Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth. This is a prophetic reference to the selling of 30, citizens of Tyre into captivity, and to nothing else in the long history of that great city. Critical efforts to make this a prophecy of some other calamity in Tyre are futile.
Regarding all of those conflicts with Assyria, and even in the case of the year siege by Nebuchadnezzar, nothing that even resembles this is visible. Concerning all the invasions and assaults of Tyre prior to Alexander the Great, the Encyclopedia Britannica states that, "For the most part, Assyrian and Babylonian might spent itself in vain against Tyre's defenses But after a siege of seven months Alexander took it, slaughtered 8, of its citizens, later executed 2, more, and sold 30, into slavery!
Oh yes, this is indeed predictive prophecy. Isaiah lived in the eighth century; Tyre was "carried off on its own feet" in the fourth B. Thus at last the old slave traders finally got what was coming to them. For ages "They had been present on battlefields, either stripping the dead, or bargaining for captives.
But I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre, and it shall devour the palaces thereof" Amos This emphasizes the importance of ancient Tyre.
All over the Mediterranean world, there were colonies and cities where Tyre had established petty dependent "kings" who cooperated with them in their worldwide system of markets. Jamieson called Tyre, "The city from which dependent kingdoms had arisen. Of great significance in this paragraph is the use of the word "traffickers" Isaiah It never meant an honorable merchant, but a crooked deceiver. See Hosea, Vol. The word thus rendered here also may be translated Canaanite, or Phoenician; and one of the charges of the prophet Hosea against Israel was that they also had become "traffickers" in the crooked and deceitful sense Hosea Barnes suggested that the ruin of a great city so magnificent and so ancient would naturally raise a question as to who had purposed such a thing; and that question is raised in Isaiah The thundering answer comes in the very next verse: "Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it!
God wished to stain all false pride and human glory. He would punish and denounce that false standard of success that declared the crooked traffickers of Tyre as the "honorable of the earth. God reduced, and he should have reduced such "honor" to the contempt it deserved. In our own generation, there are many examples of the same human conceit that God here punished. He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken the kingdoms: Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the stronghold thereof.
And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon: arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest. Behold, the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not; the Assyrians founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they set up their towers; they overthrew the palaces thereof; they made it a ruin. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for your stronghold is laid waste. This verse is admitted to be obscure in meaning; but Barnes thought that, "Just as a river flows without obstruction through a land, so the inhabitants would be scattered.
It continued Christian till it was taken by the Saracens in ; was recovered by the Christians in ; but in was conquered by the Mamelukes and afterwards taken from them by the Turks in Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. By proceeding, you consent to our cookie usage. Please see our Privacy Policy for cookie usage details. We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
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If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:. Reference Only. No Number. No Delimiter — Square — [15]. Parens — Abbreviate Books. Use SBL Abbrev. En dash Hyphen. None — Jhn KJV. Square — [Jhn KJV]. Parens — Jhn KJV. Quotes Around Verses. Remove Square Brackets. Sort Canonically. Free Bible Courses Visit. Help Quick Nav Advanced Options.
Cite Share Print. Search Results in Other Versions. BLB Searches. Search the Bible. LexiConc [? Advanced Options Exact Match. Theological FAQs [? Multi-Verse Retrieval x. En dash not Hyphen. Let's Connect x. Subscribe to our Newsletter. Daily Devotionals x. Daily Bible Reading Plans x. Recently Popular Pages x. Recently Popular Media x. Matthew Henry :: Commentary on Isaiah Chapter 23 This chapter is concerning Tyre, an ancient wealthy city, situated upon the sea, and for many ages one of the most celebrated cities for trade and merchandise in those parts of the world.
In this chapter is foretold, I. The lamentable desolation of Tyre, which was performed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldean army, about the time that they destroyed Jerusalem; and a hard task they had of it, as appears Eze. The restoration of Tyre after seventy years, and the return of the Tyrians out of their captivity to their trade again v. Isa Tyre being a sea-port town, this prophecy of its overthrow fitly begins and ends with, Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for all its business, wealth, and honour, depended upon its shipping; if that be ruined, they will be all undone.
Observe, I. Tyre flourishing. This is taken notice of that her fall may appear the more dismal. The merchants of Zidon, who traded at sea, had at first replenished her, v. Zidon was the more ancient city, situated upon the same sea-cost, a few leagues more to the north, and Tyre was at first only a colony of that; but the daughter had outgrown the mother, and become much more considerable. It may be a mortification to great cities to think how they were at first replenished.
Egypt had helped very much to raise her, v. Sihor was the river of Egypt: by that river, and the ocean into which it ran, the Egyptians traded with Tyre; and the harvest of that river was her revenue. The riches of the sea, and the gains by goods exported and imported, are as much the harvest to trading towns as that of hay and corn is to the country; and sometimes the harvest of the river proves a better revenue than the harvest of the land.
