Comments on Isaiah 23

     Chapter 23 is the last of the chapter 13-23 block of attacks
on the gentile nations that surround Israel.  As an aside, why
would the Lord be so angry against these various nations?  Why does
Isaiah go on at length to attack all of the neighboring gentile
nations?  Just because they are not natural Israel?  No, of course
not.  In Deut. 9:1-5 we hear the answer.  In preparation for the
Millennial era, the earth will be cleansed of wickedness.  And
among the various heathen nations there is considerable wickedness. 
But, lest Israel should consider itself righteous, the chapters
immediately following 13-23 are an attack on Israel herself.

     The target of this chapter is the city of Tyre, the wealthy
economic capitol of Phoenicia.  As Tyre is the commercial center of
the Phoenician empire, it becomes the epitome of that nation so
that Isaiah's indictments apply to the whole nation.  Ezekiel also
has quite a lot to say about gilded Tyre in Ezek. 26-28.  His
comments flesh out the relationship historically between Tyre and
Jerusalem and explain Tyre's nature.  Review of those chapters is
recommended.  Although Babylon would soon be the economic center of
the area, Tyre was the commercial capitol of the region
contemporary with Isaiah.

     The overall subject of the chapter is the familiar NT phrase
"man cannot worship God and Mammon".  Tyre is presented as a very
wealthy nation that makes it money via international trade.  This
trade reached all of the known nations of the region and carries
objects of man's wealth far and abroad.  Tyre is such an integral
part of the international trading scene that its collapse causes
traders and consumers of all nations to bewail her fall.  But, the
Lord's purpose in sacking Tyre is a specific one, to show all of
the world that He will make all of the world's glory a thing of
naught and reveal it for the vanity that it is.  Ultimately Tyre is
to be reestablished by the Lord, but it will instead be a city
dedicated to the prospering of the Lord's work rather than the
enriching of the elite.

     The IB summarizes their comments on this chapter of Isaiah as
a general denunciation of capitalism, materialism and secularism. 
And I agree with them.

v1-5  Upon hearing of Tyre's collapse those who did business with
and through her bewail their loss of income.  With the failure in
the ability ship their goods to distant lands the producers can no
longer sell their goods at distant markets.  The image portrayed by
Isaiah is that the destruction of Tyre will be so swift that
merchant vessels will not even be apprised of her fall previous to
embarking.  They arrive at her ports to discover that she has been
destroyed (v. 1-3).  At her destruction Tyre laments at the loss of
her peoples as though she were a maiden who had never given birth,
so few are her survivors (v. 4).  When the news of the destruction
reaches nations like Egypt, who formerly did trade through her,
they will be greatly upset for the loss of commerce (v. 5).  Note
that those who Isaiah portrays as upset are traders and seafarers. 
These people are upset at their loss of revenue, not at the
terrible calamity that has destroyed Tyre.

v1  The land of Kittim is the contemporary Cyprus.

v2-3  The Sidonian (i.e. Phoenicians) merchants referenced here are
making their living off selling the grain of Shihor, and Egyptian
province on the Nile, to make their living.  Thus, these merchants
produce nothing on their own and rely on Egypt for their living.

v4  The imagery of the woman who has never given birth has
reference to the impending slaughter but also goes further to say
that Tyre will be made unproductive and destitute.  Not only will
what she has be taken away, but she will not have any more given to
her.

v5  The JPS reading for this verse is obtuse.  The NAS renders it
as follows:

     When the report reaches Egypt,
     They will be in anguish at the report of Tyre.

v6-9 present a series of questions asked by Isaiah with a final
answer that addresses all of his questions.  Isaiah asks the
traders who come to Tyre and lament (v. 6) at her fall, "Was this
what the city was like before (v. 7a-b) ?" and "Is this that great
city that previously sent people traveling far away to trade (v.
7c-d) ?"  Isaiah then asks them who was it that planned that Tyre,
previously a great international power honored by kings, merchants
and traders, would be made desolate (v. 8).  Isaiah answers his own
question "the Lord of Hosts planned it".  And then goes on to tell
us that the reason He did it was to show that the glory and honor
of the world is nothing.  The Lord has no respect for the honor and
glory of the world, so He will destroy it (v. 9).

