Isaiah 23
1 The 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 Kittim it is revealed to them.
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.
2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the coast-land; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
Stay shocked into silence, people of the coastlands, merchants of Sidon, and sailors.
3 And on great waters the seed of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.
Egyptian grain came across the wide oceans. The Nile's harvest was what made Tyre money; she was the merchant to the nations.
4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying: 'I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I reared young men, nor brought up virgins.'
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.”
5 When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
When the news about Tyre reaches Egypt they will be in agony.
6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the coast-land.
Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
7 Is this your joyous city, whose feet in antiquity, in ancient days, carried her afar off to sojourn?
Is this really your triumphant city, whose beginnings are from the distant past, who has sent out people to colonize faraway places?
8 Who hath devised this against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
Who planned this attack on Tyre? Tyre, who created kingdoms, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were honored around the world!
9 The LORD of hosts hath devised it, to pollute the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
The Lord Almighty planned it, to humble its pride in all its glory, and to bring down all who receive worldly honor.
10 Overflow thy land as the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish! there is no girdle any more.
Work your land, people of Tarshish, as they do beside the Nile, for you don't have a harbor anymore.
11 He hath stretched out His hand over the sea, He hath shaken the kingdoms; the LORD hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof;
The Lord held his hand out over the sea and shook kingdoms. He has condemned Phoenicia, giving the order to destroy their fortresses.
12 And He said: 'Thou shalt no more rejoice.' O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Zidon, arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest.
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.”
13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans — this is the people that was not, when Asshur founded it for shipmen — they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; it is made a ruin.
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.
14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste.
Howl, people on the ships of Tarshish because your fortress is destroyed!
15 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 it shall fare with Tyre as in the song of the harlot:
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,
16 Take a harp, go about the city, thou harlot long forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
“Take a lyre and walk around the city, forgotten prostitute! Play and sing so people will remember you!”
17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will remember Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall have commerce with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
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.
18 And her gain and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her gain shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat their fill, and for stately clothing.
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.
