The Meaning of Isaiah 23:16 Explained

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.

YLT: Take a harp, go round the city, O forgotten harlot, play well, Multiply song that thou mayest be remembered.

Darby: Take a harp, go about the city, thou forgotten harlot! Make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Isaiah 23:16 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Isaiah"s comparison of Tyre"s recovery to the self-advertisements of a harlot illustrates two realities. Tyre would attract interest in herself again, and what she did was selfish and strictly for money (cf. Amos 1:9).

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 23

1  The miserable overthrow of Tyre
15  Her restoration and unfaithfulness

What do the individual words in Isaiah 23:16 mean?

Take a harp go about the city You harlot forgotten Make sweet melody sing many songs that you may be remembered
קְחִ֥י כִנּ֛וֹר סֹ֥בִּי עִ֖יר זוֹנָ֣ה נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה הֵיטִ֤יבִי נַגֵּן֙ הַרְבִּי־ שִׁ֔יר לְמַ֖עַן תִּזָּכֵֽרִי

קְחִ֥י  Take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
כִנּ֛וֹר  a  harp 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּנּׄור  
Sense: lyre, harp.
סֹ֥בִּי  go  about 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
עִ֖יר  the  city 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
זוֹנָ֣ה  You  harlot 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה  forgotten 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: כָּשַׁח 
Sense: to forget, ignore, wither.
הֵיטִ֤יבִי  Make  sweet 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
נַגֵּן֙  melody 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: נָגַן  
Sense: to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument.
הַרְבִּי־  sing  many 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
שִׁ֔יר  songs 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שִׁיר 
Sense: song.
לְמַ֖עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
תִּזָּכֵֽרִי  you  may  be  remembered 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.

What are the major concepts related to Isaiah 23:16?

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