v10  Following the emendation offered by the JPS footnotes, this
verse informs the seafaring traders that Tyre will not return to
its former glory any time soon, so they should attempt to ply their
trade elsewhere.  But, given the statements in v. 11-12, they will
not have success anywhere as all nations that glory in the arm of
flesh will be made desolate.

v11-12  Given the Lord's plan to defile the glory of the world by
sacking Tyre, Isaiah broadens the scope of the condemnation by
stating that the Lord's arm is over all the sea and He will make
kingdoms, plural, quake (v. 11).  The plundered fair maiden of
Sidon will seek to flee to her neighbors for respite, but will find
none as all nations like her have been punished (v. 12).

v12  In reference to one fleeing to Kittim (i.e. Cyprus) and not 
being able to find rest there, this is probably a clever little 
historical play by Isaiah.  When the ancient Tyre was besieged by 
Assyria under Sennacherib, the king fled to Kittim just to play it 
safe.  Thus, Isaiah is saying that in the eschatological Tyre even 
if you try to play it safe when your city is besieged, there will 
be no safe place to run to.

v13 is a mess.  None of the translations I have checked agree on
what the reading of the Hebrew in this verse means.  The JPS offers
an emendation, but that does not make much improvement.  The only
sense I can make of it is to read it in a historical light as both
Assyria and Chaldea (i.e. Babylon) attacked Tyre.  Assyria, under
Shalmaneser, besieged Tyre after conquering Samaria, Israel and
various mainland Phoenician provinces but failed owing to the
strategic nature of the island and the skill of the Tyrenian
sailors.  After this attempt, Tyre continued as a major local power
until Nebuchadnezzar sacked it as detailed by Ezekiel.

     The JPS rendering of the verse seems to give the meaning that
both Assyria and Babylon have established Tyre as an economic
capital by trading with it.  But, they will also bring about its
fall by pillaging it.

     Of note is that historical Assyria failed in its attempt to
overthrow Tyre, but this verse seems to be indicating that Assyria
will in fact sack Tyre.  This would push for an eschatological
Assyria sacking an eschatological Tyre.

     After reviewing other people's comments it seems like it is 
possible Isaiah originally penned it as referring to Assyria in an 
eschatological manner.  But, since it was Babylon that historically 
conquered Jerusalem and not Assyria, some later scribe may have 
"emended" the text by making it more historically accurate. It 
seems impossible to tell until some reliable source comes along.

v14 mirrors the statement in v. 10 stating that with the fall of
Tyre, as well as other kingdoms like her, the great merchant
vessels will have no place go.  Thus, a bracket is formed in the
text around v. 11-13 where the subject appears to be the desolation
of all kingdoms that are like Tyre.  The result being a general
failure in export/import based economies and all those relying on
them left without recourse.  The vessels without purpose may have
connection to John's reference to decaying ships in Rev. 8:9,
18:17.

v15-18 presents harlotry as a symbol of those who reject the Lord
for wealth and the glory of the world.  This same symbolism is
applied to Israel in 1:21 and 57:3-13 where mammon is equated with
idolatry.  Isaiah states that Tyre will be made and remain desolate
for seventy years, after which time she shall be made to return and
once again engage in the same behavior.  But this time her behavior
will be dedicated to the Lord and she will selflessly distribute
her goods in an altruistic manner to all in need rather than
selectively favor those with wealth.  Thus, the millennial figure
of Tyre will be a nation that travels far and abroad to distribute
wealth rather than accumulate it.  This follows another New
Testament theme of "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt.
6:33).

v15  The judgement that Tyre will lay desolate for 70 years, the
lifetime of a king, indicates that her punishment is associated
with her dealings with them (compare Ezek. 27:33).  One may also
conclude that before Tyre is renewed, the Lord will wait for all of
the kings of the earth who were familiar with her previous
activities to die off so that none will remain who may try to turn
her back to her old ways.