This verse identifies Tyre as the primary target of the oracle and calls on sailors returning from Tarshish to lament over the destruction of Tyre.

The oracle concerning Tyre is the title. For Tyre see the introductory comments on this section [23.1-18]. For oracle see the introductory comments on 13.1—23.18.

Wail, O ships of Tarshish: Wail is a plural imperative in Hebrew. It calls for people to lament. For Wail see the comments on 13.6. Good News Translation has “Howl with grief.” Other possibilities are “Wail in grief/sadness,” “Cry out in grief,” and simply “Grieve.” The call to lament is addressed to the ships of Tarshish. As in 2.16 (see the comments there), Tarshish probably refers to Spain. The Phoenicians had colonies on the Spanish coast from as early as the twelfth century B.C., but they were destroyed by the Greeks in the seventh century B.C. Ships of Tarshish here probably means Phoenician ships returning from Spain. These ships sailed the whole Mediterranean Sea, carrying trading goods. Ships themselves cannot Wail, so ships of Tarshish is a metaphor for the crews of these vessels. Translators may need to clarify this by saying “sailors [on ships] from Tarshish.” Good News Translation is similar but it omits the place name Tarshish, saying “you sailors out on the ocean” (similarly Bible en français courant). Tarshish will reoccur as a place name in verses 6 and 10 (Good News Translation “Spain”), and with ships in 14. Most versions retain the name Tarshish here.

For Tyre is laid waste: The destruction of Tyre is the reason for the lamentation. This clause is literally “for it is laid waste.” Revised Standard Version adds Tyre since it is most likely in view here. The Hebrew verb rendered is laid waste has been used several times in these oracles to describe the destruction of nations and towns (see, for example, 15.1). If necessary, this passive verb may be rendered as an active one. Verse 9 makes it clear that Yahweh is the agent, but translators should not refer to him here since the prophet deliberately mentions him later to heighten the dramatic effect. They may use an impersonal subject such as “someone” or “an enemy,” or an active verb such as “lies in ruins” (so Contemporary English Version).

Without house or haven: The meaning and syntax of the Hebrew phrase here is unclear. The versions offer a variety of renderings. The phrase is literally “from house from the coming.” Like Revised Standard Version, most versions link this whole phrase with what precedes it, saying that both Tyre’s houses and its port have been destroyed. These versions understand “the coming” to have the sense of “harbor.” It is also possible to link “from the coming” with what follows, referring to the return of Tyre’s sailors (so New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). Since the Hebrew is difficult here, translators may choose either one of these understandings. Two possible renderings for the last three lines of this verse are “for all the houses of Tyre have been destroyed and its harbor is no more. They heard the news when they were in Cyprus” and “for Tyre has been destroyed, not a house is left. As they came from Cyprus, it was made known to them.” Both Hebrew Old Testament Text Project and de~Waard say these two alternatives are possible from Masoretic Text and Dead Sea Scrolls. Revised English Bible emends the Hebrew text to read “for the harbour is destroyed; the port of entry from Kittim is swept away,” but Hebrew Old Testament Text Project does not recommend this.

From the land of Cyprus it is revealed to them: As the sailors were on their way back home to Tyre, they heard the news of its destruction when they reached Cyprus. Cyprus (Hebrew Kittim) was an island in the Mediterranean Sea that the ships of Tyre often visited. The pronoun it refers to the destruction of Tyre, while the pronoun them points to the sailors. Since the previous two lines addressed the sailors directly, Good News Translation prefers to keep second person pronouns for them here also, saying “As your ships return from Cyprus, you learn the news” (similarly Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation also renders the passive verb is revealed as an active one, which may be helpful for other languages.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• The oracle about Tyre.
“Cry in grief, you sailors returning from Tarshish,
for the city of Tyre is destroyed,
no houses remain nor harbor.”
They learned about it when they reached Cyprus.

• An oracle concerning Tyre.
Grieve deeply, you ships returning from Tarshish,
for Tyre has been destroyed;
no buildings remain.
Upon entering Cyprus this was made known to you.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .