23. Isaiah Chapter Twenty-Three

Isaiah Chapter 23 The oracle concerning Tyre is the last of the series concerning the nations. Babylon represented imperial power. Tyre stood for commercial power. Its influence, with that of the older city Sidon, here spoken of as a mother in relation to Tyre, (Isaiah 23:4 and Isaiah 23:12) exercised a more potent effect in this respect than any other nation. Tarshish was in the west of the Mediterranean, and perhaps stood here for the whole of that sea. In Isaiah 23:3 Sihor is the Hebrew name for Siris, the upper Nile (here called "the river"), the region of which was a grain mart for the nations. Egypt and Tyre are associated in Isaiah 23:5. In Isaiah 23:9 Tyre is made an example of a divine purpose concerning all potentates who glory in their prowess and their attainments of power and domination. Jehovah of hosts will "stain the pride of all glory, and bring into contempt all the honorable [the chief men] of the earth." In Isaiah 23:10 Tarshish is set free. Just as the Nile overflows its banks, so the people can now enjoy liberty and be independent of the mother city. It can exercise no more restraining girdle (see margin) of authority. Let the Sidonians escape to Cyprus (Chittim); they will have no rest there (Isaiah 23:12). The Chaldeans, who succeeded the Assyrians (Isaiah 23:13), would desolate Tyre and bring it to ruin (Ezekiel 29:17-18). During the seventy years of Chaldean supremacy (Jeremiah 25:9, Jeremiah 25:11; Jeremiah 29:10) it would be forgotten. "The days of one king" marks a fixed period. After this the Lord would permit the restoration. Not that Tyre would turn to God. She could renew her melodies and, like a harlot, attract nations again to herself by her traffic and enterprise (Isaiah 23:17).

Isaiah 23:18 received a fulfillment in that Tyre and Sidon assisted in the building of the temple after the captivity (Ezra 3:7).