Isaiah 23: The Pride of Tyre — ReidOne Bible Study

Isaiah 23 (WEB)

1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of Tarshish! For it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in. From the land of Kittim it is revealed to them.

2 Be still, you inhabitants of the coast, you whom the merchants of Sidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3 On great waters, the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue. She was the market of nations.

4 Be ashamed, Sidon; for the sea has spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, “I have not travailed, nor given birth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.”

5 When the report comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.

6 Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!

7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her far away to travel?

8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the giver of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?

9 Yahweh of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

10 Pass through your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish. There is no restraint any more.

11 He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. Yahweh has ordered the destruction of Canaan’s strongholds.

12 He said, “You shall rejoice no more, you oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon. Arise, pass over to Kittim. Even there you will have no rest.”

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people was not. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.

14 Howl, you ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste!

15 It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.

16 Take a harp; go about the city, you prostitute that has been forgotten. Make sweet melody. Sing many songs, that you may be remembered.

17 It will happen after the end of seventy years that Yahweh will visit Tyre, and she shall return to her wages, and will play the prostitute with all the kingdoms of the world on the surface of the earth.

18 Her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to Yahweh. It will not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise will be for those who dwell before Yahweh, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Isaiah 23 (KJV)

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.

Isaiah 23 (ASV)

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 Kittim it is revealed to them.

2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the coast, thou whom the merchants of Sidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

3 And on great waters the seed of the Shihor, the harvest of the Nile, was her revenue; and she was the mart of nations.

4 Be thou ashamed, O Sidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.

5 When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.

6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast.

7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days, whose feet carried her afar off to sojourn?

8 Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?

9 Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

10 Pass through thy land as the Nile, O daughter of Tarshish; there is no restraint any more.

11 He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken the kingdoms: Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof.

12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin daughter of Sidon: arise, pass over to Kittim; even there shalt thou have no rest.

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: this people was not; the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they set up their towers; they overthrew the palaces thereof; they made it a ruin.

14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for your stronghold 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 it shall be unto Tyre as in the song of the harlot.

16 Take a 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 Jehovah will visit Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to Jehovah: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before Jehovah, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Summary

The burden of Tyre summons the ships of Tarshish to howl, for the great merchant city and its harbor have been laid waste. Tyre and her sister Sidon, enriched by the harvest of the Nile and the trade of many nations, were the marketplace of the world, their merchants princes and their traders honored across the earth. Now the sea itself laments, as if childless, and the report of Tyre's fall brings anguish even to distant Egypt. Isaiah asks who has planned this against so ancient and glorious a city, and answers plainly: Yahweh of Armies has purposed it, “to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.” The God who stretched out his hand over the sea has shaken the kingdoms. Tyre, pictured as a forgotten prostitute taking up her harp to be remembered, will be set aside for seventy years. Yet even here grace breaks in: after seventy years the Lord will visit Tyre, and her merchandise and wages will become “holiness to Yahweh,” devoted to those who dwell before him. Even the proudest commerce of the world can be turned to holy purposes when God redeems it.

Key Figures

Tyre — The ancient, wealthy merchant city and marketplace of the nations, brought low in pride yet promised that her gain will one day become holiness to the Lord.
Sidon and the ships of Tarshish — Tyre's sister port and the trading fleets that howl at her ruin, sharing in the shame of the fallen sea-trade empire.
Yahweh of Armies — The Lord who planned Tyre's downfall to stain the pride of all glory, shook the kingdoms, and will finally consecrate her wealth to himself.

Key Verse

Isaiah 23:9 (WEB)

Yahweh of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.

Lessons Learned

Wealth and worldwide influence are no defense against the purposes of God.
God acts deliberately to humble human pride and the self-important glory of nations.
The God who governs the sea and the kingdoms holds every economy in his hand.
God can redeem even the gain of a proud, fallen city for his own holy use.

Commercial glory is not secure. Tyre, “the market of nations” whose “merchants are princes” (Isaiah 23:3, 8, WEB), is laid waste; riches cannot purchase safety from God's hand.
God purposes to humble pride. “Yahweh of Armies has planned it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth” (Isaiah 23:9, WEB).
God rules the sea and the nations. “He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms” (Isaiah 23:11, WEB). No realm of human power lies outside his reach.
God can consecrate what was profane. After judgment, “her merchandise and her wages will be holiness to Yahweh… for those who dwell before Yahweh” (Isaiah 23:18, WEB). Grace redeems even tainted gain.

What made Tyre so great, and why is its fall such a shock to the surrounding nations?
According to verse 9, what is God's stated purpose in bringing Tyre low?
How does the image of God stretching out his hand over the sea reframe Tyre's collapse?
What do you make of the promise that Tyre's wealth will become “holiness to Yahweh” (23:18)?
Where might pride in success or prosperity need to be surrendered to God in your own life?

Tyre was the world's marketplace, enriched by sea trade, its merchants princes honored across the earth (23:3, 8). Its fall stuns the nations precisely because it seemed too wealthy and well-established to fail, exposing the fragility of human glory.
God says he planned it “to stain the pride of all glory” and humble “all the honorable of the earth” (23:9). The judgment is not random; it targets the self-exalting pride that wealth and status so easily breed.
Tyre's strength was the sea, yet God “has stretched out his hand over the sea” and shaken the kingdoms (23:11). The very element of Tyre's power is under God's control, showing that no human stronghold is beyond his rule.
After seventy years God will visit Tyre and devote her gain to those who dwell before him (23:17-18). It hints that God can redeem and reorient even worldly commerce for holy ends—a foretaste of the day when the wealth of nations serves him.
This is a personal-application question. Invite members to reflect on where achievement or prosperity has fostered pride, and to offer those things back to God for his purposes. As leader, keep the discussion humble and grace-centered.