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Isaiah 23

1
The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.
2
Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon that pass over the sea have replenished.
3
On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.
4
Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed, nor given birth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.”
5
When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.
6
Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!
7
Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?
8
Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honorable of the earth?
9
The LORD of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
10
Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.
11
He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. The LORD has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.
12
He said, “You shall rejoice no more, you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Kittim. Even there you will have no rest.”
13
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people didn’t exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.
14
Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!
15
It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.
16
Take a harp; go about the city, you prostitute that has been forgotten. Make sweet melody. Sing many songs, that you may be remembered.
17
It will happen after the end of seventy years that the LORD will visit Tyre. She will return to her wages, and will play the prostitute with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.
18
Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to the LORD. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.
Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This chapter pronounces God’s judgment on Tyre, a powerful and prosperous maritime city renowned for its commerce and pride, declaring its imminent desolation and temporary obscurity, followed by a restoration that ultimately serves God’s purposes. Situated within a series of oracles against the nations (chapters 13–23), it underscores that even the most influential human centers of trade and power are subject to divine sovereignty and accountability.

Flow.

  • The chapter opens with a summons to mourning, as the destruction of Tyre is announced to distant seafaring peoples like Tarshish.
  • It details Tyre’s former wealth derived from international trade, especially with Egypt, and the shock its fall will provoke among coastal nations and allies like Sidon.
  • The LORD is identified as the one who has purposed this judgment to humble human pride and dismantle earthly exaltation.
  • After seventy years of oblivion, Tyre will be restored, but only to resume its commercial role as a "prostitute," until her wealth is finally consecrated to the LORD for the benefit of His people.

Connections.
Following chapter 22, which ends with judgment on Jerusalem’s steward and the futility of human confidence in leadership, chapter 23 turns outward to the nations, showing that God rules over all civilizations—even those far removed from Israel. The fall of Tyre, like that of Babylon and other powers, confirms that no city built on commerce and pride can resist divine decree. The theme of temporary judgment followed by a measured restoration prepares for chapter 24, which expands the scope to universal judgment on the earth itself, where all human glory is stripped away before the glory of the LORD is revealed.

What it teaches.
God sovereignly directs the rise and fall of nations to fulfill His purposes, and even the judgments He brings upon proud cities serve His redemptive ends (WCF 5.4). Tyre’s seventy years of forgetfulness mirror divinely appointed seasons of chastisement, after which restoration does not mean vindication but redirection toward God’s use—even if through imperfect means. Ultimately, the chapter anticipates a time when the wealth of the nations, once used for idolatry and self-exaltation, will be dedicated to the Lord and His people (cf. HC LD 30), echoing the promise that all things will serve the advancement of His kingdom (WCF 8.3; BC Art. 21).

Apply.
The riches and reputations built apart from God may flourish for a season but will be redirected by His hand to serve His enduring purposes.

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