Ezekiel 27:15

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.

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}.

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

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

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

Context

Ezekiel 27:15 is part of a detailed lamentation (a funeral dirge) over the ancient Phoenician city-state of Tyre, found in Ezekiel chapters 26-28. This prophecy describes Tyre as a magnificent merchant ship, symbolizing its immense wealth, global trade network, and maritime power. The chapter meticulously lists the various nations and regions that traded with Tyre, detailing the specific goods they supplied. This particular verse highlights the contributions of Dedan and other distant "isles" to Tyre's luxurious economy, setting the stage for the subsequent divine judgment against its pride and arrogance.

Meaning and Themes

  • Vast Commercial Network: The mention of "the men of Dedan" as merchants underscores Tyre's extensive trade routes, reaching inland into Arabia, while "many isles" (referring to coastlands and maritime regions) emphasizes its unparalleled dominance in sea trade. This paints a picture of a truly globalized ancient economy centered on Tyre.
  • Luxury and Opulence: The commodities "horns of ivory and ebony" were highly prized luxury goods, indicating the exotic and expensive nature of Tyre's imports. Ivory, likely from elephant tusks, and ebony, a dark, dense wood, symbolized the city's immense wealth and its ability to acquire the finest materials from distant lands. This showcases the extreme prosperity that fueled Tyre's self-confidence.
  • Pride in Material Wealth: Underlying this descriptive inventory of trade is the recurring prophetic theme of Tyre's excessive pride in its own commercial success and self-sufficiency. This self-exaltation ultimately becomes the cause of its downfall, as seen in Ezekiel 28:2, where Tyre's king proclaims himself a god because of his great wisdom and riches.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew word for "isles" (`אִיִּים`, 'iyyim) can refer more broadly to maritime regions, coastlands, or distant lands accessed by sea, not exclusively islands. This broadens the scope of Tyre's influence, encompassing all its coastal trading partners and territories beyond the immediate mainland.

Cross-References and Connections

The detailed description of Tyre's trade in Ezekiel 27 serves as a powerful backdrop to the prophecies of its destruction, particularly seen in Ezekiel 26:7-14. The lamentation over Tyre's fall echoes themes found in other prophetic books concerning the judgment of proud, wealthy nations, such as Babylon in Revelation 18:11-19, which also describes extensive trade and luxury items.

Practical Application

This verse, within the larger context of Tyre's prophecy, offers timeless lessons:

  • The Peril of Pride: While economic success and global influence can be impressive, they can also foster a dangerous pride that forgets God's sovereignty. The Bible consistently warns against the dangers of trusting in riches (Proverbs 11:28) and the destructive nature of arrogance (Proverbs 16:18).
  • Transient Nature of Worldly Wealth: Tyre's eventual downfall serves as a stark reminder that all worldly power, wealth, and influence are temporary. True security and lasting value are found not in material possessions or human achievements, but in a relationship with God.
  • Divine Judgment on Nations: The passage underscores God's ultimate authority over nations and their destinies. Even the most powerful and prosperous entities are accountable to Him.
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Cross-References

  • 1 Kings 10:22 (4 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

    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 (4 votes)

    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 (3 votes)

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

  • Ezekiel 27:20 (3 votes)

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

  • Genesis 25:3 (2 votes)

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

  • Ezekiel 25:13 (2 votes)

    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.