Isaiah 23 16

Isaiah 23:16 kjv

Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

Isaiah 23:16 nkjv

"Take a harp, go about the city, You forgotten harlot; Make sweet melody, sing many songs, That you may be remembered."

Isaiah 23:16 niv

"Take up a harp, walk through the city, you forgotten prostitute; play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered."

Isaiah 23:16 esv

"Take a harp; go about the city, O forgotten prostitute! Make sweet melody; sing many songs, that you may be remembered."

Isaiah 23:16 nlt

Take a harp and walk the streets,
you forgotten harlot.
Make sweet melody and sing your songs
so you will be remembered again.

Isaiah 23 verses

Isaiah 23 16 meaning

This verse is a prophetic instruction to the devastated city of Tyre, personified as a "forgotten harlot." It sarcastically commands Tyre, after its seventy-year period of desolation, to employ its former alluring methods—playing music and singing many songs—in an attempt to re-establish its prominence, wealth, and commercial influence in the world. It speaks of Tyre's inherent nature to return to its "harlotry" of widespread, profit-driven alliances, seeking to be "remembered" and reclaim its lost status and trade partners through its accustomed seductive practices.

Isaiah 23 16 Context

Isaiah chapter 23 contains a "burden" or oracle concerning Tyre, a powerful Phoenician maritime city renowned for its vast trade network, wealth, and influence. The prophecy foretells Tyre's devastating downfall and desolation, specifically mentioning its destruction by foreign invaders (often understood to be Babylon, though earlier, Assyria also laid siege, and later Alexander the Great). Verse 15 declares that Tyre will be forgotten for "seventy years," likened to the span of a king's life, suggesting a significant period of obsolescence and ruin. After this period, the prophecy states that "it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot." Verse 16 then gives the words of this "song" or a directive that perfectly captures Tyre's character and predicted future action. The "harlot" metaphor here portrays Tyre as a city that "prostitutes" itself among the nations, entering into various commercial and political alliances, spreading its influence not through divine purpose but through shrewd, self-serving, and often exploitative trade practices. It's a vivid image of a city utterly reliant on its worldly connections and commercial acumen.

Isaiah 23 16 Word analysis

• Take (לְקַח - lĕqaḥ): An imperative verb, "take" or "receive." This is not a divine command for positive action, but an ironic prophetic injunction, describing what Tyre will do of its own nature to recover. It highlights Tyre's self-initiated, unholy endeavor.
• a harp (כִּנּוֹר - kinnôr): A musical instrument, often associated with joyful praise (Pss 33:2, 150:3), but here, used in the context of a harlot. It signifies enticement, allure, and the tools of seduction. Its beautiful sound will be employed for deceptive commercial purposes, drawing back patrons.
• go about (סֹבִּי - sobbi): An imperative, feminine singular, meaning "turn," "circle," or "go around." It paints a picture of a street harlot wandering through the city, openly seeking business, advertising her presence and services. This illustrates Tyre's energetic effort to regain its clients.
• the city (עִיר - ʿîr): In the immediate context of this chapter, this refers to Tyre itself. The command is for Tyre, personified as a harlot, to walk through her own former place of influence, possibly now a devastated landscape or where remnants of her commercial dealings once thrived.
• O forgotten (נִשְׁכַּחַת - nishkaḥat): A feminine participle, meaning "having been forgotten" or "laid aside." This powerfully underscores Tyre's condition after its prophesied seventy years of desolation (Isa 23:15). Her former fame and prominence will have vanished from the global consciousness.
• harlot (זוֹנָה - zônâ): Literally "prostitute," but here used metaphorically. For a nation or city, this implies spiritual apostasy, idolatry, or, as in Tyre's case, an unholy promiscuity in seeking alliances and commercial profits with many nations rather than acknowledging God. It characterizes Tyre's reliance on self-serving global networking.
• make sweet melody (הֵיטִיבִי נַגֵּן - hêṭîbî naggēn): A combined imperative, "play well," or "perform excellently." This emphasizes the deliberate and skillful effort Tyre will exert. Her return to commerce will be calculated and designed to appeal.
• sing many songs (הַרְבִּי שִׁיר - harbi šîr): Another imperative, "multiply songs" or "sing many." This reinforces the extensive and persistent efforts. It suggests an almost desperate and overwhelming display to attract attention and clientele, typical of a forgotten entertainer trying to make a comeback.
• that you may be remembered (לְמַעַן תִּזָּכְרִי - lĕmaʿan tizâkĕrî): The purpose clause, meaning "in order that you might be remembered." The ultimate goal of this performance is to regain recognition, status, and trade relationships that she lost. This remembrance is not of repentance or God's mercy, but of renewed commercial visibility.

Words-group analysis:

• "Take a harp, go about the city": This phrase captures the immediate, active, and public nature of Tyre's attempts at recovery. It implies an almost audacious and showy display of its former "charm" within its own spheres of influence.
• "O forgotten harlot": This epithet is key to the prophetic tone. "Forgotten" highlights the extent of her fall, while "harlot" defines her essential, corrupt nature. It’s a sarcastic address to her true character and situation.
• "make sweet melody, sing many songs": These two parallel imperatives intensify the effort. It's not a subtle attempt but a flamboyant, extensive performance, underscoring Tyre's determination to employ its proven, if morally dubious, methods of seduction to regain prominence.
• "that you may be remembered": This phrase clarifies the motivation behind all the preceding actions. Tyre's core drive is self-preservation and the restoration of its former glory and commercial power, not a transformation of character or a turning to God.

Isaiah 23 16 Bonus section

The "seventy years" mentioned in Isa 23:15, preceding this verse, is a significant prophetic duration in the Old Testament, prominently linked to the Babylonian exile of Judah (Jer 25:11-12; Zech 1:12). While the application to Tyre specifically has been debated by historians due to varying records of Tyrian destructions, its inclusion here likely serves as a parallel to the duration of divine judgment upon powerful nations during that historical epoch. It suggests a time frame for a generational shift, a period long enough for a nation's identity and power structure to undergo profound disruption and for its memory to fade. The prophecy isn't necessarily prescribing a moral failing to be fixed, but rather describing the inherent worldly nature of Tyre to revert to its former "modus operandi" once conditions allow, rather than seeking a new, God-honoring path. This highlights a recurring biblical theme: external judgment alone does not guarantee internal transformation for a nation or individual if their underlying values remain unchanged.

Isaiah 23 16 Commentary

This verse is a sharp, ironic prophecy of Tyre's attempted recovery after a period of significant desolation. Instead of leading to repentance or a shift in character, Tyre, after being "forgotten" for seventy years (likely mirroring the Babylonian desolation period for other nations), will resort to its old, familiar "harlotry." The imagery of the "harlot" symbolizes Tyre's deeply ingrained nature as a promiscuous commercial power, establishing widespread, profit-driven alliances and charming trading partners worldwide. The "harp" and "many songs" represent the seductive allure, persuasive negotiations, and dazzling displays of wealth and opportunity that Tyre once used to draw nations into its orbit. The prophet conveys that Tyre will exhaust itself trying to be "remembered" in the global marketplace, driven by its desire for renewed prominence and profit rather than any genuine change or recognition of divine sovereignty. It's a commentary on a civilization's inability to break free from its essential character, even after judgment.