Isaiah 23:15-16
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: “Take a harp; go about the city, O forgotten prostitute! Make sweet melody; sing many songs, that you may be remembered.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse promises Tyre a period of being "forgotten" for seventy years, but this isn't just about obscurity; it's about being lost to trade and influence, specifically tied to the duration of the Babylonian empire. This "forgetting" is then contrasted with a later, re-energized prosperity symbolized by the "song of the harlot," suggesting a return to its notorious yet successful commercial past.
{ "hasHistoricalBackground": true, "events": [ { "date": "605 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar begins conquest", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins his campaign of conquest, marking the start of Babylonian dominance over the region.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 586 BC", "title": "Fall of Jerusalem", "description": "Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, leading to the Babylonian exile of the Judahites. This event is a key marker in the seventy-year period of Babylonian supremacy.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 573 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar besieges Tyre", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to the island city of Tyre. While the siege lasted for thirteen years, the city eventually capitulated, leading to its period of subjugation and 'forgetting'.", "isCurrentContext": true }, { "date": "c. 539 BC", "title": "Fall of Babylon", "description": "Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Babylonian Empire and marking the close of the seventy-year period of exile and subjugation for many nations.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "Post-539 BC", "title": "Tyre's Restoration", "description": "Following the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Persian Empire, Tyre gradually regains its prominence as a trading center, fulfilling the prophecy of its re-emergence after seventy years.", "isCurrentContext": false } ], "summaryInsight": "This prophecy speaks to a specific historical period of Babylonian dominance and exile, anchoring Tyre's 'forgetting' and subsequent restoration to the seventy-year span that also affected Judah. It highlights how international politics and divine timing intertwined for the nations of the ancient Near East." }
Tyre, the bustling hub of ancient commerce, faced a future of being 'forgotten.' What does this extreme judgment mean, and why seventy years?
This verse marks a period of severe judgment for Tyre. The 'seventy years' of being forgotten directly echoes the seventy years of Israel's exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11-12). This wasn't just a coincidence; it symbolized a divine timetable.
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After being forgotten, Tyre is promised a return, not just to prosperity, but to singing 'as the song of the harlot.' What does this strange metaphor reveal?
The phrase 'sing as the song of the harlot' is a powerful metaphor for Tyre's eventual restoration and its characteristic way of life.
Understand the original words
zonah · Hebrew Noun
A term often used in the Old Testament to describe one who is unfaithful, particularly in a spiritual sense. It implies selling oneself to idols, foreign alliances, or worldly gains rather than remaining faithful to the Lord.
kinnor · Hebrew Noun
A stringed musical instrument frequently used in the Bible for worship, praise, and in this context, to attract attention or accompany singing. It symbolizes joy, celebration, and spiritual expression.
zonah · Hebrew Noun/Participle
A person who engages in illicit sexual activity for payment; metaphorically used in the prophetic books to describe nations or individuals who are unfaithful to God, pursuing worldly gain, or engaging in idolatry.
The 'seventy years' mentioned in Isaiah 23:15 directly correlates with the period of Babylonian dominance and the Jewish exile, providing a specific historical anchor for Tyre's prophesied period of obscurity and subsequent restoration.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's initial conquests
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins his rise to power, conquering territories and initiating the period of Babylonian dominance. This marks the start of the seventy years of subjugation for many nations, including Tyre.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile begins
The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and exile many of its people. This event is central to the seventy-year period mentioned in Jeremiah and connects to the fate of Tyre.
c. 585-573 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar besieges and captures Tyre
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar captures the mainland city of Tyre. This event signifies a major blow to Tyre's power and wealth, contributing to its 'forgetfulness'.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon
Cyrus of Persia overthrows the Babylonian Empire, ending the seventy-year period of Babylonian dominance. This marks the beginning of a new era and liberation for subjugated nations.
Post-539 BC
Tyre begins to recover its prosperity
Following the fall of Babylon, Tyre gradually regains its commercial importance and influence. This restoration fulfills the prophecy of its eventual resurgence.
This passage directly links the seventy years of oppression and captivity for the nations to the dominion of Babylon, providing a historical timeframe that scholars connect to Isaiah's prophecy about Tyre.
Ezekiel 26:1-14This chapter offers a parallel prophecy against Tyre, detailing its destruction and desolation by Nebuchadnezzar, which reinforces the severity of the judgment Isaiah describes and provides context for Tyre's subsequent 'forgetting'.
