Teks -- Isaiah 23:9-18 (NET)

23:9 The Lord who commands armies planned it– to dishonor the pride that comes from all her beauty, to humiliate all the dignitaries of the earth. 23:10 Daughter Tarshish, travel back to your land, as one crosses the Nile; there is no longer any marketplace in Tyre. 23:11 The Lord stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook kingdoms; he gave the order to destroy Canaan’s fortresses. 23:12 He said, “You will no longer celebrate, oppressed virgin daughter Sidon! Get up, travel to Cyprus, but you will find no relief there.” 23:13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans, these people who have lost their identity! The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals. They erected their siege towers, demolished its fortresses, and turned it into a heap of ruins. 23:14 Wail, you large ships, ships, for your fortress is destroyed! 23:15 At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the typical life span of a king. At the end of seventy years Tyre will try to attract attention again, like the prostitute in the popular song: 23:16 “Take the harp, go through the city, forgotten prostitute! Play it well, play lots of songs, so you’ll be noticed!” 23:17 At the end of seventy years the Lord will revive Tyre. She will start making money again by selling her services to all the earth’s kingdoms. 23:18 Her profits and earnings will be set apart for the Lord. They will not be stored up or accumulated, for her profits will be given to those who live in the Lord’s presence and will be used to purchase large quantities of food and beautiful clothes.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Isa 23:9 - The Lord

This is the Lord's own doing.

Wesley: Isa 23:9 - To stain

God's design is by this example to abase the pride of all the potentates of the earth.

Wesley: Isa 23:10 - Pass through

Tarry no longer in thy own territories, but flee through them, into other countries, for safety and relief.

Wesley: Isa 23:10 - As a river

Swiftly, lest you be prevented.

Wesley: Isa 23:10 - Tarshish

O Tyre, which might well be called daughter of Tarshish, that is, of the sea, as that word is used, Isa 23:1, and elsewhere, because it was an island, and therefore as it were, born of the sea, and nourished and brought up by it.

Wesley: Isa 23:11 - He

The Lord.

Wesley: Isa 23:11 - Shook

Heb. he made the kingdoms to tremble; the neighbouring and confederate kingdoms, who might justly quake at her fall, for the dreadfulness and unexpectedness of the thing; and because Tyre was a bulwark, and a refuge to them.

Wesley: Isa 23:11 - A commandment

Hath put this design into the hearts of her enemies, and given them courage to attempt, and strength to execute it.

Wesley: Isa 23:12 - Virgin

So he calls her, because she had hitherto never borne the yoke of a conquering enemy.

Wesley: Isa 23:12 - Zidon

Tyre may be called the daughter of Zidon, because she was first built and possessed by a colony of the Zidonians.

Wesley: Isa 23:12 - No rest

Thither thine enemies shall pursue thee, and there shall they overtake the.

Wesley: Isa 23:13 - Behold

Thou Tyrians, cast your eyes upon the Chaldeans or Babylonians; who tho' now flourishing, grow far more glorious and potent, even the glory of kingdoms, yet shall certainly be brought to utter ruin.

Wesley: Isa 23:13 - This people

The Chaldeans at first were not a people, not formed into any commonwealth or kingdom, 'till Nimrod, the head and founder of the Assyrian monarchy, built Babel, Gen 10:9-10, now the head of the Chaldean monarchy; which he built for those people, who then lived in tents, and were dispersed here and there in waste places.

Wesley: Isa 23:13 - He

The Lord.

Wesley: Isa 23:13 - To ruin

Will infallibly bring that great empire to ruin. He speaks of a future thing as if it were already past.

Wesley: Isa 23:14 - Your strength

The city of Tyre, where you found safety and wealth.

Wesley: Isa 23:15 - Forgotten

Neglected and forsaken.

Wesley: Isa 23:15 - Seventy years

During the time of the Jewish captivity in Babylon. Tyre was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 27:3, Jer 27:8; Eze 26:7, a little after the taking of Jerusalem and was restored by the favour of the Persian monarchs after the return of the Jews.

Wesley: Isa 23:15 - One king

One royal race of Nebuchadnezzar, including his son, and his son's son, in whom his family and kingdom were to expire.

Wesley: Isa 23:15 - Sing

She shall by degrees return to her former traffick, whereby she shall easily entice the merchants of the world to trade with her, as harlots use to entice men by lascivious songs.

Wesley: Isa 23:16 - Go about

As harlots use to do.

Wesley: Isa 23:16 - Thou harlot

So he calls Tyre, because she enticed the merchants to deal with her by various artifices, and even by dishonest practices, and because of the great and general uncleanness which was committed in it.

Wesley: Isa 23:17 - Visit

In mercy.

Wesley: Isa 23:17 - Her hire

The Hebrew word properly signifies, the hire of an harlot.

Wesley: Isa 23:17 - Fornication

Shall trade promiscuously with people of all nations, as harlots entertain all comers.

Wesley: Isa 23:18 - Holiness

This is a prophecy concerning the conversion of the Tyrians to the true religion.

Wesley: Isa 23:18 - Laid up

Either out of covetousness, or for their pride and luxury, as they formerly did; but now they shall freely lay it out upon pious and charitable uses.

Wesley: Isa 23:18 - Shall be

For the support and encouragement of the ministers of holy things, who shall teach the good knowledge of the Lord. Although this does not exclude, but rather imply their liberality in contributing to the necessities of all Christians.

JFB: Isa 23:9

Whoever be the instruments in overthrowing haughty sinners, God, who has all hosts at His command, is the First Cause (Isa 10:5-7).

JFB: Isa 23:9 - stain

Rather, "to profane"; as in Exo 31:14, the Sabbath, and other objects of religious reverence; so here, "the pride of all glory" may refer to the Tyrian temple of Hercules, the oldest in the world, according to ARRIAN (Isa 2:16); the prophet of the true God would naturally single out for notice the idol of Tyre [G. V. SMITH]. It may, however, be a general proposition; the destruction of Tyre will exhibit to all how God mars the luster of whatever is haughty (Isa 2:11).

JFB: Isa 23:10 - a river

Hebrew, "the river," namely, Nile.

JFB: Isa 23:10 - daughter of Tarshish

Tyre and its inhabitants (Isa 1:8), about henceforth, owing to the ruin of Tyre, to become inhabitants of its colony, Tartessus: they would pour forth from Tyre, as waters flow on when the barriers are removed [LOWTH]. Rather, Tarshish, or Tartessus and its inhabitants, as the phrase usually means: they had been kept in hard bondage, working in silver and lead mines near Tarshish, by the parent city (Eze 26:17): but now "the bond of restraint" (for so "strength," Margin, "girdle," that is, bond, Psa 2:3, ought to be translated) is removed, since Tyre is no more.

JFB: Isa 23:11 - He

Jehovah.

JFB: Isa 23:11 - kingdoms

The Phœnician cities and colonies.

JFB: Isa 23:11 - the merchant city

Rather, Canaan, meaning the north of it, namely, Phœnicia. On their coins, they call their country Canaan.

JFB: Isa 23:12 - he

God.

JFB: Isa 23:12 - rejoice

Riotously (Isa 23:7).

JFB: Isa 23:12 - oppressed

"deflowered"; laying aside the figure "taken by storm"; the Arabs compare a city never taken to an undefiled virgin (compare Nah 3:5, &c.).

JFB: Isa 23:12 - daughter of Zidon

Tyre: or else, sons of Zidon, that is, the whole land and people of Phœnicia (see on Isa 23:2) [MAURER].

JFB: Isa 23:12 - Chittim

Citium in Cyprus (Isa 23:1).

JFB: Isa 23:12 - there also . . . no rest

Thy colonies, having been harshly treated by thee, will now repay thee in kind (see on Isa 23:10). But VITRINGA refers it to the calamities which befell the Tyrians in their settlements subsequently, namely, Sicily, Corcyra, Carthage, and Spain, all flowing from the original curse of Noah against the posterity of Canaan (Gen 9:25-27).

JFB: Isa 23:13 - Behold

Calling attention to the fact, so humiliating to Tyre, that a people of yesterday, like the Chaldees, should destroy the most ancient of cities, Tyre.

JFB: Isa 23:13 - was not

Had no existence as a recognized nation; the Chaldees were previously but a rude, predatory people (Job 1:17).

JFB: Isa 23:13 - Assyrian founded it

The Chaldees ("them that dwell in the wilderness") lived a nomadic life in the mountains of Armenia originally (Arphaxad, in Gen 10:22, refers to such a region of Assyria near Armenia), north and east of Assyria proper. Some may have settled in Mesopotamia and Babylonia very early and given origin to the astrologers called Chaldees in later times. But most of the people had been transferred only a little before the time of this prophecy from their original seats in the north to Mesopotamia, and soon afterwards to South Babylonia. "Founded it," means "assigned it (the land) to them who had (heretofore) dwelt in the wilderness" as a permanent settlement (so in Psa 104:8) [MAURER]. It was the Assyrian policy to infuse into their own population of the plain the fresh blood of hardy mountaineers, for the sake of recruiting their armies. Ultimately the Chaldees, by their powerful priest-caste, gained the supremacy and established the later or Chaldean empire. HORSLEY refers it to Tyre, founded by an Assyrian race.

