Ezekiel 27:16
Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The list of precious goods traded here isn't just about luxury; it highlights how Tyre’s incredible craftsmanship turned raw materials into highly sought-after items that attracted merchants from all over. This reveals a deeper truth: even in everyday commerce, the work of our hands can be a reflection of God's provision and human ingenuity.
Ezekiel is painting a vivid picture of Tyre’s immense global trade network, showcasing the incredible variety of goods that flowed into the city from all directions. This verse specifically highlights Syria (or Aram) as a key trading partner, bringing precious stones like emeralds, fine linens, and luxurious fabrics to Tyre. The preceding and following verses continue this detailed inventory of Tyre’s imports and exports, emphasizing the city's vast wealth and its connections across the known world before its eventual judgment.
Ever wonder how far-reaching ancient trade truly was? This verse paints a picture of a global marketplace centered in Tyre.
A World of Wares
Ezekiel 27 vividly details the extensive trade network of Tyre, a Phoenician city renowned for its wealth and commerce. In verse 16, we see Syria (often referred to as Aram in the Old Testament) actively trading with Tyre.
The Goods Exchanged
The verse lists a dazzling array of items:
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Tyre's Central Role
Tyre wasn't just a participant in trade; it was a hub. Its own manufactured goods were so abundant and desirable ('multitude of the wares of thy making') that nations like Syria brought their finest resources to exchange. This highlights Tyre's industrial skill and its strategic position as a nexus for global commerce in its time.
The specific items traded speak volumes about ancient craftsmanship, status, and the vastness of resources available to Tyre.
More Than Just Pretty Stones
The list of commodities in Ezekiel 27:16 offers a glimpse into the sophisticated economy and the high standards of luxury in the ancient world.
Identifying the Treasures
Scholars often debate the exact identification of these ancient terms, but the general consensus points to items of great value:
A Reflection of Skill and Reach
Tyre's ability to trade for such rare and luxurious items, and to offer equally impressive manufactured goods in return, underscores its exceptional skill in craftsmanship, its vast network of suppliers, and its significant economic power.
Understand the original words
sachar · Hebrew Verb
The act of commercial exchange, often implying a mutually beneficial relationship or covenantal agreement in biblical contexts. It involves the transfer of goods or services between parties.
nophek · Hebrew Noun
A precious green gemstone often associated with beauty, status, and divine ornamentation. In the Bible, it appears as a symbol of value and glory, frequently linked to the high priest's breastplate or the appearance of God's throne.
argaman · Hebrew Noun
A color derived from expensive dye obtained from shellfish, universally recognized in the ancient world as a symbol of royalty, majesty, and great wealth. It was frequently used in the construction of the tabernacle and priestly garments.
buts · Hebrew Noun
A high-quality fabric representing purity, refinement, and luxury. Biblically, it is associated with the attire of priests, royalty, and the righteous, signifying moral excellence or divine favor.
ra'moth · Hebrew Noun
A precious red stone, representing high value and beauty. In the Bible, it is often associated with wisdom, rarity, and the foundational beauty of the city of God.
This passage describes the specific precious stones, including the emerald (or carbuncle), that were set in the breastpiece of the high priest, highlighting their value and use in ancient religious adornment, similar to the luxury goods traded by Tyre.
Proverbs 3:15This verse emphasizes the superior value of wisdom over precious stones like rubies, offering a spiritual contrast to the material wealth and trade described in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 54:12Here, precious stones like rubies and crystals are mentioned as elements of future restoration and beauty, drawing a parallel to the fine materials that Tyre traded and that contributed to its splendor.
Revelation 21:19-20This passage lists precious stones as part of the foundation and adornment of the New Jerusalem, showing how these valuable materials are ultimately part of God's divine, perfected city.
barnesEzekiel 27:16: "Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate."
Syria - "Aram" here included Mesopotamia; and Babylon was famous for its precious stones. Many read "Edom." Emeralds - Rather, carbuncle. Fine linen - The word (בוץ bûts) was used only in the times of the captivity. It is a Phoenician word, which in Greek assumed the form "byssus," properly "c…
gillEzekiel 27:16: "Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate."
Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making,.... Which they took off of their hands, and for them brought the following things: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds; precious stones of a green colour: Jarchi renders it "carbuncles", other precious stones of a…
The list of precious goods traded here isn't just about luxury; it highlights how Tyre’s incredible craftsmanship turned raw materials into highly sought-after items that attracted merchants from all over. This reveals a deeper truth: even in everyday commerce, the work of our hands can be a reflection of God's provision and human ingenuity.
Ezekiel is painting a vivid picture of Tyre’s immense global trade network, showcasing the incredible variety of goods that flowed into the city from all directions. This verse specifically highlights Syria (or Aram) as a key trading partner, bringing precious stones like emeralds, fine linens, and luxurious fabrics to Tyre. The preceding and following verses continue this detailed inventory of Tyre’s imports and exports, emphasizing the city's vast wealth and its connections across the known world before its eventual judgment.
Ezekiel is painting a vivid picture of Tyre’s immense global trade network, showcasing the incredible variety of goods that flowed into the city from all directions. This verse specifically highlights Syria (or Aram) as a key trading partner, bringing precious stones like emeralds, fine linens, and luxurious fabrics to Tyre. The preceding and following verses continue this detailed inventory of Tyre’s imports and exports, emphasizing the city's vast wealth and its connections across the known world before its eventual judgment.
"Syria did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and ruby." — The list of precious goods traded here isn't just about luxury; it highlights how Tyre’s incredible craftsmanship turned raw materials into highly sought-after items that attracted merchants from all…
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