Bible Strands
Ezekiel 27:13
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The prophet delivers God’s oracle against Tyre, addressing the city as a maritime commercial power. He catalogs its international trade routes to document its wealth and expose its impending vulnerability.
The words — The term בְּנֶפֶשׁ (bə·ne·peš) literally means "lives" or "souls," denoting the human beings traded as property. יָוָן (yā·wān) identifies the Greek-speaking region whose merchants conducted this commerce.
The thread — Genesis 10:2 and 1 Chronicles 1:5 list Javan, Tubal, and Meshech as descendants of Japheth. Isaiah 66:19 later references distant nations like Tarshish as recipients of God’s proclaimed sign.
Why it lands — The text records Tyre’s reliance on foreign trade networks to sustain its economy. It demands recognition that commercial prosperity depends on external alliances and remains subject to divine judgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.
Cross-references
- Genesis 10:2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Isaiah 66:19 I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
- 1 Chronicles 1:5 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
- Ezekiel 39:1 “As for you, O son of man, prophesy against Gog and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
- Revelation 18:13 of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and carriages; of bodies and souls of slaves.
- Ezekiel 32:26 Meshech and Tubal are there with all their multitudes, with their graves all around them. All of them are uncircumcised, slain by the sword, because they spread their terror in the land of the living.
- Joel 3:3 They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.
- Genesis 10:4 And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
- 1 Chronicles 1:7 And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
- Ezekiel 27:19 and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.