Isaiah 23:8

8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants [were] princes, her traders [the] honored ones of [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! Wail, inhabitants of [the] coast!
7 {Is this your exultant one}, her origin from the days of long ago? Her feet brought her to dwell afar as an alien.
8 Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants [were] princes, her traders [the] honored ones of [the] earth?
9 Yahweh of hosts has planned it: to defile [the] pride of all glory, to humble all [the] honored ones of [the] earth.
10 Cross over your [own] land like the Nile, daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.

Footnotes 1

Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.