Isaiah 23:6 — Word Study
WLCעִבְר֖וּ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי אִֽי׃
BSACross overʻâbar [pass, sail] to TarshishTarshîysh [a Mediterranean port, a merchant vessel] wailyâlal [howl, lament] O inhabitantsyâshab [dwellers, residents] of the coastlandʼîy [isle, island, sea-land]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עִבְר֖וּ | pass over | Verb, Qal, imperative second person masculine plural |
| תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה | Tarshish towards | Noun proper, suffix |
| הֵילִ֖ילוּ | wail | Verb, Hiphil, imperative second person masculine plural |
| יֹ֥שְׁבֵי | O inhabitants of | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| אִֽי׃ | [the] coastland | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland! |
| KJV | Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. |
| ASV | Pass ye over to Tarshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast. |
| YLT | Pass over to Tarshish, howl, ye inhabitants of the isle, |
| WEB | Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast! |
| BBE | Go over to Tarshish; give cries of sorrow, O men of the sea-land. |
The translations agree on the imperative nature of the command to cross over, with no significant differences noted.
The structure is straightforward, with a main command followed by a call to lament, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָבַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 23:6
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Prophecy Against Tyregenerated
Isaiah 23:6 serves as a call for the inhabitants of the coastland to cross over to Tarshish and lament their fate. This passage is part of a larger prophecy concerning Tyre, a city known for its wealth and trade. The surrounding verses illustrate the turmoil that will come upon Tyre and its impact on neighboring regions, emphasizing the gravity of their situation.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 23:10–12 | Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor. |
| 2 | Isaiah 21:15 | For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle. |
| 3 | Isaiah 23:1–2 | This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. |
| 4 | Isaiah 16:7 | Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עִבְר֖וּ, 'iv.Rugenerated
The verb עָבַר (abar) is an imperative form, commanding the inhabitants to cross over. It conveys the idea of transition or crossing from one place to another, which in this context suggests urgency and movement away from impending disaster.
This word is often used in various contexts, including physical crossings and metaphorical transitions, highlighting the seriousness of the call to action. The parsing indicates it is directed to a group, emphasizing that the inhabitants collectively need to respond.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb עִבְר֖וּ governs the sentence, with two imperative verbs following it: הֵילִ֖ילוּ and the participial phrase יֹ֥שְׁבֵי. The structure emphasizes the call to action, with the inhabitants being urged to both cross over and wail.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the actions required of the inhabitants, highlighting their need to respond to the situation at hand.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עִבְר֖וּ as ἀπέλθατε, which means 'to depart' or 'to go away'. This choice reflects a similar urgency but may imply a broader sense of leaving rather than just crossing over.
This translation shows a slight widening of meaning, focusing on the act of leaving rather than the specific act of crossing.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 23:6 calls the inhabitants of the coastland to cross over to Tarshish and wail. This verse is part of a prophecy about Tyre, warning the people of the consequences they will face. The urgency of the command indicates that they must act quickly in response to their situation.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies a call for the inhabitants to leave their current situation and seek refuge or safety elsewhere.
They are called to express their grief and lament over the impending destruction and loss they will face.
Tarshish represents a distant port known for trade, symbolizing both a place of refuge and the loss of their trading power.
This verse highlights the consequences of pride and the eventual downfall of powerful cities like Tyre, serving as a warning to others.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this call to action reveal about the urgency of responding to warnings in our own lives?
- How can we recognize moments when we need to 'cross over' from difficult situations?
- In what ways can expressing grief or lament be a healthy response to loss or impending change?
- How does understanding the historical context of Tarshish enhance our interpretation of this verse?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early interpretations of this verse highlight the prophetic warning to Tyre and the call for lamentation, as seen in quotations from Jerome.
Go to Carthage: howl, you who dwell in this island. Is this not your insult from the beginning before it was handed over? They will lead it far on foot to wander.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 23 →
Cross over, O sea! Cry out, you who dwell on the island! Once again, they have carried Carthage across the sea and to Tharsis, seventy ships.Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 23 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 23:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BiblePass ye over to Tarshish,.... Either to Tartessus in Spain, or to Tarsus in Cilicia, which lay over against them, and to which they might transport themselves, families, and substance, with greater
Read John Gill on Isaiah 23 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryPass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Pass ye over to Tarshish. Escape from Tyre to your colonies, as Tarshish (cf. Isaiah 23:12).
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 23 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BiblePass ye over to Tarshish; flee from your own country to Tarsus of Cilicia, and there bewail your calamities. Or rather, as others render the place, Pass over the sea, which is oft called Tarshish; of which See Poole "". Of the isle; of Tyrus, as before, .
