Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 23:5
As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
5. The verse should be read as in R.V. When the report cometh to Egypt, they shall be sorely pained at the report of Tyre. Assyria being the common enemy of Egypt and Tyre, the report of the latter’s fall is received with the utmost anxiety in Egypt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
As at the report concerning Egypt – According to our translation, this verse would seem to mean that the Sidonians and other nations had been pained or grieved at the report of the calamities that had come upon Egypt, and that they would be similarly affected at the report concerning Tyre. In accordance with this, some (as Jarchi) have understood it of the plagues of Egypt, and suppose that the prophet means to say, that as the nations were astonished at that, so they would be at the report of the calamities that would come upon Tyre. Others refer it to the calamities that. would come upon Egypt referred to in Isa. 19, and suppose that the prophet means to say, that as the nations would be amazed at the report of these calamities, so they would be at the report of the overthrow of Tyre. So Vitringa. But the sense of the Hebrew may be expressed thus: As the report, or tidings of the destruction of Tyre shall reach Egypt, they shall be pained at the tidings respecting Tyre. So Lowth, Noyes, Rosenmuller, Grotius, Calvin. They would be grieved, either
(1) because the destruction of Tyre would injure the commerce of Egypt; or
(2) because the Egyptians might fear that the army of Nebuchadnezzar would come upon them, and that they would share the fate of Tyre.
Sorely pained – The word used here ( yachylu) is commonly applied to the severe pain of parturition.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
According to this translation the sense is, All the neighbouring nations shall be no less terrified at the tidings of lite destruction of Tyrus, than they were of old upon the report of Gods former and dreadful judgments upon the Egyptians, of which see Exo 15:14-16; Jos 2:9,11, because they shall despair of resisting that enemy against whom that vast and potent city, which was deemed impregnable, could not defend itself. But the words are by the LXX., and other both ancient and later interpreters, rendered otherwise, and that very agreeably to the Hebrew text, When the report (to wit, of the destruction of Tyre) came, or shall come, (which word is easily understood, as it is above, Isa 23:3, and in other texts of Scripture before mentioned,) to the Egyptians, they shall be sorely pained according to the report of Tyre; their grief shall be answerable to the report; as the report is very dreadful, so their grief and anguish shall be very great: or, they shall fear lest they should be destroyed in like manner as Tyrus was destroyed.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. As, &c.rather, “Whenthe report (shall reach) the people of Egypt, they shall be sorelypained at the report concerning Tyre” (namely, its overthrow).So JEROME, “When theEgyptians shall hear that so powerful a neighboring nation has beendestroyed, they must know their own end is near” [LOWTH,&c.].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
As at the report concerning Egypt,…. Its future destruction prophesied of, Isa 19:1 or what had in times past befallen it when the ten plagues were inflicted on it, and Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the Red Sea; the report of which filled the neighbouring nations with fear and trembling, and put them into a panic; so the Targum,
“as they heard the plague with which the Egyptians were smitten:”
[so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre; of the destruction of that; this should have the like effect upon the nations round about them, especially such as traded with them, as the judgments on Egypt had upon their neighbours; for, as for what was to come, the destruction of Tyre was before the destruction of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar: though some read the words, and they will bear to be read thus, “when the report” was made, or came “to the Egyptians, they will be in pain at”, or “according to the report of Tyre” t;
“when it was heard in Egypt, pain shall take them for Tyre;”
as soon as the Egyptians heard of the taking and ruin of Tyre, they were in pain, as a woman in travail, partly fearing their own turn would be next, Tyre lying in the way of the Chaldeans unto them; and partly because of the loss of trade they sustained through the destruction of that city. In like pain will be the kings or merchants of the earth, at the destruction of Rome, Re 18:9 and, according to an exposition mentioned by Jarchi, Tyre here is Edom; that is, Rome, for that with the Jews is commonly meant by Edom.
t So the Septuagint, Vatbalus, and others.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
5. As soon as the report shall reach the Egyptians. (106) In this verse he declares that this destruction will affect equally the inhabitants of Tyre and those of Egypt; and this confirms the exposition which we follow, that the present prophecy relates to a former devastation. The inhabitants of Tyre had been in alliance with the Egyptians, and both countries had been under kingly government; not as in Alexander’s time, when Tyre was a free state, and lived under its own laws. The alliance which existed between the inhabitants of Tyre and those of Egypt could not have been more appropriately described; and therefore he shews that this ruin extends also to the Egyptians, because they prompted the Jews to rebellion, and turned them aside from confidence in God. The former were open enemies; the latter, under the pretense of friendship, cherished dangerous hostility; and therefore both are justly punished.
(106) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(5) As at the report concerning Egypt . . .Better, When the report cometh to Egypt . . . The news of the capture of Tyre would cause dismay in Egypt, partly because the export trade of their corn depended upon it, partly because it had served as a kind of outpost against the Assyrians, who, under Sargon (Records of the Past, vii. 34) and Sennacherib (2Ki. 18:21; 2Ki. 19:8), were pressing on against the Ethiopian dynasty then dominant in Egypt.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. Concerning Egypt The translation seems better thus: “At what time the report cometh to Egypt they shall bewail at the report of Tyre.” For the loss of Tyre is the loss of Egypt’s market for her products.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 23:5 As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre.
Ver. 5. As at the report concerning Egypt, ] i.e, Concerning their overthrow once at the Red Sea. Exo 15:14 They are also shortly to be overrun by Nebuchadnezzar, to whom God hath promised Egypt, as his pay for his pains taken in taking Tyre.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
As at the report concerning &c. : or, When the report comes to Egypt they are forthwith in terror at the report concerning Tyre.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
at the: Isa 19:16, Exo 15:14-16, Jos 2:9-11
so shall: Eze 26:15-21, Eze 27:29-36, Eze 28:19, Rev 18:17-19
Reciprocal: Num 22:3 – General Eze 26:18 – at thy Eze 30:9 – great
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 23:5. As at the report concerning Egypt, &c. The words, as they stand in our translation, imply, that the Zidonians, spoken of Isa 23:4, or in general other neighbouring places, should be as much concerned at the news of the destruction of Tyre as they were at the calamity of Egypt, mentioned chap. 19. But there is a difficulty in admitting this sense, because the destruction of Tyre here spoken of was before that of Egypt, if we mean that calamity of Egypt which is usually joined with the destruction of Tyre in the prophets: see Jer 25:19; Jer 25:22; Eze 29:18-20. Therefore others read this verse thus: As soon as the report of Tyre shall come to, or be heard in, Egypt, they shall be in great pain for it; namely, because they exported their corn to Tyre, and made a gainful trade by it. Lowth.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
23:5 As at the report concerning Egypt, [so] shall they be {k} greatly pained at the report of Tyre.
(k) Because these two countries were joined in league together.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The fourth entity to sorrow over the news of Tyre’s downfall would be Egypt. Tyrian ships transported Egyptian products all over the Mediterranean region. Tyre’s destruction would have far-reaching effects.