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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-14

Tyre being a sea-port town, this prophecy of its overthrow fitly begins and ends with, Howl, you ships of Tarshish; for all its business, wealth, and honour, depended upon its shipping; if that be ruined, they will be all undone. Observe, I. Tyre flourishing. This is taken notice of that her fall may appear the more dismal. 1. The merchants of Zidon, who traded at sea, had at first replenished her, Isa. 23:2. Zidon was the more ancient city, situated upon the same sea-cost, a few leagues more... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 23:15-18

Here is, I. The time fixed for the continuance of the desolations of Tyre, which were not to be perpetual desolations: Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, Isa. 23:15. So long it shall lie neglected and buried in obscurity. It was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar much about the time that Jerusalem was, and lay as long as it did in its ruins. See the folly of that proud ambitious conqueror. What the richer, what the stronger, was he for making himself master of Tyre, when all the inhabitants were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:13

Behold the land of the Chaldeans ,.... Not Tyre, as some think, so called, because founded by the Chaldeans, who finding it a proper place for "ships", so they render the word "tziim", afterward used, and which is so interpreted by Jarchi, built the city of Tyre; but the country called Chaldea is here meant, and the Babylonish empire and monarchy, particularly Babylon, the head of it: this people was not ; a people, or of any great note and figure: till the Assyrian founded it for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:14

Howl, ye ships of Tarshish ,.... As in Isaiah 23:1 . See Gill on Isaiah 23:1 , for your strength is laid waste ; meaning Tyre, a strong seaport, where their ships were safe, and always found vent for their goods and merchandise; and so it was the strength and support of their country; but was now destroyed, and therefore was matter of lamentation and mourning. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:15

And it shall come to pass in that day ,.... When Tyre is destroyed, from that time forward: that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years ; shall so long lie in its ruin, and not be rebuilt; it shall be without inhabitants, and unfrequented by men; there shall be no merchandise in it during that time; no merchants will come nigh it; she will be like a harlot cast off and forgotten by her lover: the term of time is the same with that of the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, and great part of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:16

Take a harp, go about the city ,.... As harlots used to do, that by their music, both vocal and instrumental, they might allure men into their company to commit fornication with them; so Tyre is directed to, or rather this is a prophecy that she should take very artful and ensnaring methods to restore her commerce and merchandise: thou harlot that hast been forgotten ; See Gill on Isaiah 23:15 , make sweet melody ; or, "do well by striking" F11 הטיבי נגן "benefac pulsando",... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:17

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years ,.... When the seventy years before mentioned are ended: that the Lord will visit Tyre ; not in judgment, as before, but in mercy: and she shall return to her hire ; trade and merchandise; that shall revive, and be as in times past: and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world, upon the face of the earth ; be a mart of nations again, as in Isaiah 23:3 that is, trade and traffic with all nations of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:18

And her merchandise, and her hire ,.... Or, "but her merchandise", &c.; not the same as before; or, however, not as carried on at the same time, but many ages after, even in the times of the Gospel; for this part of the prophecy respects the conversion of the Tyrians, in the first ages of Christianity; this is prophesied of elsewhere, Psalm 45:12 and was fulfilled in the times of the apostles, Acts 11:19 and so Kimchi and Jarchi say this is a prophecy to be fulfilled in the days of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 23:13

Behold the land of the Chaldeans - This verse is extremely obscure; the obscurity arises from the ambiguity of the agents, which belong to the verbs, and of the objects expressed by the pronouns; from the change of number of the verbs, and of gender in the pronouns. The MSS. give us no assistance, and the ancient Versions very little. The Chaldee and Vulgate read שמוה samoah , in the plural number. I have followed the interpretation which, among many different ones, seemed to be most... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 23:14

Howl, ye shops - The Prophet Ezekiel hath enlarged upon this part of the same subject with great force and elegance: - "Thus saith the Lord Jehovah concerning Tyre: - At the sound of thy fall, at the cry of the wounded, At the great slaughter in the midst of thee, shall not the islands tremble? And shall not all the princes of the sea descend from their thrones, And lay aside their robes, and strip off their embroidered garments? They shall clothe themselves with trembling, they... read more

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