Isaiah 23
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 23 of 66 | Day: 170 of 742
Date: July 31, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Isaiah 23, the burden of Tyre (ืืฉื ืฆืจ), closes the great collection of oracles against the nations that began in chapter 13. The arrangement is deliberate: the unit opened with Babylon, the land empire of the east, and it ends with Tyre, the sea empire of the west. Between them Isaiah has surveyed Philistia, Moav, Aram, Egypt, Kush, Edom, and Arabia โ the whole political map of his world โ and the message accumulated across eleven chapters is now stated in its purest form: no concentration of human power, whether military or, as here, commercial, stands outside the counsel of Hashem. Tyre is a new kind of subject for a prophetic burden. She is not a conqueror but a marketplace, a Phoenician island city โwhose merchants are princes, whose traders are the honored of the earthโ (v. 8), and her fall demonstrates that wealth is as answerable to Heaven as armies.
The poemโs craft lies in how the news of the fall travels outward through Tyreโs own trading network. The ships of Tarshish, returning laden, learn at Kittim that they have no harbor left (v. 1) โ Rashi explains that Tyreโs refugees fled to Kittim and the report spread from there. The coastland dwellers are struck silent (v. 2); Sidon, Tyreโs sister port a dayโs journey up the coast, is told to be ashamed (v. 4); Egypt, whose Nile grain (ืืจืข ืฉืืจ) filled Tyreโs ships (v. 3), trembles at the report (v. 5) โ Radak notes that Nevuchadnetzar in fact destroyed Tyre first and Egypt afterward, as Yechezkel records, so Egyptโs grief is also fear for itself. Most striking of all, the sea itself speaks, lamenting like a mother bereft: โI have not travailed, nor given birth, nor raised young men, nor reared maidensโ (v. 4). The city that lived from the sea is disowned by the sea, and Rashi preserves the Aggadah that the sea โ which never crosses the boundary of sand its Maker set for it โ thereby shames the cities that could not keep their Makerโs ordinances.
At the center stands the question and answer that give the chapter its theology. โWho has counseled this against Tyre, the crowning city?โ (ืื ืืขืฅ ืืืช ืขื ืฆืจ ืืืขืืืจื, v. 8). The question is rhetorical because, as Radak observes, no human counsel could have conceived the ruin of such a power. The answer follows at once: โHashem of Hosts has counseled it, to profane the pride of all glory, to humble all the honored of the earthโ (v. 9). Radak explains that Tyre gave the crown to herself and not to her Creator; the purpose of her fall is pedagogical on a world scale, for when the honored of the earth see the proudest of markets laid waste, they draw the conclusion about themselves. This is Isaiahโs deepest and most persistent theme โ โthe loftiness of man shall be bowed downโฆ and Hashem alone shall be exaltedโ (2:17) โ here applied not to towers and cedars but to balance sheets.
The chapter then does something none of the previous oracles has done: it sets a term to the judgment and looks past it. Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, โlike the days of one kingโ (v. 15). Rashi identifies the phrase with the seventy years of Davidโs life while admitting, with characteristic honesty, that he does not know why this sign is given; Radak offers two accounts โ that seventy years is simply the span of a human life (Tehillim 90:10), or that the number recalls the covenant between David and Chiram king of Tyre, which Tyreโs later betrayal of Israel turned into the measure of her sentence. After the seventy years, Tyre revives โ in the prophetโs mordant parable, like a forgotten harlot who takes her lyre and circles the city, playing sweetly to be remembered (v. 16). The commercial language of the restoration is deliberately degrading: she returns to her โhireโ (ืืชื ื) and โplays the harlotโ with all the kingdoms of the earth (v. 17), which Rashi and Radak agree means simply that she supplies merchandise again โ trade described in the vocabulary of the marketplaceโs oldest shame.
