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Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Isaiah 23:11

His hand, hath he stretched out over the sea, He hath shaken kingdoms, - Yahweh, hath given command against she Phoenician coast, To destroy her fortresses.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Cities;   Hand;   Tarshish;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Cities;   Commerce;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Phoenicia, Phenicia, or Phenice;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Tarshish, Tharshish;   Zidon, Sidon ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Nile;   Tyre;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Canaan;   Trade;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Commerce;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He stretched out his hand over the sea;he made kingdoms tremble.The Lord has commandedthat the Canaanite fortresses be destroyed.
Hebrew Names Version
He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms: the LORD has given mitzvah concerning Kana`an, to destroy the strongholds of it.
King James Version
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
English Standard Version
He has stretched out his hand over the sea; he has shaken the kingdoms; the Lord has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds.
New American Standard Bible
He has stretched His hand out over the sea, He has made the kingdoms tremble; The LORD has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.
New Century Version
The Lord has stretched his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble. He commands that Canaan's strong, walled cities be destroyed.
Amplified Bible
He has stretched out His hand over the sea, He has shaken the kingdoms; The LORD has given a command concerning Canaan to destroy her strongholds and her fortresses [like Tyre and Sidon].
World English Bible
He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms: Yahweh has given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds of it.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He stretched out his hand vpon the sea: he shooke the kingdomes: the Lorde hath giuen a commaundement concerning the place of marchandise, to destroy the power thereof.
Legacy Standard Bible
He has stretched His hand out over the sea;He has made the kingdoms tremble;Yahweh has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strong defenses.
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD has stretched out His hand over the sea; He has made kingdoms tremble. He has given a command that the strongholds of Canaan be destroyed.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord 's hand has reached across the sea, upsetting the nations. He has given a command to destroy fortresses in the land of Canaan.
Complete Jewish Bible
He has stretched out his hand against the sea, he has shaken kingdoms; Adonai has ordered that Kena‘an's fortresses be destroyed.
Darby Translation
He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he shaketh the kingdoms. Jehovah hath given a commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof,
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord raised his arm over the sea to make the kingdoms angry enough to fight against Tyre. He commanded Canaan to destroy her place of safety.
George Lamsa Translation
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms; the LORD has given a commandment against Canaan to destroy its mighty men.
Good News Translation
The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and overthrown kingdoms. He has commanded that the Phoenician centers of commerce be destroyed.
Lexham English Bible
He has stretched his hand out over the sea; he has made kingdoms shake. Yahweh has commanded concerning Canaan to destroy her fortresses.
Literal Translation
He stretched His hand over the sea; He shook kingdoms. Jehovah has made a decree against the merchant city , to destroy its forts.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus the LORDE that remoueth the kingdomes, and hath taken in hande agaynst that mightie Canaan to rote it out:) hath stretched out his honde ouer the see,
American Standard Version
He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken the kingdoms: Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof.
Bible in Basic English
His hand is stretched out over the sea, the kingdoms are shaking: the Lord has given orders about Canaan, to make waste its strong places.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He hath stretched out His hand over the sea, He hath shaken the kingdoms; the LORD hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof;
King James Version (1611)
He stretched out his hand ouer the sea, hee shooke the kingdomes: the Lord hath giuen a commandement against the merchant citie, to destroy the strong holdes thereof.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that smote the kyngdomes together, holdeth out his hande ouer the sea: euen the Lord him selfe hath geuen a commaundement agaynst the same common place of marchaundise, that they shall vtterly destroy the myght therof.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thy hand prevails no more by sea, which troubled kings: the Lord of hosts has given a command concerning Chanaan, to destroy the strength thereof.
English Revised Version
He hath stretched out his hand over the sea, he hath shaken the kingdoms: the LORD hath given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strong holds thereof.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It stretchide forth his hond aboue the see, and disturblide rewmes. The Lord sente ayenes Canaan, for to al to-breke the stronge men therof;
Update Bible Version
He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms: Yahweh has given commandment concerning Canaan, to destroy the strongholds thereof.
Webster's Bible Translation
He stretched his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms: the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant [city], to destroy its strong holds.
New English Translation
The Lord stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook kingdoms; he gave the order to destroy Canaan's fortresses.
New King James Version
He stretched out His hand over the sea, He shook the kingdoms; The LORD has given a commandment against Canaan To destroy its strongholds.
New Living Translation
The Lord held out his hand over the sea and shook the kingdoms of the earth. He has spoken out against Phoenicia, ordering that her fortresses be destroyed.
New Life Bible
He has put out His hand over the sea. He has made the nations shake with fear. The Lord has said that the strong-places of Canaan must be destroyed.
New Revised Standard
He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms; the Lord has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its fortresses.
Douay-Rheims Bible
He stretched out his hand over the sea, he troubled kingdoms: the Lord hath given a charge against Chanaan, to destroy the strong ones thereof.
Revised Standard Version
He has stretched out his hand over the sea, he has shaken the kingdoms; the LORD has given command concerning Canaan to destroy its strongholds.
Young's Literal Translation
His hand He hath stretched out over the sea, He hath caused kingdoms to tremble, Jehovah hath charged concerning the merchant one, To destroy her strong places.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He has stretched His hand out over the sea, He has made the kingdoms tremble; The LORD has given a command concerning Canaan to demolish its strongholds.

