Isaiah 23:15
New International Version
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

New Living Translation
For seventy years, the length of a king’s life, Tyre will be forgotten. But then the city will come back to life as in the song about the prostitute:

English Standard Version
In that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

Berean Standard Bible
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

King James Bible
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

New King James Version
Now it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

New American Standard Bible
Now on that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

NASB 1995
Now in that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

NASB 1977
Now it will come about in that day that Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it will be in that day, that Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

Amplified Bible
Now in that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the prostitute’s song:

Christian Standard Bible
On that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the life span of one king. At the end of seventy years, what the song says about the prostitute will happen to Tyre:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
On that day Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years—the life span of one king. At the end of 70 years, what the song says about the prostitute will happen to Tyre:

American Standard Version
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years it shall be unto Tyre as in the song of the harlot.

Contemporary English Version
The city of Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, which is the lifetime of a king. Then Tyre will be like that evil woman in the song:

English Revised Version
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years it shall be unto Tyre as in the song of the harlot.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When that day comes, Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, the lifetime of one king. At the end of the 70 years, Tyre will be like the prostitute in this song:

Good News Translation
A time is coming when Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the lifetime of a king. When those years are over, Tyre will be like the prostitute in the song:

International Standard Version
It will happen at that time that Tyre will be forgotten for 70 years, the span of a king's life. Then, at the end of those 70 years, it will turn out for Tyre as in the prostitute's song:

Majority Standard Bible
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years—the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

NET Bible
At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the typical life span of a king. At the end of seventy years Tyre will try to attract attention again, like the prostitute in the popular song:

New Heart English Bible
It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as a harlot.

World English Bible
It will come to pass in that day that Tyre will be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king. After the end of seventy years it will be to Tyre like in the song of the prostitute.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it has come to pass in that day, "" That Tyre is forgotten seventy years, "" According to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years there is to Tyre as the song of the harlot.

Young's Literal Translation
And it hath come to pass, in that day, That forgotten is Tyre seventy years, According to the days of one king. At the end of seventy years there is to Tyre as the song of the harlot.

Smith's Literal Translation
And it was in that day, and Tyre was forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: from the end of seventy years it shall be to Tyre as the song of a harlot.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it shall come to pass in that day that thou, O Tyre, shalt be forgotten, seventy years, according to the days of one king: but after seventy years, there shall be unto Tyre as the song of a harlot.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And this shall be in that day: you, O Tyre, will be forgotten for seventy years, like the days of one king. Then, after seventy years, there will be, for Tyre, something like the canticle of a harlot.

New American Bible
On that day, Tyre shall be forgotten for seventy years, the lifetime of one king. At the end of seventy years, the song about the prostitute will be Tyre’s song:

New Revised Standard Version
From that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the lifetime of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song about the prostitute:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And it shall come to pass in that day that Tyre shall be forgotten for seventy years, according to the days of one king; after the end of seventy years they shall sing to Tyre a harlot's song.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
But it shall be in that day, Tsur will be forgotten seventy years as the days of one King, and after seventy years they shall sing to Tsur the song of a harlot
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king; after the end of seventy years it shall fare with Tyre as in the song of the harlot:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be left seventy years, as the time of a king, as the time of a man: and it shall come to pass after seventy years, that Tyre shall be as the song of a harlot.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Fall of Tyre
14Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your harbor has been destroyed! 15 At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years— the span of a king’s life. But at the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the harlot: 16“Take up your harp, stroll through the city, O forgotten harlot. Make sweet melody, sing many a song, so you will be remembered.”…

Cross References
Ezekiel 26:13-14
So I will silence the sound of your songs, and the music of your lyres will no longer be heard. / I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread the fishing nets. You will never be rebuilt, for I, the LORD, have spoken, declares the Lord GOD.’

Revelation 18:21-22
Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. / And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again.

Jeremiah 25:10-11
Moreover, I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. / And this whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

Zechariah 9:3-4
Tyre has built herself a fortress; she has heaped up silver like dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets. / Behold, the Lord will impoverish her and cast her wealth into the sea, and she will be consumed by fire.

Amos 1:9-10
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Tyre, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they delivered up a whole congregation of exiles to Edom and broke a covenant of brotherhood. / So I will send fire upon the walls of Tyre to consume its citadels.”

