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Isaiah 23:18
ESV Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord. It will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the Lord.
NIV Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes.
NASB Her profit and her prostitute’s wages will be sacred to the Lord; it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her profit will become sufficient food and magnificent attire for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord.
CSB But her profits and wages will be dedicated to the Lord. They will not be stored or saved, for her profit will go to those who live in the Lord’s presence, to provide them with ample food and sacred clothing.
NLT But in the end her profits will be given to the Lord. Her wealth will not be hoarded but will provide good food and fine clothing for the Lord’s priests.
KJV 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.
NKJV Her gain and her pay will be set apart for the Lord; it will not be treasured nor laid up, for her gain will be for those who dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for fine clothing.

What does Isaiah 23:18 mean?

The final verse of Isaiah's oracle from the Lord against Tyre ends on a surprising and positive note. The city will be redeemed in the end. More specifically, the wealth of the city will be redeemed.

The oracle against Egypt ended with a description of true redemption in the far future, likely during the reign of the Messiah on earth (Isaiah 19:16–25). The positive note in this verse regarding Tyre's wealth shows that the Lord has a plan. He will use the merchandise and wages produced by the prostitution of Tyre for the good of God's people. It won't just be hoarded away, but rather used for those who "dwell before the Lord."

Commentators suggest options for what this could mean for Tyre. Since Deuteronomy 23:18 forbids the wages of a prostitute from being given to the Lord, perhaps Tyre will be redeemed from her role as a prostitute and be transformed into a people that truly serves the Lord. Another possibility is that the city will once again be destroyed by the Lord and her wealth transferred to His own people in Israel.

In either interpretation, the Lord communicates through Isaiah that He will make use of Tyre's wealth to meet the needs of HIs own people Israel. The larger message to Judah is that they must not prostitute themselves to other nations attempting to protect themselves or provide for their own needs. Instead, the people of Judah must trust in the Lord and wait for Him to provide for them. This, even if provision comes through the prosperity of others.
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