“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)
The prophet isn't just describing a city's revival; he's using the imagery of an aged prostitute trying to attract customers again. This highlights that Tyre's "recovery" after seventy years isn't a true spiritual renewal, but a return to its old, deceptive ways of commerce to regain its former influence.
“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)
The prophet has just described Tyre's seventy years of desolation, comparing its eventual recovery to a forgotten prostitute singing for customers. This verse continues that vivid, ironic image, portraying the city attempting to revive its former allure and commercial success after its period of destruction and obscurity. It’s a picture of self-effort, using seductive arts to draw attention and business back to itself.
After seventy years of silence, Tyre is told to pick up her harp and sing. What does this 'song' represent for this ancient city?
The prophet uses the vivid image of a forgotten harlot to describe Tyre's commercial revival after a long period of desolation (70 years, as mentioned in verse 15).
The Harlot's Arts
Is this command to sing a genuine encouragement, or is there a deeper layer of divine commentary at play?
The prophet's instruction to Tyre is delivered with a tone that blends irony and pity. It's not a genuine call to rejoice, but a prophetic pronouncement wrapped in a striking metaphor.
A Prophetic Play
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
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.
Isaiah's prophecy against Tyre, likening its eventual recovery to a forgotten harlot singing for attention, is set against a backdrop of shifting empires and the long siege by Nebuchadnezzar. The prophecy foretells both Tyre's desolation and a future resurgence, highlighting the prophet's awareness of Tyre's strategic importance and its complex relationship with dominant world powers.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian expansion and influence
The Neo-Assyrian Empire, a dominant force in the region, exerted significant influence over Phoenician city-states like Tyre, impacting their trade and political autonomy.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian campaigns against Phoenicia
Assyrian king Sennacherib campaigned in the region, receiving tribute from Phoenician cities, including Tyre. This demonstrated Assyria's power and control over the area.
605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's rise and Babylonian dominance
Nebuchadnezzar II defeated the Egyptians and established Babylonian dominance over the region, including Phoenicia. This marked a shift in imperial power.
586 BC
Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed Jerusalem and exiled many Judeans, a pivotal event in Jewish history and a demonstration of Babylonian military might.
c. 585-573 BC— this verse
Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the island city of Tyre for 13 years. While he eventually conquered the mainland portion, the island remained unconquered, a testament to Tyre's resilience and formidable defenses.
539 BC
Persian conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquered the Babylonian Empire, bringing Tyre under Persian rule. This new imperial power continued to influence regional trade and politics.
This passage continues the imagery of Tyre's fall, describing the rulers and inhabitants lamenting their loss of power and prosperity, mirroring the 'forgotten harlot' trying to regain attention.
Jeremiah 3:1-3The prophet uses the metaphor of a 'bold harlot' to describe unfaithful Israel, highlighting how a society or person can persistently seek external validation and renewal through alluring, yet ultimately corrupt, means.
Revelation 17:1-5This vision of the 'great prostitute' seated on many waters vividly portrays a system that is wealthy, influential, and deceptive, reflecting Tyre's character as a prosperous city engaging in illicit dealings to maintain its prominence.
Ezekiel 28:12-17This lament over the King of Tyre describes his pride and corruption stemming from his great wealth and beauty, providing a deeper understanding of the moral failings that often accompany such commercial success and lead to divine judgment.
barnesIsaiah 23:16: "Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered."
Take an harp - This is a continuation of the figure commenced in the previous verse, a direct command to Tyre as an harlot, to go about the city with the usual expressions of rejoicing. Thus Donatus, in Terent. Eunuch., iii. 2, 4, says: 'Fidicinam esse meretricum est;' And thus Horace: 'Nec meretrix tibicina, cujus Ad strepitum salias.' 1 Epi…
pooleIsaiah 23:16: "Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered."
Take an harp, go about the city; as harlots use to do, to allure customers. Thou harlot; so he calleth Tyre, partly because she enticed merchants to deal with her by various artifices, and even by dishonest practices, as harlots use; and partly because of the great and general uncleanness which was both committed and tolerated in it. That tho…
The prophet isn't just describing a city's revival; he's using the imagery of an aged prostitute trying to attract customers again. This highlights that Tyre's "recovery" after seventy years isn't a true spiritual renewal, but a return to its old, deceptive ways of commerce to regain its former influence.
The prophet has just described Tyre's seventy years of desolation, comparing its eventual recovery to a forgotten prostitute singing for customers. This verse continues that vivid, ironic image, portraying the city attempting to revive its former allure and commercial success after its period of destruction and obscurity. It’s a picture of self-effort, using seductive arts to draw attention and business back to itself.
The prophet has just described Tyre's seventy years of desolation, comparing its eventual recovery to a forgotten prostitute singing for customers. This verse continues that vivid, ironic image, portraying the city attempting to revive its former allure and commercial success after its period of destruction and obscurity. It’s a picture of self-effort, using seductive arts to draw attention and business back to itself.
"“Take a harp; go about the city, O forgotten prostitute! Make sweet melody; sing many songs, that you may be remembered.”" — The prophet isn't just describing a city's revival; he's using the imagery of an aged prostitute trying to attract customers again. This highlights that Tyre's "recovery" after seventy years isn't a…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026