Isaiah 2 · Verse 16

Isaiah 2:16

And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
Isaiah 2:16, King James Version

Isaiah 2:16 in other translations

BSBagainst every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
WEBfor all the ships of Tarshish, and for all pleasant imagery.
ASVand upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant imagery.
YLTAnd for all ships of Tarshish, And for all desirable pictures.
DARBYand upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant works of art.
BBEAnd on all the ships of Tarshish, and on all the fair boats.
WebsterAnd upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

What does Isaiah 2:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Tarshish--Tartessus in southwest Spain, at the mouth of the Guadalquivir, near Gibraltar. It includes the adjoining region: a Phoenician colony; hence its connection with Palestine and the Bible (2Ch 9:21). The name was also used in a wide sense for the farthest west, as our West Indies (Is 66:19; Psa 48:7; 72:10). "Ships of Tarshish" became a phrase for richly laden and far-voyaging vessels. The judgment shall be on all that minister to man's luxury (compare Re 18:17-19). pictures--ordered to be destroyed (Nu 33:52). Still to be seen on the walls of Nineveh's palaces. It is remarkable that whereas all other ancient civilized nations, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome, have left monuments in the fine arts, Judea, while rising immeasurably above them in the possession of "the living oracles," has left none of the former. The fine arts, as in modern Rome, were so often associated with polytheism, that God required His people in this, as in other respects, to be separate from the nations (De 4:15-18). But Vulgate translation is perhaps better, "All that is beautiful to the sight"; not only paintings, but all luxurious ornaments. One comprehensive word for all that goes before (compare Re 18:12, 14, 16).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 2:10-22

The taking of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans seems first meant here, when idolatry among the Jews was done away; but our thoughts are led forward to the destruction of all the enemies of Christ. It is folly for those who are pursued by the wrath of God, to think to hide or shelter themselves from it. The shaking of the earth will be terrible to those who set their affections on things of the earth. Men's haughtiness…

Read the full comment on Isaiah 2:10-22 →

Isaiah 2:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַ֖לve.'Aland onH5921
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אֳנִיּ֣וֹת'o.ni.Yot[the] ships ofH591
תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁtar.ShishTarshishH8659
וְעַ֖לve.'Aland onH5921
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
שְׂכִיּ֥וֹתse.khi.Yot[the] ships ofH7914
הַחֶמְדָּֽה\׃ha.chem.Dah<the> desireH2532

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Isaiah 2:16

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Psalms 47:7

    For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.

  • Isaiah 60:9

    Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the Lord thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

  • Revelation 18:11

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

  • 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 Ezion–geber. Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

  • 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 18:17-19

    For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the ships.
23:1; 1Ki 10:22; 22:48,49; Ps 47:7; Re 18:17-19
pleasant pictures. Heb. pictures of desire.
Nu 33:52; Re 18:11

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Isaiah 2:15

    And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,

  • Isaiah 2:16

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

  • Isaiah 2:17

    And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

Read all of Isaiah 2

Isaiah 2:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y sobre todas las naves de Tarsis, y sobre todas pinturas preciadas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et contre tous les navires de Tarsis, et contre tous les objets d’art agréables:
German
Elberfelder 1871		und über alle Tarsisschiffe und über alle kostbaren Schauwerke.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et super omnes naves Tharsis, et super omne quod visu pulchrum est,