Contextual Overview

1 The oracle on Tyre, - Howl! ye ships of Tarshish, For it is laid too waste to be a haven to enter, From the land of Cyprus, hath it been unveiled to them. 2 Be dumb, ye inhabitants of the Coast, - Whom the merchants of Zidon, passing over the sea, once replenished; 3 Yea on mighty waters, was the grain of Shihor, The harvest of the Nile, was her increase, - And so she became a mart of nations. 4 Turn thou pale, O Zidon, For spoken hath the sea, the fortress of the sea saying, - I have neither been in pangs nor given birth I have neither brought up young men nor promoted virgins. 5 Like the report of Egypt, They shall be in pangs at the like report of Tyre. 6 Pass ye over to Tarshish, - Howl ye inhabitants of the Coast: 7 Is this to you an exultation? Though from ancient day, is her antiquity, Yet shall her own feet carry her away, far off to dwell. 8 Who hath purposed this, against Tyre, The bestower of crowns, - Whose merchants are princes, Her traders the honourable of the earth? 9 Yahweh of hosts, hath purposed it, - To humble the pride of all beauty, To make of little esteem all the honourable of the earth. 10 Pass through thy land as the Nile, - O daughter of Tarshish, there is no restraint any longer!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

stretched: Isaiah 2:19, Isaiah 14:16, Isaiah 14:17, Exodus 15:8-10, Psalms 46:6, Ezekiel 26:10, Ezekiel 26:15-19, Ezekiel 27:34, Ezekiel 27:35, Ezekiel 31:16, Haggai 2:7

the Lord: Isaiah 10:6, Psalms 71:3, Jeremiah 47:7, Nahum 1:14

against the merchant city: or, concerning a merchantman, Isaiah 23:3, Hosea 12:7, Hosea 12:8

the merchant city: Heb. Canaan, Genesis 9:25, Genesis 10:15-19, Zechariah 14:21, Mark 11:17, John 2:16

strong holds: or, strengths, Zechariah 9:3, Zechariah 9:4

Reciprocal: Isaiah 13:3 - commanded Ezekiel 26:4 - destroy Ezekiel 26:12 - thy merchandise

