Ezekiel 27:15

15 The sons of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles (provided) the merchandise of thine hand, (they) (ex)changed teeth of ivory, and of ebony, in thy price (at thy price).

Ezekiel 27:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 27:15

The men of Dedan were thy merchants
Not Dedan in Idumea or Edom, but in Arabia, from Dedan the son of Raamah, ( Genesis 10:7 ) : many isles were the merchandise of thine hands;
that is, many isles took off their manufactures from them, in lieu of what they brought them, which were as follow: they brought thee for a present;
that they might have the liberty of trading in their fairs and markets; or rather for a reward, or as a price, for the goods they had of them: horns of ivory and ebony;
Kimchi reads them as separate things; and which the Targum confirms, "horns, ivory, and ebony"; elks' horns, or horns of goats, as the Targum; and "ivory", or the teeth of elephants; and "ebony", which is a wood of a very black colour, hard and heavy, and of which many things are made. The Targum takes it for the name of a fowl, and renders it peacocks; so Jarchi; see ( 2 Chronicles 9:21 ) , but Ben Melech much better interprets it of a tree, called in Arabia "ebenus". Solinus makes it peculiar to India ^F4; and so Virgil ^F5.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Polyhistor. c. 65.
F5 "----Sola India nigrum fert ebenum.----" Virgil. Georgic. 1. 2.

Ezekiel 27:15 In-Context

13 Greece, and Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants, and brought bondmen and brazen vessels to thy people (and brought slaves and bronze vessels to thy people).

14 From the house of Togarmah they brought horses, and horsemen, and mules, to thy chapping.

15 The sons of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles (provided) the merchandise of thine hand, (they) (ex)changed teeth of ivory, and of ebony, in thy price (at thy price).

16 Syria was thy merchant, for the multitude of thy works, they setted forth in thy market gem(s), and purple, and clothes woven diversely at the manner of shields, and bis, and silk, and coral, either avoirdupois.

17 Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants in the best wheat, and setted forth in thy fairs balm, and honey, and oil, and resin. (Judah and the land of Israel were thy merchants of the wheat of Minnith, and set forth in thy fairs balm, and honey, and oil, and resin.)