Isaiah 23:17

“And it will happen, at the end of seventy years, that YHWH will visit Tyre, and she will return to her wages, and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the earth on the face of the ground.”

Isaiah 23:17 · direct translation from the Hebrew
Study it in the app

With the Hebrew beneath

17

Isaiah 23:17, word by word

And it will happenהָיָהhaya

happen

For something to occur or take place; many stories open with this word.

Where else “haya” appears
at the endקֵּץkets

end

What comes when something finishes: "some days later".

Where else “kets” appears
of seventyשִׁבְעִיםshivim

seventy

Seventy.

Where else “shivim” appears
yearsשָׁנָהshana

year

Each full turn of the seasons, by which time is counted.

Where else “shana” appears
that YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
will visitיִפְקֹדyifkod

attend to

To attend to someone; God comes to help.

Where else “yifkod” appears
and she will returnשָׁבָהshava

return

To go back to a place.

Where else “shava” appears
to her wagesאֶתְנַנָּetnana

wages of a prostitute

The pay of a prostitute; also a gift.

Where else “etnana” appears
and will prostitute herselfזָנְתָהzanta

prostitute oneself

To give one's body to others outside marriage, often for pay; the woman who does so.

Where else “zanta” appears
the kingdomsמַמְלְכוֹתmamlchot

kingdom

A land ruled by a king.

Where else “mamlchot” appears
of the earthאָרֶץarets

earth

The whole world, everything under the sky.

Where else “arets” appears
on the faceפְּנֵיpene

surface

The surface: "the face of the earth".

Where else “pene” appears
of the groundאֲדָמָהadama

land

A territory with its inhabitants, or the whole surface of the world.

Where else “adama” appears

Places in this verse

Tyre
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Tyre

    Today: Tyre (Sour), Lebanon

    A port city on the Mediterranean coast, in present-day Lebanon, about 25 miles (40 km) north of Israel's present border.

    Its king Hiram helped David and Solomon with timber and workers (1 Kgs 5:1). Ezekiel announced its fall (Ezek 27:2), and Jesus mentioned it when rebuking towns that did not change their minds (Matt 11:21).

    2 Samuel 5:111 Kings 5:1Ezekiel 27:2Matthew 11:21

The context

16“Take a lyre, go around the city, forgotten prostitute; play well, sing many songs, so that you may be remembered.”

17 · This verse (above)

18And her profit and her wages will be holy to YHWH; it will not be stored up nor hoarded; for for those who dwell before YHWH her profit will be for eating to satisfaction and for splendid clothing.

Read all of Isaiah 23

How to use it