By Eugene Garner

ISAIAH - CHAPTER 23

AN ORACLE CONCERNING TYRE

    Ancient Tyre was a principal seaport on the Phoenician coast, about 25 miles South of Sidon and Northwest of Jerusalem. The date of its founding is unknown, but many Sidonians fled there around 1200 B.C. when their own city was plundered by the Philistines. Until the decline of Egyptian power, it was loyal to Egypt. But, when the power of Egypt was broken, Tyre became independent and controlled most of the coastal cities of Phoenicia.
    Friendly with both David and Solomon, Tyre contributed many of the materials for the royal palace and temple in Jerusalem (2 Sam. 5:11; I Kings 5:1-12; I Chron. 14:1; 2 Chron. 2:3-16) in exchange for food and territorial concessions (I Kings 9:10-14) - later assisting Solomon in the development of the Port of Ezion-geber on the Red Sea, (I Kings 9:26-28).
    Hiram I joined the two parts of Tyre together by an artificial causeway and dedicated a temple to heathen deities - Melgart and Astarte. For some time the city was under tribute to Assyria. During this time her former relationship with Israel was broken, so that Amos and Joel denounced her treatment of the Hebrew people, (Amos 1:9; Joel 3:4-6). Though she ultimately gained her freedom from Assyria, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah all prophesied her subjection to Babylon, (Jer. 25:22; 27:1-11; Ezek. 26:1-28:19; 29:18-20; Zech. 9:2).

   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. Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished. And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations. Be thou ashamed, 0 Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins. As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

    1. The opening scene is one of wailing over the devastation of Tyre; at Cyprus the seamen who have sailed the Phoenician ships, returning from Tarshish, learn that they have no warehouse or harbor to which they may return (vs. 1).
      a. Tarshish appears to have been a coastal area in Spain - rich in metals such as: gold, silver, iron, tin and lead, (Jonah 1:13; Isa. 66:19; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12).
      b. "Ships of Tarshish" seems to indicate any ship that was engaged in the transport of these precious cargoes - with the understanding that Tyre was the mistress of the sea, (Ezek. 27:12, 25).
      c. Symbols of wealth and power, these ships served such distant ports that they were often gone from one to three years before returning, 2 Chron. 9:20-21).
    2. Sidon, in verse 2, stands for all Phoenician towns along the coast; having been replenished by these "merchants that pass through the sea", they are stricken with awe, (vs. 2; Ezek. 27:3, 8, 23).
    3. The "mart of nations" (Ezek. 27:12-13), Tyre had been a great center of commerce - her vessels providing great riches as they gathered the grain, produce and natural resources of Egypt and transported them throughout the known world, (vs. 3; Cf. 19:7-9).
    4. Sidon, the firstborn of Canaan (son of Ham: Gen. 10:15, 19; Judg. 10:6; Jer. 47:4; Ezek. 28:21-22), the founder of Tyre, is bowed with shame because her daughter will no longer be able to plant distant colonies as in the past, (vs. 4).
    5. Egypt will be deeply pained at the report concerning Tyre - knowing that her own days must be numbered, (vs. 5; comp. Ex. 15:14-15; Josh. 2:9-11).
    6. And the inhabitants of the coasts will pass over to Tarshish - bewailing the loss of the ancient, once-joyous, city whose feet (ships) will carry her afar to sojourn, (vs. 6-7).

   Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Pass through thy land as a river, 0 daughter of Tashish: there is no more strength. He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof. And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, 0 thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest. Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for - your strength is laid waste.

    1. In verse 8 the question is raised: "Who planned this against Tyre?"
      a. She has been the distributor of crowns!
      b. Her merchants have been princes!
      c. Her traders have been the most honorable men of the earth! or so it appeared.
    2. "The LORD of hosts" has planned it for a definite purpose: He will stain (pollute) the pride of her glory (2:11, 17; 5:15; 13:11; Lk. 1:51-52), and "bring into contempt" those whom the world honors, (5:13; 9-14-15).
    3. Freed from the tyranny of Tyre, Tarshish could now profit from her own natural resources, (vs. 10).
    4. The Lord is pictured as stretching out His hand over the sea-shaking kingdoms and commanding the destruction of "the merchant city", (vs. 11). No more will she rejoice triumphantly; though, in her dishonor, she seeks refuge in Chittim (Cyprus), she will find no rest there, (vs. 12).

   And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered. And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD; it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

    1. For 70 years Tyre is to be forsaken and forgotten, (vs. 15; Jer. 25:11, 22).
    2. At the end of 70 years she is likened unto a harlot who has lost her trade; taking a harp, she makes sweet melody, and sings such songs as will attract her former lovers, (vs. 16).
    3. The Lord will permit her to be restored to the work and wealth that was hers in days gone by; very soon she is illicitly entangled once more with the kingdoms of the world, (vs. 17; comp. Ezek. 16:25-29; Nahum 3:4-7).
    4.Her wealth, however, will finally be devoted to the Lord - something that, evidently, still awaits its ultimate fulfillment, (vs. 18; 60:5-9; Psalm 72:10.11; Mic. 4:13; Zech. 14:20-21).
    The Lord judged Tyre because of her sin - a people that never really knew him. HOW MUCH MORE SEVERELY will He judge those who have KNOWN HIM, but REFUSED TO DO HIS WILL!! (Matt. 11:21-22; Lk. 10:13-14).