Ezekiel 27:15

KJV

The men of Dedan [were] thy merchants; many isles [were] the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee [for] a present horns of ivory and ebony.

KJV (with Strong's)

The men {H1121} of Dedan {H1719} were thy merchants {H7402}; many {H7227} isles {H339} were the merchandise {H5506} of thine hand {H3027}: they brought {H7725} thee for a present {H814} horns {H7161} of ivory {H8127} and ebony {H1894}.

Complete Jewish Bible

The men of D'dan traded with you. Many coastlands were your customers, giving you ivory tusks and ebony in payment.

Berean Standard Bible

The men of Dedan were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

American Standard Version

The men of Dedan were thy traffickers; many isles were the mart of thy hand: they brought thee in exchange horns of ivory and ebony.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezekiel 27:15, a vivid stroke in the elaborate prophetic lament over Tyre, meticulously details the exotic commodities flowing into the opulent Phoenician city-state. This verse specifically identifies Dedan and numerous "isles" or coastlands as pivotal trade partners, supplying highly prized "horns of ivory and ebony." It profoundly illustrates the vast commercial reach and luxurious nature of Tyre's economic empire, setting the theological stage for the subsequent divine judgment against its pride and self-sufficiency, which stemmed from such immense material wealth.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezekiel 27 is a profound and elaborate funeral dirge, or lamentation, over the city of Tyre, presented metaphorically as a magnificent, yet ultimately doomed, merchant ship. This chapter is an integral part of a larger prophetic oracle against Tyre found in [Ezekiel 26-28](/ezekiel/26-28 "Ezekiel 26-28 - Prophecies Against Tyre"). Following the initial declaration of Tyre's impending destruction in [Ezekiel 26](/ezekiel/26 "Ezekiel 26 - Prophecy Against Tyre"), chapter 27 provides an exhaustive and detailed inventory of Tyre's global trade network, meticulously listing its numerous partners and the specific goods they exchanged. Verse 15 fits seamlessly into this comprehensive catalog, highlighting the contributions of specific regions to Tyre's immense wealth before its inevitable, divinely ordained downfall. The meticulous detail serves not only to underscore the magnitude of Tyre's prosperity but also to emphasize the depth and completeness of its prophesied ruin.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Tyre was a dominant Phoenician city-state, renowned as an unparalleled maritime power and commercial hub in the ancient Near East. Strategically located on the eastern Mediterranean coast, its advanced seafaring capabilities and extensive port infrastructure allowed it to establish a vast trade empire that stretched across the known world. During the period of Ezekiel's prophecy (the early 6th century BCE), Tyre was at the zenith of its power, yet simultaneously facing the rising geopolitical threat of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar. Dedan, mentioned in the verse, was an important oasis city in northern Arabia (modern Al-Ula), strategically positioned on major overland trade routes, particularly for the lucrative incense trade and goods from the Arabian Peninsula and Africa. The "isles" or coastlands (Hebrew: `ʼîy`) refer broadly to the numerous coastal regions, islands, and distant lands throughout the Mediterranean and beyond that engaged in extensive commerce with Tyre, showcasing the city's extraordinary reach and influence over a vast network of suppliers and markets.
* **Key Themes:** This verse, nestled within the grand lament, contributes significantly to several overarching theological and narrative themes. Firstly, it vividly emphasizes **Tyre's immense wealth and global commercial dominance**, portraying a city that accumulated vast riches through its extensive trade routes and diverse luxury imports. This material prosperity forms the backdrop for the city's spiritual condition. Secondly, it subtly introduces and reinforces the theme of **pride and self-sufficiency**, as Tyre's unparalleled prosperity led to an inflated sense of its own power, invincibility, and even divine status, a hubris explicitly condemned in [Ezekiel 28:2](/ezekiel/28-2 "Ezekiel 28:2 - Tyre's Pride and Claim to Divinity"). Finally, the detailed description of Tyre's material glory serves as a stark and poignant contrast to the impending **divine judgment and destruction** prophesied against it, underscoring the transient nature of all worldly power and the ultimate, unchallengeable sovereignty of God over all nations and their destinies, a recurring motif throughout [Ezekiel's prophecies against foreign nations](/ezekiel/25-32 "Ezekiel 25-32 - Prophecies Against Foreign Nations").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Dedan (Hebrew, _Dᵉdân'_):** H1719, of uncertain derivation; Dedan, the name of two Cushites and of their territory. In this context, Dedan refers to an ancient Arabian city or region, located in the northern Hejaz, which was a significant trading hub. It served as a crucial intermediary for overland caravan routes, connecting goods from the Arabian Peninsula, and potentially Africa, to Tyre's maritime networks, highlighting the comprehensive nature of Tyre's commercial reach.
