Albert Barnes Commentary Isaiah 23

The burden of Tyre — (see the note at Isaiah 13:1)

Howl — This is a highly poetic description of the destruction that was coming to Tyre. The ships of Tarshish traded there; and the prophet now addresses the ships, and calls upon them to lament because the commerce by which they had been enriched was to be destroyed, and they were to be thrown out of employ.

You ships of Tarshish — (see the note at Isaiah 2:16). The Tarshish here referred to was doubtless a city or country in Spain (Ταρτησσὸς Tartēssos), and was the most celebrated emporium to which the Phoenicians traded. It is mentioned by Diodorus Siculus, v. 35-38; Strabo, iii. 148; Pliny, Natural History iii. 3. According to Jeremiah 10:9, it exported silver; according to Ezekiel 27:12, Ezekiel 27:25, it exported silver, iron, tin, and lead, to the Tyrian market. In this chapter (Isaiah 23:1, Isaiah 23:6, Isaiah 23:10), it is represented as an important Phoenician or Tyrian colony. All the circumstances agree with the supposition that Tartessus in Spain is the place here referred to.

The name Tartessus (Ταρτησσὸς Tartēssos) is derived from the Hebrew תרשׁישׁ tarshiysh by a simple change in pronunciation (see Bochart, Geographia Sacra, iii. 7, and John D. Michaelis, Spicilegium Geographiae Hebraeorum, i. 82-103).

For it is laid waste — Tyre is laid waste; that is, in vision it was made to pass before the mind of the prophet as laid waste, or as it would be (see the notes at Isaiah 1:1).

So that there is no house — It would be completely destroyed. This was the case with old Tyre after the conquest by Nebuchadnezzar, and it remained so. See the analysis of the chapter.

No entering in — No harbor; no port; where the ships could remain, and with which they could continue to trade. Tyre was once better situated for commerce, and had greater natural advantages, than any port in the Mediterranean. Those advantages have, however, to a great extent passed away, and natural causes combine to confirm the truth of the divine predictions that it should cease to be a place of commerce. The merchandise of India, which was once conveyed overland through Babylon and Palmyra, and which found its natural outlet at Tyre, is now carried around the Cape of Good Hope, and will never again be restored to its old channel.

Besides, Tyre itself, which once had so fine a harbor, has ceased to be a safe haven for large vessels. George Robinson says of its harbor, in 1830, “It is a small circular basin, now quite filled up with sand and broken columns, leaving scarcely space enough for small boats to enter.

The few fishing boats that belong to the place are sheltered by some rocks to the westward of the island” (Travels in Syria and Palestine, vol. i, p. 269).

Shaw, who visited Tyre in 1738, says of the harbor, “I visited several creeks and inlets, in order to discover what provision there might have been formerly made for the security of their vessels. Yet, notwithstanding that Tyre was the chief maritime power of this country, I could not discover the least token of either cothon or harbor that could have been of extraordinary capacity.

The coasting ships, indeed, still find a tolerably good shelter from the northern winds, under the southern shore, but are obliged immediately to return when the winds change to the west or south; so that there must have been some better station than this for their security and reception.

In the N.N.E. part, likewise, of the city, we see the traces of a safe and commodious basin, lying within the walls; but which, at the same time, is very small, scarcely forty yards in diameter.

Yet even this port, small as it is at present, is, notwithstanding, so choked up with sand and rubbish, that the boats of those poor fishermen who now and then visit this renowned emporium can, with great difficulty, only be admitted” (Travels, pp. 330, 331, folio edition, Oxford, 1738).

Dr. Robinson says of the port of Tyre, “The inner port or basin on the north was formerly enclosed by a wall, running from the north end of the island in a curve toward the mainland.

Various pieces and fragments of this wall still remain, sufficient to mark its course; but the port itself is continually filling up more and more with sand, and nowadays only boats can enter it.

