Ezekiel 27:14

They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.

They of the house {H1004} of Togarmah {H8425} traded {H5414} in thy fairs {H5801} with horses {H5483} and horsemen {H6571} and mules {H6505}.

The people of Togarmah traded for your merchandise with horses, horsemen and mules.

The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.

They of the house of Togarmah traded for thy wares with horses and war-horses and mules.

Ezekiel 27:14 is part of a profound lamentation, a funeral dirge, for the ancient Phoenician city of Tyre, depicted as a magnificent ship about to be wrecked. This chapter meticulously details Tyre's vast commercial empire, listing its numerous trading partners and the specific goods they supplied. The verse highlights one of these vital trade relationships, showcasing the breadth of Tyre's influence and the specialized commodities that fueled its prosperity.

Context

Ezekiel 27 serves as a vivid illustration of Tyre's immense wealth and global reach before its prophesied downfall. The entire chapter is structured as a lament, detailing the city's construction, its vast commercial network, and finally, its dramatic demise. It underscores how Tyre built its power and prestige through extensive international trade. This prophecy, along with others against Tyre in Ezekiel 26 and Isaiah 23, emphasizes God's sovereignty over nations and their economies.

Togarmah and Its Trade

The "house of Togarmah" refers to a region historically associated with ancient Anatolia, particularly areas like eastern Asia Minor or Armenia. This region was renowned in the ancient world for its superior horses. The mention of "horses and horsemen and mules" highlights Togarmah's specialization in equine trade. Horses were vital for military purposes, cavalry, and chariots, as well as for general transportation and agriculture. Mules, known for their hardiness and ability to traverse difficult terrain, were also highly valued for commerce. Their presence in Tyre's "fairs" (markets) underscores Tyre's role as a central hub for essential commodities, including those crucial for warfare and travel in the ancient Near East.

Linguistic Insights

While the Hebrew words for 'horses' (sus, סוּס) and 'mules' (pered, פֶּרֶד) are straightforward in this context, their inclusion in such a specific list demonstrates the meticulous detail of Ezekiel's prophecy. The term 'horsemen' (parash, פָּרָשׁ) can refer to riders or cavalry, suggesting that not just animals but also trained personnel or the military potential they represented were part of the trade, further highlighting the strategic value of these goods.

Key Themes

  • Tyre's Extensive Commercial Network: The verse vividly illustrates the vast global reach of Tyre, drawing goods from distant lands like Togarmah.
  • Economic Interdependence: It shows how ancient nations relied on each other for specialized resources, forming complex trade relationships.
  • God's Sovereign Knowledge: The detailed nature of this prophecy reveals God's intimate knowledge of even the most intricate economic dealings and geographical specifics of nations.
  • The Nature of Worldly Power: Tyre's reliance on its extensive trade for its power and influence ultimately highlights the impermanence of such worldly foundations, a lesson frequently taught throughout Scripture, such as in the lament over Babylon's fall in Revelation 18.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 27:14, within its broader context, reminds us that no earthly power, no matter how wealthy or extensive its network, is beyond God's sovereign oversight. It challenges us to consider where our ultimate trust lies—in transient economic systems or in the unchanging God who holds all nations in His hand. The detailed nature of this ancient prophecy also reinforces the reliability and precision of God's Word, even in seemingly mundane details of trade, affirming its divine inspiration and timeless relevance.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 38:6

    Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: [and] many people with thee.

  • Genesis 10:3

    And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

  • 1 Chronicles 1:6

    And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
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