Ezekiel 27:20
Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Dedan was a major Arabian caravan city controlling the incense route from South Arabia to the Mediterranean. Dedanite inscriptions from the 6th-5th centuries BC confirm their role in the luxury textile trade. The mention of chariot cloths reflects the military aristocracy of the ancient Near East, where horses and chariots were symbols of power and wealth (though Israel was warned against trusting in them—Psalm 20:7).
Questions for Reflection
- How does God's detailed knowledge of Tyre's trading partners challenge any notion that secular commerce exists outside His sovereign awareness?
- In what areas of your life do you compartmentalize "business" from "spiritual" matters, forgetting God sees and judges all?
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Analysis & Commentary
Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots (בִּגְדֵי־חֹפֶשׁ לְרִכְבָּה, bigdei-chofesh lerikbah)—Dedan (modern Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia) was an Arabian trading tribe descended from Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:3). The phrase "precious clothes for chariots" likely refers to saddle blankets or riding cloths for horses and chariots, luxury items for military and aristocratic use. The Hebrew chofesh suggests freedom or nobility, indicating high-status textiles.
Dedan appears twice in Ezekiel's oracles—here as Tyre's trading partner, and in 25:13 receiving judgment. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations, whether engaged in commerce or conquest. The specificity of these trading relationships shows divine omniscience—God knows every transaction, every partnership, every source of human pride.