Isaiah 23
Isaiah pronounces the burden against Tyre. The merchant city of the sea will be laid waste, her merchants who were princes will be dishonored, and for seventy years Tyre will be forgotten. After seventy years the LORD will visit Tyre and her merchandise shall be devoted to the LORD.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Chittim it is revealed to them. | The burden of Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste — without house or harbor! From the land of Cyprus this has been revealed to them. |
| 2 | Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. | Be silent, O inhabitants of the coastland, You whom the merchants of Sidon crossing the sea have enriched. |
| 3 | And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. | Over many waters came the grain of the Nile — the harvest of the River — and she was the marketplace of nations. |
| 4 | Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. | Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken — the stronghold of the sea says, "I have neither labored nor given birth; I have not raised young men nor brought up young women." |
| 5 | As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. | When the report reaches Egypt, they shall be in anguish over the report about Tyre. |
| 6 | Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. | Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland! |
| 7 | Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. | Is this Your joyful city, whose origin is from ancient days? Her feet shall carry her far away to stay in a distant land. |
| 8 | Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? | Who has planned this against Tyre, the city that bestowed crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were among the honored of the earth? |
| 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 has purposed it — to defile the pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth. |
| 10 | Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength. | Cross Your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish — there is no restraint anymore. |
| 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 has stretched His hand over the sea; He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has given command concerning Canaan to destroy her strongholds. |
| 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. | He said, "You shall no longer exult, O oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Rise and cross over to Cyprus — even there You shall find no rest." |
| 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. | Look at the land of the Chaldeans — this people who were nothing! Assyria founded it for desert dwellers. They set up their siege towers, they stripped bare Tyre's palaces, and made it a ruin. |
| 14 | Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. | Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Your stronghold is laid waste! |
| 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. | In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years — the length of one king's life. At the end of seventy years, Tyre shall sing like a harlot. |
| 16 | Take an 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 around the city, O forgotten harlot! Play sweetly, sing many songs, so that You may be remembered." |
| 17 | And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. | At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre. She shall return to her wages and prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. |
| 18 | And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. | Her profits and her wages shall be holy to the LORD. They shall not be stored or hoarded, but her gains shall go to those who live before the LORD — to eat their fill and wear fine clothing. |