JFB: Isa 23:13 - towers thereof

Namely, of Babylon, whose towers, HERODOTUS says, were "set up" by the Assyrians [BARNES]. Rather, "The Chaldees set up their siege-towers" against Tyre, made for the attack of high walls, from which the besiegers hurled missiles, as depicted in the Assyrian sculptures [G. V. SMITH].

JFB: Isa 23:13 - raised up

Rather, "They lay bare," namely, the foundations of "her (Tyre's) palaces," that is, utterly overthrew them (Psa 137:7).

JFB: Isa 23:14 - strength

Stronghold (compare Eze 26:15-18).

JFB: Isa 23:15 - forgotten

Having lost its former renown, Tyre shall be in obscurity.

JFB: Isa 23:15 - seventy years

(so Jer 25:11-12; Jer 29:10).

JFB: Isa 23:15 - days of one king

That is, a dynasty. The Babylonian monarchy lasted properly but seventy years. From the first year of Nebuchadnezzar to the taking of Babylon, by Cyrus, was seventy years; then the subjected nations would be restored to liberty. Tyre was taken in the middle of that period, but it is classed in common with the rest, some conquered sooner and others later, all, however, alike to be delivered at the end of the period. So "king" is used for dynasty (Dan 7:17; Dan 8:20): Nebuchadnezzar, his son Evil-merodach, and his grandson, Belshazzar, formed the whole dynasty (Jer 25:11-12; Jer 27:7; Jer 29:10).

JFB: Isa 23:15 - shall Tyre sing as . . . harlot

It shall be to Tyre as the song of the harlot, namely, a harlot that has been forgotten, but who attracts notice again by her song. Large marts of commerce are often compared to harlots seeking many lovers, that is, they court merchants of all nations, and admit any one for the sake of gain (Nah 3:4; Rev 18:3). Covetousness is closely akin to idolatry and licentiousness, as the connection (Eph 5:5; Col 3:5) proves (compare Isa 2:6-8, Isa 2:16).

JFB: Isa 23:16

Same figure [Isa 23:15] to express that Tyre would again prosper and attract commercial intercourse of nations to her, and be the same joyous, self-indulging city as before.

JFB: Isa 23:17 - visit

Not in wrath, but mercy.

JFB: Isa 23:17 - hire

Image from a harlot: her gains by commerce. After the Babylonian dynasty was ended, Tyre was rebuilt; also, again, after the destruction under Alexander.

JFB: Isa 23:18 - merchandise . . . holiness

Her traffic and gains shall at last (long after the restoration mentioned in Isa 23:17) be consecrated to Jehovah. Jesus Christ visited the neighborhood of Tyre (Mat 15:21); Paul found disciples there (Act 21:3-6); it early became a Christian bishopric, but the full evangelization of that whole race, as of the Ethiopians (Isa 18:1-7), of the Egyptians and Assyrians (Isa. 19:1-25), is yet to come (Isa 60:5).

JFB: Isa 23:18 - not treasured

But freely expended in His service.

JFB: Isa 23:18 - them that dwell before the Lord

The ministers of religion. But HORSLEY translates, "them that sit before Jehovah" as disciples.

JFB: Isa 23:18 - durable clothing

Changes of raiment constituted much of the wealth of former days.

JFB: Isa 23:18 - The four chapters (the twenty-fourth through the twenty-seventh) form one continuous poetical prophecy: descriptive of the dispersion and successive calamities of the Jews (Isa 24:1-12); the preaching of the Gospel by the first Hebrew converts throughout the world (Isa 24:13-16); the judgments on the adversaries of the Church and its final triumph (Isa 24:16-23); thanksgiving for the overthrow of the apostate faction (Isa 25:1-12), and establishment of the righteous in lasting peace (Isa. 26:1-21); judgment on leviathan and entire purgation of the Church (Isa 27:1-13). Having treated of the several nations in particular

Babylon, Philistia, Moab, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Edom, and Tyre (the miniature representative of all, as all kingdoms flocked into it)--he passes to the last times of the world at large and of Judah the representative and future head of the churches.

Clarke: Isa 23:10 - O daughter of Tarshish

O daughter of Tarshish - Tyre is called the daughter of Tarshish; perhaps because, Tyre being ruined, Tarshish was become the superior city, and might be considered as the metropolis of the Tyrian people; or rather because of the close connection and perpetual intercourse between them, according to that latitude of signification in which the Hebrews use the words son and daughter to express any sort of conjunction and dependence whatever. מזח mezach , a girdle, which collects, binds, and keeps together the loose raiment, when applied to a river, may mean a mound, mole, or artificial dam, which contains the waters and prevents them from spreading abroad. A city taken by siege and destroyed, whose walls are demolished, whose policy is dissolved, whose wealth is dissipated, whose people is scattered over the wide country, is compared to a river whose banks are broken down, and whose waters, let loose and overflowing all the neighboring plains, are wasted and lost. This may possibly be the meaning of this very obscure verse, of which I can find no other interpretation that is at all satisfactory. - L.

Clarke: Isa 23:13 - Behold the land of the Chaldeans

Behold the land of the Chaldeans - This verse is extremely obscure; the obscurity arises from the ambiguity of the agents, which belong to the verbs, and of the objects expressed by the pronouns; from the change of number of the verbs, and of gender in the pronouns. The MSS. give us no assistance, and the ancient Versions very little. The Chaldee and Vulgate read שמוה samoah , in the plural number. I have followed the interpretation which, among many different ones, seemed to be most probable, that of Perizonius and Vitringa

The Chaldeans, Chasdim , are supposed to have had their origin, and to have taken their name, from Chesed, the son of Nachor, the brother of Abraham. They were known by that name in the time of Moses, who calls Ur in Mesopotamia, from whence Abraham came, to distinguish it from other places of the same name, Ur of the Chaldeans. And Jeremiah calls them an ancient nation. This is not inconsistent with what Isaiah here says of them: "This people was not,"that is, they were of no account, (see Deu 32:21); they were not reckoned among the great and potent nations of the world till of later times; they were a rude, uncivilized, barbarous people, without laws, without settled habitations; wandering in a wide desert country ( ציים tsiyim ) and addicted to rapine like the wild Arabians. Such they are represented to have been in the time of Job, Job 1:17, and such they continued to be till Assur, some powerful king of Assyria, gathered them together, and settled them in Babylon in the neighboring country. This probably was Ninus, whom I suppose to have lived in the time of the Judges. In this, with many eminent chronologers, I follow the authority of Herodotus, who says that the Assyrian monarchy lasted but five hundred and twenty years. Ninus got possession of Babylon from the Cuthean Arabians; the successors of Nimrod in that empire collected the Chaldeans, and settled a colony of them there to secure the possession of the city, which he and his successors greatly enlarged and ornamented. They had perhaps been useful to him in his wars, and might be likely to be farther useful in keeping under the old inhabitants of that city, and of the country belonging to it; according to the policy of the Assyrian kings, who generally brought new people into the conquered countries; see Isa 36:17; 2Ki 17:6, 2Ki 17:24. The testimony of Dicaearchus, a Greek historian contemporary with Alexander, (apud. Steph. de Urbibus, in voc. Χαλδαιος ), in regard to the fact is remarkable, though he is mistaken in the name of the king he speaks of. He says that "a certain king of Assyria, the fourteenth in succession from Ninus, (as he might be, if Ninus is placed, as in the common chronology, eight hundred years higher than we have above set him), named, as it is said, Chaldaeus, having gathered together and united all the people called Chaldeans, built the famous city, Babylon, upon the Euphrates."- L.

Clarke: Isa 23:14 - Howl, ye shops

Howl, ye shops - The Prophet Ezekiel hath enlarged upon this part of the same subject with great force and elegance: -

"Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning Tyre: -

At the sound of thy fall, at the cry of the wounded

At the great slaughter in the midst of thee, shall not the islands tremble

And shall not all the princes of the sea descend from their thrones

And lay aside their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments

They shall clothe themselves with trembling, they shall sit on the ground

They shall tremble every moment, they shall be astonished at thee

And they shall utter a lamentation over thee, and shall say unto thee

How art thou lost, thou that wast inhabited from the seas

The renowned city, that was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants

That struck with terror all her neighbors

Now shall the coasts tremble in the day of thy fall

And the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.

Eze 26:15-18.

