“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is how the verse emphasizes that nations didn't just buy from Tyre, but rather brought their own wealth – metals like silver, iron, tin, and lead – as their form of "trade." This highlights that Tyre's power wasn't just in what it produced, but in its central role as a hub where diverse resources were exchanged.
“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is delivering a powerful lament over the great city of Tyre, known for its wealth and influence. This chapter functions like a detailed obituary, enumerating the vast array of nations that traded with Tyre, highlighting the extent of its commercial empire. The verse specifically details how Tarshish, a distant trading partner likely in ancient Spain, supplied Tyre with valuable metals, emphasizing the global reach of Tyre's markets.
Ever wondered where the ancient world got its metals? This verse points to a distant land, a hub of immense wealth that fueled Tyre's prosperity.
Ezekiel 27:12 introduces Tarshish, a key trading partner for the magnificent city of Tyre. Scholars generally pinpoint Tarshish to the region of Tartessus in ancient Spain, near the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
A Treasure Trove of Metals
This area was renowned for its abundant mineral wealth. The verse specifically mentions:
Tyre, as a major trading power, leveraged these resources, exchanging its own wares for these valuable commodities. Tarshish acted as a critical intermediary, bringing metals from the far west to Tyre's bustling markets.
Was Tyre simply a customer, or was there a deeper dynamic at play in its trade relationships? This verse hints at a more complex economic and political reality.
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While Ezekiel 27:12 speaks of Tarshish 'trading' with Tyre, the broader context of Ezekiel's prophecy suggests this exchange wasn't always a level playing field.
The Art of Economic Representation
Ezekiel uses vivid imagery to portray Tyre's dominance. The nations aren't just customers; they are depicted as merchants bringing their 'wares' to Tyre. However, this language often implies tribute or offerings rather than simple barter.
Understand the original words
Tarshish · Hebrew Noun
A term used to describe a location at the edge of the known world, often associated with maritime trade, distant resources, and, in prophetic literature, the reach of God's judgment or the spread of the Gospel.
hon · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, wealth (or riches) often refers to material possessions or abundance, which are recognized as gifts from God but can serve as a temptation toward self-reliance and idolatry.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre in Chapter 27 vividly details its vast trading network. This verse highlights Tyre's commerce with Tarshish (likely Tartessus in Spain), a major source of silver, iron, tin, and lead. This exchange underscores Tyre's pivotal role as an international marketplace, drawing resources from the far reaches of the known world, even as it faced political upheavals and sieges.
c. 1200 BC
Late Bronze Age Collapse
A widespread societal collapse across the Mediterranean, impacting trade and political stability, potentially leading to shifts in maritime power and trade routes.
c. 8th century BC
Rise of Phoenician Maritime Trade
Tyre and other Phoenician city-states established extensive trade networks across the Mediterranean, becoming dominant maritime powers and centers of commerce.
c. 750-550 BC
Phoenician Colonies and Tarshish
Phoenicians, likely including those from Tyre, established colonies like Tartessus in southern Spain, a region rich in valuable metals.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Jews
Nebuchadnezzar II deported a portion of the Jewish elite to Babylon, marking the beginning of the Babylonian exile and significant geopolitical shifts in the Near East.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to a massive displacement of the Judean population and further altering regional power dynamics.
550-332 BC
Tyre under Persian Rule
Tyre, while maintaining significant commercial independence, fell under the suzerainty of the Persian Empire, continuing its role as a major trading hub.
c. 580 BC— this verse
Siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar II laid siege to the island city of Tyre for thirteen years, a testament to Tyre's resilience and commercial importance, though the city ultimately held out.
This passage describes silver and iron being brought from Tarshish, echoing Ezekiel's mention of Tarshish trading these very metals with Tyre.
Isaiah 2:16This verse mentions 'ships of Tarshish' in a context of national pride and potential downfall, paralleling Ezekiel's focus on Tyre's international trade and its eventual destruction.
Revelation 18:11-12This New Testament passage echoes the lament over a great commercial city (symbolic Babylon), listing many of the same precious goods like silver, gold, and metals that Tyre traded in Ezekiel's prophecy.
Psalm 48:7This psalm speaks of ships of Tarshish being broken by God's judgment, a theme that resonates with Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre, highlighting the vulnerability of even the most powerful trading nations.
bensonEzekiel 27:12: "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 27:12-15 . Tarshish was thy merchant — Trafficked with thee. Of Tarshish, see note on Isaiah 2:16 ; Isaiah 23:1 . Javan, Tubal, and Meshech — By Javan is to be understood Greece, in which sense Alexander is styled king of Javan, or Greece, Daniel 8:21 . So the LXX. translate it here, and in that place of Daniel. And all Greece, except P…
barnesEzekiel 27:12: "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."
The thread broken at Ezekiel 27:8 is taken up, and the various nations are enumerated which traded with Tyre. Ezekiel 27:12 Tarshish - Tartessus in Spain (marginal references). Spain was rich in the metals named. Merchant - Especially applied to those who traveled about with caravans to carry on trade (see Genesis 23:16). Fairs - Or, "wares" Ez…
What's striking here is how the verse emphasizes that nations didn't just buy from Tyre, but rather brought their own wealth – metals like silver, iron, tin, and lead – as their form of "trade." This highlights that Tyre's power wasn't just in what it produced, but in its central role as a hub where diverse resources were exchanged.
Ezekiel is delivering a powerful lament over the great city of Tyre, known for its wealth and influence. This chapter functions like a detailed obituary, enumerating the vast array of nations that traded with Tyre, highlighting the extent of its commercial empire. The verse specifically details how Tarshish, a distant trading partner likely in ancient Spain, supplied Tyre with valuable metals, emphasizing the global reach of Tyre's markets.
Ezekiel is delivering a powerful lament over the great city of Tyre, known for its wealth and influence. This chapter functions like a detailed obituary, enumerating the vast array of nations that traded with Tyre, highlighting the extent of its commercial empire. The verse specifically details how Tarshish, a distant trading partner likely in ancient Spain, supplied Tyre with valuable metals, emphasizing the global reach of Tyre's markets.
"“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares." — What's striking here is how the verse emphasizes that nations didn't just buy from Tyre, but rather brought their own wealth – metals like silver, iron, tin, and lead – as their form of "trade."…
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Last reviewed October 2026