Isaiah 23:13,14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Behold the land of the Chaldeans, &c — The prophet in these words sets forth the instrumental cause of the destruction of Tyre, which should subserve the God of Israel in the execution of this singular judgment; and, as this was a very striking and extraordinary matter, he introduces it with a Behold. At the delivery of this prophesy the Chaldeans were an inconsiderable people: This people was not, says the prophet, of any note or eminence, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they dwelt before in tents, and led a wandering life in the wilderness, till the Assyrians built Babylon for their reception; they set up the towers thereof, they raised the palaces thereof. Herodotus, Ctesias, and other ancient historians, agree that the kings of Assyria fortified and beautified Babylon; and he, that is, this people,—the Chaldeans and Babylonians, brought it to ruin; that is, Tyre, which is the subject of the whole prophesy. The Assyrians were at that time the great monarchs of the east; the Chaldeans were their subjects and slaves; and therefore it is the more extraordinary that the prophet should so many years before-hand foresee the successes and conquests of the Chaldeans. The verse may be rendered thus; Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. (This people was of no account: the Assyrian founded it for them that inhabit desarts; they set up in towers, they raised its palaces;) that land bringeth her [Tyre] to ruin. He subjoins an apostrophe, not, as before, to the Tyrian merchants and principal inhabitants, but to the mariners, who are called to howling for the fall of that city, whence alone they derived their strength and fortune. See Revelation 18:17 and Vitringa.