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 23 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 23:6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.Ver. 6. Pass ye over to Tarshish.] Tyrii migrate coloni, be packing any whither, and make any shift to save your lives, Ultra Sauromatas fugite hinc, &c. To Carthage many of them went, say some; and the Septuagint; for ships of Tarshish have ships of Carthage.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 23 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Pass ye over to Tarshish . . .—The words have the ring of a keen irony. The Tyrians are told to go to Tarshish, the extreme point of their commerce; not, as before, to bring back their wealth, but to seek safety there as exiles. No nearer asylum would give them safety. So, in the siege of Tyre by Alexander the Great, the Tyrians sent their old men, women, and children to Carthage (Diod. Sic. xvii. 41). So Layard (Nineveh, plate 71) represents enemies of the Assyrians taking refuge in ships (Cheyne). The “isle” or “coast” is, as before, Tyre, and. its neighbourhoods.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 23 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. The second strophe commences here with a summons to the Phœnicians to betake themselves to their Spanish colony for refuge, their own country being at the mercy of the invader. So the Tyrians, when attacked by Alexander the Great, sent all those unfit for war to Carthage, another western colony. Gesenius instances also the projected emigration of the Dutch merchants to Batavia in 1672 if the independence of Holland should be overthrown.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 23 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BiblePass ye over - That is, ye inhabitants of tyre. This is an address to Tyre, in view of her approaching destruction; and is designed to signify that when the city was destroyed, its inhabitants would
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 23 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6. Tarshish — Tyre’s remote colonies, especially Tartessus, near the Straits of Gibraltar. In the stress upon Tyre her people are advised to seek refuge there.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 23 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland!
Pass over to Tarshish! Wail, you inhabitants of the coast!
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland!
Travel to Tarshish! Wail, you residents of the coast!
Tyndale line
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.
Goe you ouer to Tarshish: howle, yee that dwell in the yles.
Strictly literal
Pass over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the coast!
Pass over to Tarshish, howl, ye inhabitants of the isle,
Pass over to Tarshish, howl, you inhabitants of the island,
Pass ye over to Tharshish; wail, ye inhabitants of the coast-land.
Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you inhabitants of the coast.
From the Latin
Pass over the seas, howl, ye inhabitants of the island.
Simplified
Sail across to Tarshish! Howl, people of the coastlands!
Go over to Tarshish; give cries of sorrow, O men of the sea-land.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree closely in wording, with all five words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls also align with the Masoretic Text, though one scroll has some words restored by an editor, indicating a high degree of consistency across these ancient witnesses.
עִבְר֖וּ תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה הֵילִ֖ילוּ יֹ֥שְׁבֵי אִֽי׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
עוברי תלרשיש׳ה הילילו יושבי אי
5 words on the leather.
עברו תרשיש׳ה [הילילו] [ישבי] [אי]
1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 23:6
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word עָבַר (abar) is a versatile verb meaning to pass over, through, or by, and it encompasses a range of actions including crossing, traversing, and alienating. It can also imply causing something to pass or be transferred, as well as emotional states like anger in its Hithpael form. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, though they do not provide specific verse references.
עָבַר 648 vb. pass over, through, by, pass on
Qal
pass over
Pass beyond
Pass through, traverse
pass along by
pass by
sweep by, of scourge
be past, over, of time
pass along (from hand to hand)
Pass on, go on
Pass away
Niph. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
Pi.
his bull impregnateth
cause one to cross river
cause something to pass over
make over to
devote children to (לְ) heathen god
pass along (from hand to hand)
cause to pass through
let pass through
cause to pass by
let pass by
cause arrow to pass beyond
cause to pass under rod, for counting
cause to pass away, take away
Hiph.
cause to pass over, bring over
he made to pass across with chains of gold
base
[עָבַר] vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
base
H5674a עָבַר pass over, through, by, pass on .. pass over
. Pass beyond
. Pass through, traverse
. . pass along by
. pass by
. sweep by, of scourge
. be past, over, of time
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. Pass on, go on
. Pass away
. Impf. a stream which cannot be forded
. . his bull impregnateth . cause one to cross river
. cause something to pass over
. make over to
. devote children to (לְ) heathen god
. pass along (from hand to hand)
. . cause to pass through
. let pass through
. . cause to pass by
. let pass by
. cause arrow to pass beyond
. cause to pass under rod, for counting
. cause to pass away, take away
. . cause to pass over, bring over
. he made to pass across with chains of gold
H5674b עָבַר vb. denom. Hithp. be arrogant, infuriate oneself
5674 `abar aw-bar'
a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any
transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive,
intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in
copulation):--alienate, alter, X at all, beyond, bring (over,
through), carry over, (over-)come (on, over), conduct (over),
convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail,
gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way,
in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle,
overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over)
pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over,
through), (cause to, make) + proclaim(-amation), perish,
provoke to anger, put away, rage, + raiser of taxes, remove,
send over, set apart, + shave, cause to (make) sound, X
speedily, X sweet smelling, take (away), (make to)
transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-)faring man, be
wrath.
