Ezekiel 27:15

Eze 27:15 The men of Dedan [were] thy merchants; many isles [were] the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee [for] a present horns of ivory and ebony.

Ver. 15. The men of Dedan.] Arabians. {Gen 10:7} The Septuagint render them Rhodians.

Horns of ivory.] The elephant’s two great tusks, crooked as horns.

And ebony.] Hebenum, which hath affinity with Eben, which signifieth a stone, for ebony is a wood hard and heavy as a stone. The Chaldee rendereth it peacocks.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

27:15 Dedan was a central Arabian oasis (see also 27:20), but it might also refer to a coastal region north of Tyre.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Meaning, Unicorn’s horns, and Elephant’s teeth.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Dedan--near the Persian Sea: thus an avenue to the commerce of India. Not the Dedan in Arabia (Eze 27:20), as the names in the context here prove, but the Dedan sprung from Cush [BOCHART], (Gen 10:7).

merchandise of thine hand--that is, were dependent on thee for trade [FAIRBAIRN]; came to buy the produce of thy hands [GROTIUS].

a present--literally, "a reward in return"; a price paid for merchandise.

horns of ivory--Ivory is so termed from its resemblance to horns. The Hebrew word for "ivory" means "tooth"; so that they cannot have mistaken ivory as if coming from the horns of certain animals, instead of from the tusks of the elephant.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. The men of Dedan] Dedan was one of the descendants of Abraham by Keturah, and dwelt in Arabia, Ge 25:3. Ivory and ebony might come from that quarter. By way of distinction ivory is called both in Hebrew ש shen, and in Arabic [Arabic] shen, the TOOTH, as that beautiful substance is the tooth of the elephant.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) Dedan.—This Dedan is a descendant of Ham through Cush (Gen_10:7). The tribe was located in Arabia, probably upon the shores of the Persian Gulf (Isa_21:13). The Dedan of Eze_27:20, on the other hand, is a Semitic tribe, spoken of also in Eze_25:13; Jer_49:8. The “many isles” of this Dedan were the islands in the Persian Gulf, on the Arabian coast, and they were “merchandise” in the sense of supplying material for the commerce of Tyre. “Brought thee for a present” might seem to imply tribute, but the original rather conveys the idea of return payment. “Horns of ivory” is, literally, horns of teeth; the name “horn” being simply a commercial term derived from the shape of the elephant’s tusk. “Ebony” is a word used only here. It was brought both from India and Ethiopia, the wood from the latter being preferred.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. men of Dedan] lit. sons of Dedan; LXX. sons of the Rhodians (r being read for d, as often). Dedan occurs again Eze_27:20, in connexion with Arabian tribes, and in Eze_25:13 it appears to be placed S. of Edom, being either part of that country or bordering on it (cf. Jer_49:8; Jer_25:23; Isa_21:13). Here, however, Dedan is connected with coast lands and must be another. Hence it has usually been placed on the Persian Gulf. Ivory and ebony, the articles in which it traded, might be Indian products. On the other hand the Phœnicians certainly had colonies in Rhodes; and if Rhodians were the true reading the “isles” would be the coasts of the Mediterranean.

merchandise of thine hand] If “merchandise” be the right reading the abstract term is used for “merchants.” The phrase “of thy hand” means under thee, doing thy service, cf. Eze_27:21.

horns of ivory] Tusks of elephants, so called from their resemblance to horns. Ebony, the other article referred to, was brought from India and Ethiopia. The African ebony was most esteemed. If Rhodians be read reference would be to the traffic between Phœnicia and the interior of Africa, the intermediaries of which were Rhodes and the sea-coasts of the Mediterranean. Rawlin. (Phœnicia, p. 287) mentions that many objects in ivory have been found in Cyprus.

brought thee for a present. Rather: horns of ivory … they rendered to thee as tribute, lit. rendered as thy tribute. Tyre is the mistress to whom the nations are subject, and the merchandise they bring is a tribute which they render to her.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making,.... Which they took off of their hands, and for them brought the following things:

they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds; precious stones of a green colour: Jarchi renders it "carbuncles", other precious stones of a different colour; and so the word is translated by Pagninus, Montanus, Grotius, the French, and Diodate; sometimes called "carchedonies", and which the Apostle John calls the "chalcedony", Rev 21:19, the same with rubies; and so the word here used is rendered by Luther; and, by Abarbinel, precious stones of great value; see Pro 3:15, from whence the Syrians had these to trade with at Tyre cannot be easily said; the modern rubies, which are thought to be the true and genuine carbuncles of the ancients, seldom exceed the weight of twenty carats; yet some say the Emperor Rudolphus the second had a ruby as big as a little hen's egg, bought at sixty thousand ducats, and supposed to be worth more; and that Regulus Decan had one of thirty four carats, bought at six minas of gold, that is, a hundred and ninety two pounds of gold; and that the great Mogul had one, which cost a million four hundred and twenty five thousand florins; and that there are some which exceed the weight of fifty carats (f); but there were few, if any of these, that came to the market of Tyre; however, no doubt, some valuable ones were here sold.

