Chapter 23
23:1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, you ships of the sea, for the house is destroyed, from whence they were wont to come: from the land of Cethim it is revealed to them.
23:2 Be silent, you that dwell in the island: the trade of Sidon passing over the sea, have filled you.
23:3 The seed of the Nile in many waters, the harvest of the river is her revenue: and she is become the mart of the nations.
23:4 Be ashamed, O Sidon: for the sea speaks, even the strength of the sea, saying: I have not been in labor, nor have I brought forth, nor have I nourished up young men, nor brought up virgins.
23:5 When it shall be heard in Egypt, they will be sorry when they shall hear of Tyre:
23:6 Pass over the seas, howl, you inhabitants of the island.
23:7 Is not this yours, which gloried from of old in her antiquity? Her feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.
23:8 Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, that was formerly crowned, whose merchants were princes, and her traders the nobles of the earth?
23:9 The Lord of hosts has designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory, and bring to disgrace all the glorious ones of the earth.
23:10 Pass your land as a river, O daughter of the sea, you have a girdle no more.
23:11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he troubled kingdoms: the Lord has given a charge against Chanaan, to destroy the strong ones thereof.
23:12 And he said: you shall glory no more, O virgin daughter of Sidon, who sustain calumny: arise and sail over to Cethim, there also you shall have no rest.
23:13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans, there was not such a people, the Assyrians founded it: they have led away the strong ones thereof into captivity, they have destroyed the houses thereof, they have brought it to ruin.
23:14 Howl, O you ships of the sea, for your strength is laid waste.
23:15 And it shall come to pass in that day that you, O Tyre, shall be forgotten, seventy years, according to the days of one king: but after seventy years, there shall be unto Tyre as the song of a harlot.
23:16 Take a harp, go about the city, harlot that have been forgotten: sing well, sing many a song, that you mayst be remembered.
23:17 And it shall come to pass after seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and will bring her back again to her traffic: and she shall commit fornication again with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.
23:18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be sanctified to the Lord: they shall not be kept in store, nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that shall dwell before the Lord, that they may eat unto fullness, and be clothed for a continuance.
547 . The burden of Tyre . In this part he threatens against the Tyrians, who were joined to the people of God by association in trade. And this is divided into two parts:
first, he threatens the destruction which was carried out by Nabuchodonosor;
in the second part, he promises liberation: and it shall come to pass after seventy years (Isa 23:17).
Concerning the first, he sets out three things:
first, the sadness of the compassionate;
second, the flight of the fearful: pass over the seas (Isa 23:6);
third, the punishment of destruction: the Lord has given a charge (Isa 23:11).
548 . Concerning the first, he sets out three things.
First, the sorrow of the traders, setting out their mourning: howl, you ships , namely Carthaginian ships: the merchants of the earth have been made rich by the power of her delicacies (Rev 18:3); and the motive of their mourning: the house is destroyed , that is, Tyre, from whence was wont to come , trade; and also the manner in which they learned of it: from the land of Cethim , that is, Greece : Alexander . . . coming out of the land of Cethim, had overthrown Darius (1 Macc 1:1).
549 . Second, he sets out their stupor: be silent , adding three things in which they gloried, namely,
in the fortification of their position: you that dwell in the island ;
in the abundance of their merchandise: trade , that is, in which they trade; have filled you , with riches;
in abundance of grain: the seed of the river Nile , that is, her harvest , and revenue , namely of Tyre, for much wheat came to them from Egypt, and therefore she is become the mart of the nations : say to Tyre that dwells at the entry of the sea, being the mart of the people for many islands (Ezek 27:3).
550 . Third, he sets out the confusion of their neighbors.
And first, of the Sidonians, whose colony Tyre was: the sea , that is, traders of the sea, speaks: be you ashamed, O Sidon , for you did not defend Tyre; for my strength , that is, Tyre, is saying: I have not been in labor , that is: it profited me not to have been in labor, for I was captured. Or otherwise: the sea , that is, the strength of the sea , that is, the traders who were strong on the sea, speaks: be you ashamed, O Sidon, saying: I have not been in labor , in the defense of Tyre. Or otherwise: Sidon speaks: O Sea, even the strength of the sea , that is, Tyre, be ashamed , you, Tyre, saying what follows. Or Sidon saying : while you may have been born from me, O Tyre, you were captured thus as if I had not labored with you, below: I will proceed to cause an admiration (Isa 29:14).
551 . Second, of the Egyptians: when it shall be heard in Egypt : behold I do a thing in Israel: and whosoever shall hear it, both his ears shall tingle (1 Sam 3:11).
552 . Pass over the seas . Here he foretells the flight of the fearful, as to those who, when Nabuchodonosor was attacking the city, fled into Egypt with their ships.
And first, he exhorts them to flight,
second, to constancy or haste of flight: pass your land (Isa 23:10).
Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, the flight of the fearful: pass over , you who flee, howl , you who remain, above: the branches thereof are left, they are gone over the sea (Isa 16:8).
Second, the ignominy of those who remain: is this not ; and concerning this, he does two things.
First, he foretells their ignominy,
recalling first their former glory: is not this yours , namely, your city?
Her feet shall carry her afar off , as to those taken captive: my delicate ones have walked rough ways (Bar 4:26).
