Isaiah 23:8
in Isaiah 23Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are renowned on the earth?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Who hath purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honorable of the earth?
KJV
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?
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This verse in Isaiah 23
Commentary
11 notes on this verse(Verse 8.) Who ever thought about this regarding Tyre, once crowned? Again, read Ezekiel (Ezek. XXVII), and you will learn of the great glory of Tyre from the lamentation of its prince. He calls it crowned because just as a king raises his head adorned with a diadem among a great multitude of people, so Tyre, shining and rich in wealth, adorned with gold and gems, silk and purple, was considered a queen among all nations. Whose merchants were the principal ones, and his attendants were distinguished in the land.
This site's exposition
Cross over to Tarshish
on Isaiah 23:6-9
Tyre is the "jubilant city, whose origin is from antiquity", whose "traders are princes" and whose merchants "are renowned on the earth". The oracle asks, "Who planned this", and answers, "The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned".
This site's exposition
the bestower of crowns
Tyre bestowed crowns through colonies that became kingdoms of their own, among them Carthage and Citium in Cyprus, as Jamieson, Fausset and Brown list them. Henry notes that her merchants lived like princes. The Hebrew word for merchants is Canaanites.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 8, 9.) Who has conceived these things against Tyre? Is it not the smaller one, or does it not prevail? Its merchants are the princes of Canaan, the famous ones of the land. The Lord of hosts has conceived to dissolve every insult of the proud, and to dishonor everything that is famous on the earth. The word of Canaan is added from the edition of Theodotion, for which Aquila translated merchants. Therefore, the Holy Spirit asks, or rather confirms by asking, that the Lord has conceived these things against the princes of Tyre, whose entire effort is to seek wealth through commerce. And as we read in the Gospel (Matt. XIII), the merchants of pearls, who having sold everything, desire to buy one pearl, and are certainly to be called illustrious merchants not of the earth, but of heaven: so, on the other hand, the merchants of Tyre, that is, of tribulation and distress, are to be called illustrious of the earth, because whatever they do, concerns the earth: and the princes of Canaan, which is interpreted as fluctuating and unsettled. For they do not establish their feet upon a rock, nor can it be said of them: A rock is a refuge for hedgehogs (Ps. XXXIX; CIII, 18), or hares; but rather they endure what the just man almost suffered: But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped (Ps. LXXII, 2). Therefore, the Lord of hosts has conceived this plan, in order to dissolve the wicked bonds of business, or rather to dissipate the compacted injustice through which all those who are subject to Tyre are insolent. And what he has done is not to dishonor everything that is glorious on earth; the Lord is not the author of dishonor, but rather what is ignominious is shown to be ignominious in and of itself. Indeed, we read this also about the priests in Leviticus: 'He has been contaminated by contamination' (Lev. XXI). […]
The Medieval Church1 voice
Third, wonder, setting out first the question of the wonderer: who knew this one crowned, as though queen of other cities; whose merchants were princes, because of their excessive luxuries: how are you fallen, that dwell in the sea, renowned city that was strong in …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
), " Who has taken this counsel against Tyre? Who can find in his heart to lay such a stately lovely city in ruins? And how is it possible that its ruin should be effected?" To this it will be answered, [1.] God has designed it, who is infinitely wise and just, and never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
Who - This is the word of God, and not of man. The crowning city - Which was a royal city, and carried away the crown from all other cities. Princes - Equal to princes for wealth, and power, and reputation.
Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Such were the power and pomp of her magistrates that they crowned those who had dependence on her and dealings with her. It is explained in the following words: Her merchants are princes, and live like princes for the ease and state they take; and her traffickers, whatever country they go to, are the honourable of the earth, who are respected by all.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Who hath taken this counsel? - To whom is this to be traced? Is this the work of man, or is it the plan of God? - questions which would naturally arise at the contemplation of the ruin of a city so ancient and so magnificent. The object of this question is to trace it all to God; and this perhaps indicates the scope of the prophecy - to show that God reigns, and does all his pleasure ever cities and kingdoms.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Who--answered in Isa 23:9, "The Lord of hosts." crowning--crown-giving; that is, the city from which dependent kingdoms had arisen, as Tartessus in Spain, Citium in Cyprus, and Carthage in Africa (Eze 27:33). traffickers--literally, "Canaanites," who were famed for commerce (compare Ho 12:7, Margin).
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִ֚י | mi | who? | H4310 → | 423 times |
| יָעַ֣ץ | yaatz | did he plan | H3289 → | 79 times |
| זֹ֔את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| צֹ֖ר | tzor | Tyre | H6865 → | 42 times |
| הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑ה | hamaatirah | which bestows crowns | H5849 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֤ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙ | sochareih | traders its | H5503 → | 21 times |
| שָׂרִ֔ים | sarim | [were] princes | H8269 → | 421 times |
| כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָ | kinaneiha | merchants its | H3667 → | 94 times |
| נִכְבַּדֵּי־ | nikhbadei- | [were the] honored [people] of | H3513 → | 113 times |
| אָֽרֶץ׃ | ʾaretz | [the] earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
מִ֚יwho?
miH4310 →423 times
יָעַ֣ץdid he plan
yaatzH3289 →79 times
זֹ֔אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
צֹ֖רTyre
tzorH6865 →42 times
הַמַּֽעֲטִירָ֑הwhich bestows crowns
hamaatirahH5849 →
אֲשֶׁ֤רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
סֹחֲרֶ֙יה֙traders its
sochareihH5503 →21 times
שָׂרִ֔ים[were] princes
sarimH8269 →421 times
כִּנְעָנֶ֖יהָmerchants its
kinaneihaH3667 →94 times
נִכְבַּדֵּי־[were the] honored [people] of
nikhbadei-H3513 →113 times
אָֽרֶץ׃[the] earth
ʾaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 10:8“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 18:24
For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Kings 19:10
“Give this message to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of…
- 2 Kings 18:24
Through
Revelation 18:8Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and grief and famine—and she will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 50:31
“Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, “for your day has come, the time when I will punish you.
- Jeremiah 50:34
Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will fervently plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to those who live in Babylon.
- Revelation 17:16
And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.
- Revelation 18:9–10
Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her.
- Isaiah 47:9–11
These two things will overtake you in a moment, in a single day: loss of children, and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and the…
- Jeremiah 50:31
Through
Isaiah 36:9For how can you repel a single officer among the least of my master’s servants when you depend on Egypt for chariots and horsemen?
it leads to
- Isaiah 10:8
“Are not all my commanders kings?” he says.
- Isaiah 10:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Isaiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.