Isaiah 23
The Lord has planned to destroy Tyre, a powerful and arrogant city, to bring down its glory and humiliate its people. The city will be devastated, its merchants and traders will be ruined, and its people will be forced to flee. After 70 years, Tyre will be restored and will once again engage in commerce with the world, but this time its profits will be dedicated to the Lord.
1The burden of Tyre. Wail, you ships of the sea! For the house, from which they were accustomed to go forth, has been laid waste. From the land of Kittim, this has been revealed to them2Be silent, you inhabitants of the island! The merchants of Sidon, crossing over the sea, have filled you3The offspring of the Nile is in the midst of many waters. The harvest of the river is her crop. And she has become the marketplace of the nations4Be ashamed, O Sidon! For the sea speaks, the strength of the sea, saying: "I have not been in labor, and I have not given birth, and I have not raised young men, nor have I promoted the development of virgins.5When it has been heard in Egypt, they will be in anguish, when they hear of Tyre6Cross over the seas. Wail, you inhabitants of the island7Is this not your place, which from its earliest days has gloried in its antiquity? Her feet will lead her to a sojourn far away8Who has made this plan against Tyre, which formerly was crowned, whose merchants were leaders, whose traders were illustrious on the earth9The Lord of hosts has planned this, so that he may tear down the arrogance of all glory, and may bring disgrace to all the illustrious of the earth10Cross through your land, as through a river, O daughter of the sea. You no longer have a belt11He has extended his hand over the sea. He has stirred up kingdoms. The Lord has given an order against Canaan, so that he may crush its strong12And he said: "You shall no longer increase so as to glory, while enduring calumny, O virgin daughter of Sidon. Rise up and set sail for Kittim; in that place, too, there will be no rest for you.13Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: never before was there such a people! Assur founded it. They have led away its strong ones into captivity. They have dug under its houses. They have left it in ruins14Wail, you ships of the sea! For your strength has been devastated15And this shall be in that day: you, O Tyre, will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. Then, after seventy years, there will be, for Tyre, something like the canticle of a harlot16Take up a stringed instrument. Circulate through the city, you harlot who had been forgotten. Sing many canticles well, so that you may be remembered17And this shall be after seventy years: the Lord will visit Tyre, and he will lead her back to her profits. And she will fornicate again with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth18And her businesses and her profits will be sanctified to the Lord. They will not be locked away and they will not be stored. For her business will be for those who will live in the presence of the Lord, so that they may eat until satisfied, and may be well-clothed even into old age
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