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23 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. Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished. On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations. 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.” When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre. Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast! Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?

Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth? Yahweh 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. Yahweh 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!

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An Oracle concerning Tyre

23 The oracle concerning Tyre.

Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for your fortress is destroyed.[a]
When they came in from Cyprus
    they learned of it.(A)
Be still, O inhabitants of the coast,
    O merchants of Sidon;
your messengers crossed over the sea[b](B)
    and were on the mighty waters;
your revenue[c] was the grain of Shihor,
    the harvest of the Nile;
    you were the merchant of the nations.(C)
Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken,
    the fortress of the sea, saying:
“I have neither labored nor given birth;
    I have neither reared young men
    nor brought up young women.”(D)
When the report comes to Egypt,
    they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.
Cross over to Tarshish—
    wail, O inhabitants of the coast!
Is this your exultant city
    whose origin is from days of old,
whose feet carried her
    to settle far away?(E)
Who has planned this
    against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants were princes,
    whose traders were the honored of the earth?
The Lord of hosts has planned it—
    to defile the pride of all glory,
    to shame all the honored of the earth.(F)
10 Cross over to your own land,
    O ships of[d] Tarshish;
    this is a harbor[e] no more.
11 He has stretched out his hand over the sea;
    he has shaken the kingdoms;
the Lord has given command concerning Canaan,
    to destroy its fortresses.(G)
12 He said:
“You will exult no longer,
    O oppressed virgin daughter Sidon;
rise, cross over to Cyprus—
    even there you will have no rest.”(H)

13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans! This is the people; it was not Assyria. They destined it for wild animals.[f] They erected their siege towers; they tore down her palaces; they made her a ruin.(I)

14 Wail, O ships of Tarshish,
    for your fortress is destroyed.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 23.1 Cn: Heb for it is destroyed, without houses
  2. 23.2 Q ms: MT crossing over the sea, they replenished you
  3. 23.3 Heb its
  4. 23.10 Cn Compare Gk: Heb like the Nile, daughter
  5. 23.10 Cn: Heb restraint
  6. 23.13 Or This is the people that was not. Assyria founded it for its fleet.