Proclamation Against Tyre

23 The (A)burden[a] against Tyre.

Wail, you ships of Tarshish!
For it is laid waste,
So that there is no house, no harbor;
From the land of [b]Cyprus it is revealed to them.

Be still, you inhabitants of the coastland,
You merchants of Sidon,
[c]Whom those who cross the sea have filled.
And on great waters the grain of Shihor,
The harvest of [d]the River, is her revenue;
And (B)she is a marketplace for the nations.

Be ashamed, O Sidon;
For the sea has spoken,
The strength of the sea, saying,
“I do not labor, nor bring forth children;
Neither do I rear young men,
Nor bring up virgins.”
(C)When the report reaches Egypt,
They also will be in agony at the report of Tyre.

Cross over to Tarshish;
Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland!
Is this your (D)joyous city,
Whose antiquity is from ancient days,
Whose feet carried her far off to dwell?
Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, (E)the crowning city,
Whose merchants are princes,
Whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
The Lord of hosts has (F)purposed it,
To [e]bring to dishonor the (G)pride of all glory,
To bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

10 Overflow through your land like [f]the River,
O daughter of Tarshish;
There is no more [g]strength.
11 He stretched out His hand over the sea,
He shook the kingdoms;
The Lord has given a commandment (H)against Canaan
To destroy its strongholds.
12 And He said, “You will rejoice no more,
O you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon.
Arise, (I)cross over to Cyprus;
There also you will have no rest.”

13 Behold, the land of the (J)Chaldeans,
This people which was not;
Assyria founded it for (K)wild beasts of the desert.
They set up its towers,
They raised up its palaces,
And brought it to ruin.

14 (L)Wail, you ships of Tarshish!
For your strength is laid waste.

15 Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

16 “Take a harp, go about the city,
You forgotten harlot;
Make sweet melody, sing many songs,
That you may be remembered.”

17 And it shall be, at the end of seventy years, that the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her hire, and (M)commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. 18 Her gain and her pay (N)will be set apart for the Lord; it will not be treasured nor laid up, for her gain will be for those who dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for [h]fine clothing.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 23:1 oracle, prophecy
  2. Isaiah 23:1 Heb. Kittim, western lands, especially Cyprus
  3. Isaiah 23:2 So with MT, Vg.; LXX, Tg. Passing over the water; DSS Your messengers passing over the sea
  4. Isaiah 23:3 The Nile
  5. Isaiah 23:9 pollute
  6. Isaiah 23:10 The Nile
  7. Isaiah 23:10 restraint, lit. belt
  8. Isaiah 23:18 choice

23 מַשָּׂ֖א צֹ֑ר הֵילִ֣ילוּ׀ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ כִּֽי־שֻׁדַּ֤ד מִבַּ֙יִת֙ מִבּ֔וֹא מֵאֶ֥רֶץ כִּתִּ֖ים נִגְלָה־לָֽמוֹ׃

דֹּ֖מּוּ יֹ֣שְׁבֵי אִ֑י סֹחֵ֥ר צִיד֛וֹן עֹבֵ֥ר יָ֖ם מִלְאֽוּךְ׃

וּבְמַ֤יִם רַבִּים֙ זֶ֣רַע שִׁחֹ֔ר קְצִ֥יר יְא֖וֹר תְּבֽוּאָתָ֑הּ וַתְּהִ֖י סְחַ֥ר גּוֹיִֽם׃

בּ֣וֹשִׁי צִיד֔וֹן כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר יָ֔ם מָע֥וֹז הַיָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־חַ֣לְתִּי וְלֹֽא־יָלַ֗דְתִּי וְלֹ֥א גִדַּ֛לְתִּי בַּחוּרִ֖ים רוֹמַ֥מְתִּי בְתוּלֽוֹת׃

כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־שֵׁ֖מַע לְמִצְרָ֑יִם יָחִ֖ילוּ כְּשֵׁ֥מַע צֹֽר׃

עִבְר֖וּ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי אִֽי׃

הֲזֹ֥את לָכֶ֖ם עַלִּיזָ֑ה מִֽימֵי־קֶ֤דֶם קַדְמָתָהּ֙ יֹבִל֣וּהָ רַגְלֶ֔יהָ מֵֽרָח֖וֹק לָגֽוּר׃

