Ezekiel 27 12

Ezekiel 27:12 kjv

Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.

Ezekiel 27:12 nkjv

"Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods.

Ezekiel 27:12 niv

"?'Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.

Ezekiel 27:12 esv

"Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.

Ezekiel 27:12 nlt

"Tarshish sent merchants to buy your wares in exchange for silver, iron, tin, and lead.

Ezekiel 27 verses

Ezekiel 27 12 Meaning

Ezekiel 27:12 describes a key aspect of the ancient city of Tyre's immense commercial network. It highlights that Tarshish, a distant and resource-rich land, served as a primary merchant for Tyre. Tarshish provided an abundance of various valuable commodities, specifically silver, iron, tin, and lead, exchanging them for Tyre's manufactured goods and specialized wares. This verse emphasizes Tyre's central position as a global trading hub and its dependence on an expansive international trade system.

Ezekiel 27 12 Context

Ezekiel chapter 27 is an elaborate lament (a funeral dirge) for Tyre, presented as a majestic, seafaring vessel. The chapter vividly details Tyre's splendor, its extensive global trade network, and the vast array of nations and goods that contributed to its wealth and reputation. Verse 12 is part of this meticulous inventory, describing specific trading partners and the goods they exchanged. This comprehensive description serves to heighten the tragic impact of Tyre's prophesied destruction in the subsequent verses and chapters (Ezek 26, 28), portraying the downfall of a once glorious and powerful entity whose pride in its wealth ultimately led to its ruin. Historically, Tyre was a Phoenician island city, renowned for its maritime commerce and advanced shipbuilding, maintaining colonies and trade routes across the Mediterranean from approximately 1500 BC until its fall to Alexander the Great.

Ezekiel 27 12 Word analysis

• Tarshish (תַּרְשִׁישׁ - Tarshish): A place far to the west, typically identified with Tartessos in modern-day Spain. It was renowned in the ancient world for its rich metal mines, particularly silver, copper, and tin. The mention of Tarshish highlights the vast geographical reach and sophistication of Tyre's trade network, spanning the entire Mediterranean. In biblical literature, "ships of Tarshish" (e.g., Isa 2:16, 1 Kgs 10:22) often denote large, oceangoing vessels capable of long voyages, implying significant maritime power.
• was your merchant (סֹחַר - soḥer): The term soḥer indicates a dealer, trader, or merchant. It signifies an active commercial partner. The phrase implies that Tarshish consistently brought its goods to Tyre, placing Tyre in a dominant position within the trade relationship, acting as the central marketplace or clearinghouse.
• because of the abundance (מֵרֹב - mê-rov): This prepositional phrase indicates the cause or reason. "Rov" (רֹב) signifies plenty, multitude, or abundance. It underscores the extraordinary quantity and diversity of valuable goods that attracted partners like Tarshish to trade with Tyre.
• of all kinds of wealth (כָּל־הוֹן - kol-hon): "Hon" (הוֹן) refers to wealth, possessions, or valuable resources. The addition of "kol" (כָּל) meaning "all," emphasizes the vast variety and comprehensiveness of the valuable commodities that Tyre offered or processed, which drew trading partners like Tarshish to its markets. It suggests Tyre wasn't just a seller of one type of goods, but a hub for many.
• with silver (בְּכֶסֶף - bəḵeseph), iron (בַּרְזֶל - barzel), tin (בְּבֶדִיל - bəvedil), and lead (עוֹפֶרֶת - ʿofereth): These are specific valuable metals.
  • Silver (kes eph): A highly prized metal for currency, adornment, and crafting.
  • Iron (barzel): Essential for tools, weapons, and construction; it marked technological advancement.
  • Tin (bedil): Crucial for alloying with copper to produce bronze, which was vital for tools and weapons before iron became widely accessible, and continued to be important after.
  • Lead (ofereth): Used for weighting fishing nets, plumbing, glazes, and often as an indicator of rich ore deposits, or for decorative and practical uses like inscriptions or bindings.The listing of these specific metals demonstrates the economic focus and material wealth flowing from Tarshish, indicative of its mining capabilities, and highlighting the concrete, valuable goods at the heart of the trade.
• they traded for your wares (יָתְנוּ מַעֲרָבָיִךְ - yātnu ma‘ărăvāyiḵ): The verb yātnu means "they gave" or "they offered." "Ma‘ărăvāyiḵ" (מַעֲרָבָיִךְ) refers to Tyre's merchandise, articles of trade, or goods. This phrase describes the direct exchange – Tarshish provided its raw materials (metals), and in return, acquired Tyre's finished products, manufactured items, or other commodities Tyre sourced or produced. This points to Tyre's role as a manufacturer, processor, or an entrepôt for other goods, demonstrating a sophisticated system of bartering and exchange.

Ezekiel 27 12 Bonus section

The extent of Tyre's trade routes to Tarshish implies an advanced understanding of navigation and shipbuilding, allowing large vessels to cross the open sea safely. These "ships of Tarshish" were famous for their size and ability to transport significant cargo over long distances, often through dangerous waters. The detailed list of metals provided here—silver, iron, tin, and lead—reflects the strategic importance of these materials in the ancient world for both economic prosperity and military power. The trade in tin, for example, was essential for the production of bronze, a dominant material for tools and weapons before the Iron Age fully took hold and even after it for its specific properties. The mention of specific goods also serves as a polemic against Tyre's pride and self-sufficiency, highlighting how its impressive global network, rather than drawing it towards acknowledging the Lord, inflated its ego, contributing to its eventual downfall. The divine enumeration of Tyre's vast possessions functions to amplify the tragedy of its future desolation, revealing that no amount of worldly power or treasure can ultimately withstand God's judgment.

Ezekiel 27 12 Commentary

Ezekiel 27:12 vividly illustrates Tyre's commercial might by pinpointing Tarshish as a pivotal trading partner. Tarshish, identified with resource-rich regions of Spain, represents the far reaches of Tyre's influence, extending across the Mediterranean for crucial raw materials. The mention of silver, iron, tin, and lead signifies not only the wealth flowing into Tyre but also the vital components necessary for ancient economies – from currency to construction, tools, and weapons. Tyre, in turn, offered a wide range of goods and services, transforming raw materials into finished products or facilitating trade for other nations. This economic portrait of Tyre, presented in minute detail, serves to underscore the prophetic judgment to come, emphasizing that such vast, human-built prosperity, when unaccompanied by reverence for God and founded on pride, is ultimately transient and vulnerable to divine reckoning. It cautions against the human tendency to trust in the accumulation of material wealth as an ultimate source of security or identity, echoing warnings throughout Scripture about the vanity of earthly riches.