Isaiah 23:15-17 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

And it shall come to pass in that day— The second part of this discourse contains the alleviation of the calamity decreed upon Tyre. In these verses the prophet informs us, first, that God would circumscribe within certain bounds his severity to Tyre, and within seventy years restore it to its former state; and then, secondly, in the 18th verse, foretels, that in process of time the Tyrians would be converted to the true religion. The former particular is related, first literally, and then figuratively. According to the days of one king or kingdom, means the Babylonian monarchy, which was to continue seventy years. Tyre is represented under the image of a harlot; and thence these figures are borrowed: the plain meaning of the verse is, that she should lie neglected of traders and merchants for seventy years, as long as the Babylonish empire lasted, and after that should recover her liberties and her trade, and draw in several of all nations to deal with her; and particularly the kings of the earth to buy her purples, which were worn chiefly by emperors and kings, and for which Tyre was famous above all places in the world. Seventy years was the time prefixed for the duration of the Babylonian empire. So long the nations were to groan under that tyrannical yoke: accordingly at the end of that period, Cyrus and the Persians subverted that empire, and restored the conquered nations to their liberties. These seventy years may likewise be computed in this manner: Tyre was taken by Nebuchadnezzar in the 32nd year of his reign, and in the year before Christ 573. Seventy years from that time, will bring it down to the year before Christ 503, and the 19th of Darius Hystaspis. At that period, as appears from history, the Ionians had rebelled against Darius, and the Phoenicians assisted him with their fleet; and consequently it is reasonable to conclude that they were now restored to their former privileges. In the succeeding reign we find that they, together with the Sidonians, furnished Xerxes with several ships for his expedition into Greece; and by the time of Alexander, the Tyrians were grown to such power and greatness, that they stopped the progress of that rapid conqueror longer than any part of the Persian empire besides. All this, however, is to be understood of the insular Tyre; for as the old city flourished most before the time of Nebuchadnezzar, so the new flourished most afterwards; and this is the Tyre which henceforth is so much celebrated in history. Bishop Newton and Vitringa.