Isaiah 23:9
in Isaiah 23The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, to bring into contempt all the honorable of the earth.
KJV
The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.
⋯
This verse in Isaiah 23
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The Lord of hosts hath purposed it - (see the note at Isa 1:9). It is not by human counsel that it has been done. Whoever is the instrument, yet the overthrow of wicked, proud, and vicious cities and nations is to be traced to the God who rules in the empires and kingdoms of the earth (see the notes at Isa 10:5-7).
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 LORD of Hosts planned it
The LORD of Hosts planned the fall before any army is named, and Barnes traces the ruin to God whatever nation carries it out. Pride in glorious beauty is the target. The day of the LORD in 2:12 is set against the same pride.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
(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). […]
(Verse 9.) The Lord of hosts has thought of this, to take away the pride of all glory: and to bring into contempt all the glorious ones of the earth. For as he had said above: Who hath thought the former Tyre, crowned by the ancients, that such a thing should be done?
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he adds the response: the Lord of hosts has designed it, to pull down the pride of all glory: scatter the proud in your indignation, and behold every arrogant man, and humble him (Job 40:6).
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The Lord of hosts hath purposed it,....
Are men's learning and wealth, their pomp and power, their interest in, and influence upon, all about them, their glory? Are their stately houses, rich furniture, and splendid appearances, their glory? Look up on the ruins of Tyre, and see all this glory stained, and sullied, and buried in the dust.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Remove from thy land, as the waters of a river; flee to a province of the sea: there is no more strength.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֖וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| יְעָצָ֑הּ | yeatzah | he planned it | H3289 → | 79 times |
| לְחַלֵּל֙ | lechalel | to profane | H2490 → | 143 times |
| גְּא֣וֹן | geon | [the] pride of | H1347 → | 49 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צְבִ֔י | tzevi | splendor | H6643 → | 33 times |
| לְהָקֵ֖ל | lehakel | to treat with contempt | H7043 → | 82 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| נִכְבַּדֵּי־ | nikhbadei- | [the] honored [people] of | H3513 → | 113 times |
| אָֽרֶץ׃ | ʾaretz | [the] earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֖וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
יְעָצָ֑הּhe planned it
yeatzahH3289 →79 times
לְחַלֵּל֙to profane
lechalelH2490 →143 times
גְּא֣וֹן[the] pride of
geonH1347 →49 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
צְבִ֔יsplendor
tzeviH6643 →33 times
לְהָקֵ֖לto treat with contempt
lehakelH7043 →82 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
נִכְבַּדֵּי־[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
James 4:6But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
it leads to
- Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
- Proverbs 3:34
He mocks the mockers, but gives grace to the humble.
- 1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- Psalms 138:6
Though the LORD is on high, He attends to the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.
- Proverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.
- Matthew 23:12
Through
Daniel 4:37Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in…
it leads to
- James 4:6–7
But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- James 4:6–7
Through
Isaiah 2:11The proud look of man will be humbled, and the loftiness of men brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
it leads to
- Isaiah 5:15–16
So mankind will be brought low, and each man humbled; the arrogant will lower their eyes.
- Psalms 18:27
For You save an afflicted people, but You humble those with haughty eyes.
- Isaiah 5:15–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
About Isaiah
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Isaiah; Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Isaiah.