Isaiah 23 1

Isaiah 23:1 kjv

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.

Isaiah 23:1 nkjv

The burden against Tyre. Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, So that there is no house, no harbor; From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them.

Isaiah 23:1 niv

A prophecy against Tyre: Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For Tyre is destroyed and left without house or harbor. From the land of Cyprus word has come to them.

Isaiah 23:1 esv

The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor! From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them.

Isaiah 23:1 nlt

This 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
are all true.

Isaiah 23 verses

Isaiah 23 1 meaning

Isaiah 23:1 pronounces a divine judgment, a "burden," against Tyre, a prominent Phoenician maritime city renowned for its wealth and trade. The verse calls for the "ships of Tarshish," symbolizing Tyre's far-reaching commercial empire, to lament loudly because their source of prosperity, Tyre, is utterly destroyed. This devastation is so complete that there are no houses left and no one is entering its ports or dwellings. The news of this catastrophic ruin is depicted as arriving from the "land of Kittim," likely Cyprus or the broader western Mediterranean coastlands, emphasizing the widespread impact and the unexpected nature of the announcement for those reliant on Tyre's trade. It signifies the end of a proud, self-sufficient commercial power at God's decree.

Isaiah 23 1 Context

Isaiah 23:1 inaugurates a specific oracle, a "burden," targeting the formidable city of Tyre. This chapter concludes a broader section within Isaiah (chapters 13-23) that consists of various prophecies of judgment against numerous surrounding nations, including Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Damascus, Egypt, and Edom. This placement signifies God's absolute sovereignty over all earthly powers, both Israel's allies and enemies. Tyre, known as the queen of the seas, represented the epitome of human ingenuity, mercantile strength, and global reach in the ancient world. It was a primary economic hub of the Phoenicians, possessing an almost impregnable island fortress and extensive trade networks, particularly through its "ships of Tarshish," that stretched across the Mediterranean. The prophecy arrives at a time when Tyre would have been confident in its security and prosperity. Historically, Tyre faced sieges from the Assyrians (Shalmaneser V and Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon for 13 years) and ultimately total destruction by Alexander the Great, who famously built a causeway to connect the island city to the mainland. The context is therefore a direct challenge to the human arrogance and reliance on material wealth that often accompany great power, proclaiming that even such a seemingly invulnerable stronghold is subject to divine judgment.

Isaiah 23 1 Word analysis

• The burden (מַשָּׂא - massāʾ): This Hebrew term denotes a prophetic pronouncement, often carrying the weight of a heavy and solemn message, typically one of judgment. It signifies God's divine word laid upon a nation. This isn't merely an observation but an authoritative declaration from the Lord concerning its destiny.
• concerning Tyre (צֹר - Tzōr): Tyre, meaning "rock," was a city founded by the Phoenicians, initially built on a formidable rocky island just off the coast of the Levant. Its name reflected its physical strength and perceived invincibility, embodying self-reliance and commercial prowess. It became a global trading empire.
• Howl (הֵילִיל - hêlîl): This imperative is a strong command for lamentation. It depicts a deep, guttural cry of distress, pain, and despair, far beyond mere sadness. It indicates the extreme devastation and the emotional desolation it causes to those connected with Tyre.
• you ships of Tarshish (אֳנִיּוֹת תַּרְשִׁישׁ - ʾǒniyyôṯ Taršîš): These were large, sturdy merchant vessels capable of long voyages, traditionally associated with routes to Tarshish, likely Tartessos in Spain, or more generally, any distant land beyond the Mediterranean. They symbolize Tyre's vast commercial reach, its wealth, and the very foundation of its power. The command to "howl" is directed at these ships and their mariners, who are the first to experience and spread the news of Tyre's economic demise.
• for it is laid waste (שֻׁדָּד - šūddāḏ): The Hebrew verb indicates violent destruction, devastation, or plunder. It suggests a thorough and complete ruin, not just damage or temporary setback. This implies a sudden and total collapse of the city's economic and physical structures.
• so that there is no house, no entering in: This phrase amplifies the sense of complete desolation. It describes the total ruin of its dwellings and, by extension, the cessation of all normal life and commerce. There's no longer any place to live or any reason for ships or people to enter its ports, rendering the city uninhabited and economically defunct.
• from the land of Kittim (כִּתִּים - Kittîm): Kittim generally refers to Cyprus, specifically the city of Kition. It often represented the western coastlands and islands in the Mediterranean. Here, it indicates that the news of Tyre's destruction would travel from a significant port or trading partner across the sea, perhaps even suggesting the invaders came from that direction. This underscores the global reverberations of Tyre's fall and how its distant trade partners would be among the first to witness or hear of its doom.
• it is revealed to them: The news of Tyre's destruction, initially experienced or heard in Kittim, then makes its way back to other places, bringing shock and despair to those connected with Tyre's maritime network. This highlights the widespread knowledge of the city's calamity.

Isaiah 23 1 Bonus section

The destruction of Tyre described here carries layers of fulfillment throughout history, often involving sieges by empires like Assyria (Shalmaneser V), Babylon (Nebuchadnezzar II for 13 years, leaving the island city diminished but not destroyed), and later the decisive, nearly complete conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, who literally paved a causeway across the sea to access and destroy the island fortress. This shows the long-term, unfolding nature of prophecy. The "ships of Tarshish" can also be interpreted as a general term for any large, ocean-going vessels, emphasizing the extent of Tyre's economic reach rather than a single specific port, and therefore, the breadth of the impending disaster. The pronouncement against Tyre, a city notorious for its materialism and human trafficking (Amos 1:9-10), serves as a universal principle that God's justice ultimately confronts societies built on exploitation and ungodly pride, irrespective of their material splendor.

Isaiah 23 1 Commentary

Isaiah 23:1 delivers a potent prophecy of judgment against Tyre, an emblematic city of worldly wealth and maritime dominance. It asserts God's sovereignty over all human endeavors, reminding that even the most secure and prosperous cities are subject to His divine decree. The "burden" signifies a pronouncement carrying grave weight, demonstrating that God is intimately involved in the affairs of nations, orchestrating their rise and fall. The call for the "ships of Tarshish" to "howl" powerfully illustrates that Tyre's economic collapse would reverberate across its vast trading empire, causing deep despair among those whose prosperity was intertwined with it. This emphasizes the ephemeral nature of material wealth and the ultimate fragility of human pride built on such foundations. The phrase "no house, no entering in" paints a picture of absolute desolation, signaling not merely a defeat but an utter obliteration of the city's functional life and commerce. The revelation of this disaster from "Kittim" highlights the widespread impact, as even distant trading partners would be forced to acknowledge the catastrophic shift in global power. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that all earthly empires, irrespective of their apparent might and self-sufficiency, ultimately operate within the bounds of God's sovereign will and are susceptible to His judgment.