Ezekiel 27 21

Ezekiel 27:21 kjv

Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.

Ezekiel 27:21 nkjv

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your regular merchants. They traded with you in lambs, rams, and goats.

Ezekiel 27:21 niv

"?'Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.

Ezekiel 27:21 esv

Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favored dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you.

Ezekiel 27:21 nlt

The Arabians and the princes of Kedar sent merchants to trade lambs and rams and male goats in exchange for your goods.

Ezekiel 27 verses

Ezekiel 27 21 Meaning

Ezekiel 27:21 describes Tyre's commercial network extending into the Arabian desert. The verse highlights that the tribes of Arabia, particularly the princes of Kedar, acted as key suppliers for Tyre's trade, bringing their valuable livestock—lambs, rams, and goats—to the great maritime city. This illustrates the vast and diverse economic influence Tyre commanded.

Ezekiel 27 21 Context

Ezekiel chapter 27 is a prophetic lamentation (a dirge or funeral song) over the downfall of Tyre, one of the most powerful and wealthiest maritime trading cities of the ancient world. The chapter uses an extended metaphor of a magnificent ship that is expertly built and manned by various nations, each contributing to its grandeur and operation, before being ultimately destroyed in the sea. This particular verse, 21, is part of a detailed list of Tyre's trading partners and the specific goods they supplied. It broadens the scope of Tyre's commerce beyond the Mediterranean sea-lanes to include land-based trade with nomadic tribes from the Arabian desert. Historically, Tyre, being a city of immense wealth and influence, maintained an extensive trade network that linked the Mediterranean world with lands to the east and south, acquiring raw materials and finished goods from across the known world to fuel its lucrative markets.

Ezekiel 27 21 Word analysis

• Arabia (עֲרַב, `Arabh):

  • Meaning: The Arabian Peninsula; denotes a region, not a specific nation-state. It encompassed numerous nomadic tribes and settled communities.
  • Significance: Represents Tyre's reach into the desert, highlighting the diversity and breadth of its trade empire beyond the seas.
  • Details: Historically a source of valuable commodities like frankincense, myrrh, gold, spices, and notably, livestock.

• all the princes (נְשִׂיאֵי קֵדָר, nesi'ei Qedar):

  • Meaning: "Chiefs," "leaders," "tribal elders."
  • Significance: Not necessarily royal kings but influential tribal leaders, indicating a widespread and organized supply network from a significant and numerous people.
  • Details: Implies an economic or tributary relationship established with multiple chieftains, showing Tyre's leverage over regional powers.

• of Kedar (קֵדָר, Qedar):

  • Meaning: A prominent North Arabian tribal confederation, descended from Ishmael (Gen 25:13).
  • Significance: Kedarites were a well-known, influential, and powerful nomadic group, famous for their vast flocks and tents (Isa 21:13-17; Jer 49:28). Their inclusion underlines the specific and vital contribution of desert nomads to Tyre's economy.
  • Details: Their presence in this trade network suggests established, perhaps long-standing, commercial treaties or understandings.

• they were your clients (הֵמָּה יֶדֶךָ, Hemmah yedekha):

  • Meaning: Literally "they were your hand" or "they were your strength/support." The idiom signifies they provided help, resources, or tribute, serving as crucial partners in Tyre's prosperity. It could imply vassalage or strong economic dependence.
  • Significance: Shows the relationship as one where Arabia contributed to Tyre's economic power, becoming an "arm" of its commercial body.
  • Details: The term suggests that these desert tribes were essential enablers of Tyre's trade, providing not just goods but perhaps also securing overland routes.

• they traded with you (הֵם רָכְלָךְ, Hem rakhalakh):

  • Meaning: "They were your merchants" or "they dealt with you as traders."
  • Significance: Directly confirms the commercial nature of the relationship, reinforcing Tyre's role as a global trade hub.
  • Details: This active verb indicates regular, reciprocal commerce, distinguishing it from mere tribute collection, though the client relationship could entail specific obligations.

• in lambs and rams and goats (בְּכָרִים וְאֵילִים וְעַתּוּדִים, bəkharim wə'eylim wə'attudim):

  • Meaning: Young sheep (lambs), male sheep (rams), and male goats. These are specific types of livestock.
  • Significance: These were vital commodities from a nomadic economy—sources of meat, milk, wool, and skins. They provided both food for Tyre's large population and valuable goods for re-export or internal use.
  • Details: This exchange shows the complementary economies: nomadic desert dwellers specializing in animal husbandry, supplying urban centers like Tyre that focused on manufacturing and maritime trade.

Ezekiel 27 21 Bonus section

The depiction of Arabia and Kedar supplying Tyre with livestock offers a fascinating glimpse into ancient inter-regional economies. Nomadic groups like the Kedarites excelled in animal husbandry, which was their primary form of wealth and a readily transportable commodity. Tyre, on the other hand, a sophisticated urban center, required constant supplies of food and raw materials for its population and industries, which often involved textile production from wool and hides. The mention of "princes" implies that these were not random, ad-hoc transactions but established, perhaps formal, trade agreements facilitated by recognized leaders. This shows a sophisticated division of labor across different cultures and environments, demonstrating how distant and different peoples were interconnected by trade routes long before modern globalization. This intricate economic interdependence, while creating immense wealth for Tyre, also meant its prosperity was intricately tied to a network of partners, making it vulnerable when that network collapsed under divine judgment.

Ezekiel 27 21 Commentary

Ezekiel 27:21 highlights the impressive global reach and detailed organization of Tyre's vast commercial enterprise. By specifying Arabia and the Kedarite princes as suppliers of livestock, the prophet illustrates that Tyre's economic strength was built on a web of diverse partnerships, connecting advanced maritime traders with seemingly simple nomadic desert communities. This symbiotic relationship meant the desert tribes contributed essential primary resources, while Tyre acted as a processing and distribution hub, integrating these goods into its wider trade networks. The verse's primary purpose within Ezekiel's lament is to demonstrate the breadth of Tyre's seemingly impregnable prosperity and influence, thus making its prophesied fall—orchestrated by God—all the more dramatic and impactful. It underscores the biblical theme that all human achievements, wealth, and power are ultimately transient and subject to divine judgment, particularly when rooted in pride and self-sufficiency, rather than acknowledging the sovereignty of God (Ezek 28:1-8).