Ezekiel 27:25-27
The ships of Tarshish carried your merchandise. And you were filled with heavy cargo in the heart of the sea. / Your oarsmen have brought you onto the high seas, but the east wind will shatter you in the heart of the sea. / Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

Revelation 17:1-2
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Jeremiah 50:39-40
So the desert creatures and hyenas will live there and ostriches will dwell there. It will never again be inhabited or lived in from generation to generation. / As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighbors,” declares the LORD, “no one will dwell there; no man will abide there.

Ezekiel 28:2-8
“Son of man, tell the ruler of Tyre that this is what the Lord GOD says: Your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods in the heart of the sea.’ Yet you are a man and not a god, though you have regarded your heart as that of a god. / Behold, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you! / By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth and amassed gold and silver for your treasuries. ...

Revelation 18:10-11
In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” / And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo—

Isaiah 14:23
“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 51:37
Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

Ezekiel 26:4-5
They will destroy the walls of Tyre and demolish her towers. I will scrape the soil from her and make her a bare rock. / She will become a place to spread nets in the sea, for I have spoken, declares the Lord GOD. She will become plunder for the nations,

Revelation 18:15-17
The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, / saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! / For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance


Treasury of Scripture

And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

Tyre shall

Jeremiah 25:9-11,22
Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations…

Jeremiah 27:3-7
And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king of Judah; …

Jeremiah 29:10
For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

one king

Daniel 7:14
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Daniel 8:21
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

Revelation 17:10
And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

Ezekiel 27:25
The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.

Hosea 2:15
And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

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Isaiah 23
1. The miserable overthrow of Tyre
15. Her restoration and unfaithfulness














At that time
This phrase situates the prophecy within a specific period, indicating a divinely appointed moment in history. The Hebrew term used here, "בָּעֵת הַהִיא" (ba'et hahi), suggests a precise and significant time determined by God. It emphasizes God's sovereignty over historical events, reminding us that He orchestrates the rise and fall of nations according to His divine plan.

Tyre
Tyre was a prominent Phoenician city known for its wealth and maritime prowess. Historically, it was a major center of trade and commerce in the ancient world. The mention of Tyre here is significant as it represents not just a city but a symbol of human pride and economic power. In a spiritual sense, Tyre can be seen as a representation of worldly wealth and the dangers of placing trust in material prosperity over God.

will be forgotten
The Hebrew word "נִשְׁכַּחַת" (nishkachat) implies a complete and utter forgetting. This is not merely a temporary lapse in memory but a profound loss of significance and influence. The prophecy indicates that Tyre's glory and renown will fade away, serving as a humbling reminder that earthly power and fame are transient and ultimately subject to God's will.

for seventy years
The specific period of seventy years is noteworthy. Biblically, the number seventy often symbolizes completeness or a full cycle. This duration reflects a complete period of judgment and restoration. Historically, this could align with the Babylonian dominance over the region, during which Tyre's influence waned. Spiritually, it serves as a reminder of God's perfect timing in enacting His purposes.

the span of a king’s life
This phrase provides a metaphorical understanding of the seventy years, likening it to the average lifespan of a king. It underscores the temporal nature of human authority and reigns, contrasting with God's eternal sovereignty. The life of a king, with all its power and influence, is ultimately limited and fleeting in comparison to God's everlasting dominion.

But at the end of seventy years
Here, the prophecy transitions to a future hope and restoration. The phrase suggests that God's judgment is not the final word; there is a promise of renewal. This reflects the biblical theme of redemption and restoration, where God, in His mercy, provides a way back for those who turn to Him.

it will happen to Tyre
The certainty of this statement emphasizes the reliability of God's word. What God declares will come to pass. This serves as a reminder of the trustworthiness of God's promises and the assurance that His plans are unfailing.

as in the song of the prostitute
This reference to a song about a prostitute is intriguing and serves as a metaphor for Tyre's future state. In ancient times, a prostitute's song might have been a lament or a call to return to former ways. It suggests that Tyre, once proud and influential, will be reduced to seeking attention and favor like a forgotten harlot. This imagery highlights the consequences of pride and the pursuit of wealth without regard for God, serving as a cautionary tale for all who prioritize worldly success over spiritual fidelity.

(15) Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years.--If we take the number literally, the seventy years may coincide with those of the captivity of Judah, during which, under the Chaldaean supremacy, Tyre was reduced to a state of comparative insignificance. It seems better, however, with Cheyne, to take it as a symbolic number for a long period of indefinite duration, and so, bringing it into closer connection with the context, to reckon the period from its conquest by the Assyrians.

