Isaiah 2:16
New International Version
for every trading ship and every stately vessel.

New Living Translation
He will destroy all the great trading ships and every magnificent vessel.

English Standard Version
against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft.

Berean Standard Bible
against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.

King James Bible
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

New King James Version
Upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all the beautiful sloops.

New American Standard Bible
Against all the ships of Tarshish And against all the delightful ships.

NASB 1995
Against all the ships of Tarshish And against all the beautiful craft.

NASB 1977
Against all the ships of Tarshish, And against all the beautiful craft.

Legacy Standard Bible
Against all the ships of Tarshish And against all the desirable craft.

Amplified Bible
Against all the ships of Tarshish And against all the beautiful craft.

Christian Standard Bible
against every ship of Tarshish, and against every splendid sea vessel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
against every ship of Tarshish, and against every splendid sea vessel.

American Standard Version
and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery.

Contemporary English Version
all the seagoing ships, and every beautiful boat.

English Revised Version
and upon all the ships of Tarshish; and upon all pleasant imagery.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
against all the large ships of Tarshish and all the beautiful boats.

Good News Translation
He will sink even the largest and most beautiful ships.

International Standard Version
against all the ships from Tarshish, and against all their impressive watercraft.

Majority Standard Bible
against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.

NET Bible
for all the large ships, for all the impressive ships.

New Heart English Bible
For all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery.

Webster's Bible Translation
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

World English Bible
for all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And for all ships of Tarshish, "" And for all desirable pictures.

Young's Literal Translation
And for all ships of Tarshish, And for all desirable pictures.

Smith's Literal Translation
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the flags of desire.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And upon all the ships of Tharsis, and upon all that is fair to behold.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and over all the ships of Tarshish, and over all the beauty that may be seen.

New American Bible
Against all the ships of Tarshish and all stately vessels.

New Revised Standard Version
against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the beautiful craft.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And against all the ships of Tarshish, and against all the pleasant sights.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the desirable sights
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And upon all the ships of Tarshish, And upon all delightful imagery.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
and upon every ship of the sea, and upon every display of fine ships.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Day of Reckoning
15against every high tower, against every fortified wall, 16against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel. 17So the pride of man will be brought low, and the loftiness of men will be humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,…

Cross References
Ezekiel 27:25-27
The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea. / Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. / Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

Revelation 18:17-19
For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance / and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim. / Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

Zephaniah 1:14-16
The great Day of the LORD is near—near and coming quickly. Listen, the Day of the LORD! Then the cry of the mighty will be bitter. / That day will be a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, / a day of horn blast and battle cry against the fortified cities, and against the high corner towers.

Jeremiah 51:36-37
Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry. / Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

Psalm 48:7
With a wind from the east You wrecked the ships of Tarshish.

Nahum 3:16
You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.

1 Kings 10:22
For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

Ezekiel 27:29-30
All who handle the oars will abandon their ships. The sailors and all the captains of the sea will stand on the shore. / They will raise their voices for you and cry out bitterly. They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.

Revelation 8:9
a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Isaiah 23:1-14
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. / Be silent, O dwellers of the coastland, you merchants of Sidon, whose traders have crossed the sea. / On the great waters came the grain of Shihor; the harvest of the Nile was the revenue of Tyre; she was the merchant of the nations. ...

Ezekiel 26:17-18
Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples! / Now the coastlands tremble on the day of your downfall; the islands in the sea are dismayed by your demise.”’

Revelation 6:14
The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

Psalm 107:23-27
Others went out to sea in ships, conducting trade on the mighty waters. / They saw the works of the LORD, and His wonders in the deep. / For He spoke and raised a tempest that lifted the waves of the sea. ...

Isaiah 60:9
Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.

Jeremiah 10:9
Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.


Treasury of Scripture

And on all the ships of Tarshish, and on all pleasant pictures.

the ships

Isaiah 23:1
The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of Chittim it is revealed to them.

1 Kings 10:22
For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

1 Kings 22:48,49
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber…

pleasant pictures.

Numbers 33:52
Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:

Revelation 18:11
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

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Beautiful Boats Craft Delightful Desirable Fair Imagery Pictures Pleasant Ship Ships Stately Tarshish Trading Vessel Works
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Beautiful Boats Craft Delightful Desirable Fair Imagery Pictures Pleasant Ship Ships Stately Tarshish Trading Vessel Works
Isaiah 2
1. Isaiah prophesies the coming of Christ's kingdom
6. Wickedness is the cause of God's forsaking
10. He exhorts to fear, because of the powerful effects of God's majesty














against every ship of Tarshish
The phrase "against every ship of Tarshish" refers to the ships that were known for their long voyages and trade, often associated with wealth and commerce. The Hebrew word for "Tarshish" is תַּרְשִׁישׁ (Tarshish), which is believed to refer to a distant port or region, possibly in Spain or the western Mediterranean. In the biblical context, Tarshish represents the pinnacle of human achievement in trade and exploration. The mention of God being "against" these ships symbolizes His judgment against human pride and reliance on material wealth. Historically, these ships were large and capable of carrying significant cargo, symbolizing the economic power and self-sufficiency that nations and individuals often place above their reliance on God. This serves as a reminder that no matter how advanced or prosperous human endeavors become, they are ultimately subject to God's sovereign will.

