Isaiah 23:8

8 Who thought this thing on Tyre (Who thought this word against Tyre), (that was) sometime crowned, whose merchants were princes, (yea,) the sellers of (the) merchandise thereof were (the) noble men 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 Pass ye the seas; yell ye, that dwell in the isle. (Go ye over to Tarshish; yell, ye who live on the island.)

7 Whether this city is not yours, that had glory from eld days in his eldness? the feet thereof shall lead it [a]far, to go in pilgrimage (its feet shall take it far away, to go on a journey).

8 Who thought this thing on Tyre (Who thought this word against Tyre), (that was) sometime crowned, whose merchants were princes, (yea,) the sellers of (the) merchandise thereof were (the) noble men of [the] earth?

9 The Lord of hosts thought this thing, that he should draw down the pride of all glory, and that he should bring to shame all the noble men of (the) earth.

10 Thou daughter of the sea, pass [over] thy land as a flood; a girdle is no more to thee. (O daughter of Tarshish, pass over thy land like a river; no more hath thou a girdle, or a market.)