Lexical Summary sachar: Wages, reward, hire, payment Original Word: סָחַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance mart, merchandise From cachar; an emporium; abstractly, profit (from trade) -- mart, merchandise. see HEBREW cachar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originthe same as sachar, q.v. Topical Lexicon Range of Meaning and Old Testament Usage The word points to material gain obtained through trade or commerce and appears only three times in Scripture (Proverbs 3:14; Isaiah 23:3; Isaiah 45:14). Although rare, each setting shows a distinct facet of earthly profit under the rule of a sovereign God. Wisdom Literature: Profit Re-Evaluated (Proverbs 3:14) “For she is more profitable than silver, and her gain is better than fine gold”. Here the commercial image serves as a metaphor. Human hearts readily measure value in coins and cargo; Solomon redirects that instinct toward God’s wisdom. The verse declares that spiritual understanding yields a return surpassing every market. Ministry implication: pastors and parents alike can appeal to economic instincts to commend the priceless worth of divine truth. Prophetic Oracles: Commerce Under Judgment and Redemption Isaiah twice employs the term to expose both the fragility and the redirection of international trade. • Isaiah 23:3: Tyre’s “revenue” derived from Nile grain reveals dependence on distant resources. The chapter’s lament shows that no port city, however strategic, can secure itself against the LORD’s decree. Merchants face exile, proving that economic networks rise or fall at His word. • Isaiah 45:14: “The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush … will come over to you and be yours”. Unlike the judgment of Tyre, this prophecy portrays wealth streaming toward Zion. The nations’ profit becomes an offering acknowledging Israel’s God. This anticipates the later mission to the Gentiles: material resources—and more significantly, people themselves—enter the service of the LORD. Historical Background In the eighth- and seventh-century Near East, Mediterranean maritime powers (Tyre especially) mediated grain from the Nile delta to markets across the sea. Isaiah names Shihor and Cush to evoke an economic corridor stretching from Africa to Phoenicia. Such references anchor the prophecies in real trade routes while highlighting divine control over geopolitical currents. Theological Themes 1. Sovereignty: God governs flows of capital as surely as He sends rain. Practical Ministry Reflections • Stewardship: Believers engaged in business should view profit as a trust, not an idol (Matthew 6:24). New Testament Echoes Although the Hebrew term itself does not continue into the Greek canon, its concept appears in words like kerdos (“gain,” Philippians 3:7). Paul counts every earthly advantage loss “because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus.” The apostle’s language recasts the Old Testament insight: ultimate profit lies in Christ. Eschatological Vision Isaiah’s picture of nations bringing their merchandise to Israel anticipates the consummation when “kings of the earth will bring their glory into” the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24). Final profit is gathered, purified, and laid before the throne, illustrating that all commerce finds its end in worship. Forms and Transliterations וּֽסְחַר־ וסחר־ מִסְּחַר־ מסחר־ סְחַ֥ר סחר mis·sə·ḥar- missechar missəḥar- sə·ḥar seChar səḥar ū·sə·ḥar- usechar ūsəḥar-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 3:14 HEB: ט֣וֹב סַ֭חְרָהּ מִסְּחַר־ כָּ֑סֶף וּ֝מֵחָר֗וּץ KJV: of it [is] better than the merchandise of silver, INT: is better her profit the merchandise of silver gold Isaiah 23:3 Isaiah 45:14 3 Occurrences |
    |