Isaiah 23:18

Yet her profits and wages will be set apart to the LORD; they will not be stored or saved, for her profit will go to those who live before the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothing.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The prophet Isaiah addresses Judah regarding Tyre’s future commercial restoration, describing how the city will resume its mercenary and trade activities after a period of judgment.

The words — סַחְרָ֜הּ (sachra/h) means “its profit,” and קֹדֶשׁ (kodesh) translates to “a holy thing” or “set apart,” establishing that Tyre’s earnings are consecrated to Yahweh rather than retained.

The thread — The redirection of economic gain to sustain God’s people parallels the tithe distribution in Deuteronomy 26:12 and the accounting of spiritual fruit in Philippians 4:17.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to treat material profit as a consecrated resource that must fund divine work and sustain God’s community, explicitly forbidding its hoarding for personal security.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהָיָ֨הve./ha.Yahand/ it will be סַחְרָ֜הּsach.Ra/hprofit/ its וְאֶתְנַנָּ֗הּve./'et.na.Na/hand/ hire/ its קֹ֚דֶשׁKo.desha holy thing לַֽיהוָ֔הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahweh לֹ֥אlo'not יֵֽאָצֵ֖רye.'a.Tzerit will be stored up וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not יֵֽחָסֵ֑ןye.cha.Senit will be hoarded כִּ֣יkifor לַיֹּשְׁבִ֞יםla/i.yo.she.Vimto <the>/ [those who] dwell לִפְנֵ֤יli/f.Nei<to>/ before יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh יִֽהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit will belong סַחְרָ֔הּsach.Ra/hprofit/ its לֶאֱכֹ֥לle./'e.Kholfor/ eating לְשָׂבְעָ֖הle./sa.ve.'Ahto/ satiety וְלִמְכַסֶּ֥הve./li/m.kha.Sehand/ for/ covering עָתִֽיק׃ פ'a.Tikmagnificent

King James Version

And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.

Cross-references

Psalms 72:10 May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
Deuteronomy 26:12 When you have finished laying aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you are to give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat and be filled within your gates.
Philippians 4:17 Not that I am seeking a gift, but I am looking for the fruit that may be credited to your account.
Exodus 28:36 You are to make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
Deuteronomy 12:18 Instead, you must eat them in the presence of the LORD your God at the place the LORD your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your menservants and maidservants, and the Levite within your gates. Rejoice before the LORD your God in all you do,
Galatians 6:6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.
2 Chronicles 2:7 Send me, therefore, a craftsman skilled in engraving to work with gold and silver, with bronze and iron, and with purple, crimson, and blue yarn. He will work with my craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided.
2 Chronicles 2:11 Then Hiram king of Tyre wrote a letter in reply to Solomon: “Because the LORD loves His people, He has set you over them as king.”
Psalms 45:12 The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; men of wealth will seek your favor.
Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your crops;