Lexical Summary maarab: West, sunset Original Word: מַעֲרָב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance market, merchandise From arab, in the sense of trading; traffic; by implication, mercantile goods -- market, merchandise. see HEBREW arab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom arab Definition articles of exchange, merchandise NASB Translation merchandise (9). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [מַעֲרָב] noun masculine usually collective articles of exchange, merchandise (only of Tyre, Ezekiel 27); — suffix מַעֲרָבֵךְ Job 17:13; Job 17:17; Job 17:19; Job 17:25; Job 17:27a; Job 17:34; as accusative of congnate meaning with verb with עָרַב Job 17:9; Job 17:27; plural suffix מַעֲרָבַיִךְ Job 17:33 perhaps thy (diverse) wares (DHMVOJ viii (1894), 4 proposes, ingeniously, meaning imports, deriving from V. ערב enter, but improbable). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Thematic Emphasis מַעֲרָב designates trade-goods offered for exchange—“merchandise,” “wares,” the commodities that pass between nations and peoples. In Scripture the word functions as a literary device that exposes the transitory glory of human commerce when it is divorced from covenant allegiance to the LORD. Canonical Context All nine occurrences cluster in Ezekiel 27, the prophet’s lament over the Phoenician port-city of Tyre. The concentration underscores a single prophetic purpose: to portray Tyre’s famed marketplace as the epitome of worldly splendor soon to sink beneath divine judgment. Historical Background: Tyre as Maritime Power From the tenth to the sixth century B.C., Tyre linked the eastern Mediterranean with Africa, Arabia and the western isles. Its wharfs bustled with dyed textiles, precious metals, and exotic foodstuffs. Assyrian and Babylonian records confirm the breadth of this network. Ezekiel names more than two dozen trading partners—Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Judah, Israel, Damascus, Arabia, and distant Tarshish—demonstrating the prophet’s intimate knowledge of international economics. Prophetic Portrait in Ezekiel 27 1. The pride of merchandise (Ezekiel 27:3–9) “All the ships of the sea with their sailors came alongside to barter for your merchandise.” (Ezekiel 27:9) Tyre is pictured as a stately ship painstakingly constructed from Lebanon’s cedars, Bashan’s oaks, and Egypt’s linen—yet utterly dependent on foreign crews and cargo. 2. The diversity of merchandise (Ezekiel 27:12–25) “Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat of Minnith, early figs, honey, oil, and balm for your wares.” (Ezekiel 27:17) The inspired catalogue ranges from luxury items (silver, coral, ivory) to daily necessities (wheat, wool). Even Judah’s produce appears, reminding God’s people how easily covenant blessings can be absorbed into pagan economies. 3. The collapse of merchandise (Ezekiel 27:26–36) “Your riches, your wares… your entire crew… fell into the heart of the seas on the day of your downfall.” (Ezekiel 27:27) One tempest—God’s appointed judgment—sends the vessel to the ocean floor. Mariners wail; merchants are appalled; the marketplace is silent. Theological and Practical Implications • The fragility of material security: Human prosperity, however diversified, cannot shield against the sovereignty of God. Christological and Missional Reflections Jesus Christ, greater than any merchant prince, purchases sinners “not with perishable things such as silver or gold… but with precious blood” (1 Peter 1:18–19). He alone offers “the water of life without cost” (Revelation 22:17). The church therefore engages the world’s marketplaces not to idolize their wares but to herald an unshakable kingdom (Hebrews 12:28). Whenever believers turn profit into worship, Ezekiel’s lament over מַעֲרָב echoes afresh, calling the people of God to measure treasure by eternal standards. Forms and Transliterations בְּמַעֲרָבֵ֖ךְ במערבך וּמַ֣עֲרָבַ֔יִךְ ומערביך מַ֠עֲרָבֵךְ מַעֲרָבֵ֑ךְ מַעֲרָבֵ֕ךְ מַעֲרָבֵ֥ךְ מַעֲרָבֵֽךְ׃ מערבך מערבך׃ bə·ma·‘ă·rā·ḇêḵ bəma‘ărāḇêḵ bemaaraVech ma‘ărāḇêḵ ma·‘ă·rā·ḇêḵ maaraVech ū·ma·‘ă·rā·ḇa·yiḵ ūma‘ărāḇayiḵ uMaaraVayichLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 27:9 HEB: בָ֔ךְ לַעֲרֹ֖ב מַעֲרָבֵֽךְ׃ NAS: were with you in order to deal in your merchandise. KJV: were in thee to occupy thy merchandise. INT: become to deal your merchandise Ezekiel 27:13 Ezekiel 27:17 Ezekiel 27:19 Ezekiel 27:25 Ezekiel 27:27 Ezekiel 27:27 Ezekiel 27:33 Ezekiel 27:34 9 Occurrences |
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