Isaiah 23:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Moreover, alongside the Babylonians, these nations oppressed Judah, attacking the afflicted, stealing survivors, dedicating sacred vessels to false deities, and forcibly removing those who were bound by oppression from their service to the law. Consequently, God spoke through one of His holy prophets, saying, “And what have ye done to me, O Tyre and Sidon and all the regions of the foreigners? What will you offer me in return? Or will you be angry with me? I will swiftly and sharply bring your pay upon your heads; for my silver and my gold shall be taken, and my chosen and beloved shall be brought into your service, and the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem shall be sold to the children of the Greeks, so that I may part from their territory” (Joel 3:4-6).

Tyre, too, fell victim to divine wrath in this manner. It was an island, separated from the mainland by a narrow strait. When the Babylonians came, they sought to conquer it like the others and commanded their forces to construct a causeway to connect the island to the land, thus eliminating its island status. Once this was underway, many Tyrians, accustomed to maritime trade, fled the island with their families, relocating to other towns. However, the Babylonians invaded the island, slaughtered those who remained, took numerous captives, and engaged in all the actions typical of conquerors. They were greatly disheartened to discover that many of the most distinguished Tyrians had escaped, having loaded their possessions onto ships. We remember the narrative and prophetic declaration of Ezekiel, for the God of all humanity spoke to him: “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has labored greatly against Tyre; he has crushed every head with great toil, yet no recompense has been rendered to him for his efforts against Tyre” (Ezekiel 29:18, 19). Thus, the Lord said to Adonai the Lord, "Behold, I give him the land of Egypt." Following the captivity of the Tyrians, the Babylonian directed his military campaigns against Egypt. Of these historical occurrences, the blessed prophet Isaiah reminds us, urging the ships of Carthage to weep, lamenting Tyre's downfall and its inability to flee from the land of Cyprus. Some assert that the Cythaeans hailed from Hellenic or Macedonian islands, while others claim that this name refers to Cyprus, linked to one of its cities. “Weep,” he commands, for what reason? The captives are now taken. Some might inquire why he instructs Tyre to mourn for Carthage or its vessels. It is because the Carthaginians were descendants of the Tyrians, regarding it as a significant honor to be affiliated with Tyre, which they recognized as the easternmost renowned and powerful island. Reports indicate that the inhabitants of the land of Cyprus also esteemed Tyre highly, enjoying luxurious lives from the profits of maritime commerce. Therefore, he states, weep, O merchants and ships of Carthage, for destruction is upon you. Let Tyre mourn too, for it cannot escape the captivity of the land of Cyprus.

