Isaiah 23:1-14

1A pronouncement concerning Tyre: Wail, ships of Tarshish, for your haven has been destroyed. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus.

2Mourn, inhabitants of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon; your agents have crossed the sea

3over deep water. Tyre’s revenue was the grain from Shihor — the harvest of the Nile. She was the merchant among the nations.

4Be ashamed, Sidon, the stronghold of the sea, for the sea has spoken: “I have not been in labor or given birth. I have not raised young men or brought up young women.”

5When the news reaches Egypt, they will be in anguish over the news about Tyre.

6Cross over to Tarshish; wail, inhabitants of the coastland!

7Is this your jubilant city, whose origin was in ancient times, whose feet have taken her to reside far away?

8Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are the honored ones of the earth?

9The Lord of Armies planned it, to desecrate all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the honored ones of the earth.

10Overflow your land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer anything to restrain you.

11He stretched out his hand over the sea; he made kingdoms tremble. The Lord has commanded that the Canaanite fortresses be destroyed.

12He said, “You will not celebrate anymore, ravished young woman, daughter of Sidon. Get up and cross over to Cyprus  — even there you will have no rest!”

13Look at the land of the Chaldeans — a people who no longer exist. Assyria destined it for desert creatures. They set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They made it a ruin.

14Wail, ships of Tarshish, because your fortress is destroyed!