Cross-References

Genesis 23:6
Hear us, my lord! A prince of God, art thou in our midst, In the choice of our buryingplaces, bury thy dead, - Not, a man from among us his, burying-place, will withhold from thee, from burying thy dead.
Genesis 23:7
And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth;
Genesis 23:12
So Abraham boweth himself down, before the people of the land:
Genesis 23:18
to Abraham as a purchase in the eyes of the sons of Heth, - with all who were entering the gate of his city.
Genesis 23:20
So was confirmed the field with the cave which was therein to Abraham, for a possession of a buryingplace, - from the sons of Heth.
Numbers 35:30
Whosoever taketh away life, at the mouth of witnesses, shall, the slayer be slain, - but, one witness, shall not testify against a person, to put him to death.
Deuteronomy 17:6
At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses, shall he that is to die be put to death, - he shall not be put to death at the mouth of one witness.
Deuteronomy 19:15
One witness I shall not rise up, against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, with regard to any sin that he may commit, - at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses, must a matter be establish.
Ruth 4:1
Now, Boaz, went up to the gate, and sat him down there, and lo! the kinsman, passing by, of whom Boaz had spoken, so he said - Turn aside! and sit down here, such a one! And he turned aside, and sat down.
Ruth 4:4
and, I, thought, I would unveil thine ear, saying - Take it over in presence of such as are here seated, and in presence of the elders of my people. If thou wilt act as kinsman, act as kinsman, but, if thou wilt not so act, only tell me - that I may know, for there is none who can set thee aside as kinsman, but, I, am after thee. And he said, I, will act as kinsman.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He stretched out his hand over the sea,.... That is, the Lord of hosts, who had purposed to destroy Tyre, stretched out his hand of power over it, called the sea, as in Isaiah 23:4 because situated in it, supported by it, and had the sovereignty of it; in like manner as he stretched out his hand on the Red Sea, and destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in it; to which the allusion may be:

he shook the kingdoms; of Tyre and Zidon, which were both kingdoms, and distinct ones; and also made other neighbouring kingdoms shake and tremble when these fell, fearing it would be their case next. Some understand this of the moving of Nebuchadnezzar, and of the kings of the provinces under him, to come against Tyre:

the Lord hath given a commandment against the merchant [city]; the city of Tyre, so famous for merchandise, that it was the mart of nations, as in Isaiah 23:3 or "against Canaan", in which country Tyre and Zidon were, being originally built and inhabited by the posterity of Canaan, Genesis 10:15:

to destroy the strong holds thereof; either of the merchant city Tyre, whose fortifications were strong, both by nature and art; or "of Canaan", whose strong holds, or fortified cities, the principal of them were Tyre and Zidon; so Jarchi: and if the Lord of hosts gives a commandment to destroy it and its strong holds, as he did to Nebuchadnezzar and his army, and afterwards to Alexander and his, who could save them? that is, God said it, who gave commandment to destroy it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He stretched out his hand - That is, Yahweh (see Isaiah 23:9). To stretch out the hand is indicative of punishment (see the notes at Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 9:12), and means that God has resolved to inflict exemplary punishment on Tyre and its dependent colonies.

Over the sea - That is, over the sea coast of Phenicia; or over the cities that were built on the coast. This alludes to the fact that Nebuchadnezzar would lay siege to these cities, and would ravage the maritime coast of Phenicia. It is not improbable also that, having taken Tyre, he would extend his conquests to Citium, on the island of Cyprus, and destroy as many of the dependent cities of Tyre as possible.

The Lord hath given a commandment - The control here asserted over Nebuchadnezzar is similar to that which he asserted over the Assyrian Sennacherib (see the note at Isaiah 10:5).

Against the merchant city - Hebrew, ‘Against Canaan’ (על־כנען 'el-kena‛an). The word ‘Canaan’ may here be used as in Isaiah 23:8, to denote a place given to merchandise or traffic, since this was the principal employment of the inhabitants of this region; but it is rather to be taken in its obvious and usual sense in the Scriptures, as denoting the land of Canaan, and as denoting that Nebuchadnezzar would be sent against that, and especially the maritime parts of it, to lay it waste.

To destroy the strongholds thereof - That is, the strongholds of Canaan; as Tyre, Sidon, Accho, etc. Tyre, especially, was strongly fortified, and was able long to resist the arms of the Chaldeans.


 
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