Yet the final verse overturns everything. Tyreโs restored profits and hire become โholy to Hashemโ (ืงืืฉ ืืืณ) โ not treasured, not stored, but given to feed to satiety and to clothe in dignity those who dwell before Hashem (v. 18). Rashi reads this as the messianic future, when the righteous inherit her wealth; Metzudat David refers the consecration to the kohanim who sit before Hashem in the Mikdash; Radak states plainly that the verse is a prophecy for the days of Mashiach. The word etnan is chosen with intent: the Torah bars a harlotโs hire from the altar (Devarim 23:19), yet here the etnan of the nations is transfigured into sacred sustenance โ a signal that in the end of days even the engine of worldly commerce, humbled and redirected, serves the divine purpose. The oracles against the nations thus close not with annihilation but with conscription: the wealth of Tyre, like the nations themselves in Isaiahโs later visions (60:5-9), ends its story flowing toward those who stand before Hashem.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 23
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืึทืฉืึผึธึื ืฆึนึืจ ืึตืืึดึฃืืืึผโื ืึณื ึดืึผึฃืึนืช ืชึผึทืจึฐืฉืึดึืืฉื ืึผึดึฝืึพืฉืึปืึผึทึคื ืึดืึผึทึืึดืชึ ืึดืึผึืึนื ืึตืึถึฅืจึถืฅ ืึผึดืชึผึดึืื ื ึดืึฐืึธืึพืึธึฝืืึนื
English:
The โTyreโ Pronouncement.Howl, you ships of Tarshish!aships of Tarshish See note at 2.16. For havoc has been wrought, not a house is left;As they came from the land of Kittim,This was revealed to them.
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึผึนึืึผืึผ ืึนึฃืฉืึฐืึตื ืึดึื ืกึนืึตึฅืจ ืฆึดืืึืึนื ืขึนืึตึฅืจ ืึธึื ืึดืึฐืึฝืึผืึฐื
English:
Moan, you coastland dwellers,You traders of Sidon,Once thronged by seafarers,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
ืึผืึฐืึทึคืึดื ืจึทืึผึดืืึ ืึถึฃืจึทืข ืฉืึดืึนึืจ ืงึฐืฆึดึฅืืจ ืึฐืึืึนืจ ืชึผึฐืืึผืึธืชึธึืึผ ืึทืชึผึฐืึดึื ืกึฐืึทึฅืจ ืึผืึนืึดึฝืื
English:
Over many watersYourbYour Heb. โHer.โ revenue came:From the trade of nations,From the grain of Shihor,The harvest of the Nile.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึผึฃืึนืฉืึดื ืฆึดืืึืึนื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืึทึฃืจ ืึธึื ืึธืขึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึธึื ืึตืืึนึืจ ืึนืึพืึทึฃืึฐืชึผึดื ืึฐืึนึฝืึพืึธืึทึืึฐืชึผึดื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืึดืึผึทึืึฐืชึผึดื ืึผึทืืึผืจึดึืื ืจืึนืึทึฅืึฐืชึผึดื ืึฐืชืึผืึฝืึนืชื
English:
Be ashamed, O Sidon!For the seaโthis stronghold of the seaโdeclares,โI am as one who hascI am as one who has Lit. โI have.โ never labored,Never given birth,Never raised youthsOr reared maidens!โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึผึทืึฒืฉืึถืจึพืฉืึตึืึทืข ืึฐืึดืฆึฐืจึธึืึดื ืึธืึดึืืืึผ ืึผึฐืฉืึตึฅืึทืข ืฆึนึฝืจื
English:
When the Egyptians heard it, they quailedAs when they heard about Tyre.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืขึดืึฐืจึืึผ ืชึผึทืจึฐืฉืึดึืืฉืึธื ืึตืืึดึืืืึผ ืึนึฅืฉืึฐืึตื ืึดึฝืื
English:
Pass on to TarshishโHowl, you coastland dwellers!
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึฒืึนึฅืืช ืึธืึถึื ืขึทืึผึดืืึธึื ืึดึฝืืึตืึพืงึถึคืึถื ืงึทืึฐืึธืชึธืึผึ ืึนืึดืึฃืึผืึธ ืจึทืึฐืึถึืืึธ ืึตืจึธืึืึนืง ืึธืึฝืึผืจื
English:
Was such your merry cityIn former times, of yore?Did her feet carry her offTo sojourn far away?
