Isaiah 23

1The 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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

8Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of 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.footnote c

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

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.footnote efootnote ffootnote g

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.

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.

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

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.footnote h

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

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.

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.footnote i

The Burden against Tyre

1This is the burden against Tyre:Wail, O ships of Tarshish,footnote afor Tyre is laid waste,without house or harbor.Word has reached themfrom the land of Cyprus.footnote b 2Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland,you merchants of Sidon,whose traders have crossed the sea.footnote c 3On the great waterscame the grain of Shihor;the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre;she was the merchant of the nations. 4Be ashamed, O Sidon, the stronghold of the sea,for the sea has spoken:“I have not been in laboror given birth.I have not raised young menor brought up young women.” 5When the report reaches Egypt,they will writhe in agony over the news of Tyre.

6Cross over to Tarshish;wail, O inhabitants of the coastland! 7Is this your jubilant city,whose origin is from antiquity,whose feet have taken herto settle far away? 8Who planned this against Tyre,the bestower of crowns,whose traders are princes,whose merchants are renowned on the earth? 9The LORD of Hosts planned it,to defile all its glorious beauty,to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.

10Cultivatefootnote dyour land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish;there is no longer a harbor. 11The LORD has stretched out His hand over the sea;He has made kingdoms tremble.He has given a commandthat the strongholds of Canaan be destroyed. 12He said, “You shall rejoice no more,O oppressed Virgin Daughter of Sidon.Get up and cross over to Cyprus—even there you will find no rest.”

13Look at the land of the Chaldeansfootnote e—a people now of no account.The Assyrians destined it for the desert creatures;they set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces.They brought it to ruin.

14Wail, O ships of Tarshish,for your harbor has been destroyed!

15At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

16“Take up your harp,stroll through the city,O forgotten harlot.Make sweet melody,sing many a song,so you will be remembered.”

17And at the end of seventy years, the LORD will restore Tyre. Then she will return to hire as a prostitute and sell herself to all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. 18Yet her profits and wages will be set apart to the LORD; they will not be stored or saved, for her profit will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothing.