Lexical Summary rekullah: Merchandise, trade, commerce Original Word: רְכֻלָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance merchandise, traffic Feminine passive participle of rakal; trade (as peddled) -- merchandise, traffic. see HEBREW rakal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rakal Definition traffic, merchandise NASB Translation merchandise (1), trade (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [רְכֻלָּה] noun feminine 1 traffic; — suffix רְכֻלָּתֵךָ Ezekiel 28:5,16,18. 2 merchandise, רְכֻלָּתַךְ Ezekiel 26:12. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope The term describes commercial exchange—merchandise, trade, or traffic—especially on a grand, international scale. Although the vocabulary can be applied neutrally, in Ezekiel it becomes a moral category: trade pursued with greed, pride, and violence. Occurrences in Ezekiel 1. Ezekiel 26:12 depicts the Babylonian assault on Tyre: “They will plunder your wealth and pillage your merchandise”. In each case the word moves beyond economics to expose underlying corruption. Historical Background: Tyre and Phoenician Commerce Tyre dominated Mediterranean shipping from the tenth to the sixth centuries B.C. Its fleets connected Africa, Arabia, and Europe, exchanging purple dye, cedar, silver, and ivory. Success bred arrogance; Tyre trusted wealth rather than the covenant God (compare Isaiah 23:8-9). When Nebuchadnezzar II besieged the city (circa 585-573 B.C.), Ezekiel’s oracles declared that the very system that enriched Tyre would become its ruin. Theological Themes • Pride and Self-Sufficiency Trade expanded wealth, but “your heart has grown proud” (Ezekiel 28:5). The narrative parallels Genesis 11:4 and Proverbs 16:18, warning that economic achievement can eclipse dependence on the Lord. • Violence and Exploitation “Filled with violence” (Ezekiel 28:16) links commerce with injustice. When profit outranks righteousness, oppression follows (Amos 8:4-6). • Desecration of the Sacred “You profaned your sanctuaries” (Ezekiel 28:18). Material interests invaded worship, a foreshadowing of Jesus driving merchants from the temple courts (Matthew 21:12-13). • Cosmic Dimension of Evil The king of Tyre is pictured as a guardian cherub in Eden (Ezekiel 28:14-16). The fall through corrupt trade hints at the deeper reality of Satan’s rebellion, connecting earthly greed with spiritual wickedness (John 8:44; Revelation 12:9). • Judgment on Worldly Commerce Tyre’s downfall anticipates the collapse of end-time Babylon: “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her” (Revelation 18:11). God ultimately dismantles every economy that exalts itself against His glory. Application in Ministry 1. Guard the Heart Leaders and believers must monitor attitudes toward wealth. “Keep your lives free from the love of money” (Hebrews 13:5). Prosperity can mask pride and idolatry. 2. Pursue Just Commerce Business ventures should embody honesty and compassion (Leviticus 19:35-36; Colossians 4:1). Exploitation invites divine judgment. 3. Preserve Worship from Commercialism Church practices must resist turning ministry into a marketplace (1 Timothy 6:5-10). Sanctuary remains holy ground, not a platform for profit. 4. Hope in Final Justice Present inequities will be addressed when the Lord dismantles every corrupt system. The believer works with integrity, anticipating “new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Related Passages Proverbs 15:27; Proverbs 22:16; Micah 6:10-12; Matthew 6:24; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; James 5:1-6; Revelation 18:9-19. In Scripture, רְכֻלָּה serves as a mirror—reflecting the allure and peril of commerce, the triumph of holiness over greed, and the certainty that every kingdom built on dishonest gain will fall before the everlasting kingdom of God. Forms and Transliterations בִּרְכֻלָּתְךָ֖ ברכלתך רְכֻלָּ֣תְךָ֔ רְכֻלָּתְךָ֗ רְכֻלָּתֵ֔ךְ רכלתך bir·ḵul·lā·ṯə·ḵā birchullateCha birḵullāṯəḵā rə·ḵul·lā·ṯə·ḵā rə·ḵul·lā·ṯêḵ rechullaTech rechullateCha rəḵullāṯêḵ rəḵullāṯəḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 26:12 HEB: חֵילֵ֗ךְ וּבָֽזְזוּ֙ רְכֻלָּתֵ֔ךְ וְהָֽרְסוּ֙ חוֹמוֹתַ֔יִךְ NAS: and a prey of your merchandise, break down KJV: and make a prey of thy merchandise: and they shall break down INT: of your riches prey of your merchandise break your walls Ezekiel 28:5 Ezekiel 28:16 Ezekiel 28:18 4 Occurrences |
    |