and every stately vessel
The phrase "and every stately vessel" emphasizes the grandeur and majesty of human creations. The Hebrew word for "stately" is שָׂכִי (saki), which can be translated as "beautiful" or "majestic." This term highlights the pride and splendor associated with human achievements and constructions. In the context of Isaiah's prophecy, these vessels represent the epitome of human craftsmanship and the pride that often accompanies such accomplishments. The judgment against these vessels signifies God's opposition to human arrogance and the tendency to idolize our creations. It serves as a powerful reminder that all human glory is fleeting and that true majesty belongs to God alone. The historical context of this passage reflects a time when nations took great pride in their naval prowess and the ability to dominate trade routes, yet Isaiah's prophecy underscores the futility of such pride in the face of divine judgment.

(16) And upon all the ships of Tarshish.--The words point to the commerce in the Red Sea carried on by the fleets of Uzziah and Jotham (1Kings 22:48); perhaps also to that in the Mediterranean with Tarshish, or Tartessus (Spain), as in Jonah 1:3. The "ships of Tarshish" had come to be used generically for all ships of the class used in such commerce, whether crossing the Mediterranean to Spain, or circumnavigating Africa, or passing over the Persian Gulf to Ophir.

Upon all pleasant pictures.--Literally, upon all imagery of delight (Comp. Leviticus 26:1; Numbers 33:52.) The combination of the phrase with "the ships of Tarshish" suggests the inference that it includes the works of art which were brought by them from East and West. For these, it would seem, there was a mania among the higher classes in Jerusalem, like that which in later times has fastened upon china, or pictures, or carvings in ivory. So the ships of Solomon brought gold and silver, and "ivory and apes and peacocks" (1Kings 10:22). The "ivory beds" of Amos 6:4, the "gold rings set with the beryl," the "ivory overlaid with sapphires," the "pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold" of Song of Solomon 5:14-15, the precious things in the treasury of Hezekiah (Isaiah 39:2), may be taken as examples of this form of luxury. The aestheticism of the Roman Empire, of the Renaissance of the fifteenth century, of the age of Louis XIV., of our own time and country, presents obvious parallels. . . .

Verse 16. - All the ships of Tarshish. "Ships of Tarshish" meant originally "ships built to sail to Tarshish;" but was used by the later writers for ships of a certain class or size (1 Kings 22:48; Psalm 48:7; Ezekiel 27:25). Tarshish was Tartessus, in Spain, and voyages thither were regarded as long and dangerous (Herod., 1:163). Consequently, the ships which were built for the Tartessian trade were of unusual size and strength. Uzziah had "built [i.e. rebuilt] Elath," in the eastern arm of the Red Sea, early in his reign (2 Kings 14:22), and no doubt maintained a fleet there, as Jehoshaphat had done (1 Kings 22:48). Elath remained in the possession of the Jews till the reign of Ahaz, when it was taken by Rezin, and restored to Edom (see 'Speaker's Commentary' on 2 Kings 16:6). Upon all pleasant pictures; Revised Version, all pleasant imagery. The exact word here translated "pictures" does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament; but a cognate word is not uncommon. From the passages in which this cognate word occurs (especially Leviticus 26:1; Numbers 33:52; Proverbs 25:11; Ezekiel 8:12), it is concluded that works of art, of some sort or other, are intended. More than this can scarcely be determined. Dr. Kay thinks the term to include "sculptures and fresco-paintings." Mr. Cheyne translates "all delightful works of imagery." The sentiment is that the judgment of God will fall on the most valued contents of palaces and grand houses, no less than upon the forests and the mountains, the fortified places, and the national navy. All wilt be involved in one sweeping destruction.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
against
וְעַ֖ל (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

ship
אֳנִיּ֣וֹת (’o·nî·yō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 591: A ship

of Tarshish,
תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ (tar·šîš)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8659: Tarshish -- a son of Javan, also a port on the Mediterranean, also a Benjamite

[and]
וְעַ֖ל (wə·‘al)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

stately
הַחֶמְדָּֽה׃ (ha·ḥem·dāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2532: Desire, delight

vessel.
שְׂכִיּ֥וֹת (śə·ḵî·yō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 7914: A conspicuous object


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 2:16 For all the ships of Tarshish (Isa Isi Is)
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