According to the days of one king.--We look in vain for any ruler of Assyria or Babylon whose reign was of this length, and the words probably mean, as the days fixed by a king--i.e., by a despotic and absolute decree. Possibly, however, the "one king" may stand for one dynasty.

Shall Tyre sing as an harlot.--Literally, there shall be to Tyre as the song of the harlot, possibly referring to some well-known lyric of this type. The commercial city, welcoming foreigners of all nations as her lovers for the sake of gain, is compared to the prostitute who sells herself for money. (Comp. Revelation 17:2.)

Verses 15-18. - TYRE'S RESTORATION TO PROSPERITY AND CONVERSION TO JEHOVAH. After an interval, expressed by the symbolic number of" seventy years," Tyre is to rise from her ashes, and become once more a prosperous state, resuming her former occupation of a "merchant city," and once more making great gains, which she will devote to the service of Jehovah. St. Jerome thought that this prophecy had not been accomplished in his day. If so, it cannot be said to have been accomplished yet; unless, indeed, Tyre may be regarded as representing the commercial spirit, which. under Christianity, is not necessarily alien from religion, but shows itself sometimes altogether friendly to the Church, supplying ways and means for ten thousand philanthropic and praiseworthy enterprises (ver. 18). Verse 15. - Tyro shall be forgotten; i.e. "shall cease to occupy men's thoughts, as a factor in politics - shall pass out of their calculations, and count for nothing." Seventy years. "Forty years" and "seventy years" are the chief representatives in Scripture of an indefinite time. The week of creation seems to have given to seven its quasi-sacred character, which passed from the primary number to the corresponding decimal one. The sacred use of "seventy" appears first in the "seventy elders" who accompanied Moses to the covenant-feast on Sinai (Exodus 24:9). After this, "seventy 'talents are mentioned as the weight of the bronze offerings for the tabernacle (Exodus 38:29), and "seventy" shekels as the weight of the silver bowls offered by the heads of tribes when the tabernacle was set up (Numbers 7:13-85). The "indefinite" us, of "seventy" is most apparent in such expressions as that of Genesis 4:24, "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, surely Lamech seventy and sevenfold;" and that of Matthew 18:22, "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." "Seventy" seems also to be indefinite in Exodus 15:27; Numbers 33:9; Judges 1:7; Judges 12:13; 2 Samuel 24:15; 1 Kings 5:15: 1 Chronicles 21:14, etc. It is absurd to count the "seventy years" of the present passage, as some do, from the accession of Nebuchadnezzar to the death of Nabonidus, for neither did Tyro begin to be forgotten in the first year of the one prince, nor did she immediately recover herself on the death of the other. According to the days of one king; or, like the days of one king. The period, whatever its length, should be to Type "like the days of one king;" i.e. unchanging, without hope. Oriental kings prided themselves on maintaining an unaltered policy (cf. 2 Kings 25:27; Isaiah 14:17). Shall Tyre sing as an harlot; literally, it shall be to Tyre as [in] the song of the harlot. A particular song seems to be meant, part of which the prophet proceeds to quote in the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
At that
הַה֔וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

time
בַּיּ֣וֹם (bay·yō·wm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

Tyre
צֹר֙ (ṣōr)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6865: Tyre -- a Phoenician city

will be forgotten
וְנִשְׁכַּ֤חַת (wə·niš·ka·ḥaṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 7911: To mislay, to be oblivious of, from want of memory, attention

for seventy
שִׁבְעִ֣ים (šiḇ·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number)

years—
שָׁנָ֔ה (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

the span
כִּימֵ֖י (kî·mê)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of a
אֶחָ֑ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

king’s life.
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

But at the end
מִקֵּ֞ץ (miq·qêṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

of seventy
שִׁבְעִ֤ים (šiḇ·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number)

years,
שָׁנָה֙ (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

it will happen
יִהְיֶ֣ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to Tyre
לְצֹ֔ר (lə·ṣōr)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 6865: Tyre -- a Phoenician city

as in the song
כְּשִׁירַ֖ת (kə·šî·raṯ)
Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 7892: A song, singing

of the harlot:
הַזּוֹנָֽה׃ (haz·zō·w·nāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2181: To commit adultery, to commit idolatry


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OT Prophets: Isaiah 23:15 It will come to pass in that (Isa Isi Is)
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