Isaiah 23 10

Isaiah 23:10 kjv

Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.

Isaiah 23:10 nkjv

Overflow through your land like the River, O daughter of Tarshish; There is no more strength.

Isaiah 23:10 niv

Till your land as they do along the Nile, Daughter Tarshish, for you no longer have a harbor.

Isaiah 23:10 esv

Cross over your land like the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint anymore.

Isaiah 23:10 nlt

Come, people of Tarshish,
sweep over the land like the flooding Nile,
for Tyre is defenseless.

Isaiah 23 10 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Isaiah 23:10"Pass through thy land as the Nile..."Judah's coming judgment
Jeremiah 51:36"I will dry up her sea..."Babylon's judgment parallels
Amos 8:8"The land shall rise up wholly like the Nile..."Judgment imagery
Ezekiel 26:1-14Prophecy against TyreJudgment on coastal cities
Isaiah 18:7"At that time shall a present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled..."Tribute after deliverance
Revelation 18:1-24Judgment on BabylonCommercial centers judged
Isaiah 19:6-8"And there shall be no passage for the Nile..."Egypt's distress
Isaiah 27:1"The LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan..."Divine judgment
Psalm 77:19"Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters; and thy footsteps are not known."God's sovereign power
Jeremiah 49:20-21Judgment on EdomOther nations judged
Nahum 3:8"Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers..."Nineveh's fall comparison
Ezekiel 32:2-16Lamentation for PharaohImagery of overwhelming force
Joel 1:19-20"O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field."Devastation
Habakkuk 3:8-10"Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers...?"God's power over nature
Zechariah 10:10-11"I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon..."Restoration
Isaiah 37:35"And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand..."Divine protection
Isaiah 43:1-2"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine."God's redemption
Psalm 104:10"He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills."Rivers as blessing
Proverbs 3:9-10"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase..."Prosperity
Jeremiah 50:44"Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong..."Invasions

Isaiah 23 verses

Isaiah 23 10 Meaning

The verse speaks of a call to pass through the land like the Nile River, emphasizing a period of restoration and invasion where the city's protection is no longer present.

Isaiah 23 10 Context

This chapter is part of a larger prophecy against Tyre, a wealthy and powerful Phoenician city-state known for its maritime trade. Tyre's pride and reliance on its strategic island location had led to its downfall, predicted by Isaiah. This specific verse appears after the announcement of Tyre's impending destruction, framing it as a time when its former protections are rendered useless, allowing for a thorough "passing through" by an invading force. The imagery evokes the Nile in Egypt, a river that brought life and prosperity but could also signify overwhelming inundation during its flood season.

Isaiah 23 10 Word analysis

  • Pass (כְּסוּף - kəsuph): Derived from "to desire" or "to flow over," implying a complete and unrestrained movement.

  • Through (בְּעַד - bəʿaḏ): Signifies "passing alongside," "around," or "through," indicating movement encompassing the entire land.

  • Thy land (אַרְצֵךְ - ʾarṣēḵ): Refers specifically to the territory and domain of Tyre, likely encompassing both the mainland and its islands.

  • As (כְּמוֹ - kəmo): A simile connector, drawing a comparison.

  • The Nile (river) (יְאוֹר - yəʾōr): The Hebrew word for the Nile River in Egypt, famously known for its annual flood. This imagery suggests an overwhelming, forceful, and extensive passage, not necessarily benevolent like the Nile's life-giving floods, but in this context, one of conquest and destruction.

  • Daughter (בַּת - baṯ): Used here metaphorically for "inhabitant" or "daughter city" of Tyre, personifying the city.

  • Of (or to) Tyre (צור - ṣûr): The ancient Phoenician city known for its formidable defenses.

  • Is broken (נִשְׁבְּרָה - nišəbəråh): Imperfect tense, suggesting an ongoing or completed state of being fractured, implying vulnerability.

  • Group analysis: The phrase "Pass through thy land as the Nile, O daughter of Tyre, is broken" describes a comprehensive invasion of Tyre, likened to the widespread inundation of the Nile, following the breaking of its defenses or its former invincibility.

Isaiah 23 10 Bonus section

The metaphor of the Nile was deeply ingrained in the ancient Near East. While normally associated with fertility and life for Egypt, its flood could also represent destruction. For Tyre, accustomed to its island security, the thought of their land being passed through like the Nile, which could devastate as well as sustain, vividly conveyed the completeness of the impending judgment and invasion. The breaking implies a foundational weakness or a dismantling of their unique defensive advantage.

Isaiah 23 10 Commentary

Tyre, confident in its insular defenses and commercial might, faces a future invasion that will sweep over its entire domain like the powerful and inescapable floodwaters of the Nile. The breaking of Tyre signifies the collapse of its former security and pride, leaving it utterly vulnerable to an overwhelming force that leaves no corner untouched. This is a divine decree of complete conquest.