Clarke: Isa 23:15 - According to the days of one king

According to the days of one king - What is, of one kingdom; see Dan 7:17, Dan 8:20. Nebuchadnezzar began his conquests in the first year of his reign; from thence to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus are seventy years, at which time the nations subdued by Nebuchadnezzar were to be restored to liberty. These seventy years limit the duration of the Babylonish monarchy. Tyre was taken by him towards the middle of that period; so did not serve the king of Babylon during the whole period, but only for the remaining part of it. This seems to be the meaning of Isaiah; the days allotted to the one king or kingdom, are seventy years; Tyre, with the rest of the conquered nations, shall continue in a state of subjection and desolation to the end of that period. Not from the beginning and through the whole of the period; for, by being one of the latest conquests, the duration of that state of subjection in regard to her, was not much more than half of it. "All these nations,"saith Jeremiah, Jer 25:11, "shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years."Some of them were conquered sooner, some later; but the end of this period was the common term for the deliverance of them all

There is another way of computing the seventy years, from the year in which Tyre was actually taken to the nineteenth of Darius Hystaspis; whom the Phoenicians, or Tyrians, assisted against the Ionians, and probably on that account might then be restored to their former liberties and privileges. But I think the former the more probable interpretation. - L

Clarke: Isa 23:15 - Sing as a harlot

Sing as a harlot - Fidicinam esse meretricum est . says Donatus in Terent. Eunuch. 3:2, 4

Nec meretrix tibicina, cujus Ad strepitum salias

Hor. 1:Epist. 14:25

"Nor harlot minstrel sings, when the rude soun

Tempts you with heavy heels to thump the ground.

Francis

Sir John Chardin, in his MS. note on this place, says: -

C’ est que les vielles prostituees, -

ne font que chanter quand les jeunes dancent, et les animer par l’ instrument et par la voix

"The old prostitutes do nothing but sing, while the young ones dance; and animate them both by vocal and instrumental music."

Clarke: Isa 23:17 - After the end of seventy years

After the end of seventy years - Tyre, after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, recovered, as it is here foretold, its ancient trade, wealth, and grandeur; as it did likewise after a second destruction by Alexander. It became Christian early with the rest of the neighboring countries. St. Paul himself found many Christians there, Act 21:4. It suffered much in the Diocletian persecution. It was an archbishopric under the patriarchate of Jerusalem, with fourteen bishoprics under its jurisdiction. It continued Christian till it was taken by the Saracens in 639; was recovered by the Christians in 1124; but in 1280 was conquered by the Mamelukes, and afterwards taken from them by the Turks in 1517. Since that time it has sunk into utter decay; is now a mere ruin, a bare rock, "a place to spread nets upon,"as the Prophet Ezekiel foretold it should be, Eze 26:14. See Sandy’ s Travels; Vitringa on the place; Bp. Newton on the Prophecies, Dissert. xi.

Calvin: Isa 23:9 - To profane the pride,

9.To profane the pride, or, to profane the loftiness; for it may be read either way, because loftiness leads to pride, and where loftiness or a high spirit is found, there seldom is humility. But it will be better to read it Pride, which alone provokes the vengeance of God, when men, under pretense of their excellence, vaunt themselves above measure. To “profane” and to “despise” mean the same thing; for those who are high in rank imagine that they are separated from others, and consider themselves to have something indescribably lofty belonging to them, as if they ought not to mingle with the crowd of human beings. But God strips them of their rank, degrades them, and treats them as vile and worthless.

From this passage let us learn, that we ought to contemplate the providence of God in such a manner as to ascribe to his almighty power the praise which it deserves for righteous government. Although the rectitude by which God regulates his judgments is not always apparent or made visible to us, still it is never lawful to separate his wisdom and justice from his power. But as the Scriptures very frequently state and clearly explain the reason why God does this or that, we ought carefully to examine the cause of his works.

That invention which the Schoolmen have introduced, about the absolute power of God, is shocking blasphemy. It is all one as if they said that God is a tyrant who resolves to do what he pleases, not by justice, but through caprice. Their schools are full of such blasphemies, and are not unlike the heathens, who said that God sports with human affairs. But in the school of Christ we are taught that the justice of God shines brightly in his works, of whatever kind they are, “that every mouth may be stopped,” (Rom 3:19,) and that glory may be ascribed to him alone.

The Prophet therefore assigns the causes of so great an overthrow, that we may not think that God acts without a reason; for the inhabitants of Tyre were proud, ambitious, lewd, and licentious. These vices follow in the train of wealth and abundance, and commonly abound in mercantile cities. For this reason he shews that God is provoked on account of these vices, that all who are left may be taught by this example to pay greater attention to their own interests, and not to abuse the gifts of God for parade and luxury. Such is the benefit which we ought to draw from it, for we must not imagine that it is a bare history which is related to us.

But a question arises, Does God hate the exalted rank of princes and lords? For he raises on high princes, senators, nobles, and all classes of magistrates and rulers; and how then can he hate them? I reply, the high station occupied by princes is not in itself hateful to God, but only on account of the vice which is accidental to it, that when they have been highly exalted, they despise others, and do not think that they are men. Thus, pride is almost always an attendant of high station, and therefore God hates it; and, in a word, he must rebuke that haughtiness of which he declares that he is an enemy.

Calvin: Isa 23:10 - For there is not any longer a girdle

10.For there is not any longer a girdle ¹¹⁰ מזח ( mēzăch) is translated by some a girdle, and by others strength. Those who translate it girdle, suppose the meaning to be that Tyre will be so completely plundered, that she will not even have a girdle left; and that the allusion is to the vast wealth laid out in merchandise, for the poorest of the merchants sell girdles. But I think that Isaiah alludes to the situation of the city, which was protected on all sides by ditches, mounds, ramparts, and the sea.

Calvin: Isa 23:11 - He stretched out his hand over the sea // He shook the kingdoms // Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan

11.He stretched out his hand over the sea It is thought that the prediction which the Prophet uttered, about the destruction of Tyre, is here confirmed by examples; namely, that the Lord has given so many examples of his power in overturning the greatest kingdoms, that we ought not to think it strange if he now overturn Tyre, however flourishing and wealthy it may be. And indeed this manner of speaking is frequently employed in Scripture, if it be not made plain by manifest examples and by actual demonstration. It is therefore believed that the Prophet here calls to remembrance the deliverance from Egypt, when the Lord divided the sea, (Exo 14:21,) and again, when he drove out seven kings, and brought his people into the land of Canaan. (Jos 6:1.) But when I take a closer view of the words of the Prophet, I am more disposed to explain them as referring to the present state of matters; for he speaks here of Tyre, whose riches covered the whole sea.

He shook the kingdoms What he says about the kingdoms is, because she could not perish alone, but must at the same time involve many kingdoms in her ruin. Thus the whole world must have undergone some change, as appears from history; and finally, the Prophet himself draws the conclusion, that the Lord commanded that this mart of nations should be overthrown.

Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan ¹¹¹ The word כנען ( chĕnāăn) has led commentators to think that the Prophet here speaks of the Canaanites, and refers to the proof which God gave of his vengeance against them. But there is little force in that argument; for כנען ( chĕnāăn) is often taken for a common noun, just as, a little before, (Isa 23:8,) he used the word כנעניה ( chinyāneihā) to mean her factors. The riches of Tyre having consisted of merchandise and trading, Isaiah described it by naming the principal part. By the expression, hath given commandment, he extols the providence of God, that the Jews may know that all that appears to be permanent in the world stands and falls according to the will of God, and that there is no need of the instruments of war for overturning the best fortified place, but the mere expression of the will of God is enough.

Calvin: Isa 23:12 - And he said, Thou shalt not add any more to rejoice // O virgin // Daughter of Sidon // Pass over to Chittim

12.And he said, Thou shalt not add any more to rejoice ¹¹² All this belongs to one and the same object; for, since a plain description would not have had sufficient weight, the Prophet confirms his prediction by many words. It was incredible that a city so celebrated and powerful, so well defended and fortified, and associated with many allies and confederates, should be destroyed and overturned. When he says, Thou shalt not add, he does not intend to shut out the hope of restoration which he will give soon afterwards; for this threatening ought to be limited to the time of the ruin of Tyre, “Thou shalt not live wantonly, as formerly thou wert wont to do.”

O virgin Metaphorically he calls her a virgin, because, previous to that time, the riches of Tyre were untouched, and had suffered no injury. This is not praise of chastity, but a witty manner of saying that the treasures which had been laid up in faithful custody will be violated. “Formerly thou didst skip lightly, like heifers in the bloom of youth; but when thou hast suffered violence, there will be an end of thy mirth;” just as if one should say, that the city of Venice has not lost her virginity because it has not been taken by force since it was built.

