What does Isaiah 23:11 mean?

Up through this verse, Isaiah has provided a shocking answer to a potent question: who is—or would be, when the prophecy is fulfilled—responsible for the destruction of the wealthy and ancient port city of Tyre (Isaiah 23:8)? He does not give credit to the army that found a way to defeat the well-defended city. The two armies that eventually defeated Tyre were the Assyrians, who conquered them in part, and Alexander the Great who defeated them entirely. Rather, Isaiah puts the responsibility squarely at the feet of the Lord (Isaiah 23:9).

Why has the Lord used an army that is not His own people of Israel to do such a thing? The prophet Isaiah has pointed to the pride of the people of Tyre and the misplaced honor heaped on them by the people of the world. Tyre's success in the world was made possible entirely by the Lord. Yet they took all the credit for themselves. The Lord will show the world, once more, that humans are not self-existing or self-sustaining. No matter how successful, wealthy, or powerful they may appear in the moment, all their perceived greatness rests in the hands of the Lord almighty.

He now adds that God has stretched out His hand over the sea. The people of Tyre and their region of Phoenicia thought of the sea as their own domain. They viewed these vast waters as theirs for building wealth and seeking adventure. The Lord will show them He alone is the God of the sea. Their Canaanite gods or the captains of their impressive trading ships hold no power by comparison.

The Lord has disrupted the kingdoms and given the command to destroy the Canaanite strongholds. Throughout this book, Isaiah has described how the Lord will destroy one nation after another by use of Assyria and perhaps others. No nation is unbeatable if the Lord decides they will be torn down. There is no place on earth to escape the hand of the Lord when He decides to demonstrate His power over the pride and arrogance of humanity.