Isaiah 23:8

8 Who planned this against Tzor, the city that once bestowed crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are honored throughout the earth?

Isaiah 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 23:8

Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning
[city]
Which had a king over it, to whom it gave a crown; and which crowned its inhabitants with riches and plenty, and even enriched the kings of the earth, ( Ezekiel 27:33 ) this is said as wondering who could lay a scheme to destroy such a city, or ever think of succeeding in it; who could take it into his head, or how could it enter into his heart, or who could have a heart to go about it, and still less power to effect the ruin of such a city, which was the queen of cities, and gave laws and crowns, riches and wealth, to others; surely no mere mortal could be concerned in this; see ( Revelation 13:3 Revelation 13:4 ) :

whose merchants [are] princes;
either really such, for even princes and kings of the earth traded with her, ( Ezekiel 27:21 Ezekiel 27:33 ) or they were as rich as princes in other countries were:

whose traffickers [are] the honourable of the earth;
made rich by trafficking with her, and so attained great honour and glory in the world; see ( Revelation 18:3 Revelation 18:15 ) .

Isaiah 23:8 In-Context

6 Cross over to Tarshish! Howl, you who live on the coast!

7 Is this your boisterous city, whose feet long ago in antiquity carried her off to found distant colonies?

8 Who planned this against Tzor, the city that once bestowed crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are honored throughout the earth?

9 ADONAI-Tzva'ot planned it to break the pride of all the arrogant, to humiliate all those who are honored everywhere on earth.

10 People of Tarshish! Nothing restricts you now. You can flow freely over your land just like the Nile River.