Isaiah 23:1-18, NLT

Isaiah 23

A Message about Tyre

1This message came to me concerning Tyre:

Wail, you trading ships of Tarshish,

for the harbor and houses of Tyre are gone!

The rumors you heard in Cyprus*23:1 Hebrew Kittim; also in 23:12.

are all true.

2Mourn in silence, you people of the coast

and you merchants of Sidon.

Your traders crossed the sea,*23:2 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads Those who have gone over the sea have filled you.

3sailing over deep waters.

They brought you grain from Egypt*23:3 Hebrew from Shihor, a branch of the Nile River.

and harvests from along the Nile.

You were the marketplace of the world.

4But now you are put to shame, city of Sidon,

for Tyre, the fortress of the sea, says,*23:4 Or for the god of the sea says; Hebrew reads for the sea, the fortress of the sea, says.

“Now I am childless;

I have no sons or daughters.”

5When Egypt hears the news about Tyre,

there will be great sorrow.

6Send word now to Tarshish!

Wail, you people who live in distant lands!

7Is this silent ruin all that is left of your once joyous city?

What a long history was yours!

Think of all the colonists you sent to distant places.

8Who has brought this disaster on Tyre,

that great creator of kingdoms?

Her traders were all princes,

her merchants were nobles.

9The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has done it

to destroy your pride

and bring low all earth’s nobility.

10Come, people of Tarshish,

sweep over the land like the flooding Nile,

for Tyre is defenseless.*23:10 The meaning of the Hebrew in this verse is uncertain.

11The Lord held out his hand over the sea

and shook the kingdoms of the earth.

He has spoken out against Phoenicia,*23:11 Hebrew Canaan.

ordering that her fortresses be destroyed.

12He says, “Never again will you rejoice,

O daughter of Sidon, for you have been crushed.

Even if you flee to Cyprus,

you will find no rest.”

13Look at the land of Babylonia*23:13 Or Chaldea.—

the people of that land are gone!

The Assyrians have handed Babylon over

to the wild animals of the desert.

They have built siege ramps against its walls,

torn down its palaces,

and turned it to a heap of rubble.

14Wail, you ships of Tarshish,

for your harbor is destroyed!

15For seventy years, the length of a king’s life, Tyre will be forgotten. But then the city will come back to life as in the song about the prostitute:

16Take a harp and walk the streets,

you forgotten harlot.

Make sweet melody and sing your songs

so you will be remembered again.

17Yes, after seventy years the Lord will revive Tyre. But she will be no different than she was before. She will again be a prostitute to all kingdoms around the world.

18But in the end her profits will be given to the Lord. Her wealth will not be hoarded but will provide good food and fine clothing for the Lord’s priests.