The Meaning of Isaiah 23:17 Explained

Isaiah 23:17

KJV: And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

YLT: And it hath come to pass, At the end of seventy years Jehovah inspecteth Tyre, And she hath repented of her gift, That she committed fornication With all kingdoms of the earth on the face of the ground.

Darby: And it shall come to pass at the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre; and she will return to her hire, and will commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the earth upon the face of the ground.

ASV: And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that Jehovah will visit Tyre, and she shall return to her hire, and shall play the harlot with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it shall come to pass after the end  of seventy  years,  that the LORD  will visit  Tyre,  and she shall turn  to her hire,  and shall commit fornication  with all the kingdoms  of the world  upon the face  of the earth. 

What does Isaiah 23:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

At the end of70 years, the Lord would restore Tyre to her former position of playing the materialistic harlot among the nations.

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 23

1  The miserable overthrow of Tyre
15  Her restoration and unfaithfulness

What do the individual words in Isaiah 23:17 mean?

And it shall be at the end of seventy years that will visit Yahweh - Tyre and she will return to her hire and commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth
וְהָיָ֞ה מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀ שִׁבְעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֗ה יִפְקֹ֤ד יְהוָה֙ אֶת־ צֹ֔ר וְשָׁבָ֖ה לְאֶתְנַנָּ֑ה וְזָֽנְתָ֛ה אֶת־ כָּל־ מַמְלְכ֥וֹת הָאָ֖רֶץ עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה

וְהָיָ֞ה  And  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִקֵּ֣ץ ׀  at  the  end 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֵץ  
Sense: end.
שִׁבְעִ֣ים  of  seventy 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שִׁבְעִים  
Sense: seventy.
שָׁנָ֗ה  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
יִפְקֹ֤ד  that  will  visit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
צֹ֔ר  Tyre 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צֹור 
Sense: the Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast.
וְשָׁבָ֖ה  and  she  will  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
לְאֶתְנַנָּ֑ה  to  her  hire 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶתְנָן  
Sense: hire of prostitute, price.
וְזָֽנְתָ֛ה  and  commit  fornication 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: זָנָה 
Sense: to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot.
מַמְלְכ֥וֹת  the  kingdoms 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
הָאָ֖רֶץ  of  the  world 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
פְּנֵ֥י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָאֲדָמָֽה  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.