Indeed, our host informed us that even within his own recollection, the water covered the open place before his own house, which at present is ten or twelve rods from the sea and is surrounded with buildings; while older people remember that vessels formerly anchored where the shore now is” (Biblical Researches, vol. iii, p. 397).

From the land of Chittim — This means, probably, from the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean. In regard to the meaning of the word Chittim, the following is the note of Gesenius on this verse: “Among the three different opinions of ancient and modern interpreters, according to which they sought for the land of Chittim in Italy, Macedonia, and Cyprus, I decidedly prefer the latter, which is also the opinion of Josephus (Antiquities, i. 6, 1).

According to this, Chittim is the island Cyprus, so called from the Phoenician colony, Kition (Citium), in the southern part of the island, but still in such a sense that this name Chittim was, at a later period, employed also in a wider sense to designate other islands and countries adjacent to the coasts of the Mediterranean, e.g., Macedonia (Daniel 11:30). This is also mentioned by Josephus.

That Κίτιον Kition (Citium) was sometimes used for the whole island of Cyprus, and also in a wider sense for other islands, is expressly asserted by Epiphanius, who himself lived in Cyprus, as a well-known fact (Adversus Haereses, xxx. 25); where he says, ‘it is manifest to all that the island of Cyprus is called Κίτιον Kition (Citium), for the Cyprians and Rhodians (Ῥόδιοι Rodioi) are called Kitians (Κίτιοι Kitioi).’

It could also be used of the Macedonians, because they were descended from the Cyprians and Rhodians. That most of the cities of Cyprus were Phoenician colonies is expressly affirmed by Diodorus (ii. 114; compare Herodotus vii. 90), and the proximity of the island to Phoenicia, together with its abundant supply of productions, especially such as were essential in shipbuilding, would lead us to expect nothing else.

One of the few passages of the Bible which give a more definite hint in regard to Chittim is Ezekiel 27:6, which agrees very well with Cyprus: Of the oaks of Bashan do they make them oars; thy ships’ benches do they make of ivory, encased with cedar from the isles of Chittim. The sense of this passage is that the fleets coming from Tarshish (Tartessus) to Tyre would, on their way, learn from the inhabitants of Cyprus the news of the downfall of Tyre.”

It is revealed to them — If we understand Chittim to denote the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean, it means that the navigators in the ships of Tarshish would learn the intelligence of the destruction of Tyre from those coasts or islands where they might stop on their way. Tyre was of so much commercial importance that the news of its fall would spread into all the islands of the Mediterranean.

Be still - This is the description of a city which is destroyed, where the din of commerce, and the sound of revelry is no longer heard. It is an address of the prophet to Tyre, indicating that it would soon be still, and destroyed.

Ye inhabitants of the isle - (of Tyre). The word ‘isle’ (אי 'iy) is sometimes used to denote a “coast or maritime region” (see the note at Isaiah 20:6), but there seems no reason to doubt that here it means the island on which New Tyre was erected. This may have been occupied even before Old Tyre was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, though the main city was on the crest.

Thou whom the merchants of Zidon - Tyre was a colony from Sidon; and the merchants of Sidon would trade to Tyre as well as to Sidon.

Have replenished - Hebrew, ‘have filled,’ that is, with merchandise, and with wealth. Thus, in Ezekiel 27:8, Tyre is represented as having derived its seamen from Sidon: The inhabitants of Sidon and of Arvad were thy mariners. And in Ezekiel 27:9-23, Tyre is represented as having been filled with shipbuilders, merchants, mariners, soldiers, etc., from Gebal, Persia, Lud, Phut, Tarshish, Jayvan, Tubal, Mesheck, Dedan, Syria, Damascus, Arabia, etc.

And by great waters - This means by the abundant waters, or the overflowing of the Nile. Tyre was the market to which the superabundant produce of Egypt was carried (see Ezekiel 27).

The seed of Sihor - There can be no doubt that ‘Sihor’ here means the river Nile in Egypt (1 Chronicles 13:5; Jeremiah 2:18). The word שׁחר (shichor) is derived from שׁחר (shachar)—meaning “to be black” ()—and this name is given to the Nile because of its color when it brings down the slime or mud by which Egypt is rendered so fertile.

