kept or saved up, for her business earnings will go to those who worship the Lord, to provide them with plenty of food and good clothes.
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Isaiah 23: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Isaiah 23
23
A Prophecy concerning Tyre and Sidon
1A prophecy for Tyre and Sidon:
Wail, you cargo ships of Tarshish! # 23:1 Tarshish refers most likely to the city of Tartessus, Spain, on the Guadalquivir River. Archaeological evidence suggests it may have been near present-day Seville.
For Tyre, # 23:1 Tyre means “rock,” “compressed,” or “pressed together.” Tyre, a Phoenician port on the Mediterranean, was once a symbol of power on the sea and a capital of world commerce. It was known as wealthy, influential, and evil. Now it is a small village known as Sur. Isaiah used it as a metaphor for commerce and trafficking. your port city, has fallen without a house or a harbor!
Word has come to them from the land of Cyprus.
2Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast
and you merchants of Sidon, # 23:2 Sidon is a coastal town in Lebanon. Sidon means “one who lies in wait,” “to hunt,” or “to trap.” once thronged by seafarers.
3On the great waters your revenue
was the grain from the Nile basin. # 23:3 Or “Sihor,” a tributary of the Nile. Sihor means “to wipe out” or “to uproot.”
The harvest of the Nile was your revenue.
You were merchants who traded with the nations.
4Sidon, be ashamed,
for the sea, the stronghold of the sea, declares,
“I have never gone into labor to give birth to children,
nor have I raised up sons or daughters.” # 23:4 In this cryptic verse, it appears that Tyre is given the name “sea, the stronghold of the sea.” With poetic impact, the sea is personified and speaks of being childless. There are churches today that are “childless” (without evangelistic outreach) and don’t “raise up sons and daughters” (training and equipping them for ministry).
5When the Egyptians hear it, they will be stunned
over the destruction of Tyre.
6Cross over to Tarshish.
Wail, you inhabitants of the coast.
7Is this your once boisterous city, founded so long ago?
Is this the city that once sent settlers over the sea?
8Who has planned this for imperial Tyre, who once wore her crown?
Your merchants were nobles,
and your traders were honored by the world.
9Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, has planned it!
His plan is to eliminate # 23:9 Or “pollute” or “defile.” the pride of your presumed splendor
and to humiliate the honored of the world.
10Daughter Tarshish, cross over your land # 23:10 Or “farm your land.”
as one crosses the Nile,
for there is no more harbor marketplace. # 23:10 Or “waistband.” The Hebrew of this verse is uncertain.
11Yahweh has stretched out his hand over the sea of humanity
and has shaken the kingdoms of this world.
He has given his command to destroy Phoenicia’s fortresses. # 23:11 Or “He has given his command to Canaan to destroy its fortresses.”
12He said, “Fair Sidon, the oppressed one,
your celebrating is over.
Rise and cross over to Cyprus;
even there you will find no rest.”
13Behold the land of the Babylonians.
They are a people who have lost their identity.
The Assyrians have made her a home for wild animals.
They erected siege towers against her,
demolished her palaces,
and made her a heap of ruins.
14Wail, you merchant ships of Tarshish,
for your fortress is destroyed.
15In that day, Tyre will remain forgotten for seventy years, equal to the life span of a king. After seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song about the prostitute:
16Take a harp and go about the city,
you prostitute long forgotten.
Make your sweet melody and sing many songs
so that you will be remembered again.
17At the end of seventy years, the Lord Yahweh will restore Tyre, but she will return to her trade. She will prostitute herself again with every kingdom of the world. 18But her merchandise and earnings will be set apart as holy to the Lord Yahweh. They will neither be stored nor hoarded, but they will supply abundant # 23:18 See John 10:10; 3 John 2. food and splendid garments for those who live in the presence of the Lord Yahweh! # 23:18 Or “for those on whom Yahweh’s face shines.” Or “for those who live before Yahweh’s face.”
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