Daughter of Sidon He continues to speak of Tyre, but gives it this name, because it was built by the Sidonians, though the daughter excelled the mother, as frequently happens in human affairs. The convenience and situation of the place gave a superiority to the inhabitants of Tyre, and Sidon became but an appendage. From the book of Kings it is evident enough (1Kg 5:1) that the monarchy of Tyre had a high reputation, but here the Prophet looked at its origin.

Pass over to Chittim When he bids them pass over to Chittim, he banishes them not only into Cilicia, but into countries still more distant; for under this name he includes Greece, Italy, and other countries; as if he had said, “When thou shalt change thy residence on account of banishment, thou shalt have no settled habitation in neighboring countries; but thou must wander through the whole world, shalt be dragged into unknown countries, and even there thou shalt find no rest.” Lastly, he means that the ruin will be so lamentable, that they will not have among neighbors, and, after crossing the sea, they will not have among foreigners, a place of rest.

Calvin: Isa 23:13 - Behold, the land of the Chaldeans // The people of the Chaldeans was not; // Ashur founded it for the inhabitants of the wilderness // He brought it to ruin

13.Behold, the land of the Chaldeans He now confirms by an example what he predicted about the taking of Tyre; for those things could scarcely obtain credit, especially among the inhabitants of Tyre, who thought that they were very far from such ruin. I am aware that this passage is explained in various ways, but I shall not spend time in refuting the opinions of others. It will be enough if I shall state, as far as I am able to form a judgment of it, the Prophet’s real meaning.

The people of the Chaldeans was not; that is, they had no name; for, if we inquire into their origin, they were descended from the Assyrians, as is evident from Gen 10:11. He therefore says truly, that they were not at first a nation, but were concealed under the name of another, so that they did not form a separate body.

Ashur founded it for the inhabitants of the wilderness The words which we have rendered “inhabitants of the wilderness” others translate ships, but we do not approve of that exposition. What we at first stated is preferable, namely, that the Assyrians gave a settled condition to the Chaldeans, who formerly led a wandering life in the deserts under skins, ¹¹³ but were collected into cities, and trained to higher civilization, by the Assyrians. This is also the meaning of the word עוררו ( gnōrĕrū,) namely, that they erected and built cities; for we cannot agree with those who render it “to destroy.” ¹¹⁴ What happened?

He brought it to ruin That is, to use a common expression, “The daughter has devoured the mother;” for the Assyrian monarchy was overturned by the Chaldeans, though it was more powerful and flourishing than all the others. It will be said, what has this to do with Tyre? We answer, it is because Tyre will be overthrown by the Assyrians and Chaldeans. Since therefore the Chaldeans, who formerly were no people, could conquer the Assyrians and subject them to their power, why should we wonder if both united should conquer Tyre? Since the Lord gave such a display of his power in the case of the Assyrians, why should Tyre rely on her riches? She will undoubtedly be made to feel the hand of God, and her power will be of no avail to her.

Calvin: Isa 23:14 - Howl, ye ships of Tarshish

14.Howl, ye ships of Tarshish He repeats what he formerly said; for the Cilicians, on account of their vicinity, constantly traded with the inhabitants of Tyre. He bids their ships howl, because, when that harbour is shut up, the merchants will be struck with amazement at not having their ordinary intercourse. He calls that harbour which they visited, their strength, not only because it was a place of resort that might be relied on, but because there was no other way in which their voyages could yield profit.

Calvin: Isa 23:15 - And it shall come to pass in that day // According to the days of one king // Tyre shall have a song like that of a harlot

15.And it shall come to pass in that day After having spoken of the taking of Tyre, he next declares how long her calamity shall endure. It happens that cities which have been ruined are suddenly restored, and regain their former position; but the Prophet testifies that this city will be desolate and ruinous for seventy years. By being forgotten he means that there will be no merchandise, because she will not have the ordinary course of trade.

According to the days of one king ¹¹⁵ Some think that the days of one king relate to David, but that is exceedingly frivolous, for “the days of a king” are put for the age of a man, in the same manner as the age of a man is shewn by the Psalmist to be generally limited to seventy years. (Psa 90:10.) But why did he mention “a king” rather than any other man? It was because Tyre had a king, and reckoned time by the life of a king. This contributed greatly to establish the certainty of the prediction, for the Prophet could not have ascertained it by human conjectures.

Tyre shall have a song like that of a harlot By “the song of a harlot” he employs a beautiful comparison to denote merchandise; not that in itself it ought to be condemned, for it is useful and necessary to a commonwealth, but he alludes to the fraud and dishonesty with which it frequently abounds, so that it may justly be compared to the occupation of a harlot.

Calvin: Isa 23:16 - Take a harp // Make sweet melody // Sing many songs

16.Take a harp He compares Tyre to a harlot, who, after having spent the whole period of her youth in debauchery, has at length grown old, and on that account is forsaken and despised by all, and yet cannot forget her former gain and lewdness, but desires to grow young again and renew her loves, and, in order to attract men, goes about the city, delighting their ears by songs and musical instruments. Such prostitutes are seized with some kind of madness, when they perceive that they are disregarded on account of their old age; and we see that Horace mocks at Lydia on this account. ¹¹⁶ Thus Tyre, after having been ruined, and as it were buried in oblivion, will again put forth her efforts, and schemes, and contrivances, for recovering her former condition.

Make sweet melody By the “harp” and “sweet melody,” he means the tricks, and frauds, and blandishments, and flatteries of merchants, by which they impose on men, and as it were drive them into their nets. In a word, he shews by what methods mercantile cities become rich, that is, by deceitful and unlawful methods; and therefore he says, that Tyre will regale their ears by pleasant melody.

Sing many songs That is, Tyre will add fraud to fraud, and allurements to allurements, that at length she may attract all to her, may be again remembered by men, and recover her former celebrity. In short, as an old harlot contrives methods for regaining the favor of men, and allures them by painting, and ornaments, and dress, and songs, and musical instruments, so will Tyre recover her wealth and power by the same arts with which she formerly succeeded. And yet he does not on that account exhort Tyre to restore herself in this way, but proceeds with his prophecy.

Calvin: Isa 23:17 - Jehovah will visit Tyre // And then she will return to her hire // She will commit fornication

17.Jehovah will visit Tyre ¹¹⁷ Although the Lord will afflict Tyre in such a manner that she will appear to be ruined, yet he declares that she will obtain mercy, because, rising at length out of her ruins, she will be restored to her former vigor. Such a restoration is justly ascribed to the favor of God; for otherwise the same thing must have happened to them as Malachi foretells would happen to the Edomites, that the Lord would overturn and destroy all that men would build. (Mal 1:4.) Consequently they would never have returned to their former condition if the Lord had not aided them.

From these words we ought to draw a profitable doctrine, that though the Lord is a severe judge towards the wicked, yet he leaves room for the exercise of his compassion, and is never so harsh as not to mitigate his chastisements, and at length to put an end to them. And if he is such towards the wicked, what will he be towards those whom he has adopted, and on whom he determines to pour out his goodness? When kingdoms therefore are re-established, when cities are rebuilt, and nations regain their freedom, this is brought about solely by the providence of God, who, whenever he pleases, lays low what is high, (1Sa 2:7, Luk 1:52,) and quickly raises up and restores what was fallen.

And then she will return to her hire This ought to be viewed as a contrast to the former statement, for the meaning is, that Tyre will be no better, and will not be reformed by so severe a chastisement, because she will quickly return to her natural disposition; for he accuses her of ingratitude. We see instances of the same kind every day. There is scarcely a corner of the world in which the Lord has not exhibited proofs of his judgment. To those whom he has chastised he allows time to breathe, but they become no better. Isaiah says that this will happen to Tyre.

She will commit fornication “She will not repent, but, on the contrary, will return to her former courses. She will commit fornication, as she was formerly accustomed to do.” He unquestionably speaks of buying and selling, but continues to employ the comparison which he had adopted; not that he wishes to condemn the occupation of a merchant, as we have already said, but that it is so largely mingled with the corruption of men as to resemble closely the life of a harlot; for it is so full of tricks, and hidden stratagems, and deep-laid traps, (as we often see,) that it appears to have been contrived for the purpose of ensnaring and deceiving men. How many new and unheard of contrivances for making gain and exacting usury are every day invented, which no one who has not been long trained in the school of merchandise can understand? We need not wonder, therefore, that the Prophet made use of this comparison, for it means that Tyre will have no more honesty than before in mercantile transactions.

