Isaiah 23:13

11 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.

12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.

14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Look at the land of the Chaldeans — a people now of no account. The Assyrians destined it for the desert creatures; they set up their siege towers and stripped its palaces. They brought it to ruin.
KJV
Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought it to ruin.
WEB
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans. This people didn’t exist. The Assyrians founded it for those who dwell in the wilderness. They set up their towers. They overthrew its palaces. They made it a ruin.
ASV
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans: this people was not; the Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness; they set up their towers; they overthrew the palaces thereof; they made it a ruin.
DARBY
Behold the land of the Chaldeans: this people did not exist; the Assyrian founded it for the dwellers in the desert: they set up their towers, they destroyed the palaces thereof; he brought it to ruin.
BLB
Behold the land of the Chaldeans—this people was not. Assyria has founded it for the desert creatures; they set up its towers, they raised up its palaces—He has appointed her to ruin.
ÅB
Se, kaldeernes land, dette folk som før i tiden ikke var til, de hvis land Assur har gjort til bolig for ørkenens dyr, de reiser sine beleiringstårn, omstyrter dets[^4] palasser og gjør det til en grushaug.
OTB
Se på kaldeernes land—dette er folket som ikke var; Assyria utpekte det for ørkenens skapninger—de satte opp sine beleiringstårn, strippet dens palasser, og gjorde det til en ruin.
B1930
Se, kaldeernes land, dette folk som fordum ikke var til, de hvis land Assur har gjort til bolig for ørkenens dyr, de reiser sine beleiringstårn, omstyrter dets palasser og gjør det til en grushaug. / < Tyrus'.>

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Habakkuk 1:6

    For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

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  • Isaiah 13:19

    And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

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  • Daniel 4:30

    The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

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  • 2 Kings 20:12

    At that time Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.

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  • Ezekiel 29:18

    Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 10:7

    Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

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  • Isaiah 10:5

    O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

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  • Genesis 11:31

    And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

    Read in context