Ezekiel 27:12-14
“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. From Beth-togarmah they exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse reveals that Tyre's wealth wasn't just from its own resources, but largely built on extensive trade networks, bringing in raw materials like silver and metals from distant places like Spain. The passage highlights that "fairs" actually translates better to "wares" or "exchange," showing that nations weren't just customers but partners in barter, offering their goods in return for Tyre's products.
Ezekiel is delivering a funeral lament for the magnificent city of Tyre, an ancient superpower known for its wealth and maritime dominance. This passage vividly portrays the vast network of trade that fueled Tyre's prosperity, listing nations and their specific contributions. The verse highlights Tarshish, likely a distant trading port in ancient Spain, as a key supplier of raw metals, demonstrating the global reach of Tyre's commerce.
Ever wondered where the metals of the ancient world came from? This verse points to a distant land, a hub of valuable resources.
A World of Trade
Ezekiel's prophecy paints a picture of Tyre as the center of a vast global economy. In verse 12, we meet Tarshish, a key trading partner.
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Was Tyre just a shopper in the ancient world, or was its role something more profound?
The Master of the Market
The prophecy in Ezekiel 27 doesn't just list Tyre's trading partners; it defines Tyre's position in the global economy.
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.
sachar · Hebrew Verb
Biblically, the exchange of goods and services is part of human civilization and stewardship, though the prophets frequently warned against greed, dishonest gain, and placing confidence in global commerce rather than in the Lord.
nechosheth · Hebrew Noun
Metals like bronze were highly valued in the ancient world for their durability and use in crafting tools, weapons, and sacred items for the tabernacle or temple.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Tyre vividly portrays its extensive global trade network, highlighting how its wealth was built on resources like silver, iron, tin, and lead sourced from distant lands like Tarshish (ancient Spain).
c. 8th century BC
Rise of Tartessos in Spain
Tartessos, likely located in southern Spain, emerges as a significant trading center, particularly known for its rich metal deposits.
c. 7th century BC
Phoenician Maritime Expansion
Phoenician sailors and merchants, including those from Tyre, establish extensive trade routes across the Mediterranean, reaching as far as Spain and potentially the British Isles.
c. 6th century BC
Tyre's Commercial Dominance
Tyre has become the preeminent maritime and commercial power in the Mediterranean, controlling vast trade networks and accumulating immense wealth.
586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Tyre for 13 years, weakening the city but failing to conquer it fully. This event marks a challenging period for Tyre's trade.
c. 570s BC— this verse
Tyre's Economic Resurgence
Following the Babylonian siege, Tyre rebuilds and re-establishes its vast trading network, demonstrating remarkable resilience and continuing its commercial influence.
332 BC
Alexander the Great Captures Tyre
Alexander the Great besieges and captures the island city of Tyre after a seven-month struggle, bringing an end to its independent Phoenician rule.
This passage describes silver and iron being brought from distant places, similar to the metals sourced from Tarshish in Ezekiel, highlighting a broader pattern of ancient trade routes for precious resources.
Isaiah 23:10This verse speaks of the daughter of Tyre being scattered and her merchandise being made 'a thing of shame,' providing a prophetic contrast to the bustling trade described in Ezekiel 27, showing the eventual downfall of Tyre's prosperity.
Matthew 13:45-46Jesus uses the parable of the merchant seeking pearls to illustrate the immense value and dedicated pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven, drawing a parallel to the relentless pursuit of wealth and commodities by ancient merchants like those from Tarshish.
1 Timothy 6:10This verse directly warns that the 'love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,' serving as a spiritual counterpoint to the material wealth and extensive trade detailed in Ezekiel 27, reminding us of the dangers of placing ultimate value in riches.
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…
This verse reveals that Tyre's wealth wasn't just from its own resources, but largely built on extensive trade networks, bringing in raw materials like silver and metals from distant places like Spain. The passage highlights that "fairs" actually translates better to "wares" or "exchange," showing that nations weren't just customers but partners in barter, offering their goods in return for Tyre's products.
Ezekiel is delivering a funeral lament for the magnificent city of Tyre, an ancient superpower known for its wealth and maritime dominance. This passage vividly portrays the vast network of trade that fueled Tyre's prosperity, listing nations and their specific contributions. The verse highlights Tarshish, likely a distant trading port in ancient Spain, as a key supplier of raw metals, demonstrating the global reach of Tyre's commerce.
Ezekiel is delivering a funeral lament for the magnificent city of Tyre, an ancient superpower known for its wealth and maritime dominance. This passage vividly portrays the vast network of trade that fueled Tyre's prosperity, listing nations and their specific contributions. The verse highlights Tarshish, likely a distant trading port in ancient Spain, as a key supplier of raw metals, demonstrating the global reach of Tyre's commerce.
"“Tarshish did business with you because of your great wealth of every kind; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your me…" — This verse reveals that Tyre's wealth wasn't just from its own resources, but largely built on extensive trade networks, bringing in raw materials like silver and metals from distant places like Sp…
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