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึดึื ืึธืขึทึฃืฅ ืึนึืืช ืขึทืึพืฆึนึืจ ืึทืึผึทืขึฒืึดืืจึธึื ืึฒืฉืึถึคืจ ืกึนืึฒืจึถึืืึธึ ืฉืึธืจึดึืื ืึผึดื ึฐืขึธื ึถึืืึธ ื ึดืึฐืึผึทืึผึตืึพืึธึฝืจึถืฅื
English:
Who was it that planned thisFor crown-wearing Tyre,Whose merchants were nobles,Whose traders the world honored?
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึนืึธึฅื ืฆึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึฐืขึธืฆึธึืึผ ืึฐืึทืึผึตืึ ืึผึฐืึฃืึนื ืึผืืึพืฆึฐืึดึื ืึฐืึธืงึตึื ืึผืืึพื ึดืึฐืึผึทืึผึตืึพืึธึฝืจึถืฅื
English:
GOD of Hosts planned itโTo defile all glorious beauty,To shame all the honored of the world.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืขึดืึฐืจึดึฅื ืึทืจึฐืฆึตึืึฐ ืึผึทืึฐืึนึืจ ืึผึทืชึพืชึผึทืจึฐืฉืึดึืืฉื ืึตึืื ืึตึฅืึทื ืขึฝืึนืื
English:
Traverse your land like the Nile,Fair Tarshish;dTraverse your land like the Nile, / Fair Tarshish Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields โPass on to the land of Kittim, / You ships of Tarshish.โ This is a harboreharbor Meaning of Heb. uncertain; taking mezaแธฅ as a by-form of maแธฅoz: cf. Ps. 107.30. no more.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืึธืืึนึ ื ึธืึธึฃื ืขึทืึพืึทืึผึธึื ืึดืจึฐืึผึดึืื ืึทืึฐืึธืึืึนืช ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืฆึดืึผึธึฃื ืึถืึพืึผึฐื ึทึืขึทื ืึทืฉืึฐืึดึื ืึธืขึปืึฐื ึถึฝืืึธื
English:
GOD poised an arm oโer the seaAnd made kingdoms quakeโDecreeing destructionFor PhoeniciaโsfPhoeniciaโs Heb. โCanaanโs.โ strongholds,
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึทืึผึนึืืึถืจ ืึนืึพืชืึนืกึดึฅืืคึดื ืขึืึนื ืึทืขึฐืึืึนื ืึทึฝืึฐืขึปืฉืึผึธืงึธึื ืึผึฐืชืึผืึทึฃืช ืึผึทืชึพืฆึดืืึืึนื (ืืชืืื) [ืึผึดืชึผึดืืึ] ืงึฃืึผืึดื ืขึฒืึนึืจึดื ืึผึทืึพืฉืึธึื ืึนืึพืึธื ึฅืึผืึทึฝ ืึธึฝืึฐื
English:
And said,โYou shall be exultant no more,O plundered one, Fair Maiden Sidon.Up, cross over to KittimโEven there you shall have no rest.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึตึฃืโื ืึถึฃืจึถืฅ ืึผึทืฉืึฐืึผึดึืื ืึถึคื ืึธืขึธืึ ืึนึฃื ืึธืึธึื ืึทืฉืึผึืึผืจ ืึฐืกึธืึธึฃืึผ ืึฐืฆึดืึผึดึืื ืึตืงึดึฃืืืึผ (ืืืื ืื) [ืึทืืึผื ึธึืื] ืขึฝืึนืจึฐืจืึผึ ืึทืจึฐืึฐื ืึนืชึถึืืึธ ืฉืึธืึธึืึผ ืึฐืึทืคึผึตืึธึฝืื
English:
gMeaning of verse uncertain. Emendation yields โThe land of Kittim itselfโ / Which the Sidonian people founded, / Whose watchtowers they raised, / Whose citadels they erectedโ / Exists no more; / Assyria has turned it into a ruin.โ Behold the land of ChaldeaโThis is the people that has ceased to be.Assyria, which founded it for ships,Which raised its watchtowers,Erected its ramparts,Has turned it into a ruin.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึตืืึดึืืืึผ ืึณื ึดืึผึฃืึนืช ืชึผึทืจึฐืฉืึดึืืฉื ืึผึดึฅื ืฉืึปืึผึทึื ืึธืขึปืึผึฐืึถึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Howl, O ships of Tarshish,For your stronghold is destroyed!