Calvin: Isa 23:18 - But her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord // It shall not be treasured nor laid up // Her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord // That they may eat till they are satisfied

18.But her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord This was another instance of the divine compassion towards Tyre. Though she had been restored, yet she was not converted to God, but continued to follow dishonest practices, so that she justly deserved to be ruined. And indeed she was again punished severely, when Alexander took the city by storm; but still the kingdom of Christ, as Luke informs us, was erected there. (Act 21:4.) This verse ought therefore to be viewed as contrasted with the former, as if he had said, “ And yet the merchandise of Tyre shall be consecrated to God.” Here we have an astonishing proof of the goodness of God, which penetrated not only into this abominable brothel, but almost into hell itself. The restoration of Tyre ought thus to be regarded as a proof of the goodness of God; but the former favor was small in comparison with the second, when God consecrated her to himself.

But a question arises, “Could that which the inhabitants of Tyre obtained by cheating and unlawful methods be offered to God in sacrifice?” For God abhors such sacrifices, and demands an honest and pure conscience. (Pro 21:27, Isa 1:13.) Many commentators, in expounding this passage, give themselves much uneasiness about this question, but without any good reason; for the Prophet does not mean that the merchandise of Tyre will be consecrated to God while she continues to commit fornication, but describes a time subsequent to her change and conversion. At that time she will not lay up riches for herself, will not amass them by unlawful methods, but will employ them in the service of God, and will spend the produce of her merchandise in relieving the wants of the godly. When he used a word expressive of what was disgraceful, he had his eye on the past, but intimated that she would unlearn those wicked practices, and change her disposition.

It shall not be treasured nor laid up He describes, in a few words, the repentance of Tyre, who, having formerly been addicted to avarice, has been converted to Christ, and will no longer labor to amass riches, but will employ them in kind and generous actions; and this is the true fruit of repentance, as Paul admonishes, that “he who stole should steal no more, but, on the contrary, should labor that he might relieve the poor and needy.” (Eph 4:28.) Isaiah foretells that the inhabitants of Tyre, who formerly, through insatiable avarice, devoured the riches of all, will henceforth take pleasure in generous actions, because they will no longer have an insatiable desire of gain. It is an evidence of brotherly love when we relieve our neighbors, as it is an evidence of cruelty if we suffer them to be hungry, especially when we ourselves have abundance.

Her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord. He next mentions a proper method of exercising generosity, which is, to employ their wealth in aiding the servants of God. Though he includes all godly persons, yet he alludes to the Levites and priests, some of whom sacrificed, while others made ready the sacrifices, and others kept watch, and, in short, all were ready to perform their duty; and therefore they were said to “dwell before the Lord.” (Num 3:1.) The same thing may justly be said of all the ministers of the Church. But as all believers, of whatever rank they are, belong to the sanctuary of God, and have been made by Christ “a royal priesthood,” (1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6,) that they may stand in the presence of God, so I willingly regard this passage as relating to all “the household of faith,” (Gal 6:10,) to whom attention is especially due; for Paul holds them out as having the highest claims, and enjoins that they shall be first relieved. If the tie which binds us universally to mankind ought to prevent us from “despising our own flesh,” (Isa 58:7,) how much more the tie that binds the members of Christ, which is closer and more sacred than any natural bonds?

We ought also to attend to this mode of expression, by which we are said to “dwell before God;” ¹¹⁸ for though there is not now any “Ark of the Covenant,” (Heb 9:4,) yet, through the kindness of Christ, we approach more nearly to God than the Levites formerly did. We are therefore enjoined to “walk before him,” as if we were under his eye, that we may follow holiness and justice with a pure conscience. We are enjoined to walk before him, and always to consider him as present, that we may be just and upright.

That they may eat till they are satisfied ¹¹⁹ The Prophet means that we ought to supply the wants of brethren with greater abundance and generosity than what is customary among men; for when neighbors ought to be relieved, men are very niggardly. Few men perform cheerfully any gratuitous duty, or labor, or kindness; for they reckon that they give up and take from their own property all that they bestow on others. For the purpose of correcting this error, God highly commends cheerfulness; for the command which Paul gives to deacons, “to distribute joyfully,” (Rom 12:8,) ought to be applied to all; and all ought to remember that passage which declares that “God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2Co 9:7.)

It deserves our attention, also, that the Prophet says that what is bestowed on the poor is consecrated to God; as the Spirit elsewhere teaches, that “with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Heb 13:16; 2Co 9:12.) Never was it on his own account that he commanded sacrifices to be made, nor did he ever stand in need of them. But under the law he ordained such exercises of piety; and he now commands us to bestow and spend on our neighbors something that is our own, and declares that all that we lay out on their account ¹²⁰ is “a sacrifice of sweet savor,” (Phi 4:18,) and is approved and accepted by him. This ought powerfully to inflame us to the exercise of kindness and generosity, when we learn that our alms are so highly applauded, and that our hands, as well as our gift, are consecrated to God.

Defender: Isa 23:15 - forgotten seventy years

It is interesting that Tyre, like Judah, was to be forgotten for "seventy years" (Jer 25:11, Jer 25:12). Tyre was semi-autonomous under the Assyrians, until conquered by Nebuchadrezzar and his Babylonian hosts. Although it continued to exist after that, and even revived to a degree when Cyrus conquered Babylon, Tyre never regained the power and prestige it enjoyed for many centuries before the Assyrian invasion. It was finally destroyed by Alexander the Great. The "seventy years" may correlate with the approximately seventy years between Nebuchadrezzar's conquest of Tyre and its revival under Cyrus."

TSK: Isa 23:9 - Lord // to stain // bring

Lord : Isa 10:33, Isa 14:24, Isa 14:27, Isa 46:10,Isa 46:11; Jer 47:6, Jer 47:7, Jer 51:62; Act 4:28; Eph 1:11; Eph 3:11

to stain : Heb. to pollute, Isa 2:11, Isa 2:17, Isa 5:15, Isa 5:16, Isa 13:11; Job 40:11, Job 40:12; Dan 4:37; Mal 4:1; Jam 4:6

bring : Job 12:21; Psa 107:40; 1Co 1:26-29

TSK: Isa 23:10 - O daughter // no more // strength

O daughter : Isa 23:12

no more : Isa 23:14; 1Sa 28:20; Job 12:21; Lam 1:6; Hag 2:22; Rom 5:6

strength : Heb. girdle, Psa 18:32

TSK: Isa 23:11 - stretched // the Lord // against the merchant city // the merchant city // strong holds

stretched : Isa 2:19, Isa 14:16, Isa 14:17; Exo 15:8-10; Psa 46:6; Eze 26:10,Eze 26:15-19, Eze 27:34, Eze 27:35; Eze 31:16; Hag 2:7

the Lord : Isa 10:6; Psa 71:3; Jer 47:7; Nah 1:14

against the merchant city : or, concerning a merchantman, Isa 23:3; Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8

the merchant city : Heb. Canaan, Gen 9:25, Gen 10:15-19; Zec 14:21; Mar 11:17; Joh 2:16

strong holds : or, strengths, Zec 9:3, Zec 9:4

TSK: Isa 23:12 - Thou shalt // thou oppressed // daughter // pass // there also

Thou shalt : Isa 23:1, Isa 23:7; Eze 26:13, Eze 26:14; Rev 18:22

thou oppressed : Isa 37:22, Isa 47:1, Isa 47:5; Jer 14:17, Jer 46:11; Lam 1:15

daughter : ""The Sidonians,""says Justin, ""when their city was taken by the king of Ascalon, betook themselves to their ships; and landed and built Tyre;""Sidon was therefore the mother city. Isa 23:2; Gen 10:15-19, Gen 49:13; Jos 11:8

pass : Isa 23:1; Num 24:24; Eze 27:6

there also : Deu 28:64-67; Lam 1:3, Lam 4:15

TSK: Isa 23:13 - land // the Assyrian // for them // and he

land : Isa 13:19; Gen 11:28, Gen 11:31; Job 1:17; Hab 1:6; Act 7:4

the Assyrian : Gen 2:14, Gen 10:10,Gen 10:11, Gen 11:9; 2Ki 17:24, 2Ki 20:12; 2Ch 33:11; Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:10; Dan 4:30

for them : Psa 72:9

and he : Eze 26:7-21, Eze 29:18

TSK: Isa 23:14

Isa 23:1, Isa 23:6; Eze 27:25-30; Rev 18:11-19

TSK: Isa 23:15 - Tyre shall // one king // shall Tyre sing as an harlot

Tyre shall : Jer 25:9-11, Jer 25:22, Jer 27:3-7, Jer 29:10; Eze 29:11

one king : Dan 7:14, Dan 8:21; Rev 17:10

shall Tyre sing as an harlot : Heb. it shall be unto Tyre as the song of an harlot, Eze 27:25; Hos 2:15