Or it may be meant of all the products of the Egyptian soil, which the men of Tyre traded in, and which were the harvest of the river Nile, owing themselves to the overflowing of that river.
She had become the mart of the nations, the great emporium of that part of the world. Some of every known nation might be found there, especially at certain times of the year, when there was a general rendezvous of merchants. This is enlarged upon by another prophet, Eze. See how the hand of the diligent, by the blessing of God upon it, makes rich. Tyre became rich and great by industry, though she had no other ploughs going than those that plough the waters. She was a joyous city, noted for mirth and jollity, v.
Those that were so disposed might find there all manner of sports and diversions, all the delights of the sons and daughters of men, balls, and plays, and operas, and every thing of that kind that a man had a fancy to. This made them secure and proud, and they despised the country people, who neither knew nor relished any joys of that nature.
They will hear that their city has been taken, that there is no access to its harbours. Benson Commentary Isaiah The burden of Tyre — Tyre was an ancient and wealthy city, situated upon the Mediterranean sea, and for many ages one of the most celebrated cities in those parts of the world. The Greek geographer, Strabo, says, that after Sidon, it was the greatest and most ancient city of the Phenicians. Accordingly, Bishop Lowth makes no question but it is meant Joshua , where mention is made of the strong city Tyre, as existing when Canaan was divided by lot to the tribes of Israel.
And it is mentioned also in the fragments of Sanchoniathon, the Phenician historian, who is reckoned to have lived about the time of Gideon, or somewhat later. In the days of David and Solomon it evidently appears to have been a place of great note, and it continued and increased in its commerce, wealth, population, and power, during the reigns of the subsequent kings of Israel and Judah.
When Isaiah uttered this prophecy respecting its desolation, which he did one hundred and twenty-five years at least before its accomplishment, it stood firm in its strength and glory, abounded in riches, and was especially mighty in naval power, having lately conquered the navy which the Assyrians had brought against it.
Yet this city, according to this prophecy, was destroyed, and that twice; first by Nebuchadnezzar, and long afterward by Alexander the Great. The former it withstood thirteen years, at the end or which time the inhabitants, wearied out by endless efforts, resolved to place the sea between them and their enemy, and accordingly passed into an island about half a mile from the shore, where, as Vitringa has proved at large from good authorities, a smaller city already stood, accounted a part of Tyre, and where had long been the principal station for ships.
The city on the island was by this means greatly enlarged, and was afterward termed New Tyre. This stood out against Alexander seven months; and before he could take it he was obliged to fill up the strait which separated the island from the continent. Although this prophecy first and more directly respects the former destruction, yet it seems to have some reference to the latter also; only it is here foretold, that seventy years after the former destruction, and before the latter, Tyre should recover her former power and glory, which came to pass accordingly.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish — By Tarshish, it seems, Tartessus in Spain is meant, a place which, in the course of trade, the Tyrians greatly frequented: see note on Isaiah Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary Tyre was the mart of the nations.
She was noted for mirth and diversions; and this made her loth to consider the warnings God gave by his servants.
Her merchants were princes, and lived like princes. Tyre being destroyed and laid waste, the merchants should abandon her. Flee to shift for thine own safety; but those that are uneasy in one place, will be so in another; for when God's judgments pursue sinners, they will overtake them. Whence shall all this trouble come? It is a destruction from the Almighty. God designed to convince men of the vanity and uncertainty of all earthly glory. Let the ruin of Tyre warn all places and persons to take heed of pride; for he who exalts himself shall be abased.
God will do it, who has all power in his hand; but the Chaldeans shall be the instruments. Barnes' Notes on the Bible The burden of Tyre - see the note at Isaiah Howl - This is a highly poetic description of the destruction that was coming on Tyre. The ships of Tarshish traded there; and the prophet now addresses the ships, and calls upon them to lament because the commerce by which they had been enriched was to be destroyed, and they were to be thrown out of employ. Ye ships of Tarshish - see the note at Isaiah It is mentioned by Diod.
According to Jeremiah , it exported silver; according to Ezekiel , Ezekiel , it exported silver, iron, tin, and lead, to the Tyrian market. In this chapter Isaiah , Isaiah , Isaiah , it is represented as an important Phenician or Tyrian colony.
All the circumstances agree with the supposition that "Tartessus" in Spain is the place "here" referred to. Sacra," iii. Michaelis, "Spicileg. For it is laid waste - Tyre is laid waste; that is, in vision it was made to pass before the mind of the prophet as laid waste, or as it "would" be see the notes at Isaiah So that there is no house - It would be completely destroyed.
This was the case with old Tyre after the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, and it remained so. See the analysis of the chapter.
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