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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Isaiah 23: TPT
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