The Greeks gave the river the name Μέλας (Melas) (“black”), and the Latins called it “Melo” (Servius on Virgil’s Georgics 4.291). It was called “Siris” by the Ethiopians, perhaps the same as Sihor. The upper branches of the Nile in Abyssinia all receive their names from the “color” of the water and are called the White River, the Blue River, etc.

The harvest of the river - This refers to the produce resulting from the overflowing of the river. Egypt was celebrated for producing grain, and Rome and Greece derived no small part of their supplies from that fertile country.

It is also evident that the inhabitants of Palestine were early accustomed to go to Egypt in times of scarcity for supplies of grain (see Genesis 37:25, 37:28, and the history of Joseph in Genesis 41–43).

That the Tyrians traded with Egypt is also well known. Herodotus (2.112) mentions one entire quarter of the city of Memphis that was inhabited by the Tyrians.

Is her revenue - Her resources are brought from there.

She is a mart of nations - How true this was, see Ezekiel 27. No place was more favorably situated for commerce, and she had nearly engrossed the trade of all the world.

Be thou ashamed, O Zidon - Tyre was a colony of Sidon. Sidon is here addressed as the mother of Tyre and is called on to lament over her daughter that was destroyed. In Isaiah 23:12, Tyre is called ‘the daughter of Sidon;’ and such appellations were commonly given to cities (see the note at Isaiah 1:8). Sidon is here represented as ashamed or grieved—as a mother is who is bereft of all her children.

The sea hath spoken - New Tyre was on a rock at some distance from the land and seemed to rise out of the sea, somewhat as Venice does. It is described here as a production of the sea, and the sea is represented as speaking by her.

Even the strength of the sea - The fortress, or strong place (מעוז mā‛ôz), of the sea. Tyre, on a rock, might be regarded as the strong place, or the defense of the Mediterranean. Thus Zechariah 9:3 says of it, ‘And Tyrus did build herself a stronghold’ (מצור mâtsôr).

Saying, I travail not - The expressions which follow are to be regarded as the language of Tyre—the founder of colonies and cities. The sense is, ‘My wealth and resources are gone. My commerce is annihilated. I cease to plant cities and colonies, and to nourish and foster them, as I once did, by my trade.’ The idea of the whole verse is that the city which had been the mistress of the commercial world, and distinguished for founding other cities and colonies, was about to lose her importance and to cease to extend her colonies and her influence over other countries. Over this fact, Sidon, the mother and founder of Tyre herself, would be humbled and grieved that her daughter, so proud, so rich, and so magnificent, was brought so low.

As at the report concerning Egypt - According to our translation, this verse seems to mean that the Sidonians and other nations were pained or grieved at the report of the calamities that had come upon Egypt, and that they would be similarly affected by the report concerning Tyre.

In accordance with this, some (as Jarchi) have understood it to refer to the plagues of Egypt. They suppose that the prophet means to say that, just as the nations were astonished at that event, so they would be astonished at the report of the calamities that would come upon Tyre.

Others refer it to the calamities that would come upon Egypt, mentioned in Isaiah 19. They suppose that the prophet means to say that, just as the nations would be amazed at the report of these calamities, so they would be amazed at the report of Tyre's overthrow. So Vitringa.

But the sense of the Hebrew can be expressed this way: ‘As the report, or news of Tyre's destruction reaches Egypt, they will be pained at the news about Tyre.’ So Lowth, Noyes, Rosenmuller, Grotius, and Calvin.

They would be grieved, either:

1. because the destruction of Tyre would injure Egypt's commerce; or
2. because the Egyptians might fear that Nebuchadnezzar's army would come upon them and that they would share Tyre's fate.

Sorely pained - The word used here (יחילוּ yâchı̂ylû) is commonly applied to the severe pain of childbirth.