עָבַר (a.var) — to pass.
1) to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, march over, overflow, go over
1a2) to pass beyond
1a3) to pass through, traverse
1a3a) passers-through (participle)
1a3b) to pass through (the parts of victim in covenant)
1a4) to pass along, pass by, overtake and pass, sweep by
1a4a) passer-by (participle)
1a4b) to be past, be over
1a5) to pass on, go on, pass on before, go in advance of, pass along, travel, advance
1a6) to pass away
1a6a) to emigrate, leave (one's territory)
1a6b) to vanish
1a6c) to perish, cease to exist
1a6d) to become invalid, become obsolete (of law, decree)
1a6e) to be alienated, pass into other hands
1b) (Niphal) to be crossed
1c) (Piel) to impregnate, cause to cross
1d) (Hiphil)
V-Qal-Impv-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperative second person masculine pluralHVqv2mp
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (Tarshish) refers to a distant port, possibly linked to the Mediterranean, and is associated with trade and merchant vessels. It also denotes a man from the tribe of Benjamin and a Persian noble. The word is connected to yellow jasper and appears in various contexts, including a city mentioned in relation to Jonah's flight.
תַּרְשִׁישׁ n.pr.
loc. a distant port, site not certainly known
m.
in Benjamin
Persian noble
base
H8659 תַּרְשִׁישׁ . a distant port, site not certainly known
. . in Benjamin
. Persian noble
8659 Tarshiysh tar-sheesh'
probably the same as 8658 (as the region of the stone, or the
reverse); Tarshish, a place on the Mediterranean, hence, the
ephithet of a merchant vessel (as if for or from that port);
also the name of a Persian and of an Israelite:--Tarshish,
Tharshish.
see HEBREW for 08658
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
A man of the Greeks living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.4;
son of: Javan (H3120);
brother of: Elishah (H0473), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721)
§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"
son of Javan
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"
1) a city of the Phoenicians in a distant part of the Mediterranean Sea to which the prophet Jonah was trying to flee
perhaps in Cyprus or Spain
2) a city somewhere near and accessible to the Red Sea to which ships constructed at Ezion-geber on the Elanitic Gulf on the Red Sea were to sail
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.10;
son of: Bilhan (H1092H);
N-proper | Suff — Noun proper · suffixHNpl/Sd
יָלַל (yalal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to howl or wail, often with a wailing tone. It is classified as a primitive root and appears in the Hiphil form, indicating an action of making a howling sound. The entries consistently emphasize its onomatopoeic nature, reflecting the sound associated with the action.
[יָלַל] vb. Hiph. howl, make a howling (onomatop.)
base
H3213 [יָלַל] Hiph. howl, make a howling (onomatop.)
3213 yalal yaw-lal'
a primitive root; to howl (with a wailing tone) or yell (with
a boisterous one):--(make to) howl, be howling.
יָלַל (ya.lal) — to wail.
(Hiphil) to howl, wail, make a howling
V-Hiphil-Impv-2mp — Verb · Hiphil · imperative second person masculine pluralHVhv2mp
יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.
יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell
Qal
sit
sit, sit down
sit down
sit = be set (as a jewel)
remain, stay, tarry
with special emphasis of qualifying phr.
dwell, have one’s abode
of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited
Niph. be inhabited, of land
Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee
Hiph.
cause to sit
cause to abide
cause to dwell
cause cities to be inhabited
marry (prop. give a dwelling to)
Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land
base
H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell
3427 yashab yaw-shab'
a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as
judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to
remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)
abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease
self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)
inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),
(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),
(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),
take, tarry.
יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.
1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to sit, sit down
1a2) to be set
1a3) to remain, stay
1a4) to dwell, have one's abode
1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited
1c) (Piel) to set, place
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to sit
1d2) to cause to abide, set
1d3) to cause to dwell
1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited
1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)
1e) (Hophal)
1e1) to be inhabited
1e2) to make to dwell
Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVqrmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
אִי (iy) refers to a habitable area, encompassing meanings like coast, region, island, and shore. It is derived from a root meaning 'dry land' and is used in contexts related to geographical features, such as in Isaiah 20:6. The term captures various types of landforms, highlighting its versatility in describing different coastal and insular terrains.
H339 אִי coast, region
339 'iy ee
from 183; properly, a habitable spot (as desirable); dry
land, a coast, an island:--country, isle, island.
see HEBREW for 0183
אִי (i) — coastland.
coast, island, shore, region
Part — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa