Isaiah 23:1 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The burden of Tyre— There can be no wonder that the prophet, foretelling the judgments of the different nations concerned with the Jews, should dwell upon that of Tyre. In this chapter, which contains the 8th and last discourse of the second book of his prophesies, Isaiah paints, in a most lively manner, the calamity which should happen to Tyre, in a discourse consisting of various apostrophes, directed either to the Tyrians themselves or to the inhabitants of Gades in Farther Spain, or to the islands of the Mediterranean sea; and also to the Sidonians and Egyptians, who, together with the insular inhabitants of Greece and Italy, should both admire and bewail the overthrow of Tyre. In the prosecution hereof he compares this calamity of the Tyrians to their abundance, riches, luxury, and most flourishing state, which drew upon them at that time the eyes of all nations, thus greatly exaggerating their calamity. Soon after he sets forth the causes of this strange event; the Supreme One, the God of Israel, against whom their Hercules was unable to defend the Tyrians; and the instrumental causes, the Chaldeans, who, though at that time they had no empire in the world, were yet to he called forth by the Supreme God to execute his judgments. See Isaiah 23:13. But as God, according to his exquisite goodness to mankind, usually tempers his justice and severity with clemency and with grace, and had accordingly determined to call in his good time the Gentiles to the participation of all the blessings of the Gospel, the prophet teaches that this first calamity of the Tyrians should be concluded in 70 years, after which time their nation should flourish in its former manner; and, what seemed beyond all expectation, the Tyrians should receive the kingdom of God, should consecrate their wealth to him, and become converts to the true religion. This is the sum of the present illustrious prophesy; the scene whereof is to be fixed at that time when the Chaldeans, under Nebuchadnezzar, besieged Tyre, which is presented as so besieged in vision to the eyes of the prophet, in all its pomp and glory. The prophesy, besides the inscription, contains two parts; first, the judicial sentence of God upon Tyre, Isaiah 23:1-14 and secondly, the alleviation of that sentence, Isaiah 23:15-18. The sentence is again two-fold; the first part sets forth the judgment of Tyre, Isaiah 23:1-7 the other the causes of that judgment. The former part declares the judgment or calamity of Tyre figuratively, by apostrophes; the first of which is directed to the Tyrian mariners, Isaiah 23:1.; the second to those insolent people with whom the Tyrians traded, or to the Tyrian merchants and traders, Isaiah 23:2. Isaiah 23:3.; the third to Sidon, Isaiah 23:4-5.; the fourth to Tyre itself, Isaiah 23:6-7. The latter part of the first section, which sets forth the causes of the judgment, declares the principal cause to be the God of Israel (as the punisher of sin, the origin of all evil). Jehovah, therefore, had determined this calamity upon Tyre; and the prophet denounces it, with a new apostrophe, to the Tyrians, Isaiah 23:8-12. The instrumental causes he declares to be the Chaldeans; with a last apostrophe, to the Tyrian sailors, Isaiah 23:13-14. The latter section, which contains the alleviation of the divine judgment, plainly manifests that this calamity of Tyre should be concluded within 70 years, after which it should flourish again; Isaiah 23:15-17 and reveals the gracious design of God to call the Tyrians to the communion of his visible church, Isaiah 23:18. It has been questioned, which of the Tyres was the subject of the prophesies of Isaiah and Ezekiel. The truest and best answer is, that they pertain to both; some expressions being applicable only to the former, and others only to the latter. But it should be observed, that both Tyres are comprehended under the same name, and both spoken of as one city; part being built on the continent, and part on an island adjoining. Tarshish was Tartessus in Spain; Chittim signifies the isles and countries bordering upon the Mediterranean. The plain meaning of this apostrophe, directed to the ships, that is to say, to the mariners of Tarshish, whose gain proceeded principally from Tyre, is, "Lament and deplore the mournful fall of this city, which you shall hear of while you are trafficking in the most distant ports of the Mediterranean sea." Instead of, so that there is no house, no entering-in, Vitringa reads, both within and without. See Bishop Newton, Vitringa, and, for more concerning Tyre, the Univ. Hist. vol. 2: p 322.