* **Isles (Hebrew, _ʼîy'_):** H339, from אָוָה; properly, a habitable spot (as desirable); dry land, a coast, an island. While often translated as "isles" or "islands," the Hebrew term `ʼîy` has a broader semantic range, encompassing maritime regions, coastlands, and distant lands accessible by sea. This expands the scope of Tyre's trade partners beyond mere islands to include all its coastal trading partners and territories across the Mediterranean and possibly beyond, emphasizing the vastness and diversity of its commercial empire.
* **Ebony (Hebrew, _hôben'_):** H1894, only in plural, from an unused root meaning to be hard; ebony. This refers to a dense, dark, and highly valued wood, typically imported from distant tropical regions like India or Africa. Its mention alongside ivory signifies the extreme luxury and exotic nature of the goods that flowed into Tyre, underscoring the city's opulence and its ability to acquire the rarest and most expensive commodities from around the world, indicative of its elite status.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The men of Dedan [were] thy merchants":** This initial clause precisely identifies Dedan, a prominent Arabian trading hub, as a significant and direct partner in Tyre's vast commercial network. The "men of Dedan" functioned as active merchants, implying a direct and established trade relationship, likely facilitated through overland caravan routes that connected to Tyre's extensive maritime commerce. This highlights the intercontinental reach of Tyre's economic influence.
* **"many isles [were] the merchandise of thine hand":** This phrase significantly broadens the scope of Tyre's trade, indicating that numerous coastal regions, islands, and distant maritime lands (the "isles" or `ʼîy`) were not merely passive suppliers but active sources of goods that Tyre acquired, controlled, and distributed. The phrase "merchandise of thine hand" powerfully emphasizes Tyre's active agency, immense power, and dominant control over these intricate global trade flows, asserting its preeminent position as the central hub of ancient commerce.
* **"they brought thee [for] a present horns of ivory and ebony":** This concluding clause specifies the nature of the luxury goods supplied by these distant partners, revealing the opulence of Tyre's imports. "Horns of ivory" refers to elephant tusks, a highly prized material in the ancient world for intricate carving and lavish ornamentation, likely sourced from Africa or India. "Ebony" denotes the dark, hard, and exceptionally valuable wood, also an exotic import. The term "present" (`ʼeshkâr`) here likely signifies a valuable offering or tribute, suggesting the deference or significant commercial dealings these regions had with Tyre, providing it with the most exquisite and expensive commodities as a testament to its supreme economic power.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices to paint a vivid and compelling picture of Tyre's commercial might and opulence. **Metonymy** is evident in "the men of Dedan," where the people represent the entire trading entity or region of Dedan, symbolizing its economic contribution. The phrase "merchandise of thine hand" employs **synecdoche**, as "hand" stands for Tyre's comprehensive agency, power, and control over its vast trade network. The detailed listing of "horns of ivory and ebony" serves as potent **imagery**, evoking a sense of exotic luxury, immense wealth, and global reach, contributing to the overall **hyperbole** of Tyre's described grandeur, which is then dramatically contrasted with its impending destruction. The entire chapter, of which this verse is an integral part, functions as an extended **allegory**, portraying Tyre as a magnificent merchant ship destined for a catastrophic shipwreck, symbolizing its rise, ultimate pride, and inevitable fall.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezekiel 27:15, by meticulously cataloging Tyre's opulent trade, underscores a profound biblical truth: the fleeting nature of worldly wealth and the inherent peril of pride derived from material prosperity. Tyre's extensive network and acquisition of luxury goods like ivory and ebony highlight a civilization that found its identity, security, and even its perceived invincibility in its economic prowess. However, this self-reliance and hubris ultimately led to its catastrophic downfall, serving as a powerful prophetic warning against trusting in riches rather than in the sovereign God. The detailed description of Tyre's material glory stands in stark contrast to the divine judgment that awaits, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms and His unwavering commitment to humbling the proud and exalting the humble.

