Ezekiel 27 22

Ezekiel 27:22 kjv

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold.

Ezekiel 27:22 nkjv

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah were your merchants. They traded for your wares the choicest spices, all kinds of precious stones, and gold.

Ezekiel 27:22 niv

"?'The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices and precious stones, and gold.

Ezekiel 27:22 esv

The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices and all precious stones and gold.

Ezekiel 27:22 nlt

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah came with all kinds of spices, jewels, and gold in exchange for your wares.

Ezekiel 27 verses

Ezekiel 27 22 Meaning

Ezekiel 27:22 identifies specific geographical entities—Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad—as active merchants within Tyre's extensive trade empire. This verse highlights the diverse and far-reaching commercial network that contributed significantly to Tyre's immense wealth, prestige, and perceived invincibility, which ultimately led to its pride and prophesied downfall. The enumeration of these trading partners showcases Tyre's status as a central hub for ancient world commerce.

Ezekiel 27 22 Context

Ezekiel chapter 27 is an elaborate dirge, a funeral lament, prophetically foretelling the utter destruction of Tyre, one of the most powerful and wealthy maritime city-states of the ancient world. The chapter personifies Tyre as a magnificent ship, painstakingly built and gloriously adorned with every conceivable luxury and equipped for global commerce. Verse 22 is part of an extended passage (Ezek 27:12-25) meticulously detailing the numerous nations and regions that traded with Tyre, listing the specific goods they supplied. This meticulous cataloging serves to highlight the vast extent of Tyre's commercial reach and the sources of its immense wealth, luxury, and ultimately, its pride. The historical setting is the time of Babylonian hegemony, with Nebuchadnezzar's forces besieging the region. Culturally, the prophecy serves as a polemic against the ancient Near Eastern belief that material prosperity conferred divine favor or guaranteed immunity from judgment. It directly challenges the worldview that places ultimate trust in human enterprise and accumulated wealth.

Ezekiel 27 22 Word analysis

• Haran (חָרָן - Ḥārān): An ancient and strategically important city in upper Mesopotamia (modern Turkey), a significant caravan hub for overland trade routes. Its inclusion emphasizes Tyre's vast commercial connections extending far inland. It was a well-known ancient center, appearing also in Genesis 11 as Abraham's family's residence.
• Canneh (כַּנֵּה - Kanneh): Its precise geographical identification remains uncertain, but scholars typically place it in Mesopotamia or Northern Syria, reinforcing the idea of extensive trade links with the Near East. Some connect it to Calneh (Gen 10:10, Amos 6:2), possibly near Assyria.
• Eden (עֵדֶן - ʿĒḏen): Not the biblical Garden, but likely refers to a specific region or city known for luxury goods. Possible locations include a kingdom in Mesopotamia (e.g., Bit-Adini on the Euphrates) or a fertile area in southern Arabia, suggesting another source of valuable commodities.
• Merchants of Sheba (רֹכְלֵי שְׁבָא - Rōk̄ləy Šəḇāʾ):
  • Merchants (רֹכְלֵי - Rōk̄ləy): Derived from the verb "to travel about" for trade. This term denotes active traders, crucial participants in Tyre's dynamic, global economic system. It points to a sophisticated and interconnected network of commercial agents.
  • Sheba (שְׁבָא - Šəḇāʾ): A famous wealthy kingdom in Southwestern Arabia (modern Yemen), renowned for its trade in valuable commodities such as frankincense, myrrh, gold, and precious stones (as seen in the Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon, 1 Kgs 10). Its presence underscores Tyre's reach into distant, exotic luxury markets.
• Asshur (אַשּׁוּר - ʾAššûr): Refers to the powerful ancient Mesopotamian empire of Assyria, or the region surrounding its capital. Though primarily known for military might, Assyria also played a key role in trade, both as a source of goods and as a conduit for trade from farther East. This indicates Tyre's engagement with a major geopolitical and economic entity.
• Chilmad (כִלְמָד - Kilmaḏ): A unique and problematic place name found only in this verse. Its location is highly speculative, with suggestions ranging from Cilicia (Anatolia), to Media, or other unknown areas near Babylonia. Its obscurity further illustrates the comprehensive yet now partly lost knowledge of Tyre's vast commercial scope.
• Traded with you: This phrase translates the Hebrew implication that these nations and regions were actively engaged as partners in the commercial dealings with Tyre. The original text (or various interpretations) often describe them as "your merchants," reinforcing their integral role in Tyre's market and wealth accumulation.
• Haran, Canneh, Eden, merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad: This collection of names highlights the extensive geographical breadth and multi-cultural involvement in Tyre's trade network. From the overland routes of Mesopotamia and the Levant to the lucrative sea-lanes and caravan paths connecting Arabia, Tyre stood as the ultimate entrepôt. The very specific nature of the list serves to emphasize the grand scale of the enterprise about to fall.

Ezekiel 27 22 Bonus section

• The detail presented in Ezekiel 27, including the listing of various trading partners, their specific goods, and their maritime roles, is a testament to the Bible's historical accuracy regarding ancient trade practices and routes. Scholars and archaeologists frequently utilize such biblical passages as historical primary sources for understanding ancient economies.
• The meticulous accounting of Tyre's vast connections and the subsequent description of its total destruction through naval imagery (Ezek 27:26-36) emphasizes a prophetic pattern: the greater the earthly glory, the more profound the judgment when that glory usurps the place of God.
• The "Eden" mentioned here (עֵדֶן - ʿĒḏen), distinct from the Garden of Eden, nonetheless carries a subtle spiritual echo for a Hebrew audience. The source of material goods contributing to Tyre's ultimate fall, albeit commercially productive, stands in stark contrast to the perfect, uncorrupted 'Eden' of Genesis, implying a critique of pursuing an earthly paradise through worldly means.
• The repetitive use of place names from across the ancient world throughout this chapter aims to impress upon the reader the profound and pervasive impact Tyre had globally. By calling out specific, albeit some now obscure, trading partners, Ezekiel reinforces the idea that all who engaged in Tyre's vast system would be affected by its eventual collapse.

Ezekiel 27 22 Commentary

Ezekiel 27:22, situated within a detailed prophetic lament, underscores the sheer magnitude and intricate complexity of Tyre's commercial power. By itemizing cities and regions ranging from Mesopotamia to Arabia as its trading partners, the verse vividly portrays Tyre as the unrivaled mercantile hub of its era, sourcing and distributing luxury goods across vast distances. This extensive network, though a source of immense prosperity and international acclaim, also fed Tyre's pride and self-reliance, insulating it from the reality of its dependence on God. The prophecy uses this meticulously cataloged splendor to contrast with the city's impending, catastrophic ruin, serving as a powerful warning against nations or individuals whose identity, security, and boast become solely rooted in their material achievements rather than in the divine.