Isaiah 23

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.

1This is a message of trouble for Tyre, a rich city by the sea. Cry out loud, you big trading ships of Tarshish! Tyre is ruined. No houses are left. There is no harbor to sail into. The sailors got the news back on the island of Cyprus.

Note"Howl" here means cry out loud in sadness. Chittim is the island of Cyprus. Ships of Tarshish were the largest trading ships people knew.

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

2Be quiet, you people who live along the coast. Traders from Sidon sailed across the sea. They filled your city with goods and made you rich.

NoteIn 1611 English, "replenished" meant filled up, not filled again.

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

3Grain came over the wide waters from the Nile River in Egypt. That harvest was the money Tyre lived on. Tyre was the market where all nations came to trade.

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.

4Feel shame, Sidon, you strong city beside the sea. The sea itself has spoken. It says, "I never had children. I never raised young men. I never brought up young women."

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

5When Egypt hears the news about Tyre, the people there will ache with sorrow.

6Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

6Sail away across the water to Tarshish. Cry out loud, you people who live along the coast.

7Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

7Is this your happy city? It has stood since very long ago. Now her own feet will carry her far away to live in another land.

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

8Who planned this trouble for Tyre? Tyre was the city that put crowns on kings. Her traders were like princes. Her merchants were famous all over 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.

9The LORD of Hosts planned it. That name means God who leads the armies of heaven. He did it to spoil all her proud beauty. He did it to shame the famous people of the earth.

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

10Spread out over your own land like a river, people of Tarshish. There is no harbor left for you now.

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.

11The LORD stretched out his hand over the sea. He made kingdoms shake with fear. He gave the order against the trading city. Its strong walls and towers are to be torn down.

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.

12He said, "You will never be happy again, city of Sidon. You are like a young girl who has been hurt. Get up and sail to Cyprus. Even there you will find 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.

13Look at the land of the Chaldeans. That people counts for nothing now. The Assyrians left it for wild animals of the desert. They built tall towers to attack it. They stripped its palaces bare. They left the whole place in ruins.

14Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

14Cry out loud, you ships of Tarshish. The harbor that made you strong is destroyed.

15And 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.

15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years. That is as long as one king lives. When the seventy years are over, Tyre will be like the woman in the old song.

NoteA harlot is a woman who sells her body for money. The chapter uses that picture for the city selling its goods again.

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

16"Pick up your harp. Walk around the city, forgotten woman. Play sweet music. Sing many songs. Then people will remember you."

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.

17When the seventy years are over, the LORD will come back to help Tyre. She will go back to selling herself for pay. She will do this with every kingdom on 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.

18But the money she earns will be set apart for the LORD. It will not be piled up or locked away. It will go to the people who serve the LORD. They will have plenty of food and good clothes that last.

Note"Holiness to the LORD" means set apart for God, kept for his use.