Lexical Summary hobni: Hophni Original Word: הֹבן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ebony Only in plural, from an unused root meaning to be hard; ebony -- ebony. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Hebel Definition ebony (a kind of wood) NASB Translation ebony (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [הָבְנִי] noun [masculine] ebony (so Symm ᵑ9 Ki & moderns; otherwise ᵐ5 ᵑ6; Egyptian heben, LiebleinÄZ 1886, 13 compare PinskEinleitung 83; Greek ἔβενος, Latin hebenum) — only plural הָבְנִים Ezekiel 27:15 Qr (Kt הובנים) קַרְנוֺת שֵׁן והבנים; it was brought from India, & (finer) from Ethiopia, compare Sm & references Topical Lexicon Overview Ebony (הֹבן) occurs once in Scripture, in Ezekiel 27:15, within the prophet’s lament over Tyre. The single appearance is enough to reveal its importance as a luxury import that showcased the reach of Tyre’s maritime empire and the opulence that would soon be humbled by divine judgment. Historical and Geographical Background Ezekiel pictures Tyre as the commercial nexus of the Mediterranean. Dedanite traders—caravan merchants from north-western Arabia—deliver ivory tusks and ebony, commodities that originated in Africa or India and traveled north along Red Sea and desert routes. The mention of ebony authenticates Ezekiel’s trading list, demonstrating that Tyre’s wealth drew on resources from the farthest coastlands long before globalism became a modern term. Commercial Value in the Ancient Near East Ebony’s deep-black heartwood, exceptional hardness, and ability to take a mirror-like polish made it a prized material for furniture inlays, cosmetic boxes, musical instruments, and royal regalia. Cuneiform texts record ebony as tribute, and Egyptian tombs preserve ebony panels. Ezekiel’s pairing of ebony with ivory in the same verse underlines its prestige and places Tyre on par with the greatest courts of the day. Prophetic and Theological Significance Ezekiel’s catalogue (Ezekiel 27:12-25) is more than an inventory; it is a theological indictment. Every rare good—silver, tin, turquoise, coral, ivory, and ebony—builds a crescendo of earthly magnificence that God will topple. “When your merchandise went out to sea, you satisfied many nations… but you are wrecked in the heart of the seas” (Ezekiel 27:33-34). Ebony therefore functions as a symbol of the transience of wealth contrasted with the permanence of God’s sovereign word (Isaiah 40:8). Ministry Reflections 1. Stewardship of material gifts: Ebony reminds believers that the earth’s finest resources are entrusted by the Creator (Psalm 24:1) and must not become idols (Colossians 3:5). Related Biblical Themes • Luxury condemned: Isaiah 2:16; Revelation 18:12-13 Summary Through one well-placed reference, ebony epitomizes the brilliance and the brittleness of human achievement. The wood that seemed timeless in Tyre’s showrooms ultimately served the prophet’s purpose: to declare that every empire, however wealthy, must bow before the Lord of all the earth. Forms and Transliterations וְהָבְנִ֔ים והבנים vehaveNim wə·hā·ḇə·nîm wəhāḇənîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 27:15 HEB: [וְהֹובְנִים כ] (וְהָבְנִ֔ים ק) הֵשִׁ֖יבוּ NAS: tusks and ebony they brought KJV: horns of ivory and ebony. INT: tusks ivory ebony brought your payment 1 Occurrence |
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