Purple, and broidered work, and fine linen; cloth of purple colour, raiment of needlework curiously embroidered, and linen of the best sort. So the Targum,

"purple clothes, and wrought with a needle, and linen of different colours;''

and of such they made their sails, tilts, and tents; see Eze 27:7.

And coral, and agate; the first is a sea plant.

"This opinion is now so well established, that all other sentiments seem almost precluded. P. Kircher supposes entire forests of it at the bottom of the sea; and M. Tournefort, that able botanist, maintains, that it evidently multiplies by seed, though neither its flower nor seed be known. However, the count de Marsigli has discovered some parts therein, which seem to serve the purpose of seeds and flower, it vegetates the contrary way to all other plants; its foot adhering to the top of the grotto, and its branches shooting downwards, there are properly but three kinds of coral, red, white, and black; the white is the rarest and most esteemed; but it is the red that is ordinarily used in medicine; the places for fishing it are the Persian gulf, Red sea, coasts of Africa towards the bastion of France, the isles of Majorca and Corsica, and the coasts of Provence and Catalonia (g).''

Perhaps the Syrians might have theirs from the Red sea, or the Mediterranean. The other, the "agate", is a precious stone, the same with the "achates", first found in Sicily, as Isidore says (h), by a river of the same name; is of a black colour, according to him, having in the middle black and white circles joined and variegated; but they are of different colours, and of different degrees of transparency. The word is variously rendered; by some the ruby; by others the carbuncle; by others the chalcedony; and by others crystal; it is hard to say what is meant. Now the Phoenicians or Tyrians were so deeply engaged in trade with the Syrians, that it became a common proverb, the Phonicians against the Syrians (i); when like are set against like, as the Egyptians against the Egyptians, Isa 19:2.

(f) Vid. Braunium de Vestitu Sacerdot. Hebr. 1. 2. c. 11. p. 669. (g) Chambers's Cyclopaedia in the word "Coral". (h) Origin, l. 16. c. 11. (i) Vid. Reinesium de Lingua Punic. c. 2. sect. 12.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Dedan. Septuagint, "Rhodians;" or rather Arabs are meant, ver. 20. They might receive ivory from Ethiopia. --- Teeth. Hebrew, "horns or tusks," which the elephant casts every year. The ivory is less brittle, 3 Kings x. 18. (Calmet) --- Ebony; a hard black wood, like horn. (Bochart)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Dedan: see Eze 25:13. This Dedan was in Arabia, built by Dedan the son of Regina, not far from the Persian Gulf, and now called Daden, whence through the Red Sea they might convey their own merchandise.

Many isles, in the Indian Seas and in the Red Sea, traded with thee.

For a present; knowing how acceptable they were to get thy favour, they either made presents, and gave these things, or brought them to sell. Horns; elks’ horns, or wild goats’; some think it is meant of the unicorn, but the first is likeliest.

Ivory; ivory, not

of, the Hebrew is not in

regimen, but in

apposition, and should be read, They brought thee presents, horns, ivory, and ebony, which is a very solid, heavy, shining, and black wood, fit for many choice works.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Dedan — This Dedan is perhaps different from the one mentioned in connection with Edom. (See note Eze_25:13). Here Dedan appears not with Edom, but with the “isles,” or “coasts,” and it is, perhaps, better to read, with the Greek version, “Rhoda.” A famous colony of the Phoenicians existed at Rhodes. The people named seem to have brought to Tyre for a present (literally, for payment, or tribute) elephant tusks and ebony, which they doubtless had obtained from Ethiopia or India.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The men of Dedan. The name occurs again in Ver. 20, and has already met us in Eze_25:13 (where see note) Here the words probably refer to the many isles of the Persian Gulf or the Red Sea. So the ships of Solomon and Hiram ships of Tarshish (name used generically for merchant-vessels) brought ivory among their other imports, starting from Ezion-Geber. (1Ki_9:26 1Ki_10:22) Ebony came from Ethiopia and India. Virgil, indeed, names the latter country as the only region which produced it ("Georg.," 2:115). Ceylon is at present one of the chief sources of supply. The LXX curiously enough gives Rhodians, the Hebrew letters for d and r being easily mistaken by copyists.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isles - In the Indian seas, and in the Red-sea traded with thee. Horns - Elk's horns, or wild goats. Ebony - Is a very solid, heavy, shining, black wood, fit for many choice works.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

your place [Heb. יָדִךּ, lit. your hand,] your place.

horns, ivory, and peacocks horns of ibexes, bones of elephants, and peacocks, birds called paon in French.

brought you as a gift [Heb. הֵשִּׁיבוּ אֶשְּׁכָּרֵךּ,] brought your gift.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.