Isaiah

The book of the prophet Isaiah, chapter 23, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 23 New English Translation

The LORD Will Judge Tyre

   1 Here is a message about Tyre: Wail, you large ships, for the port is too devastated to enter! From the land of Cyprus this news is announced to them.
   2 Lament, you residents of the coast, you merchants of Sidon who travel over the sea, whose agents sail over 3 the deep waters! Grain from the Shihor region, crops grown near the Nile she receives; she is the trade center of the nations.
   4 Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea says this, O fortress of the sea: "I have not gone into labor or given birth; I have not raised young men or brought up young women."
   5 When the news reaches Egypt, they will be shaken by what has happened to Tyre.
   6 Travel to Tarshish! Wail, you residents of the coast!
   7 Is this really your boisterous city whose origins are in the distant past, and whose feet led her to a distant land to reside?
   8 Who planned this for royal Tyre, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are the dignitaries of the earth?
   9 The LORD who commands armies planned it - to dishonor the pride that comes from all her beauty, to humiliate all the dignitaries of the earth.
   10 Daughter Tarshish, travel back to your land, as one crosses the Nile; there is no longer any marketplace in Tyre.
   11 The LORD stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook kingdoms; he gave the order to destroy Canaan's fortresses.
   12 He said, "You will no longer celebrate, oppressed virgin daughter Sidon! Get up, travel to Cyprus, but you will find no relief there."
   13 Look at the land of the Chaldeans, these people who have lost their identity! The Assyrians have made it a home for wild animals. They erected their siege towers, demolished its fortresses, and turned it into a heap of ruins.
   14 Wail, you large ships, for your fortress is destroyed!
   15 At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the typical life span of a king. At the end of seventy years Tyre will try to attract attention again, like the prostitute in the popular song:
   16 "Take the harp, go through the city, forgotten prostitute! Play it well, play lots of songs, so you'll be noticed!"
   17 At the end of seventy years the LORD will revive Tyre. She will start making money again by selling her services to all the earth's kingdoms. 18 Her profits and earnings will be set apart for the LORD. They will not be stored up or accumulated, for her profits will be given to those who live in the LORD's presence and will be used to purchase large quantities of food and beautiful clothes.

King James Version

   1 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.
   2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.
   3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river, is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.
   4 Be thou ashamed, O 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.
   5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
   6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
   7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
   8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
   9 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.
   10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there is no more strength.
   11 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.
   12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.
   13 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.
   14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.
   15 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.
   16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
   17 ¶ 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.
   18 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.