The Meaning of Isaiah 23:4 Explained

Isaiah 23:4

KJV: Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

YLT: Be ashamed, O Zidon; for the sea spake, The strength of the sea, saying: 'I have not been pained, nor have I brought forth, Nor have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.'

Darby: Be thou ashamed, Sidon, for the sea hath spoken, the strength of the sea, saying, I have not travailed nor brought forth, neither have I nourished young men nor brought up virgins.

ASV: Be thou ashamed, O Sidon; for the sea hath spoken, the stronghold of the sea, saying, I have not travailed, nor brought forth, neither have I nourished young men, nor brought up virgins.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Be thou ashamed,  O Zidon:  for the sea  hath spoken,  [even] the strength  of the sea,  saying,  I travail  not, nor bring forth children,  neither do I nourish up  young men,  [nor] bring up  virgins. 

What does Isaiah 23:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Isaiah also gave voice to the sea, the mother of Tyre, which bewailed its loss at Tyre"s demise. Its children were the ships that plied its waters because of Tyre"s commercial activity, or perhaps its colonies. This loss would be a source of embarrassment to Sidon since it was a sister city in Phoenicia.

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 23

1  The miserable overthrow of Tyre
15  Her restoration and unfaithfulness

What do the individual words in Isaiah 23:4 mean?

Be ashamed Sidon for has spoken the sea the strength of the sea saying not I do labor nor bring forth children and neither do I rear up young men [Nor] bring virgins
בּ֣וֹשִׁי צִיד֔וֹן כִּֽי־ אָמַ֣ר יָ֔ם מָע֥וֹז הַיָּ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹֽא־ חַ֣לְתִּי וְלֹֽא־ יָלַ֗דְתִּי וְלֹ֥א גִדַּ֛לְתִּי בַּחוּרִ֖ים רוֹמַ֥מְתִּי בְתוּלֽוֹת

בּ֣וֹשִׁי  Be  ashamed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
צִיד֔וֹן  Sidon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִידֹון  
Sense: ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre.
אָמַ֣ר  has  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יָ֔ם  the  sea 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
מָע֥וֹז  the  strength 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מָעֹוז 
Sense: place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
הַיָּ֖ם  of  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
חַ֣לְתִּי  I  do  labor 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: חוּל 
Sense: to twist, whirl, dance, writhe, fear, tremble, travail, be in anguish, be pained.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָלַ֗דְתִּי  bring  forth  children 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
וְלֹ֥א  and  neither 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
גִדַּ֛לְתִּי  do  I  rear  up 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
בַּחוּרִ֖ים  young  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: youth, young man.
רוֹמַ֥מְתִּי  [Nor]  bring 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
בְתוּלֽוֹת  virgins 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּתוּלָה  
Sense: virgin.