Isaiah 23:6 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Isaiah 23:6 kjv
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Isaiah 23:6 nkjv
Cross over to Tarshish; Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland!
Isaiah 23:6 niv
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you people of the island.
Isaiah 23:6 esv
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coast!
Isaiah 23:6 nlt
Send word now to Tarshish!
Wail, you people who live in distant lands!
Isaiah 23 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 23:1 | "The oracle concerning Tyre. Wail, O ships of Tarshish,..." | Introduction to Tyre's judgment, directly mentions Tarshish |
| Isa 23:14 | "Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste." | Repetition of Tarshish and wailing over Tyre's ruin |
| Eze 26:2-3 | "Son of man, because Tyre has said concerning Jerusalem, 'Aha...'" | Tyre's proud rejoicing at Jerusalem's fall draws God's wrath |
| Eze 26:17-18 | "They will raise a lamentation over you and say to you,..." | Prophecy of the mourning over Tyre's destruction |
| Eze 27:30-32 | "They will make their voice heard over you and cry out bitterly,..." | Vivid lamentation for Tyre, especially from its sea traders |
| Joel 3:4-8 | "What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon,...'" | God's judgment against Tyre for trading God's people |
| Amos 1:9-10 | "Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Tyre,..." | Divine judgment pronounced for Tyre's covenant treachery |
| Zec 9:3-4 | "Tyre has built herself a stronghold, and heaped up silver like dust,..." | Prophecy of Tyre's wealth leading to its destruction |
| Jer 4:8 | "For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail,..." | Call to lamentation as a sign of deep national distress |
| Jer 25:34 | "Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the ashes,..." | Directive to wail for impending national disaster |
| Rev 18:9-10 | "And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality..." | Kings mourn the fall of "Babylon" (global commercial power) |
| Rev 18:11-19 | "And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her,..." | Merchants lament "Babylon's" fall, paralleling Tyre's ruin |
| Rev 18:19 | "They threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned..." | Dramatic imagery of deep mourning over a fallen city |
| Jonah 1:3 | "But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord." | Tarshish as a known, distant destination for escape |
| Ps 48:7 | "By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish." | Association of Tarshish ships with divine destructive power |
| Isa 60:9 | "For the coastlands shall hope for me, the ships of Tarshish first,..." | Tarshish depicted positively, bringing riches to Zion in the future |
| Dan 2:21 | "He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings;..." | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly rulers and kingdoms |
| Ps 33:10-11 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;..." | Emphasizes God's ultimate authority over all human plans |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Principle that pride (Tyre's characteristic) leads to ruin |
| Matt 11:21-22 | "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!... It will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon..." | Jesus references Tyre's judgment, implying its notorious wickedness |
| Luke 10:13-14 | "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!... It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon..." | Reinforces the severity of Tyre's past sins and judgment |
| Zec 9:2 | "and Hamath also, which borders on it; Tyre and Sidon, though they are very skillful." | Highlights Tyre's notable skill and strategic importance |
| Eze 28:16-17 | "By the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence... Your heart was proud because of your beauty;..." | Details Tyre's spiritual fall through commercial greed and pride |
Isaiah 23 verses
Isaiah 23 6 meaning
Isaiah 23:6 is a dire prophetic injunction, urging the maritime populations associated with the mighty city of Tyre to abandon their devastated home and flee to the distant port of Tarshish, where they are to lament its irreversible destruction. This command dramatically signals the total collapse of Tyre's commercial and naval power, turning its most remote and successful trading outpost into a refuge for its displaced mourners, rather than a continued source of prosperity.
Isaiah 23 6 Context
Isaiah chapter 23 contains a detailed "burden" (מַשָּׂא, massa) specifically against Tyre, a dominant Phoenician city-state known globally for its unrivaled maritime commerce, vast wealth, and numerous colonial outposts across the Mediterranean Sea. The oracle describes Tyre's future desolation and ultimate humiliation, challenging its self-sufficient pride rooted in its prosperity and power, which often led to disregard for divine righteousness. Historically, this prophecy saw fulfillment through multiple major sieges, including the protracted 13-year siege by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in the early 6th century BCE, and later, the complete conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 BCE. Verse 6 particularly instructs those escaping Tyre's downfall – likely its sailors, traders, and inhabitants of its maritime dependencies – to seek refuge in Tarshish, symbolizing the most distant reach of their once-flourishing trade network, and to lament the end of an era.