Third, wonder, setting out first the question of the wonderer: who knew this one crowned , as though queen of other cities; whose merchants were princes , because of their excessive luxuries: how are you fallen, that dwell in the sea, renowned city that was strong in the sea, with your inhabitants? (Ezek 26:17).
And he adds the response: the Lord of hosts has designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory : scatter the proud in your indignation, and behold every arrogant man, and humble him (Job 40:6).
553 . Pass your land . Here he exhorts them to flee quickly.
And first, he sets out the exhortation: pass your land as a river , which is crossed quickly by boat: furnish yourself to go into exile, you daughter inhabitant of Egypt (Jer 46:19).
Second, he assigns the reason on their own part: you have a girdle , that is, strength, no more : behold I have made you small among the nations (Obad 1:2). Otherwise, on the part of God: he stretched out his hand over the sea , above: the Lord shall lay waste the tongue of the sea of Egypt (Isa 11:15).
554 . The Lord has given a charge . Here he threatens destruction.
And first, the scourge of persecution;
second, he foretells the mourning of compassion: howl (Isa 23:14);
third, he designates the time of destruction: and it shall come to pass in that day (Isa 23:15).
Concerning the first, he does three things.
First, setting out divine indignation, the precept: the Lord has given a charge , to Nabuchodonosor, against Chanaan , in which Tyre is located: the Lord said to me: go up to this land, and destroy it (2 Kgs 18:25). And the intended end: and he said: you shall glory no more, O virgin daughter of Sidon, who sustain calumny , accused of pride: let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the rich man glory in his riches (Jer 9:23); and he excludes any remedy: arise and sail over to Cethim, there also you shall have no rest : neither shall you be quiet, even in those nations, nor shall there be any rest for the sole of your foot (Deut 28:65).
555 . Second, he sets out the strength of the enemy: behold the land of the Chaldeans, there was not such a people , before them; the Assyrians , or Nabuchodonosor, founded it : is not this Babylon, which I have built? (Dan 4:27).
556 . Third, he sets out the destruction as to the subjugation of men: they have led away the strong ones thereof into captivity , above: their strong ones, and their people, and their high and glorious ones shall go down into it (Isa 5:14); as to the destruction of houses: they have destroyed the houses , above: it shall be as a ruinous heap of stones (Isa 17:1).
557 . Howl . Here he sets out the mourning (Ezek 27:14). And it shall come to pass . Here he designates the time: seventy years, according to the days of one king , who rarely even lives so long, below: the Lord has forsaken me, and the Lord has forgotten me (Isa 49:14).
558 . But after seventy years . Here he promises liberation.
And first, he sets out the song of the liberated, setting out the time of singing: after seventy years ; as the song of a harlot , who, cast aside by a man, throws herself about and moves the hearts of others to mercy through songs in which she remembers her former dignity. And he sets out the song as to the instrument: take a harp ; as to the place: about the city ; as to the manner: sing well ; as to the number, sing many a song . He also sets out the fruit: that you mayst be remembered : it is commonly said: if a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and marry another man, shall he return to her any more? (Jer 3:1).
559 . Second, he promises the benefit of a liberator: and it shall come to pass after seventy years ; that the Lord will visit Tyre, and will bring her back again to her traffic: and she shall commit fornication again , that is, she shall trade: I will glorify them (Jer 30:19).
On the contrary: Ezekiel 27:36 says of Tyre, you are brought to nothing, and you shall never be any more ; the Gloss there says, that is, in memory, which is the life of one man, which is seventy years ; the days of our years in them are threescore and ten years (Ps 89[90]:10).
560 . Third, he sets out the fruit of liberation: and her merchandise and her hire shall be , below: for brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver (Isa 60:17).
561 . Note on the words, take a harp (Isa 23:16), that the harp signifies an upright life:
first, as the mortification of the flesh, because of the material of the strings: I will sing to you with the harp, you Holy One of Israel (Ps 70[71]:22);
second, as to the connection of the virtues, because of the harmony of the song, above: my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab (Isa 16:11);
third, as to the sweetness of good works, because of the joy of the listener: they take the timbrel, and the harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ (Job 21:12).
562 . Note also on the words, go about the city (Isa 23:16), that man ought to go about the city:
first, of his own conscience, by reflecting on his sins: the mourners shall go round about in the street before the silver cord be broken (Eccl 12:5–6);
second, of the Church militant, by imitating the example of the just: surround Zion, and encompass her (Ps 47:13[48:12]);
third, of our heavenly homeland, by considering the reward of the saints: I will rise, and will go about the city (Song 3:2).
563 . Note also on the words, sing well (Isa 23:16), that man ought to sing well:
first, cheerfully: to our God be joyful praise (Ps 146[147]:1);
second, attentively: I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding (1 Cor 14:15);
third, devoutly: and the people offered victims, and praises with a devout mind (2 Chr 29:31).
564 . Note also on the words, sing many a song (Isa 23:16), that we ought to sing many songs:
first, because of his greatness: glorify the Lord as much as ever you can, for he will yet far exceed, and his magnificence is wonderful (Sir 43:32[30]);
second, because of the multitude of inward goods, make melody, rejoice and sing (Ps 97[98]:4);
third, because of the abundance of our sins: seven times a day I have given praise to you . . . Lord God, destroy me not (Ps 118[119]:164).