Ezekiel 27 15

Ezekiel 27:15 kjv

The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.

Ezekiel 27:15 nkjv

The men of Dedan were your traders; many isles were the market of your hand. They brought you ivory tusks and ebony as payment.

Ezekiel 27:15 niv

"?'The men of Rhodes traded with you, and many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

Ezekiel 27:15 esv

The men of Dedan traded with you. Many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony.

Ezekiel 27:15 nlt

Merchants came to you from Dedan. Numerous coastlands were your captive markets; they brought payment in ivory tusks and ebony wood.

Ezekiel 27 verses

Ezekiel 27 15 Meaning

Ezekiel 27:15 details specific elements of Tyre's vast commercial enterprise, highlighting Dedan and various coastlands as key trade partners. These entities supplied valuable, exotic goods, specifically ivory tusks and ebony, in exchange for Tyre's merchandise. The verse underscores Tyre's unparalleled success in accumulating luxury commodities through an extensive network that encompassed both overland Arabian routes and distant maritime regions, firmly establishing its role as a premier ancient trading hub.

Ezekiel 27 15 Context

Ezekiel 27 is a poetic lamentation, often called a dirge or funeral song, pronounced by the prophet Ezekiel against the Phoenician city-state of Tyre. The entire chapter personifies Tyre as a magnificent, well-built ship, symbolizing its naval power, extensive commerce, and the people who fueled its prosperity. It methodically enumerates Tyre's vast trade network, listing various nations and the diverse goods they exchanged. Verse 15 is part of this comprehensive inventory, specifically detailing how Dedan (representing overland caravan routes from Arabia) and numerous maritime "coastlands" (signifying its seaborne trade to distant lands) brought valuable luxury goods—ivory tusks and ebony—to Tyre's markets. This catalog serves to underscore Tyre's immense pride in its wealth and global reach, setting the stage for the dramatic pronouncement of its divinely orchestrated downfall due to its hubris.

Ezekiel 27 15 Word analysis

• Dedan: (Hebrew: דְדָן - Dəḏān). An influential Arabian tribe and major city-state in the ancient world, located in the modern Al-'Ula region of Saudi Arabia. Dedan was strategically situated on significant caravan routes, serving as a vital nexus for trade across the Arabian Peninsula. Its mention here signifies Tyre's extensive overland trade connections with wealthy desert regions.
• was your merchant: (Hebrew: סֹחֵר - sōḥēr, merchant; the verb "was" implies established custom). This indicates a regular, active trading relationship where Dedan acted as both a source of goods and a distribution point for Tyre's wares. It highlights Dedan's integral role within Tyre's comprehensive commercial system, not merely as a buyer but as a vital conduit of trade.
• many coastlands: (Hebrew: אִיִּים רַבִּים - ’iyyīm rabbîm). While literally meaning "many islands," in this context, especially concerning a major naval power like Tyre, it signifies numerous distant shorelines, peninsulas, and coastal regions accessible by sea. This emphasizes the extraordinary geographical extent of Tyre's maritime trading empire, reaching far beyond its immediate Phoenician borders.
• were your market: (Hebrew: מִסְחָר - misḥār, trade/merchandise, used here to imply a trading ground or commercial hub). This phrase designates these numerous distant locations as active sites for commercial transactions with Tyre. It illustrates that Tyre maintained robust and regular economic engagement with diverse overseas territories, solidifying its global mercantile reputation.
• ivory tusks: (Hebrew: שֵׁן הַבִּים - šēn habbîm). Literally, "tooth of habbim." Habbim is a unique word generally understood to refer to elephants, making the phrase "elephant tusks" or "ivory." Ivory was a highly valued, exotic commodity in the ancient world, used for intricate carvings, inlay work, and luxurious decorations. Its source would have been from distant regions like Africa (Nubia/Sudan/Ethiopia) or potentially India, demonstrating the remote reach of Tyre's supply chains.
• and ebony: (Hebrew: וְהָבְנִים - wəhābnîm). Referring to ebony wood, known for its extreme hardness, dark color, and fine grain. Ebony was a coveted luxury material, employed for high-status furniture, musical instruments, and ornamental items. Like ivory, it was an exotic import, sourced from tropical regions of Africa or India, further attesting to the opulence and global scope of Tyre's trade.
• they exchanged: (Hebrew: מָכְרָֽוּ - maḵrāw, they sold/bartered). This verb describes the act of commercial transaction, implying a reciprocal trade relationship where the foreign partners brought their goods to Tyre. This wasn't tribute but a mutually beneficial exchange, positioning Tyre as a central market where rare items were procured and then likely re-exported or crafted into other high-value finished goods.
• for your wares: (Hebrew: מִסְחָרֶךָ - misḥāreḵā, your merchandise). This denotes the specific products that Tyre offered in trade. Tyre was renowned for its finely dyed textiles (particularly its famous Tyrian purple), elaborate metalwork, and other manufactured goods. These products were highly desirable to foreign markets, providing the valuable currency (in kind) needed to acquire exotic commodities like ivory and ebony.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "Dedan was your merchant; many coastlands were your market": This coupling emphasizes the twin pillars of Tyre's trade empire: the extensive overland caravan routes, epitomized by Dedan's presence in the Arabian desert, and its formidable maritime dominion, signified by the countless "coastlands" reached by its fleets. It illustrates Tyre's dual strategy for achieving unparalleled commercial reach, bridging desert commerce with global sea lanes.
• "ivory tusks and ebony": The specific mention of these two distinct luxury goods, one derived from an animal and the other a rare wood, encapsulates the lavish and exotic nature of Tyre's imports. They represent materials valued purely for their prestige, scarcity, and beauty rather than necessity. This highlights the extravagance of Tyrian commerce and the affluence it fostered, which ultimately became a symbol of its self-glorification and impending judgment.
• "they exchanged for your wares": This phrase details the active, reciprocal nature of Tyre's trade. It portrays Tyre not just as a receiver of goods but as an active participant whose own products were highly desired, functioning as a primary currency for these exotic materials. This transaction reinforces Tyre's status as a sophisticated, integrated economic power at the center of the ancient world's luxury trade.

