Isaiah 23:4 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Be thou ashamed, O Zidon Tyre is called the daughter of Zidon, Isaiah 23:12, being built and first inhabited by a colony of the Zidonians. Or, rather, as Justin says, “The Zidonians, when their city was taken by the king of Ascalon, betook themselves to their ships, and landed and built Tyre.” Zidon, therefore, as the mother city, is here supposed to be deeply afflicted with the calamity of her daughter. For the sea hath spoken That part of the sea in which Tyre was, and from which ships and men were sent into all countries; even the strength of the sea This is added to explain what he meant by the sea, even Tyre, which might be called the strength of the sea, because it was strong at sea, both by its situation, and the strength of its naval forces; saying, I travail not, &c. I, who was so fruitful that I sent forth colonies into other countries, (of which Carthage was one,) am now barren and desolate.