TSK: Isa 23:16

Pro 7:10-12; Jer 30:14

TSK: Isa 23:17 - visit // and she shall // shall commit

visit : Jer 29:10; Zep 2:7; Act 15:14

and she shall : Deu 23:18; Eze 16:31, Eze 22:13, 27:6-36; Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8; Mic 1:7, Mic 3:11; 1Ti 3:3, 1Ti 3:8; 1Pe 5:2

shall commit : Nah 3:4; Rev 17:2-5, Rev 18:9-14, Rev 19:2

TSK: Isa 23:18 - her merchandise // it shall // for them // durable

her merchandise : Isa 60:6, Isa 60:7; 2Ch 2:7-9, 2Ch 2:11-16; Psa 45:12, Psa 72:10; Zec 14:20,Zec 14:21; Mar 3:8; Act 21:3-5

it shall : Mat 6:19-21; Luk 12:18-20,Luk 12:33, Luk 16:9-13

for them : Deu 12:18, Deu 12:19, Deu 26:12-14; Pro 3:9, Pro 3:10, Pro 13:22, Pro 28:8; Ecc 2:26; Mal 3:10; Mat 25:35-40; Luk 8:3; Act 9:39; Rom 15:25-27; Gal 6:6; Phi 4:17, Phi 4:18

durable : Heb. old

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Isa 23:9 - The Lord of hosts hath purposed it

The Lord of hosts hath purposed it this is the Lord’ s own doing; therefore do not doubt it, nor wonder at it. God’ s design is by this one example to abate and abase the pride of all the potentates of the earth, that they may see and know what weak and wretched creatures they are, when God leaves them, and sets himself against them.

Poole: Isa 23:10 - Pass through the land // As a river // O daughter of Tarshish // No more strength

Pass through the land tarry no longer in thy own territories, but flee through them, and beyond them, into other countries, for safety and relief.

As a river swiftly, lest you be prevented; and continually, till you be all gone; and in shoals and multitudes.

O daughter of Tarshish O Tyrus; for of her he speaks both in the foregoing and following words. And Tyrus might well be called the daughter of Tarshish , i.e. of the sea, as that word is used, Isa 23:1 , and elsewhere, because it then was an island, and therefore as it were born of the sea, and nourished and brought up by it.

No more strength Heb. no more girdle : the girdle, which strengthens the loins of a man, is put for strength, as Job 12:21 38:3 . It behoveth you, O people of Tyrus, to flee away, as I advise you; for your city is unable to defend you; your wealth, the sinews of war, is lost; your walls broken down; the sea, which, like a girdle, surrounded and defended you, is now in part filled up by your enemies, who have joined you to the main land; your former friends and allies forsake you.

Poole: Isa 23:11 - He // over the sea // He shook the kingdoms // Hath given a commandment // Against the merchant city

He the Lord, expressed Isa 23:9 , stretched out his hand to strike it, the antecedent being put for the consequent,

over the sea or, against the sea , i.e. against Tyrus, the daughter of the sea, as she was now called; and consequently against all those ships and men which used to traffic with Tyrus, and were enriched by that trade, and therefore suffered in her fall.

He shook the kingdoms Heb. he made the kingdoms to tremble; either,

1. The two kingdoms of Tyre and Sidon; or rather,

2. The neighbouring and confederate kingdoms, as appears by comparing this with Eze 26:15-18 , who might justly quake at her fall, partly, for the dreadfulness and unexpectedness of the thing; partly, because Tyre was a bulwark, and a refuge, and a great advantage to them; and partly, because her fall made way for their ruin, as being destroyed by their common enemy.

Hath given a commandment hath contrived and purposed it, as was said, Isa 23:8,9 ; hath put this design into the heads and hearts of her enemies, and given them courage to attempt, and strength to execute, so difficult an enterprise.

Against the merchant city Heb. against Canaan ; the word Canaan being taken either,

1. For a merchant, as it is used, Job 41:6 Hos 12:7 ; or rather,

2. For the proper name of a place or people, as it is generally used; for the Tyrians and Sidonians were descended from Canaan, Gen 10:15 , and were the only considerable remainders of that cursed race whom God had devoted to destruction. And so this phrase may be here used both as all evidence and as an argument of their intended and approaching ruin.

Poole: Isa 23:12 - O thou oppressed virgin // Daughter of Zidon // the daughter of Zion // Pass over to Chittim

O thou oppressed virgin: so he calls her, either for her pride and beauty, and living in great ease and pleasure; or because she had hitherto never borne the yoke of a conquering enemy; though withal he declares that she should be oppressed or defloured very suddenly.

Daughter of Zidon whereby he understands either,

1. Zidon herself, who suffered in and with Tyre: for so this phrase seems generally to be used,

the daughter of Zion or of Jerusalem , or of Babel , or Egypt , &c., being nothing else but Zion, Jerusalem, Babel, Egypt , &c. Or rather,

2. Tyrus, as most interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, understand it, of whom this whole context and prophecy speaks; which may well be called the daughter of Zidon, because she was first built and possessed by a colony of the Sidonians; as Pliny calleth Carthage the daughter of Tyre, because she was built by a colony of Tyrians. And the title of daughter is ofttimes given in Scripture to towns or cities which had their being from or dependence upon other cities; in which sense we read of the daughter of Heshbon, Num 21:25 , and of Rubbah, Jer 49:2,3 , and of Sodom, and of Samaria, Eze 16:46,49,53 . And the daughter of Tarshish here above, Isa 23:10 , is not meant of Tarshish itself, but of Tyrus, which had a relation to and dependence upon Tarshish.

Pass over to Chittim of which place See Poole "Isa 23:1" . There also shalt thou have no rest ; thither thine enemies shall pursue thee, and there shall they overtake thee, although thou wilt think thyself secure when thou art fled to remote parts beyond the sea.

Poole: Isa 23:13 - 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 // He

Behold the land of the Chaldeans you Tyrians, who think your city impregnable, cast your eyes upon the land and empire of the Chaldeans, or Babylonians; which though now it be a flourishing kingdom, and shall shortly grow far more glorious and potent, even the glory of kingdoms , as it is called, Isa 13:19 , yet. shall certainly be brought to utter ruin; and therefore your presumption is most vain and unreasonable.

This people was not: the Chaldeans at first were not a people, not formed into any commonwealth or kingdom.

Till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness till Nimrod, the head and founder of the Assyrian monarchy, built Babel, Gen 10:10 , now the head of the Chaldean monarchy, which he built for those people, who then lived in tents, and were dispersed here and there in wild and waste places, that he might bring them into order, and under government, and thereby establish and promote his own empire.

They set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof the Chaldeans being by this means brought together into a body, fell to the work of building their city, and its towers and palaces, and thereby got power and dominion over their neighbours, till at last they grew the greatest of all the monarchies that then were upon earth.

He the Lord, who is expressed before, and is frequently designed in Scripture by this indefinite pronoun he, as hath been many times observed; whereby he insinuates the true reason why neither the Chaldeans nor the Tyrians should be able to stand, because the Almighty God was engaged against them. Brought it to ruin; will infallibly bring that great empire to ruin. He speaks of a future thing as if it were already past, as the prophets use to do. The Chaldeans shall now return to their first nothing, and become no people again.

Poole: Isa 23:14 - Your strength

Your strength the city of Tyre, where you found safety and wealth.

Poole: Isa 23:15 - Forgotten // Seventy years // Of one king // After the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot

Forgotten neglected and forsaken by those who used to resort thither.

Seventy years during the whole time of the Jewish captivity in Babylon. For Tyrus was taken by Nebuchadnezzar, Jer 27:3,8 Eze 26:7 , a little after the taking of Jerusalem, and was restored by the favour of the Persian monarchs after the return of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon.

Of one king either,

1. Of the kingdom of Babylon, which lasted so long after this time; the word king being put for kingdom , as it is Dan 7:17 8:21 ; or

2. Of one royal race, of Nebuchadnezzar, including his son, and his son’ s son, in whom his family and kingdom were to expire.

After the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot she shall by degrees return to her former state of prosperity and traffic, whereby she shall easily entice the merchants of the world to converse and trade with her, as harlots use to entice their customers by lascivious songs.

Poole: Isa 23:16 - Take an harp, go about the city // Thou harlot

Take an harp, go about the city as harlots use to do, to allure customers.

Thou harlot so he calleth Tyre, partly because she enticed merchants to deal with her by various artifices, and even by dishonest practices, as harlots use; and partly because of the great and general uncleanness which was both committed and tolerated in it. That thou mayest be remembered by those who had forgotten thee, Isa 23:15 .

Poole: Isa 23:17 - Visit Tyre // Her hire // Shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world

Visit Tyre to wit, in mercy, as this phrase is used, Rth 1:6 Psa 65:9 , and elsewhere.

Her hire: the Hebrew word properly signifies, the hire of an harlot ; which agrees well with the

fornication in the next clause; although these phrases are not to be understood properly, but metaphorically, of trading or commerce with others.

Shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world shall trade promiscuously with people of all sorts of nations, as harlots entertain all comers.

Poole: Isa 23:18 - Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord // It shall not be treasured nor laid up // For them that dwell before the Lord

Her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: he speaks not here of what the Tyrians would do immediately after their restitution, but some time after it, even in the days of the Messiah; of which even some of the Jewish rabbies understand it, and to which the prophets have a special respect in their several prophecies, and Isaiah among and above the rest of them. So this is a prophecy concerning the conversion of the Tyrians to the true religion, of the accomplishment whereof something is said Act 21:3-5 , and more in other authors.

It shall not be treasured nor laid up either out of covetousness, or for the service of their pride and luxury, as they formerly did; but now they shall freely lay it out upon pious and charitable uses.

For them that dwell before the Lord for the support and encouragement of the ministers of holy things, who shall teach the good knowledge of the Lord, who dwell in God’ s house, and minister in his presence; the support of such persons being not only an act of justice and charity, but also of piety, and of great use and necessity to maintain and propagate religion in the world. Although this doth not exclude, but rather imply, their liberality in contributing to the necessities of all Christians.

Haydock: Isa 23:10 - Girdle

Girdle, fortress; or rather, thou art naked, like a slave, chap. xx. 4.

Haydock: Isa 23:12 - Daughter // Oppressed

Daughter; colony. (Calmet) ---

Oppressed. Literally, "calumniated." (Haydock)

Haydock: Isa 23:13 - It // Ruin

It. Hebrew adds, "for fishermen." It was formerly covered with water. (Eusebius, prזp. ix.) ---

Ruin. The fall of Babylon has been denounced, chap. xiii.

Haydock: Isa 23:15 - King // Harlot

King Nabuchodonosor, whose two sons reigned but a short time. The captivity of the people of God began also the year of the world 3398, and ended the year of the world 3468, the first of Cyrus. ---

Harlot. She shall be re-established, (Calmet) and shall invite people to her markets. (Sanchez) ---

Before Cyrus, she had kings, but they were of small power. The city was become very rich, and well fortified, when Alexander [the Great] was stopped by it for seven months. See Ezechiel xxvi. 14. (Calmet) ---

Tyre had rejoiced at the misfortunes of the Hebrews, and was punished by the like captivity. (Worthington)

Haydock: Isa 23:17 - Commit

Commit. Septuagint, "be the emporium for all." Great injustice prevailed formerly among merchants, so that it is represented as a dishonest calling. (Haydock)

Haydock: Isa 23:18 - Sanctified to the Lord // Continuance

Sanctified to the Lord. This alludes to the conversion of the Gentiles. (Challoner) ---

Before, the Tyrian were great enemies to the Jews, 2 Esdras xiii. 16., and 1 Machabees v. 15. Our Saviour wrought a miracle in favour of one of this country, Matthew v. 22., and Zacharias viii. 20. (Calmet) ---

Continuance. Literally, "old age." Aquila, "with changes of dress." (Haydock)

Gill: Isa 23:9 - The Lord of hosts hath purposed it // to stain the pride of all glory // and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth

The Lord of hosts hath purposed it,.... To destroy Tyre; who is wonderful in counsel, capable of forming a wise scheme, and able to put it in execution; being the Lord of armies in heaven and in earth: and his end in it was,

to stain the pride of all glory; Tyre being proud of its riches, the extent of its commerce, and the multitude of its inhabitants, God was resolved, who sets himself against the proud, to abase them; to pollute the glorious things they were proud of; to deal with them as with polluted things; to trample upon them:

and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth: or, "to make light all the heavy ones of the earth" ^d; all such, who are top heavy with riches and honour, God can, and sometimes does, make as light as feathers, which the wind carries away, and they fall into contempt and disgrace with their fellow creatures; and the Lord's thus dealing with Tyre was not merely on their account, to stain their pride and glory, and disgrace their honourable ones; but for the sake of others also, that the great ones of the earth might see and learn, by this instance of Tyre, how displeasing to the Lord is the sin of pride; what a poor, vain, and perishing thing, worldly honour and glory is; and what poor, weak, feeble creatures, the princes and potentates of the earth are, when the Lord takes them in hand.

Gill: Isa 23:10 - Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish // there is no more strength

Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish,.... Or, "of the sea", as the Vulgate Latin; meaning Tyre, which was situated in the sea, and did, as it were, spring from it, and was fortified by it, and supported by ships of merchandise on it, from various places; but now, being about to be destroyed, the inhabitants of it are called upon to pass through it, and get out of it as fast as they could, even as swiftly as a river runs, and in great abundance or multitudes. Kimchi thinks the Tyrians are bid to pass to the daughter of Tarshish, that is, to Tarshish itself, to make their escape out of their own land, and flee thither for safety; this the accents will not admit of, there being an "athnach" upon the word "river"; rather the merchants of Tarshish, that were in Tyre, are exhorted to depart to their own land with all possible haste, lest they should be involved in its ruin; though the Targum inclines to the other sense,

"pass out of thy land, as the waters of a river flee to a province of the sea:''

there is no more strength; in Tyre, to defend themselves against the enemy, to protect their trade, and the merchants that traded with them; or, "no more girdle" ^e; about it; no more girt about with walls, ramparts, and other fortifications, or with soldiers and shipping, or with the sea, with which it was encompassed, while an island, but now no more, being joined to the continent by the enemy. Some think, because girdles were a part of merchandise, Pro 31:24, that this is said to express the meanness and poverty of the place, that there was not so much as a girdle left in it; rather that it was stripped of its power and authority, of which the girdle was a sign; see Isa 22:21.

Gill: Isa 23:11 - He 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

He stretched out his hand over the sea,.... That is, the Lord of hosts, who had purposed to destroy Tyre, stretched out his hand of power over it, called the sea, as in Isa 23:4 because situated in it, supported by it, and had the sovereignty of it; in like manner as he stretched out his hand on the Red Sea, and destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in it; to which the allusion may be:

he shook the kingdoms; of Tyre and Zidon, which were both kingdoms, and distinct ones; and also made other neighbouring kingdoms shake and tremble when these fell, fearing it would be their case next. Some understand this of the moving of Nebuchadnezzar, and of the kings of the provinces under him, to come against Tyre:

the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city; the city of Tyre, so famous for merchandise, that it was the mart of nations, as in Isa 23:3 or "against Canaan", in which country Tyre and Zidon were, being originally built and inhabited by the posterity of Canaan, Gen 10:15,

to destroy the strong holds thereof; either of the merchant city Tyre, whose fortifications were strong, both by nature and art; or "of Canaan", whose strong holds, or fortified cities, the principal of them were Tyre and Zidon; so Jarchi: and if the Lord of hosts gives a commandment to destroy it and its strong holds, as he did to Nebuchadnezzar and his army, and afterwards to Alexander and his, who could save them? that is, God said it, who gave commandment to destroy it.

Gill: Isa 23:12 - And 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

And he said, thou shalt no more rejoice,.... Not meaning that she should never more rejoice, but not for a long time, as Kimchi interprets it; when her calamity should come upon her, her jovial time, her time of mirth, jollity, and revelling, would be over for a time; for, at the end of seventy years, she should take her harp, and sing again, Isa 23:15 for the words seem to be spoken of Tyre, concerning whom the whole prophecy is; though some think Zidon is here meant, which, being near, suffered at the same time with Tyre, or quickly after:

O thou oppressed virgin! Tyre is called a "virgin", because of her beauty, pride, and lasciviousness, and because never before subdued and taken: and "oppressed", because now deflowered, ransacked, plundered, and ruined, by Nebuchadnezzar:

daughter of Zidon: some think Zidon itself is meant, just as daughter of Zion means Zion herself, &c.; but it may be also observed, that such cities that have sprung from others, or have their dependence on them, are called their daughters; so we read of Samaria and her daughters, and Sodom and her daughters, Eze 16:46 and so Tyre is called the daughter of Zidon, because it was a colony of the Zidonians ^f; and at first built and supported by them, though now grown greater than its mother:

arise, pass over to Chittim; to the isle of Cyprus, which was near them, and in which was a city called Citium; or to Macedonia, which was called the land of Chittim, as in the Apocrypha:

"And it happened, after that Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came out of the land of Chettiim, had smitten Darius king of the Persians and Medes, that he reigned in his stead, the first over Greece,'' (1 Maccabees 1:1)

or to the isles of the Aegean and Ionian seas; or to Greece and Italy; which latter sense is approved by Vitringa, who thinks the islands of Corsica, and Sardinia, and Sicily, are meant, which were colonies of the Tyrians; and so in Isa 23:1,

there also shalt thou have no rest; since those countries would also fall into the enemy's hands, either the Babylonians, or the Medes and Persians, or the Romans; into whose hands Macedonia, Carthage, and other colonies of the Tyrians fell, so that they had no rest in any of them.