Ezekiel 27 15 Bonus section

• The prophetic detailing of specific trade goods and partners like Dedan and ivory is remarkable for its historical and geographical accuracy, indicating either Ezekiel's profound personal knowledge of contemporary trade or divine revelation of these specific facts to bolster the message's impact and authenticity for its ancient audience.
• Ivory and ebony were not simply materials; they were symbols of imperial power and elite status. Their acquisition and use by Tyre, and then by those who bought Tyre's refined products, mirrored the splendor found in palaces of the greatest empires, such as Egypt and Assyria. Tyre acted as the crucial intermediary in this high-end commerce.
• The meticulous enumeration throughout Ezekiel 27, including verse 15, stands as a polemic against reliance on human achievements and material wealth. It systematically disassembles the sources of Tyre's pride (its navy, its workers, its trading partners, its goods), showing that all elements contributing to its grandeur were finite and susceptible to divine judgment, making its fall inevitable once pride took root.
• From a theological perspective, this verse underscores a recurrent biblical theme: the potential for vast material prosperity to breed idolatry and spiritual complacency. Tyre's dedication to acquiring and trading these high-value items consumed its focus, diverting it from acknowledging or seeking God, an implicit criticism echoed in passages condemning the love of money and the deceitfulness of riches.
• The rare word habbim (for elephants) not only shows the exotic nature of the trade but also the degree of specialized knowledge circulating in the ancient Near East about distant lands and their fauna, emphasizing the breadth of interactions in Tyre's world.

Ezekiel 27 15 Commentary

Ezekiel 27:15 succinctly captures the impressive scope of ancient Tyre's economic influence, serving as a linchpin in the global network of luxury goods. By identifying Dedan as a merchant and distant "coastlands" as markets, the verse paints a picture of a city-state whose commercial tentacles stretched far and wide, touching both the desert caravans and the distant seas. The exchange of exquisite commodities like ivory tusks and ebony for Tyre's manufactured "wares" highlights the city's role as a major entrepôt—a place where raw luxury was acquired, often processed, and then redistributed. This detailed commercial snapshot, however, is woven into a prophetic lament, not a eulogy. It meticulously builds up Tyre's image of self-sufficiency and immense prosperity only to demonstrate the transient nature of human glory. The sheer extent of its wealth, as depicted in this verse, subtly underlines its hubris and self-reliance, which ultimately leads to its divine judgment for not acknowledging God as the source of its blessings. The meticulous inventory functions as a powerful illustration of the deceitfulness of riches and the pride that precedes a fall, a timeless message within biblical wisdom literature.