Isaiah 23
1 A message about Tyre. Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish! Tyre has been destroyed—nothing is left of the houses and the harbor. They heard the news from the people of Cyprus.
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.
2 Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors.
Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.
3 Egyptian grain came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.
On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.
4 Feel the shame, Sidon! For the fortress of the sea says, “I have no children, having never been in labor or given birth. I have not brought up young men or brought up young women.”
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.”
5 When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.
6 Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!
7 Is this really your triumphant city, whose beginnings are from the distant past, who has sent out people to colonize faraway places?
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?
8 Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!
Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
9 The Lord Almighty planned it, to humble its pride in all its glory, and to bring down all who receive worldly honor.
The LORD of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
10 Work your land, people of Tarshish, as they do beside the Nile, for you don't have a harbor anymore.
Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.
11 The Lord held his hand out over the sea and shook kingdoms. He has condemned Phoenicia, giving the order to destroy their fortresses.
He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.
12 He said, “Don't celebrate any more, mistreated virgin daughter of Sidon. Go and sail over to Cyprus—however, even there you won't find rest.”
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 Look at the country of the Babylonians, this people that are not as they used to be! The Assyrians have turned it into a place for desert animals. They set up their siege towers, they demolished the fortresses, and ruined the country.
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people did not 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, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!
15 At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, a king's lifetime, as it were. But at the end of these seventy years, Tyre will be like the song about a prostitute,
It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.
16 “Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!”
Take a harp; go about the city, you prostitute that has been forgotten. Make sweet melody. Sing many songs, that you may be remembered.
17 After seventy years, the Lord will restore Tyre. But then she will go back to hiring herself out as a prostitute, selling herself to all the kingdoms of the world.
It will happen after the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. She will return to her wages, and will play the prostitute with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.
18 However, her profits and what she earns will consecrated to the Lord. They won't be kept or saved up, for her business earnings will go to those who worship the Lord, to provide them with plenty of food and good clothes.
Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to the LORD. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