The many nations destined to invade Tyre like a turbulent sea are further identified in the following verses: 'Behold, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the north, king of kings, with horses, and chariots, and horsemen, and a mighty multitude to Tyre. He will slay your daughters that are in the fields with the sword; he will besiege you with towers, encircle you with ramparts, raise a shield against you, and bring against your walls siege implements and battering rams, and demolish your towers with his projectiles’ along with what follows in the rest of the vision (Ezekiel 26:7-9). In another prophecy aimed at Egypt, the Scripture states, 'Son of man! Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has spent his strength at Tyre; all his soldiers are worn out, and neither he nor his army will gain anything from Tyre' (Ezekiel 29:18). This indicates that the Babylonian forces constructed a fortification over a long period, akin to what Alexander later accomplished by joining the island to the mainland through numerous mounds built on the shallow coastline. Just as the threats of God are outlined against Babylon, the Philistines, Moab, Egypt, the Edomites, and the Ishmaelites because they rejoiced in the captivity of His people, so too is a prophecy pronounced against Tyre, which was hostile and took pleasure in Jerusalem's devastation — it would meet its ruin at the hands of the same adversary. As we examine the historical records of the Greeks, particularly those detailing the Assyrian wars, we observe that following Jerusalem's captivity, the Philistines, Arabs, Damascenes, and ultimately the Egyptians were all subdued. The ongoing enmity of these nations, especially Tyre, toward Israel and their delight in its downfall, is confirmed by the prophet Amos in the opening of his book, and briefly referenced by the Psalmist, who exalted God: ‘O God, who is like You? Be not silent, nor hold Your peace, O God. For behold, Your adversaries have made a noise, and those who hate You have raised their heads. They have plotted treacherously against Your people and conspired against Your saints. They said, Come, let us eliminate them from among the nations, and let the name of Israel be remembered no more. For they conspired in unison, forming alliances against You, the tents of the Edomites and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagarites, Ammon and Amalek, along with the foreigners and the inhabitants of Tyre’ (Psalm 82:1-8). From this, we can discern that the weight of God's judgment has fallen upon loveless Tyre, depicted here as a harlot and symbolized by a ship in Ezekiel (Ezekiel 26). Wail, he calls, you ships of the sea. In the Septuagint, we find Carthage referenced, while the Hebrew refers to Tharsis (Pharsis), as noted in the prophet Jonah and in one letter. However, since Carthage originated from the Tyrians, the term Tharsis here may denote not just the sea but also Carthage — signifying that the vessels of the Tyrians will come neither from Africa nor from Cethim, which some associate with Cyprus. Up to this time, they have understood Cethim to refer to the islands of Italy and Macedonia, with Scripture noting that Alexander, king of Macedon, came from the land of Cethim. It is not unjustly stated that Tyre is considered an island, for it was Nebuchadnezzar or Alexander who later transformed it into solid ground by constructing many earthworks on the shallow waters for the sake of conquest. The commerce of Sidon is also referenced here, as the next verse proclaims, 'Be ashamed, Sidon', since historical records indicate that Tyre is a colony of Sidon.

A reflection on Tyre. Regarding the burden or proclamation concerning Tyre as understood from the Hebrew text, we have previously discussed it in the book of the historical interpretation of the ten visions. Now, we will concisely trace the entirety of the prophecy regarding Tyre through an allegorical interpretation based on the Septuagint version. In Hebrew, Tyre is referred to as Sor, which translates in our language to constriction. Thus, every soul ensnared by vices and immoral thoughts can be likened to Sor. Cry out, O ships of Carthage, for they have met perished and will no longer return. From the land of Cethim, she is led away into captivity. Like the inhabitants of the isle, the Phoenician merchants traverse the seas upon many waters, akin to the harvesters who gather the yield of commerce from various nations. Instead of Carthage, the Hebrew text uses Pharsis, which bears the same meaning. Pharsis denotes contemplation or the pursuit of joy; while Cethim, referred to in Hebrew as Chetim, means the freezing sea, and in place of Phoenicia, the Hebrew states Sidon. Those are rebuked who are engulfed in a storm of wicked thoughts, and who, as the apostle warns, seek wealth, falling into temptation and the snares of the adversary, leading to many destructive desires that plunge individuals into despair (1 Timothy 6:9). Thus, they are called to cry out, recognizing that all worldly possessions shall fade, and that visions of joy and gladness shall ultimately turn into weeping and lament. For this sea will no longer be able to bear ships, but all will be encased in ice, and the captive colonies of the Tyrians will face judgment. Those dwelling on this isle resemble merchants or bearers of goods, swayed by every doctrine like leaves in the wind, moving from one vice to another. Our existence on this isle reflects our struggles with worldly temptations, while our own island and ship are tossed about by the waves of the sea. The merchants of this isle derive from Sidon, meaning hunter; there are many hunters among them, of whom it is proclaimed, ‘He shall deliver you from the net of the catchers’ (Psalm 93), as elsewhere, the saint affirms that he is rescued from their snares, stating, ‘Our soul is like a bird freed from the net of the catchers’ (Psalm 123:7). All the merchants of the nations are likened to fields that quickly wither, or to harvesters by the rivers, who receive rain from the earth rather than from heaven, and hence face destruction alongside the Gentiles. When we read ‘seed of merchants,’ the Hebrew refers to Sior seed, indicating the Nile, for its murky waters are employed to irrigate the Egyptian fields.