Gill: Isa 23:13 - 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

Behold the land of the Chaldeans,.... Not Tyre, as some think, so called, because founded by the Chaldeans, who finding it a proper place for "ships", so they render the word "tziim", afterward used, and which is so interpreted by Jarchi, built the city of Tyre; but the country called Chaldea is here meant, and the Babylonish empire and monarchy, particularly Babylon, the head of it:

this people was not; a people, or of any great note and figure:

till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; Nimrod was the first builder of Babel, in the land of Shinar, and from that land went forth Ashur, and built Nineveh, the city Rehoboth, and Calah, which were built for people that lived scattered up and down in fields and desert places; so that the Assyrians were the first founders of Chaldea; and after it had been inhabited by the Chaldeans, it was seized upon by the Assyrians, and became a province of theirs:

they set up the towers thereof; the towers of Babylon, not of Tyre. Jarchi interprets it of building bulwarks against Tyre:

they raised up the palaces thereof; the stately buildings of Babylon; or razed them; so Jarchi; also the Targum,

"they destroyed the palaces thereof:''

and he brought it to ruin: or he will do it; the past tense for the future, i.e. God will bring Babylon to ruin; and therefore it need not seem strange that Tyre should be destroyed, since this would be the case of Babylon. Sir John Marsham ^g interprets the words thus,

"look upon Babylon, the famous metropolis of the Chaldeans; the people, that possess that city, not along ago dwelt in deserts, having no certain habitation; Nabonassar the Assyrian brought men thither, the Scenites (the inhabitants of Arabia Deserta, so called from their dwelling in tents); he fortified the city, he raised up towers, and built palaces; such now was this city, founded by the Assyrian; yet God hath brought it to ruin; Babylon shall be destroyed as Tyre;''

and this instance is brought to show that a city and a people, more ancient and powerful than Tyre, either had been or would be destroyed; and therefore need not call in question the truth or credibility of the prophecy relating to Tyre; but the sense of the whole, according to Vitringa, seems rather to be this: "behold the land of the Chaldeans"; the country they now inhabit; take notice of what is now about to be said; it may seem strange and marvellous: "this people was not"; not that they were of a late original, for they were an ancient people, who descended from Chesed, the son of Nahor, but for a long time of no account, that lived scattered up and down in desert places: till "the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness"; he drove out the Arabians from Mesopotamia, and translated the Chaldeans thither, who before inhabited the wilderness: "they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces"; that is, the Assyrians fortified and adorned the city of Babylon, the metropolis of the country; so Herodotus ^h says the Assyrian kings adorned the walls and temples of Babylon; now behold this land of the Chaldeans, or the people that inhabit it, as poor and as low as they have been, who owe their all to the Assyrians, even these "shall bring" Tyre "to ruin"; so that the instruments of the ruin of Tyre are here described; which, when this prophecy was delivered, might seem improbable, the Assyrians being possessors of monarchy.

Gill: Isa 23:14 - Howl, ye ships of Tarshish // for your strength is laid waste

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish,.... As in Isa 23:1. See Gill on Isa 23:1,

for your strength is laid waste; meaning Tyre, a strong seaport, where their ships were safe, and always found vent for their goods and merchandise; and so it was the strength and support of their country; but was now destroyed, and therefore was matter of lamentation and mourning.

Gill: Isa 23:15 - 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 shall Tyre sing as an harlot

And it shall come to pass in that day,.... When Tyre is destroyed, from that time forward:

that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years; shall so long lie in its ruin, and not be rebuilt; it shall be without inhabitants, and unfrequented by men; there shall be no merchandise in it during that time; no merchants will come nigh it; she will be like a harlot cast off and forgotten by her lover: the term of time is the same with that of the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and great part of it at least run out along with it; for Tyre was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, as Jerusalem was, though some time after it, and was restored when the Babylonish empire was destroyed, at the expiration of seventy years:

according to the days of one king; or kingdom, the Babylonish kingdom, which lasted so long in Nebuchadnezzar's family; whose family, he himself, his son, and son's son, are here meant, as Aben Ezra thinks; and seems to be the more commonly received sense; though Kimchi and others understand it of the days of a man, which are seventy years, Psa 90:10 and so it is added in the Septuagint version, "as the time of a man"; which perhaps was a marginal note, way of explanation, and crept into the text. Jarchi is of opinion King David is meant, whose age was seventy years, though he is at a loss to give a reason for this his opinion; but Kimchi suggests one, and that is, the covenant which was between Hiram king of Tyre and David; and this is mentioned to put the Tyrians in mind of the breach of it, which had brought desolation upon them; some understand this of the King Messiah ⁱ:

after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot; being rebuilt and restored to its former state; as a harlot who has been cast off by her lovers, on account of some disease she has laboured under, and through a dislike of her; but, having recovered her health, makes use of her arts, and this among others, to sing a song, in order to draw, by her melodious voice, her lovers to her again; and so Tyre being built again, and out of the hands of its oppressors, and restored to its former liberty, should make use of all arts and methods to recover her trade, and draw merchants from all parts to her again.

Gill: Isa 23:16 - Take a harp, go about the city // thou harlot that hast been forgotten // make sweet melody // sing many songs // that thou mayest be remembered

Take a harp, go about the city,.... As harlots used to do, that by their music, both vocal and instrumental, they might allure men into their company to commit fornication with them; so Tyre is directed to, or rather this is a prophecy that she should take very artful and ensnaring methods to restore her commerce and merchandise:

thou harlot that hast been forgotten; See Gill on Isa 23:15,

make sweet melody; or, "do well by striking" ^k; that is, the harp in her hand; strike it well with art and skill, so as to make melody, and give pleasure:

sing many songs; or, "multiply a song" ^l; sing one after another, till the point is carried aimed at:

that thou mayest be remembered; men may took at thee again, and trade with thee as formerly, who had been so long forgotten and neglected.

Gill: Isa 23:17 - And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years // that the Lord will visit Tyre // and she shall return to her hire // and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world, upon the face of the earth

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years,.... When the seventy years before mentioned are ended:

that the Lord will visit Tyre; not in judgment, as before, but in mercy:

and she shall return to her hire; trade and merchandise; that shall revive, and be as in times past:

and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world, upon the face of the earth; be a mart of nations again, as in Isa 23:3 that is, trade and traffic with all nations of the earth, in the most ample and public manner; this is called committing fornication, in agreement with the simile of a harlot before used, whereunto Tyre is compared; as well as to observe the illicit ways and methods used in her commerce. The Targum is,

"and her merchandise shall be sufficient to all the kingdoms of the people, which are upon the face of the earth;''

and so the Septuagint,

"and shall be a mart to all the kingdoms of the world, upon the face of the earth.''

The phrase is used of mystical Tyre or Babylon, and of her merchants, in Rev 18:3.

Gill: Isa 23:18 - And her merchandise, and her hire // should be holiness to the Lord // it shall not be treasured, nor laid up // for her merchandise shall be laid up for them, that dwell before the Lord // to eat sufficiently // and for durable clothing

And her merchandise, and her hire,.... Or, "but her merchandise", &c. not the same as before; or, however, not as carried on at the same time, but many ages after, even in the times of the Gospel; for this part of the prophecy respects the conversion of the Tyrians, in the first ages of Christianity; this is prophesied of elsewhere, Psa 45:12 and was fulfilled in the times of the apostles, Act 11:19 and so Kimchi and Jarchi say this is a prophecy to be fulfilled in the days of the Messiah ^m; and then the trade of this people, and what they got by it,

should be holiness to the Lord; that is, devoted, at least, great part of it, to holy uses and service; that is, in defraying of all expenses in carrying on the worship of God, for the maintenance of Gospel ministers, and for the supply and support of the poor saints:

it shall not be treasured, nor laid up: in order to be laid out in pride and luxury; or to be kept as useless, to gratify a covetous disposition; or for posterity to come:

for her merchandise shall be laid up for them, that dwell before the Lord; part of what should be gained by trading, at least, should be laid by for religious uses, as is directed, 1Co 16:1 even for the relief of poor saints in general, who assemble together before the Lord, for the sake of his worship; and particularly for the support of the ministers of the Gospel, who stand before the Lord, and minister in holy things, in his name, to the people:

to eat sufficiently; that they may have food convenient for them, and enough of it; or, in other words, have a sufficient maintenance, a comfortable supply of food for themselves and families, and raiment also; as follows:

and for durable clothing; that they may have a supply of clothing, and never want a coat to put upon their backs. This prophecy, as it belongs to Gospel times, is a proof of the maintenance of Gospel ministers, that they ought to be liberally provided for; and care should be taken that they want not food and raiment, but have a fulness and sufficiency of both, and that which is convenient for them.