מִ֚י יָעַ֣ץ זֹ֔את עַל־צֹ֖ר הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֤ר סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙ שָׂרִ֔ים כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָ נִכְבַּדֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

יְהוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת יְעָצָ֑הּ לְחַלֵּל֙ גְּא֣וֹן כָּל־צְבִ֔י לְהָקֵ֖ל כָּל־נִכְבַּדֵּי־אָֽרֶץ׃

10 עִבְרִ֥י אַרְצֵ֖ךְ כַּיְאֹ֑ר בַּת־תַּרְשִׁ֕ישׁ אֵ֖ין מֵ֥זַח עֽוֹד׃

11 יָדוֹ֙ נָטָ֣ה עַל־הַיָּ֔ם הִרְגִּ֖יז מַמְלָכ֑וֹת יְהוָה֙ צִוָּ֣ה אֶל־כְּנַ֔עַן לַשְׁמִ֖ד מָעֻזְנֶֽיהָ׃

12 וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לֹֽא־תוֹסִ֥יפִי ע֖וֹד לַעְל֑וֹז הַֽמְעֻשָּׁקָ֞ה בְּתוּלַ֣ת בַּת־צִיד֗וֹן ׳כִּתִּיִּים׳ ״כִּתִּים֙״ ק֣וּמִי עֲבֹ֔רִי גַּם־שָׁ֖ם לֹא־יָנ֥וּחַֽ לָֽךְ׃

13 הֵ֣ן׀ אֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים זֶ֤ה הָעָם֙ לֹ֣א הָיָ֔ה אַשּׁ֖וּר יְסָדָ֣הּ לְצִיִּ֑ים הֵקִ֣ימוּ ׳בְחִינָיו׳ ״בַחוּנָ֗יו״ עֹרְרוּ֙ אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שָׂמָ֖הּ לְמַפֵּלָֽה׃

14 הֵילִ֖ילוּ אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּ֥י שֻׁדַּ֖ד מָעֻזְּכֶֽן׃ ס

15 וְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְנִשְׁכַּ֤חַת צֹר֙ שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה כִּימֵ֖י מֶ֣לֶךְ אֶחָ֑ד מִקֵּ֞ץ שִׁבְעִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה לְצֹ֔ר כְּשִׁירַ֖ת הַזּוֹנָֽה׃

16 קְחִ֥י כִנּ֛וֹר סֹ֥בִּי עִ֖יר זוֹנָ֣ה נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה הֵיטִ֤יבִי נַגֵּן֙ הַרְבִּי־שִׁ֔יר לְמַ֖עַן תִּזָּכֵֽרִי׃

17 וְהָיָ֞ה מִקֵּ֣ץ׀ שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יִפְקֹ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־צֹ֔ר וְשָׁבָ֖ה לְאֶתְנַנָּ֑ה וְזָֽנְתָ֛ה אֶת־כָּל־מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָ֖רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

18 וְהָיָ֨ה סַחְרָ֜הּ וְאֶתְנַנָּ֗הּ קֹ֚דֶשׁ לַֽיהוָ֔ה לֹ֥א יֵֽאָצֵ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יֵֽחָסֵ֑ן כִּ֣י לַיֹּשְׁבִ֞ים לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה סַחְרָ֔הּ לֶאֱכֹ֥ל לְשָׂבְעָ֖ה וְלִמְכַסֶּ֥ה עָתִֽיק׃ פ

23 The Burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, For it hath been destroyed, Without house, without entrance, From the land of Chittim it was revealed to them.

Be silent, ye inhabitants of the isle, Trader of Zidon, passing the sea, they filled thee.

And in many waters [is] the seed of Sihor, The harvest of the brook [is] her increase, And she is a mart of nations.

Be ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea spake, The strength of the sea, saying: `I have not been pained, nor have I brought forth, Nor have I nourished young men, [nor] brought up virgins.'

As [at] the report of Egypt they are pained, So [at] the report of Tyre.

Pass over to Tarshish, howl, ye inhabitants of the isle,

Is this your exulting one? From the days of old [is] her antiquity, Carry her do her own feet afar off to sojourn.