Isaiah 23 6 Word analysis
- Pass over (עִבְרוּ
ivru): An imperative verb derived from the rootavar, meaning "to cross," "to pass by," or "to go over." It conveys an urgent, compulsory act of displacement and escape, reflecting the immediate need to abandon a devastated place. - to Tarshish (תַּרְשִׁישׁ
tarshish): A prominent, distant, and historically rich port or region, often identified with Tartessos in modern-day Spain or another distant Phoenician trading colony. It was a byword for the uttermost Western reach of ancient maritime commerce. Here, it is ironically presented as a destination for the fleeing Tyrians, not for trade, but for lament. - you inhabitants of the coastland (יֹשְׁבֵי אִי
yoshevei iy): Literally "dwellers of the island/coast." This refers to the people intrinsically tied to Tyre's maritime existence: its sailors, merchants, and the populations of its coastal and island dependencies. It highlights the specific demographic affected by Tyre's naval downfall. - wail (הֵילִילוּ
heylilu): An emphatic, onomatopoeic imperative verb, meaning to "cry aloud," "lament," "shriek with grief," or "howl." It expresses intense, audible sorrow, despair, and public mourning in response to profound loss and devastation. - you dwellers of the isle! (יֹשְׁבֵי אִי
yoshevei iy): A repetition of the preceding phrase. The reiteration serves to intensify the focus on the distinct group suffering the catastrophe – the sea-dependent, insular population of Tyre and its related territories – reinforcing their unique connection to the city's fate and the depth of their impending sorrow.
(Words-group by words-group analysis)
- "Pass over to Tarshish...": This opening command emphasizes the theme of compelled migration and desperate seeking of refuge. The choice of "Tarshish" is highly symbolic; once the furthest extent of Tyre's global trade and prosperity, it now signifies the bitter destination for the mourning refugees, underscoring the profound reversal of Tyre's fortunes.
- "...you inhabitants of the coastland; wail, you dwellers of the isle!": This combined phrase directly addresses and powerfully characterizes the people impacted. By using both "inhabitants of the coastland" and "dwellers of the isle," the prophecy targets those whose identity, wealth, and livelihood were completely intertwined with Tyre's maritime dominance, marking them as the primary bearers of its ensuing sorrow. The repeated "wail" stresses the depth of collective despair.
Isaiah 23 6 Bonus section
- The "burden" against Tyre in Isaiah 23, along with those against Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt, highlights God's authority over the most powerful nations of the ancient world, reinforcing the unique sovereignty of the God of Israel.
- The prophetic themes of the opulent merchant city, its pride, eventual downfall, and the lamentation of its trade partners and dependent peoples, bear strong thematic parallels with the New Testament depiction of "Babylon the Great" in Revelation chapters 17 and 18, often understood as a symbol of corrupt worldly systems.
- The destruction foretold for Tyre serves as a potent illustration of the principle that societies and economies built on exploitative wealth and unrighteous gain, without regard for divine standards of justice and righteousness, are inherently vulnerable to collapse.
Isaiah 23 6 Commentary
Isaiah 23:6 presents a striking prophetic scene of the utter dismantling of Tyre's empire. The command for its maritime dependents to "pass over to Tarshish" carries profound irony, as Tarshish, once a symbol of Tyre's expansive commercial success, is now a refuge for those who can only lament. This forced exile and deep mourning, denoted by the urgent call to "wail" from the "dwellers of the isle," underscore the totality of Tyre's destruction. The prophecy not only forecasts a historical event but serves as a theological statement about God's sovereignty over all nations, irrespective of their worldly power, wealth, or self-perceived invincibility. It cautions against pride, material obsession, and self-reliance that often lead to defiance against divine principles, ultimately demonstrating the ephemeral nature of all human glory compared to God's enduring dominion. The fall of Tyre exemplifies the biblical truth that unchecked worldly success, devoid of justice and acknowledgment of the Almighty, eventually culminates in judgment and sorrow.