Lexical Summary chasan: hoarded Original Word: חָסַן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lay up A primitive root; properly, to (be) compact; by implication, to hoard -- lay up. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from chosen Definition to be treasured up or hoarded NASB Translation hoarded (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חסן (√ of following; Aramaic חֲסַן,  ,  , be strong, also take possession of, חָסִין,  strong, etc.; Arabic  be rough, hard, coarse). [חָסַן] verb only Niph`al denominative Imperfect3masculine singular יֵחָסֵן Isaiah 23:18 be treasured up, hoarded ("" יֵאָצֵר). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Conceptual Nuance חָסַן evokes the picture of gathering valuables for safekeeping—banking one’s resources in hopes of future security. The single biblical occurrence stresses the impulse to place wealth beyond reach, attempting to shield it from loss or obligation. Context of Isaiah 23:18 Isaiah closes his oracle against Tyre by declaring, “Yet her profit and her wages will be holy to the LORD. They will not be stored or hoarded; for her profit will go to those who dwell in the presence of the LORD, for abundant food and fine clothes” (Isaiah 23:18). Here חָסַן (“stored”) is deliberately negated. Commerce-driven Tyre, famed for accumulating treasure, will see its gains redirected. Wealth assumed to guarantee autonomy will instead serve worship and sustain the people of God. Historical Background: Tyre and Phoenician Commerce Eighth-century Tyre controlled Mediterranean trade lanes, exporting purple dye, cedar, and luxury goods. Merchants warehoused profits in offshore colonies and fortified storehouses. Assyrian pressure (culminating in the siege of 701 B.C.) exposed the fragility of such security. Isaiah’s prophecy intersects that moment: the city’s “strong” profits would prove incapable of shielding it from divine judgment. Broader Biblical Themes 1. Futility of hoarded riches Theological Significance: Wealth, Security, and Holiness חָסַן underscores that what humans lock away, God can unlock. The same verb that might laud prudent provisioning is used by Isaiah to dismantle false confidence. The decisive issue is not accumulation but allegiance: wealth becomes holy only when placed at God’s disposal. By overturning Tyre’s hoarding instinct, the LORD reveals Himself as sovereign over global economics and the ultimate guarantor of provision for His people. Ministry Application • Stewardship: Churches and believers are called to view resources as tools for worship and service, not private fortresses. Related Scripture Passages Proverbs 13:22; Psalm 39:6; Jeremiah 51:13; Luke 12:15-21; Acts 4:32-37; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11. Forms and Transliterations יֵֽחָסֵ֑ן יחסן yê·ḥā·sên yechaSen yêḥāsênLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 23:18 HEB: יֵֽאָצֵ֖ר וְלֹ֣א יֵֽחָסֵ֑ן כִּ֣י לַיֹּשְׁבִ֞ים NAS: it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her gain KJV: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise INT: will not be stored or hoarded for dwell 1 Occurrence |
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