* [Proverbs 11:28](/proverbs/11-28 "Proverbs 11:28 - Trusting in Riches Leads to Ruin")
* [Revelation 18:11-19](/revelation/18-11-19 "Revelation 18:11-19 - Lament Over Babylon's Commercial Fall")
* [Isaiah 23:1-18](/isaiah/23-1-18 "Isaiah 23 - Prophecy Against Tyre's Commercial Pride")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 27:15, powerfully embedded within the lament over Tyre, offers profound and timeless insights for contemporary life. It challenges us to deeply examine the true sources of our security, identity, and confidence. While economic success, global influence, and the accumulation of resources can be impressive human achievements, this passage serves as a stark reminder that all earthly power, wealth, and influence are fundamentally transient and ultimately subject to God's sovereign will. The relentless pursuit of luxury and the accumulation of riches, when divorced from a humble recognition of divine provision and a submission to God's purposes, can foster a dangerous pride that blinds us to our true spiritual needs and eternal realities. We are called to steward our resources wisely, remembering that true security and lasting value are found not in material possessions or fleeting human achievements, but in an abiding relationship with God and in seeking His kingdom first. The eventual downfall of Tyre compels us to critically consider what foundations we are building our lives upon and whether our ultimate confidence rests in perishable worldly treasures or in the unchanging character and eternal promises of God.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be tempted to place my ultimate trust in material wealth, career achievements, or worldly influence rather than in God's provision and sovereignty?**
* **How does the transient nature of Tyre's once-mighty empire challenge my own priorities, pursuits, and long-term investments?**
* **What practical and spiritual steps can I take to cultivate a heart of humility, generosity, and genuine dependence on God, even amidst personal or professional success and prosperity?**

### FAQ
**What was the significance of "horns of ivory and ebony" as trade goods?**

Answer: "Horns of ivory" refers to elephant tusks, a highly coveted and exceptionally valuable material in the ancient world, used for carving intricate objects, luxurious furniture inlays, and other elite decorative items. Ebony was a rare, dense, and dark wood, prized for its beauty, durability, and exotic origin, used in fine carpentry, musical instruments, and decorative arts. The mention of these specific goods in [Ezekiel 27:15](/ezekiel/27-15 "Ezekiel 27:15 - Tyre's Luxury Trade") highlights the extreme luxury and exotic nature of Tyre's imports. They symbolize the city's immense wealth, its global reach in acquiring the rarest and most expensive commodities from distant lands (likely Africa and India), and the opulent lifestyle of its elite, showcasing its status as a world economic power.

**How does Dedan fit into Tyre's vast trade network?**

Answer: Dedan (identified with modern Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia) was a significant oasis city in northern Arabia, strategically located on major overland caravan routes that connected the Arabian Peninsula with the Levant. While Tyre was predominantly a maritime power, its comprehensive trade network extended inland through crucial partnerships with cities like Dedan. Dedan likely served as a vital intermediary, bringing goods from the Arabian Peninsula, such as incense, spices, and possibly even African goods transported overland, to Tyre's coastal ports for further distribution by sea. This connection illustrates the comprehensive and integrated nature of Tyre's commerce, which masterfully combined both sea and land routes to amass its unparalleled wealth, as meticulously detailed throughout [Ezekiel 27](/ezekiel/27 "Ezekiel 27 - The Lament Over Tyre").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezekiel 27:15 directly describes the material wealth and extensive commercial networks of ancient Tyre, its ultimate theological fulfillment points profoundly to Christ and the nature of His eternal kingdom. The lament over Tyre's catastrophic fall, brought about by its excessive pride in its earthly riches and self-sufficiency, serves as a powerful prophetic foreshadowing of the transient nature of all worldly kingdoms and the ultimate, enduring triumph of God's eternal kingdom, which is definitively established through Christ. Tyre's relentless pursuit of exotic goods and its hubristic reliance on its own economic prowess stand in stark contrast to the true and imperishable "riches" found in Christ, who, though infinitely rich in His divine glory, for our sake became poor, so that we through His poverty might become truly rich in spiritual blessings and eternal life ([2 Corinthians 8:9](/2_corinthians/8-9 "2 Corinthians 8:9 - Christ's Poverty for Our Riches")). The "merchandise" of Tyre, acquired through human effort and fleeting earthly connections, ultimately perishes in the face of divine judgment, whereas the spiritual blessings, imperishable inheritance, and eternal life offered by Christ are of infinite and enduring value ([1 Peter 1:3-4](/1_peter/1-3 "1 Peter 1:3-4 - Imperishable Inheritance")). Christ, as the true Temple and the ultimate source of all wisdom and true prosperity, offers a spiritual abundance that far surpasses the fleeting glory of any earthly kingdom or commercial empire. His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection overcome the very pride and self-reliance that led to Tyre's downfall, inviting humanity into a transformative relationship where true security, lasting treasure, and eternal satisfaction are found not in "horns of ivory and ebony," but in the person and work of the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Kings 10:22

For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

Revelation 18:12

The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

Genesis 10:7

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

Jeremiah 25:23

Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all [that are] in the utmost corners,

Ezekiel 27:20

Dedan [was] thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.

Genesis 25:3

And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

Ezekiel 25:13

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.