Ezekiel 27:12-25

B. The Ship in her Ports of Call 27:12-25a

TRANSLATION

(12) Tarshish was your client because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; silver, iron, tin and lead they traded for your wares. (13) Javan, Tubal and Meshech were your trading partners; persons of men and vessels of bronze they traded for your merchandise. (14) Those from Beth-togarmah traded horses, war horses and mules for your wares. (15) The children of Dedan were your trading partners. Many coastlands were your market; horns of ivory and ebony they brought as your gift. (16) Aram was your client because of the abundance of your works; emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies they traded for your wares. (17) Judah and the land of Israel were your trading partners; the wheat of Minnith, cakes[404] honey, oil and balm they have traded for your merchandise. (18) Damascus was your client because of the multitude of your works, because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth, with the wine of Helbon and white wool. (19) Vedan and Javan traded for your wares from Uzal; iron, cassia and calamus were among your merchandise. (20) Dedan was your trading partner in saddle-cloths for riding. (21) Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your clients; in lambs, rams, and goats, for these were they your clients. (22) The traders of Sheba and Raamah were your trading partners; the best of all kind of spices, and all kinds of precious stones, and gold they traded for your wares. (23) Haran, Canneh, Eden and the traders of Sheba, Assyria (and) Chilmad were your trading partners. (24) These were your trading partners in gorgeous fabrics, in cloth of blue and embroidered work and chests[405] of rich apparel, bound with cords and cedar-lined, among your merchandise (Ezekiel 27:25 a). The ships of Tarshish were the carriers for your merchandise.

[404] The Hebrew is of uncertain meaning.
[405] RSV and NAAB and BV render carpets; KJV renders chests.

COMMENTS

The cities which traded with Tyre are given in geographical order in three groupings. The first group of cities consists of those which lie along the Mediterranean trade route. The list begins with Tarshish at the western end of the sea. Tarshish, a mining district in southern Spain,[406] was attracted by the wealth of Tyre to become one of her trading partners. They traded valuable metals for the export products of Tyre (Ezekiel 27:12). Javan is Greece; Tubal and Meshech were tribes in Asia Minor. With these regions Tyre trafficked in slaves (Ezekiel 27:13; cf. Joel 3:6) and copper ore[407] (Ezekiel 27:13). From Beth-togarmah (probably Armenia) Tyre secured horses, war horses,[408] and mules (Ezekiel 27:14). Dedan (island of Rhodes)[409] traded with Tyre too. Many other islands were part of Tyre's commercial network (the mart of your hand). Vessels of ivory and ebony were paid as tribute to Tyre for the privilege of belonging to this commercial community (Ezekiel 27:15). These products would come from the African interior via the Phoenician traders on the coast of North Africa.

[406] Others have suggested that Tarshish may have been the Phoenician name for the ancient city of Nora in Sardinia.
[407] The Hebrew nechoshet may refer to either copper, bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) or brass (alloy of copper and zinc). See .NBD, p. 825.

[408] Parashim frequently means horsemen. In some passages the word refers to the horses used with war chariots. Cf. Isaiah 28:28; Jeremiah 46:4; Joel 2:4.

[409] Dedan in Ezekiel 27:15 obviously is not the same as the Arabian Dedan mentioned in Ezekiel 27:20. The Septuagint (Greek version) preserves the tradition that this Dedan is the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. Some think that a port on the Persian Gulf is meant.

Aram[410] (Syria) provided Tyre with precious stones and beautiful fabrics (Ezekiel 27:16). Judah exported agricultural products to Tyre wheat,[411] cakes,[412] honey, oil and balm. Damascus supplied Tyre with the finest wine, the wine of Helbon, and white[413] wool (Ezekiel 27:18). Vedan[414] was probably an Arab city. Javan here in Ezekiel 27:19 may refer to a Greek colony in Arabia. Both cities are said to export the trading merchandise from Uzzal[415] iron bars,[416] perfume (cassia) and sweet cane (calamus).[417] The entire nineteenth verse is difficult to translate and opinions differ widely on its meaning. From Arabian Dedan, Tyre received saddle-cloths (Ezekiel 27:20). The nomadic Arabs and the princes of Kedar were famous for their flocks (cf. Isaiah 60:7). They supplied Tyre with livestock (Ezekiel 27:20). Sheba in southwest Arabia and Raamah, thought to be along the Persian Gulf, were famous trading people (cf. Job 6:19). Gold, precious stones and aro-matics were among the items these traders bartered with Tyre (v.22).

[410] Some Hebrew manuscripts and the Septuagint read Edom. In Hebrew, only a small curve in one letter makes the difference between Arum and Edom

[411] Minnith was an Amrnonite town (cf. Judges 11:33) which apparently sent wheat as tribute to Judah (cf. 2 Chronicles 27:5).

[412] The Hebrew word pannag occurs only here and is of doubtful meaning. It has been rendered Pannag (KJV), early figs (BV, RSV): and cakes (NASB). Some kind of foodstuff is intended.

[413] Exact translation uncertain.
[414] Could also be translated Dan. Vedan has conjecturally been identified with Aden or W-'addan near the Arab city of Medina.

[415] Several Hebrew manuscript and the Septuagint support this translation
[416] Again the exact meaning is uncertain. KJV has bright iron.

[417]Cassia and Calamus were ingredients of anointing oil (cf. Exodus 30:23 f.)

The next three ports mentioned were located in Mesopotamia. Haran, a stopping point in Abram's migration (Genesis 12:4) was an important commercial center on the main trade route from Babylon to Syria. Canneh is probably to be identified as Calneh (Genesis 10:10) otherwise called Calno (Isaiah 10:9), a city in Babylonia. Eden is known on Assyrian inscriptions as Bit-Adini which occupies both sides of the Euphrates river due south of Haran. Through these trading centers the merchandise of Sheba (see previous verse), Asshur (Assyria) and Chilmad (location unknown) moved toward Tyre (Ezekiel 27:23). The Mesopotamian trading partners brought to Tyre gorgeous fabrics (lit., things perfected), cloaks of blue and richly woven work, and beautiful cedar chests containing other kinds of luxurious wearing apparel (Ezekiel 27:24). The list concludes with a reference to the ships of Tarshish (see Ezekiel 27:12) which brought their dues to Tyre, the queen of the merchant marine (Ezekiel 27:25 a).