Ezekiel 27:23
Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.
Original Language Analysis
שְׁבָ֑א
of Sheba
H7614
שְׁבָ֑א
of Sheba
Strong's:
H7614
Word #:
5 of 8
sheba, the name of three early progenitors of tribes and of an ethiopian district
אַשּׁ֖וּר
Asshur
H804
אַשּׁ֖וּר
Asshur
Strong's:
H804
Word #:
6 of 8
ashshur, the second son of shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e., assyria), its region and its empire
Cross References
2 Kings 19:12Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?Isaiah 37:12Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Telassar?Genesis 10:22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.Amos 1:5I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto Kir, saith the LORD.
Historical Context
Haran (modern Harran, Turkey) sat at the crossroads of ancient trade routes between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean. Assyria (Asshur) was the dominant Near Eastern power until Babylon defeated it in 609 BC. This verse captures the commercial world just before Babylon's rise—within decades, Nebuchadnezzar would conquer all these trading partners, including Tyre. Ezekiel's prophecy came during this transitional period (593 BC).
Questions for Reflection
- How does Tyre's willingness to trade with Israel's enemies challenge you to examine your own compromises with systems opposed to God's values?
- What "Assyrias" in your life—sources of profit or security that require moral compromise—do you need to identify and reject?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad—This verse lists Mesopotamian trading centers: Haran (Abraham's family city, Genesis 11:31-32), Canneh (possibly Calneh, Genesis 10:10), and Eden (likely Bit-Adini, an Aramean kingdom). The repetition of Sheba emphasizes Arabia's commercial dominance. Asshur (Assyria) represents the great empire that had conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. The Hebrew structure lists these cities as roklim (רֹכְלִים, merchants/traders), emphasizing their role as commercial intermediaries.
That Tyre traded with Israel's conqueror (Assyria) reveals the moral bankruptcy of commercial neutrality. Profit trumped loyalty or justice. The church faces the same temptation—partnering with worldly systems that oppose God's kingdom for the sake of influence or gain.