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. Wail, all of you 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.
2 Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors.
Be still, all of you inhabitants of the isle; you whom the merchants of Zidon, 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.
And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a merchant 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 you ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea has 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.
5 When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
6 Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
Pass all of you over to Tarshish; wail, all of you inhabitants of the isle.
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? her own feet shall carry her far off to sojourn.
8 Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!
Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable 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 hosts has purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable 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 as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
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 stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD has given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
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.”
And he said, You shall no more rejoice, O you oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shall you 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 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.
14 Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
Wail, all of you ships of Tarshish: for your strength 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,
And 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.
16 “Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!”
Take an harp, go about the city, you harlot that have 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.
And 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.
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.
And 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.
