23:1ffIsaiah's prophecies against other nations began in the east with Babylon (chapter 13) and ended in the west with Tyre in Phoenicia. Tyre was one of the most famous cities of the ancient world, A major trading center with a large seaport, Tyre was very wealthy and very evil. Tyre was rebuked by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:22, 27; 47:4), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 26-28), Joel (Joel 3:4-8), Amos (Amos 1:9, 10}, and Zechariah (Zechariah 9:3, 4). This is another warning against political alliances with unstable neighbors.
Life Application Study BibleIsaiahChapter 23
Isaiah 23
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1124, 1125, 1126
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
23Isaiah 23
A Message about Tyre
123 This message came to me concerning Tyre:Weep, O ships of Tarshish,for the harbor and houses of Tyre are gone!The rumors you heard in Cyprus*are all true.
2Mourn in silence, you people of the coastand you merchants of Sidon.
Your traders crossed the sea,3 _ sailing over deep waters.They brought you grain from Egypt*and harvests from along the Nile.You were the marketplace of the world.
4But now you are put to shame, city of Sidon,for Tyre, the fortress of the sea, says,“Now I am childless;Thave no sons or daughters.”
5When Egypt hears the news about Tyre,there will be great sorrow.
6Send word now to Tarshish!Wail, you people who live in distant lands!
7Is this silent ruin all that is left of your once joyous city?Whata long history was yours!Think of all the colonists you sent to distant places.
8Who has brought this disaster on Tyre,that great creator of kingdoms?Her traders were ail princes,her merchants were nobles.
9The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has done itto destroy your prideand bring low all earth’s nobility.
10Come, people of Tarshish,sweep over the land like the flooding Nile,for Tyre is defenseless.*
11The LORD held out his hand over the seaand shook the kingdoms of the earth.He has spoken out against Phoenicia,*ordering that her fortresses be destroyed.
12He says, “Never again will you rejoice,O daughter of Sidon, for you have been crushed.Even if you flee to Cyprus,you will find no rest.”
13Look at the land of Babylonia*—the people of that land are gone!The Assyrians have handed Babylon overto the wild animals of the desert.They have built siege ramps against its walls,torn down its palaces,and turned it to a heap of rubble.
14Wail, O ships of Tarshish,for your harbor is destroyed!
15For seventy years, the length of a king’s life, Tyre will be forgotten. But then the city will come back to life as in the song about the prostitute: 16Take a harp and walk the streets, you forgotten harlot. Make sweet melody and sing your songs so you will be remembered again. 17Yes, after seventy years the LORD will revive Tyre. But she will be no different than she was before. She will again be a prostitute to all kingdoms around the world. 18But in the end her profits will be given to the LORD. Her wealth will not be hoarded but will provide good food and fine clothing for the LORD’s priests.
3. God’s purpose in judgment
Destruction of the Earth2 4 1 Look! The LORD is about to destroy the earthand make it a vast wasteland.He devastates the surface of the earth
Textual footnotes
- 23:1 Hebrew Kittim; also in 23:12.
- 23:3 Hebrew from Shihor, a branch of the Nile River.
- 23:10 The meaning of the Hebrew in this verse is uncertain.
- 23:11 Hebrew Canaan.
- 23:13 Or Chaidea.
Life Application Notes 4 notes
23:5Why would Egypt experience “great sorrow” when Tyre fell? Egypt depended on Tyre’s shipping expertise to promote and carry their products around the world. Egypt would lose an important trading partner with the fall of Tyre.
23:9God would destroy Tyre because he hated its people's pride. Pride separates people from God, and he will not tolerate it. As we examine our life, we must remember that all true accomplishment comes as a result of our Creator's help. We have no reason to take pride in ourselves.
23:15,16Some scholars believe this is a literal 70 years; some say it is symbolic of a tong period of time. If it is literal, this may have occurred between 700 and 630 B.C. during the Assyrian captivity of Israel, or it may have been during the 70-year captivity of the Jews in Babylon (605~536 B.C.). During the 70 years, the Jews would forget about Tyre. But when they returned from captivity, they would once again trade with Tyre. 24-27 These four chapters are often called “Isaiah’s Apocalypse.” They discuss God’s judgment on the entire world for its sin. Isaiah’s prophecies were first directed to Judah, then to Israel, then to the surrounding nations, and finally to the whole world. These chapters describe the last days when God will judge the whole world. At that time he will finally and permanently remove evil.