And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also shalt thou have no rest.

ISAIAH 23:12KJV
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Isaiah 23:12 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 23:12 mean?

Isaiah 23:12 declares that the people of Zidon (Sidon), once known for their joy and prosperity, will no longer find cause to rejoice because of their oppression and loss. Even if they flee to Chittim (likely Cyprus), they will not find rest or relief from their troubles there.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking a message from God to the city of Zidon, a prominent Phoenician port. The verse uses the image of an "oppressed virgin, daughter of Zidon" to highlight the city's vulnerability and loss of former glory. The warning that escape to Chittim will not bring rest emphasizes the totality of the coming judgment—no matter where the people go, they cannot escape the consequences.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 23:12

  • "Oppressed" (עֲשׁוּקָה, ʿashuqah): This word means someone who is mistreated or wronged, stressing the suffering and injustice the people of Zidon are experiencing.
  • "Virgin" (בְּתוּלָה, bətulah): This term often refers to a young woman who has not been married, used here to evoke innocence and vulnerability, showing how Zidon, once untouched and proud, is now humbled.
  • "Chittim" (כִּתִּים, Kittim): This name refers to a region often identified with Cyprus or the western Mediterranean. Mentioning Chittim shows that even distant places, thought to be safe havens, will not offer security.

Why Isaiah 23:12 matters

  • Isaiah 23:12 clarifies that God's judgment on Zidon is inescapable, even if the people try to flee far from their homeland.
  • The verse highlights the depth of Zidon’s fall by calling the city a "virgin" now oppressed, contrasting its former status with its current humiliation.
  • This warning ties into the larger prophecy against Tyre and Sidon, showing that the downfall of these powerful trading cities is part of a broader message about pride and reliance on wealth or location for security.

Where else these words appear

“Chittim” Hebrew H3794 · used in 8 verses

  • Genesis 10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
  • 1 Chronicles 1:7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
  • Jeremiah 2:10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

“rejoice” Hebrew H5937 · used in 16 verses

  • 2 Samuel 1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
  • Psalms 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
  • Jeremiah 15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

“Zidon” Hebrew H6721 · used in 22 verses

  • Genesis 10:15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
  • Judges 18:28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.
  • Jeremiah 27:3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah;

“oppressed” Hebrew H6231 · used in 35 verses

  • Leviticus 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;
  • Psalms 72:4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.
  • Isaiah 52:4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.