Isa 23.1-18 is a prophecy about the destruction of Tyre at the hands of the Assyrians. This devastation will last seventy years and then the city will be restored again. This is also discussed in Ezek 26 through 28. Geographically this is Lebanon and there are some who see this as a prophecy about Japan or world commerce in the Day of the Lord when Messiah comes.
v 1…The oracle (prophecy, word) concerning Tyre (“distress”). Wail, O ships of Tarshish (Spain, or “Tartessus” which was a place of trade) for Tyre is destroyed, without house or harbor (none left in the center of the world markets), it is reported to them from the land of Cyprus (Hebrew “Kittim”-In the Targum Onkelos it is Rome. R.Radak said they were merchants who dealt with Babylon-Num 24.24; Dan 11.29-30. When returning from Spain they would stop at Kittim, or Cyprus, and heard that Tyre had been taken).
v 2…Be silent (with awe, a deathly silence), you inhabitants of the coastland (Phoenicia), you merchants of SIdon (the next commercial center); your messengers crossed the sea (and built you up).
v 3…And were on many waters (by sea trade), the grain of the Nile, the harvest of the river (meaning the Nile) was her revenue (the products were sold to many); and she was the market to the nations (their chief markets).
v 4…Be ashamed, O Sidon (tremble with shame); for the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have neither travailed or given birth, I have neither brought up young men nor reared virgins (the city is desolate of a population).
v 5…When the report (of the fall) reaches Egypt (eschatologically Europe), they will all be in anguish at the report of Tyre (not only in loss of trade, but it was a buffer against enemies).
v 6…Pass over to Tarshish (Spain’s center where some Phoenician ships might be (wail (howl), O inhabitants of the coastland (Mediterranean coast).
v 7…Is this your jubilant city, whose origin is from antiquity, whose feet used to carry her to colonize distant places (not only to trade but to set up colonies)?
v 8…Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns (the wealth and connections gave some power and influence), whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?
v 9…The Lord of hosts (Yehovah Tzavaot or armies) has planned it to defile the pride of all beauty (Yehovah controls all things, and he did this to bring down the proud of Tyre so that they and their idolatry would be brought down).
v 10…Overflow your land like the Nile, O daughter (inhabitant) of Tarshish (get out of Tyre now like flooding multitude, or “river”), there is no more restraint (or ability to defend themselves).
v 11…He (Yehovah) has stretched his hand out over the sea (had power over the sea to destroy Tyre. It was situated in it and they were supported by it), he has made the kingdoms tremble (of Tyre and Sidon); Yehovah has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.
v 12…And he has said, “You shall exult no more, O crushed virgin daughter of Sidon (called a virgin because of her beauty and it has never been defeated). Arise, pass over to Cyprus (Kittim), even there you will find no rest (because they would eventually be taken by Babylon, Medes and Persians and Rome).
v 13…Behold, the land of the Chaldeans (Babylon), this is the people which was not (of any great stature). Assyria appointed it (Nimrod founded Babylon and Ninevah; where Babylon now sits) for those who live in the desert. They erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, they made it (Tyre) a ruin.
v 14…Wail (howl), O ships of Tarshish (Spain), for your stronghold (Tyre-a strong seaport where their ships were safe) is destroyed.
v 15…Now it will come about in that day (Day of the Lord) that Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years (lay in ruins) like the days of one king (or kingdom of Babylon; some believe this seventy years ran alongside of the seventy year Babylonian captivity of Judah). At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot (Tyre will rise again like a harlot who has returned to health and can take lovers again):
v 16…Take your harp, walk about the city, O forgotten harlot; pluck the strings skillfully, sing many songs (to allure people back again) that you may be remembered (to trade with her again).
v 17…And it will come about at the end of seventy years that Yehovah will visit Tyre (in compassion, give her another chance). Then she will go back to her hire, and will fornicate with all the kingdoms of the earth, on the face of the ground (admit any merchant nation for monetary gain).
v 18…And her gain and her harlot’s wages (profit in the future) will be set apart to Yehovah (to help build the Temple at Jerusalem according to the edict of Cyrus-Ezra 3.7); it will not be stored up or hoarded (but have a kedusha); but her gain will become sufficient food and choice attire for those who dwell in the presence of Yehovah (Tyre will help support those who are Torah observant believers and devoted to Yehovah).
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