Глава 23

"Vision on Tire a. Weep, O Farsi ships; the one who brought gain was stolen from his house” (Is. 23:1). The Prophet calls on the Farsi ships to cry for those ships and sailors who suddenly, at the pier of Tire, were taken captive by the Babylonians and taken to Babylon. For the prophet calls a pier a home, and calls the ships of the Tarsians bringing gain. “It was announced to us from the land of Kitay,” that is, the Greek ships that escaped danger brought news of such a disaster to Tire. “Be silent, you who live in the island” (Is. 23:1–2). The prophet calls silence the stupor and horror that will seize the inhabitants of Tire during the unexpected invasion of the Babylonians. “The merchants of Sidon, the seafarers who filled you, who brought you the seed of merchants from many waters, harvested by the river” (Is. 23:2-3). Those who carry out maritime trade, as if throwing seeds into the sea, and from it, as it were, collecting a harvest - profits and interest; but buying them will become the prey of other nations. The river here means the Egyptian Nile River; The harvest of the river is the name given to the earthly growths with which peoples are enriched as a result of the flooding of the Nile. “Be humbled, O Sidon, say the sea. The fortress of the sea says: no more, no more." The sea mocks Sidon, as if saying: “I have not given birth to such youths and helmsmen, glorious in seafaring as your sailors. Why shouldn't they save their mother and their trade? But they won't be able to do it." “When it is heard in Egypt, I will suffer from Tire” (Is. 23:4–5), that is, Tire and Sidon will be terrified by the power of a powerful enemy, so all hope of profitable trade will disappear. “Go to Tarshish, - that is, - Carhidon” (Is. 23:6), flee for your life, because the Tyrian pier has been captured by foreign troops, and there is no access to it. Or the prophet addresses the survivors, that is, those who fled from the Tyrian pier and settled on the nearest islands, so that they would spread the news of the fall of Tyre everywhere. “Far... his feet carry him” (Is. 23:7); The Tyrians' own feet will carry them far from their fatherland, and they will move to Babylon. “Who is this council against Tire, the distributor of crowns?” The mighty Lord determined this about Tire, because of its splendor, the splendor of its buildings, the debauchery and pride of its inhabitants. Since the Lord, through His messengers the prophets, urged the inhabitants of Tire to repent, but they did not repent, He gives them over to captivity in order to “dishonor all that is glorious thereof” (Is. 23:8-9). “O daughter of Tarshish, walk through your land like a river; there is no one to drive you out” (Is. 23:10). This gives the inhabitants of Tire hope that the ships of Tarshish will sail full, like a river during a flood. This promise is repeated by him further. “Arise, daughter of Sidon... go to Kittiom, - that is, to the Greek islands, - below there you will have peace” (Is. 23:12). There will be a people oppressing you there too, but they will also drink the same cup that you drank. “When they set up or spies, they inspected the palaces and turned them into ruins” (Is. 23:13), that is, the enemies who plundered the city and completely destroyed it. “Weep, O ships of Tarshish (Carchidonia), for your stronghold perishes” (Is. 23:14). Strongholds are either ships that landed at the pier of Tire and were plundered, or The prophet calls Tire itself the stronghold of the ships of Tarshish. “Tire will be left in Babylon seventy years ... and after seventy years Tire will sing the song of the harlot” (Is. 23:15), that is, the inhabitants of Tire, upon their return, will not give glory to God, but will only rejoice with songs and have fun in their homeland. “And after seventy years God will visit Tire, and again he will return to his former ways, that is, he will still turn to trade, and he will commit fornication with all the kingdoms” (Is. 23:17). From trading with all kingdoms he will become rich, as he was rich before. “And his purchase and reward will be holy to the Lord” (Is. 23:18), as the prophet Zechariah predicts about this (Zech. 9:4), but this will not happen during the captivity of Babylon, but during the captivity of Gog and Magog. You might be interested in: