Isaiah 23
1 A declaration about Tyre: Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for there is neither home nor harbor; from the land of Cyprus it has been revealed to them.
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 Be silent, you inhabitants of the coast; the merchant of Sidon, who travels over the sea, has filled you.
Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.
3 Upon the great waters was the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile was her produce; and it became the commerce of 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 Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the mighty one of the sea. He says, “I have not labored nor given birth, nor have I raised young men nor 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 report comes to Egypt, they will be grieved concerning Tyre.
When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.
6 Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you inhabitants of the coast.
Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!
7 Has this happened to you, the joyful city, whose origin is from ancient times, whose feet carried her far away to foreign places to settle?
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?
8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honored ones of the earth?
Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
9 Yahweh of hosts has planned it to dishonor her pride and all her glory, to shame all her honored ones of the earth.
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 Plow your land, as one plows the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no longer a marketplace in Tyre.
Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.
11 Yahweh has reached out with his hand over the sea, and he has shaken the kingdoms; he has given a command concerning Phoenicia, to destroy the strongholds.
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, “You will not rejoice again, oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon; arise, pass over to Cyprus; but neither there you will have 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 See the land of the Chaldeans. This people has ceased to be; the Assyrians have made it a wilderness for wild animals. They set up their siege towers; they demolished its palaces; they made it a heap of ruins.
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, you ships of Tarshish; for your refuge has been destroyed.
Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!
15 In that day, Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of a king. After the end of seventy years there will happen in Tyre something like in the song of the 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 harp, go about the city, you forgotten prostitute; play it well, sing many songs, so that you may be remembered.
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 It will come about that after seventy years, Yahweh will help Tyre, and she will start making money again by doing the work of a prostitute, and she will offer her services to all the kingdoms of the earth.
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 Her profits and earnings will be set apart to Yahweh. They will not be stored up or kept in the treasury, for her profits will be given to those who live in Yahweh's presence and will be used to supply them with abundant food and so they can have the best quality clothing.
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.
