Isaiah 23
I. (1-39) Condemnation
A. Chapters 1-12 - Prophecies against Judah
B. Chapters 13-23 - Prophecies against the Nations
1. \\#13:1-14:32\\ Babylon
2. \\#15:1-16:14\\ Moab
3. \\#17:1-14\\ Syria and Israel (northern kingdom)
4. \\#18:1-7\\ Unknown
5. \\#19:1-20:6\\ Egypt - The message to Egypt continues
6. \\#21:1-10\\ The Desert Area (Babylon)
7. \\#21:11-12\\ Edom
8. \\#21:13-17\\ Arabia
9. \\#22:1-25\\ Israel
10. \\#23:1-18\\ Tyre - Tyre was besieged five times between Isaiah’s
prophecy and 332 BC (when Alexander the Great leveled the city).
724-720 BC Assyrian siege by King Shalmaneser V
705 BC Assyrian siege by King Sennacherib
663 BC Assyrian siege by King Ashurbanipal
585-570 BC Babylonian siege by King Nebuchadnezzar II
332 BC Macedonian siege by Alexander the Great
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Tyre_(332_BC))
The majority of the chapter describes Tyre as weak and
destroyed \\#10, 14\\ for at least seventy years \\#15, 17\\.
The first three sieges did not at all fulfill this prophecy.
God empowered the Babylonians to besiege Tyre for thirteen years,
destroying the old mainland city of Tyre. However, the city was
rebuilt on a rocky island 1/2 mile off shore. The channel
between the mainland and island were as deep as 20 feet and
sheer cliffs of the island were as tall as 150 feet.
http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/history/tyre.pdf
Destruction of that island would have to wait for Alexander the
Great; but the people’s resilience would again emerge, the city
being rebuilt and withstanding another siege just seventeen
years later. The influence of this city continued until 1291,
when it was again destroyed.
(http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15109a.htm) Even so, the city
is still inhabited today.
One commentary suggests this prophecy is a collection of all the
destruction God brings against the city. (That might be the
case in several prophetic chapters i.e. chapter 21. Since the
prophets do not see the gaps in the time, trying to tie all the
prophecies mentioned to a single event may be an unwise method
of interpretation.)
a. \\#1-14\\ Tyre’s Future of Destruction
(1) \\#1\\ "The burden of Tyre" - This is Tyre’s judgment, although
because of the city’s historical prominence in trade and commerce,
it will have an effect on many other nations.
(2) \\#1\\ Tarshish will howl. The location of Tarshish is debated but
it is commonly believed to be in Spain. The news of Tyre’s demise
will cause misery far and wide.
(3) \\#1\\ "there is no house, no entering in" - Tyre, and it’s ports,
are to be decimated so that ships will not be able to access it.
(4) \\#1\\ Chittim (Cyrpus) - An island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Chittim will be referred to several times in this chapter,
sometimes by name and sometimes by the general term "isle."
(5) \\#2\\ Zidon - (Sidon) The sister city and near neighbor of Tyre.
Together, these cities furnished many nations with goods.
(6) \\#2\\ "the isle" - The islands are told to be still for they are
upset that Tyre has been destroyed.
(7) \\#3\\ Sihor - This is believed to be a reference to either the
Nile River or Egypt. They also benefited from Tyre and feel its
loss.
(8) \\#4\\ Zidon should be ashamed, evidently because of their
helplessness to save Tyre. At the same time, the sea is not going
to give birth to a city like Tyre again.
(9) \\#5\\ Just like the news of Tyre’s destruction upset Egypt, so it
will pain Zidon.
(10) \\#6\\ Those who live on the Mediterranean islands are told to take
their tears and weeping to Tarshish. Although we do not know the
city’s location, the Bible always speaks of it as a shipping city.
It may be that it was comparable to Tyre and the next nearest
port for those who missed Tyre to go.
(11) \\#7\\ The question is asked of those in the area, "Is Tyre the
city you rejoiced in?" Then God tells them, "her own feet shall
carry her afar off." Meaning, she has done this to herself.
