Isaiah 23:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

NIV: Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth?

NASB: Who has planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, Whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?

CSB: Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose traders are princes, whose merchants are the honored ones of the earth?

NLT: Who has brought this disaster on Tyre, that great creator of kingdoms? Her traders were all princes, her merchants were nobles.

KJV: Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth?

NKJV: Who has taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, Whose merchants are princes, Whose traders are the honorable of the earth?

The prophet Isaiah presents a question to all who will mourn the loss of the city, ships, and people of Tyre: Who did this (Isaiah 23:1–6)? Who caused this destruction? Whose fault is it? Who can we blame? Those impacted by the loss describe Tyre in glowing terms. The wealthy traders were as rich and powerful as royalty, honored everywhere they went. Tyre's ships were a welcome sight on the horizon, bringing goods and great wealth in exchange for local products.

Who would want to destroy this prosperous city? The simplest answer would be to name the king or warrior who finally brought Tyre down. The Assyrians had some success against Tyre during the time of their empire. Yet it was Alexander the Great and his army in 332 BC who finally succeeded in wiping out the well-defended city.

However, credit will not be given to either of these nations. At best, they are only the tools used for the destruction of Tyre. Isaiah will reveal that the Lord God of Israel has "purposed" this: it is His will and His plan (Isaiah 23:9).

Chapter 23:1–12 describes the aftermath of the Lord's judgment against Tyre. The passage makes it clear that God is bringing this doom because the city's pride. The command which the Lord gives is absolute and cannot be avoided. Upcoming passages will compare this ruin to a then-extinct civilization, the Chaldeans. Tyre will become a trading hub once again, but with much less glory and her wealth will be used to provide for the Lord's people.

Isaiah's final oracle against the nations describes the aftermath of God's judgment on the port city of Tyre. This city was a great center of trade and shipping in the world. The sailors returning will mourn when they get the news the city and its port is wiped out. The mourning will extend to the Phoenician people, the sea itself, the Egyptian grain industry, and the people of Tarshish. The prophet is clear that the Lord has done this in judgment against Tyre's pride. After 70 years of being forgotten, Tyre will thrive again as a prostitute to the nations. The Lord's people will receive her wages.

Prior chapters included prophecies about the nations surrounding Israel. Most of these have been arranged to warn Israel not to assume those neighbors would make effective allies against God's judgment. Chapter 23 is the final of these "oracles." Tyre was a great center of shipping and trade on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel. When it is destroyed, it will be mourned all around the great sea. After this, the predictions expand to a worldwide focus, with implications for the end times.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).

Accessed 11/21/2024 6:42:10 PM