Isaiah 23:11

“He stretched out his hand over the sea, &c.] That is, the Lord of hosts, who had purposed to destroy Tyre, stretched out his hand of power over it, called the sea, as in (<232304>Isaiah 23:4) because situated in it, supported by it, and had the sovereignty of it; in like manner as he stretched out his hand on the Red Sea, and destroyed Pharaoh and the Egyptians in it; to which the allusion may be: he shook the kingdoms; of Tyre and Zidon, which were both kingdoms, and distinct ones; and also made other neighbouring kingdoms shake and tremble when these fell, fearing it would be their case next. Some understand this of the moving of Nebuchadnezzar, and of the kings of the provinces under him,…”

“He--Jehovah. kingdoms--the PhÅ“nician cities and colonies. the merchant city--rather, Canaan, meaning the north of it, namely, PhÅ“nicia. On their coins, they call their country Canaan.”

“He stretched out his hand - That is, Yahweh (see Isaiah 23:9). To stretch out the hand is indicative of punishment (see the notes at Isaiah 5:25; Isaiah 9:12), and means that God has resolved to inflict exemplary punishment on Tyre and its dependent colonies. Over the sea - That is, over the sea coast of Phenicia; or over the cities that were built on the coast. This alludes to the fact that Nebuchadnezzar would lay siege to these cities, and would ravage the maritime coast of Phenicia. It is not improbable also that, having taken Tyre, he would extend his conquests to Citium, on the island of Cyprus, and destroy as many of the dependent cities of Tyre as possible. The Lord hath given a…”

“He - The Lord. Shook - Heb. he made the kingdoms to tremble; the neighbouring and confederate kingdoms, who might justly quake at her fall, for the dreadfulness and unexpectedness of the thing; and because Tyre was a bulwark, and a refuge to them. A commandment - Hath put this design into the hearts of her enemies, and given them courage to attempt, and strength to execute it. Isaiah 23:12”

“23:11 Phoenicia was the region north of Israel. Tyre and Sidon were its main cities.”

“stretched: Isa 2:19, Isa 14:16, Isa 14:17; Exo 15:8-10; Psa 46:6; Eze 26:10, Eze 26:15-19, Eze 27:34, Eze 27:35; Eze 31:16; Hag 2:7 the Lord: Isa 10:6; Psa 71:3; Jer 47:7; Nah 1:14 against the merchant city: or, concerning a merchantman, Isa 23:3; Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8 the merchant city: Heb. Canaan, Gen 9:25, Gen 10:15-19; Zac 14:21; Mar 11:17; Joh 2:16 strong holds: or, strengths, Zac 9:3, Zac 9:4 Isaiah 23:12”

“The prophet now proceeds to relate, as it were, to the Pheonicio-Spanish colony, the daughter, i.e., the population of Tartessus, what has happened to the mother country. "His hand hath He stretched over the sea, thrown kingdoms into trembling; Jehovah hath given commandment concerning Kena'an, to destroy her fortresses. And He said, Thou shalt not rejoice any further, thou disgraced one, virgin daughter of Sidon! Get up to Kittim, go over; there also shalt thou not find rest." There is no ground whatever for restricting the "kingdoms" (mamlâcoth) to the several small Phoenician states (compare Isa 19:2). Jehovah, reaching over the sea, has thrown the lands of Hither Asia and…”