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 15
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธืึ ืึผึทืึผึฃืึนื ืึทืึืึผื ืึฐื ึดืฉืึฐืึผึทึคืึทืช ืฆึนืจึ ืฉืึดืึฐืขึดึฃืื ืฉืึธื ึธึื ืึผึดืืึตึื ืึถึฃืึถืึฐ ืึถืึธึื ืึดืงึผึตึืฅ ืฉืึดืึฐืขึดึคืื ืฉืึธื ึธืึ ืึดืึฐืึถึฃื ืึฐืฆึนึืจ ืึผึฐืฉืึดืืจึทึืช ืึทืึผืึนื ึธึฝืื
English:
In that day, Tyre shall remain forgotten for seventy years, equaling the lifetime of one king. After a lapse of seventy years, it shall go with Tyre as with the prostitute in the ditty:
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 16
Hebrew:
ืงึฐืึดึฅื ืึดื ึผึืึนืจ ืกึนึฅืึผึดื ืขึดึืืจ ืืึนื ึธึฃื ื ึดืฉืึฐืึผึธืึธึื ืึตืืึดึคืืึดื ื ึทืึผึตืึ ืึทืจึฐืึผึดืึพืฉืึดึืืจ ืึฐืึทึืขึทื ืชึผึดืึผึธืึตึฝืจึดืื
English:
Take a lyre, go about the town,Prostitute long forgotten;Sweetly play, make much music,To bring you back to mind.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 17
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึื ืึดืงึผึตึฃืฅโื ืฉืึดืึฐืขึดึฃืื ืฉืึธื ึธึื ืึดืคึฐืงึนึคื ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึถืชึพืฆึนึืจ ืึฐืฉืึธืึธึื ืึฐืึถืชึฐื ึทื ึผึธึืึฟ ืึฐืึธึฅื ึฐืชึธึื ืึถืชึพืึผืืึพืึทืึฐืึฐืึฅืึนืช ืึธืึธึืจึถืฅ ืขึทืึพืคึผึฐื ึตึฅื ืึธืึฒืึธืึธึฝืื
English:
For after a lapse of seventy years, GOD will take note of Tyre, and she shall resume her โfee-takingโ and โplay the prostituteโhโfee-takingโ and โplay the prostituteโ I.e., โtrading โฆ trade.โ with all the kingdoms of the world, on the face of the earth.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 18
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึจื ืกึทืึฐืจึธึืึผ ืึฐืึถืชึฐื ึทื ึผึธึืึผ ืงึนึืึถืฉื ืึทึฝืืึนืึธึื ืึนึฅื ืึตืึธืฆึตึืจ ืึฐืึนึฃื ืึตืึธืกึตึื ืึผึดึฃื ืึทืึผึนืฉืึฐืึดึืื ืึดืคึฐื ึตึคื ืึฐืึนืึธืึ ืึดืึฐืึถึฃื ืกึทืึฐืจึธึืึผ ืึถืึฑืึนึฅื ืึฐืฉืืืึฐืขึธึื ืึฐืึดืึฐืึทืกึผึถึฅื ืขึธืชึดึฝืืงืย {ืค}
English:
But her profits and โhireโ shall be consecrated to GOD. They shall not be treasured or stored; rather shall her profits go to those who abide before GOD, that they may eat their fill and clothe themselves elegantly.
โถCommentaries (1)