Revelation 17:1-6The imagery of a 'harlot' city, engaging in fornication with the nations and drinking the blood of the saints, strongly parallels the description of Tyre in Isaiah 23:15-18, highlighting themes of economic corruption and spiritual unfaithfulness.
Daniel 9:2Daniel explicitly references Jeremiah's prophecy of seventy years, showing how this specific duration became a significant prophetic marker for periods of judgment and subsequent restoration in biblical thought.
barnesIsaiah 23:15: "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 be forgotten - Shall cease to be a place of importance in commerce; shall be unheard of in those distant places to which ships formerly sailed. Seventy years, according to the days of one king - 'That is, of one kingdom (see Daniel 7:17; Daniel 8:20).' (Lowth) The word 'king' may denote dynas…
bensonIsaiah 23:15: "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."
Isaiah 23:15-17 . And it shall come to pass, &c. — Here begins the second part of this discourse, which contains an alleviation of the judgment decreed against Tyre. The prophet foretels, 1st, “That God would circumscribe within certain bounds his severity to Tyre, and within seventy years restore it to…
The verse promises Tyre a period of being "forgotten" for seventy years, but this isn't just about obscurity; it's about being lost to trade and influence, specifically tied to the duration of the Babylonian empire. This "forgetting" is then contrasted with a later, re-energized prosperity symbolized by the "song of the harlot," suggesting a return to its notorious yet successful commercial past.
{ "hasHistoricalBackground": true, "events": [ { "date": "605 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar begins conquest", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins his campaign of conquest, marking the start of Babylonian dominance over the region.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 586 BC", "title": "Fall of Jerusalem", "description": "Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, leading to the Babylonian exile of the Judahites. This event is a key marker in the seventy-year period of Babylonian supremacy.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 573 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar besieges Tyre", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to the island city of Tyre. While the siege lasted for thirteen years, the city eventually capitulated, leading to its period of subjugation and 'forgetting'.", "isCurrentContext": true }, { "date": "c. 539 BC", "title": "Fall of Babylon", "description": "Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Babylonian Empire and marking the close of the seventy-year period of exile and subjugation for many nations.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "Post-539 BC", "title": "Tyre's Restoration", "description": "Following the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Persian Empire, Tyre gradually regains its prominence as a trading center, fulfilling the prophecy of its re-emergence after seventy years.", "isCurrentContext": false } ], "summaryInsight": "This prophecy speaks to a specific historical period of Babylonian dominance and exile, anchoring Tyre's 'forgetting' and subsequent restoration to the seventy-year span that also affected Judah. It highlights how international politics and divine timing intertwined for the nations of the ancient Near East." }
{ "hasHistoricalBackground": true, "events": [ { "date": "605 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar begins conquest", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon begins his campaign of conquest, marking the start of Babylonian dominance over the region.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 586 BC", "title": "Fall of Jerusalem", "description": "Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians, leading to the Babylonian exile of the Judahites. This event is a key marker in the seventy-year period of Babylonian supremacy.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "c. 573 BC", "title": "Nebuchadnezzar besieges Tyre", "description": "Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to the island city of Tyre. While the siege lasted for thirteen years, the city eventually capitulated, leading to its period of subjugation and 'forgetting'.", "isCurrentContext": true }, { "date": "c. 539 BC", "title": "Fall of Babylon", "description": "Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ending the Babylonian Empire and marking the close of the seventy-year period of exile and subjugation for many nations.", "isCurrentContext": false }, { "date": "Post-539 BC", "title": "Tyre's Restoration", "description": "Following the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Persian Empire, Tyre gradually regains its prominence as a trading center, fulfilling the prophecy of its re-emergence after seventy years.", "isCurrentContext": false } ], "summaryInsight": "This prophecy speaks to a specific historical period of Babylonian dominance and exile, anchoring Tyre's 'forgetting' and subsequent restoration to the seventy-year span that also affected Judah. It highlights how international politics and divine timing intertwined for the nations of the ancient Near East." }
"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: “Take a harp; go about the city, O forgotten prostitute!…" — The verse promises Tyre a period of being "forgotten" for seventy years, but this isn't just about obscurity; it's about being lost to trade and influence, specifically tied to the duration of the Ba…
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