Isaiah 23:2, Isaiah 23:6 ASV

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle ,.... Either the isles of Chittim, or other islands that traded with Tyre, the singular being put for the plural, called upon to grieve and mourn, because the city of their merchandise was destroyed, as Kimchi; or of Tyre itself, which being situated at some distance from the shore, was an island itself, until it was joined to the continent by Alexander F17 Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 19. ; and even old Tyre might be so called, it being usual in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 23:2

Be still "Be silent" - Silence is a mark of grief and consternation. See Isaiah 47:5 . Jeremiah has finely expressed this image: - "The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they are silent: They have cast up dust on their heads, they have girded themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground." Lamentations 2:10 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-14

THE BURDEN OF TYRE . We hero reach the last of the "burdens"—the concluding chapter of the series of denunciatory prophecies which commenced with Isaiah 13:1-22 . It is an elegy "in three stanzas, or strophes" (Cheyne)—the first extending from Isaiah 13:1 to Isaiah 13:5 ; the second, thence to Isaiah 13:9 ; and the third from Isaiah 13:10 to Isaiah 13:14 . An undertone of sadness, and even of commiseration, prevails throughout it, the prophet viewing Tyre as a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-15

Aspects of Divine judgment. I. ITS CERTAINTY . 1. The duration of time is no guarantee against its coming; Tyre was a " joyous city, whose antiquity was of ancient days" ( Isaiah 23:7 ), but judgment would fall upon her in God's chosen time. Both men and nations are apt to think that long continuance in comfort is a sufficient pledge that it will never be disturbed; duration begets a false sense of security. If men could only see things as they are, they would perceive that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-18

The fall of Tyre. I. THE ANCIENT FAME OF TYRO . Consecrated to Melkarth, the principal god of the city, the temple on the island, the supposed site of the ancient city, is said by Arrian to have been the most ancient within the memory of man. Ezekiel speaks of Tyre as "in the midst of the seas" ( Ezekiel 27:25 , Ezekiel 27:26 ). The Tyrians were closely connected with the Zidonians, those famous "hewers of timber" ( 1 Kings 5:6 ). And perhaps the Zidonians of Homer include... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

Be still ; rather, be silent , as in the margin. It would be idle to complain or lament. Ye inhabitants of the isle . Tyro was situated on a small isle, which Alexander joined to the mainland by means of a mole (Arrian, 'Exp. Alex.,' 2.23). It is uncertain, however, whether this isle is meant here, or the strip of Phoenician coast, since the Hebrew ' i has both meanings. Thou whom the merchants of Zidon … have replenished . During the flourishing period of Tyro, Zidon, though it had... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

The dependence of one nation upon another. Tyre was, according to some authorities, a colony of Zidon. And the figure in the text sets forth a corporate body, each part dependent on the other. Insular Tyre directly dependent on the mainland, and both closely related to Zidon. And yet further, the Egyptians had in their country no timber for the building of seaworthy ships, so their foreign trade was carried on for them by the Phoenicians. Some of the European nations now are pressing to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 23:2

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 be soon 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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 23:2-3

Isaiah 23:2-3. Be still, ye inhabitants of the isles Hebrew, דמו , be silent; as persons confounded, and not knowing what to say, or as mourners use to be. Silence is a mark of grief and consternation: see Isaiah 47:5; Lamentations 11:10. The prophet here addresses the people of Tyre now fled to the island. The title of island, however, is often given by the Hebrews to places not surrounded by the sea, but only bordering upon it; whom the merchants of Zidon have replenished With... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 23:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 23:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 23:2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Isaiah 23:2-3

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