Isaiah 10:8

8 For he shall say, Whether my princes be not kings (al)together? (For he shall say, Shall not all my princes, or all my leaders, be kings?)

Isaiah 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 10:8

For he saith, [are] not my princes altogether kings?
] Meaning either the kings which he had conquered, which were become his princes and subjects; or rather, such were the greatness and glory of his nobles, that they were equal in their riches and dominions to kings, and so were able to furnish him with men and money for such an expedition he had in his heart to undertake, even to conquer and subdue all the nations of the earth: and this he said either to his people, boasting of his grandeur; or in his heart, as Kimchi observes, to encourage himself; or rather more openly before others, in order to discourage and inject terror into the nations he meant to destroy, and particularly the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Isaiah 10:8 In-Context

6 I shall send him to a false folk, and I shall command to him against the people of my strong vengeance; that he take away the spoils, and part prey, and that he set that people into defouling, as the fen of streets. (I shall send him to a godless nation, and I shall command to him against the people for whom I have strong vengeance; yea, that he bring down that people into defiling, to be like the dirt, or the mire, in the streets.)

7 Forsooth he shall not deem so, and his heart shall not guess so, but his heart shall be for to all-break, and to the slaying of many folks. (But he shall not stop there, and his heart shall not be content with only them, but his heart, or his plans, shall be to altogether break, and to kill, many nations.)

8 For he shall say, Whether my princes be not kings (al)together? (For he shall say, Shall not all my princes, or all my leaders, be kings?)

9 Whether not as Carchemish, so Calno; and as Arpad, so Hamath? whether not as Damascus, so Samaria?

10 As mine hand found the realms of idol(s), so and the simulacra of them of Jerusalem and of Samaria. (As my hands found the kingdoms that be full of idols, so now also the idols of those who be in Jerusalem and Samaria.)