(12) \\#8-9\\ "Who hath taken counsel against Tyre?" No country had
been able to destroy Tyre (even though Greece would ultimately be
the hands that did destroy it). Rather it was of God.
(13) \\#9\\ "to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt
all the honourable of the earth" - Because of Tyre’s pride this
judgment will come. The "honourable" needed to be humbled.
(14) \\#10-14\\ "daughter of Tarshish" - Mentioned in \\#10, 14\\, but
the prophecy does not seem directed to that distant city but
instead to Tyre. Tyre, because of the similarities between it and
Tarshish, is being called the "daughter of Tarshish."
i. \\#10\\ "there is no more strength" - The defenses of Tyre,
which were very great, had been removed by God’s degree.
ii. \\#11\\ God had "stretched out his hand… he shook the
kingdoms" - God sets up the powers and He pulls them back
down. Tyre’s day to be pulled down was at hand.
iii. \\#11\\ "merchant city" - 89 times this word is translated
"Canaan." Canaan is the name of those who abode in Israel
before the Jews took it. Most likely, it refers to Tyre as
they were both descendents of Ham. Perhaps it refers to
Israel and the Lord is telling them that whatever destroys
Tyre will conquer them as well.
iv. \\#12\\ "daughter of Zidon" - Probably refers to Tyre as well.
Some believe Zidon founded Tyre. Tyre is also called an
"oppressed virgin."
v. \\#12\\ "Thou shalt no more rejoice" - Tyre’s days of joy
were to pass. The inhabitants were told to flee out of the
city.
vi. \\#13\\ "Assyria" - Assyria (the up and coming world power) is
given credit for creating Babylon (which will be the next
world power). "They," the Assyrians, will "set up (Babylon’s)
towers" and its palace.
vii. \\#13\\ "the Chaldeans" (Babylon) is the "he" who will bring
"it" (Tyre) to ruin. Three different kings of Assyria will
lead three different sieges against Tyre. None of them will
be very effective. Babylon will inflict the most damage to
Tyre with a 13 year siege, ending with the destruction of
the mainland city \\#Ezekiel 26:1-14\\, but not the complete
overthrow of the city \\#Eze 29:17-21\\. Alexander the Great
will bring Tyre to total, albeit temporary, ruin.
viii. \\#14\\ Tyre should start wailing for her strength is gone.
b. \\#15-18\\ Tyre’s Future Service
(1) \\#15\\ "And it shall come to pass in that day" - The time
signature which often implies end-time prophecy. Verses \\#15-17\\,
although in the future, do not seem to be end time; however,
\\#18\\ does.
(2) \\#15, 17\\ "seventy years" - The seventy years are debated by many.
Since they are being mentioned in proximity of mentioning Babylon
\\#13\\, I believe the two are connected. Babylon will carry Judah
into captivity for 70 years and the duration of the Babylonian
Empire will be around 70 years (which is alluded to by the phrase
"according to the days of one king"). And although the city is
rebuilt upon the rock island, it will be "forgotten" \\#15, 16\\
for a period of years.
(3) \\#16\\ The people are challenged to mourn over the city for these
seventy years.
(4) \\#17\\ "the end of seventy years" - At the end of that time, God
will allow Tyre to return to its evil ways, described as a harlot
with the world. Tyre had alliances with Persia and returned to
a position of high honor.
(5) \\#18\\ "her hire shall be holiness to the Lord… it shall not be
treasured nor laid up" - God seems to promise a still future
judgment. After allowing Tyre to become glorious again, God
claims her treasure to be given "for them that dwell before the
Lord." Some see here a prophecy of Tyre’s end-time rise (probably
for selfish reasons and maybe in service to the anti-Christ); yet,
God will take the treasures of the city and give it to His people.
God does promise a destruction of Tyre \\#Eze 26:19-21\\, which
has not been completely fulfilled today.
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