Who hath counselled this against Tyre, The crowning one, whose traders [are] princes, Her merchants the honoured of earth?'

Jehovah of Hosts hath counselled it, To pollute the excellency of all beauty, To make light all the honoured of earth.

10 Pass through thy land as a brook, Daughter of Tarshish, there is no more a girdle.

11 His hand He hath stretched out over the sea, He hath caused kingdoms to tremble, Jehovah hath charged concerning the merchant one, To destroy her strong places.

12 And He saith, `Thou dost not add any more to exult, O oppressed one, virgin daughter of Zidon, To Chittim arise, pass over, Even there -- there is no rest for thee.'

13 Lo, the land of the Chaldeans -- this people was not, Asshur founded it for the Ziim, They raised its watch-towers, They lifted up her palaces, -- He hath appointed her for a ruin!

14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, For your strength hath been destroyed.

15 And it hath come to pass, in that day, That forgotten is Tyre seventy years, According to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years there is to Tyre as the song of the harlot.

16 Take a harp, go round the city, O forgotten harlot, play well, Multiply song that thou mayest be remembered.

17 And it hath come to pass, At the end of seventy years Jehovah inspecteth Tyre, And she hath repented of her gift, That she committed fornication With all kingdoms of the earth on the face of the ground.

18 And her merchandise and her gift have been holy to Jehovah, Not treasured up nor stored, For to those sitting before Jehovah is her merchandise, To eat to satiety, and for a lasting covering!

The Fall of Tyre

23 The pronouncement concerning (A)Tyre:

Wail, you (B)ships of (C)Tarshish,
For Tyre is destroyed, without house or [a](D)harbor;
It is reported to them from the land of [b](E)Cyprus.
(F)Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland,
You merchants of Sidon;
[c]Your messengers crossed the sea
And were on many waters.
(G)The grain of the [d](H)Nile, the harvest of the River was her revenue;
And she was the (I)market of nations.
Be ashamed, (J)Sidon,
For the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying,
“I have neither been in labor nor given birth,
I have neither brought up young men nor raised virgins.”
When the report reaches Egypt,
They will be in (K)anguish over the report of Tyre.
Pass over to (L)Tarshish;
Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland.
Is this your (M)jubilant city,
Whose origin is from antiquity,
Whose feet used to bring her to [e]colonize distant places?

Who has planned this against Tyre, (N)the bestower of crowns,
Whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?
(O)The Lord of armies has planned it, to (P)defile the pride of all beauty,
To despise all the (Q)honored of the earth.
10 [f]Overflow your land like the Nile, you daughter of Tarshish,
There is no more [g]restraint.
11 He has (R)stretched His hand out (S)over the sea,
He has (T)made the kingdoms tremble;
The Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to (U)demolish its strongholds.

12 He has said, “(V)You shall not be jubilant anymore, you crushed virgin daughter of Sidon.
Arise, pass over to [h](W)Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.”

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people that did not exist; (X)Assyria allocated it for (Y)desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, (Z)they made it a ruin.

14 Wail, you (AA)ships of Tarshish,
For your stronghold is destroyed.

15 Now on that day Tyre will be forgotten for (AB)seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

16 Take your harp, wander around the city,
You forgotten prostitute;
Pluck the strings skillfully, sing many songs,
That you may be remembered.

17 It will come about at (AC)the end of seventy years that the Lord will visit Tyre. Then she will go back to her prostitute’s wages and (AD)commit prostitution with all the kingdoms [i]on the face of the earth. 18 Her (AE)profit and her prostitute’s wages will be (AF)sacred to the Lord; it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her profit will become sufficient food and magnificent attire for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 23:1 Lit entering
  2. Isaiah 23:1 Heb Kittim
  3. Isaiah 23:2 As in DSS; MT Who passed over the sea, they replenished you
  4. Isaiah 23:3 Heb Shihor
  5. Isaiah 23:7 Lit sojourn afar off
  6. Isaiah 23:10 Lit Pass over
  7. Isaiah 23:10 Perhaps girdle or shipyard
  8. Isaiah 23:12 Heb Kittim
  9. Isaiah 23:17 Lit of the earth on the face of the land