Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.
Parallel translations
- WEB Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded for your wares.
- KJV Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.
- NKJV “Tarshish was your merchant because of your many luxury goods. They gave you silver, iron, tin, and lead for your goods.
- NASB “Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kinds of wealth; with silver, iron, tin, and lead they paid for your merchandise.
- NLT “Tarshish sent merchants to buy your wares in exchange for silver, iron, tin, and lead.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Tarshish traded with Tyre in silver, iron, tin, and lead. It begins the long catalog of nations enriching her commerce.
Overview
The lament now lists Tyre's trading partners, beginning with distant Tarshish supplying metals. This roll call demonstrates the vast scope of her economic network. The detailed inventory magnifies Tyre's prosperity, making her later collapse a sobering illustration that worldly riches are uncertain and cannot secure a people against God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Isa 23:10Cultivate your land like the Nile, O Daughter of Tarshish; there is no longer a harbor.
- 1 Kgs 10:22For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
- Gen 10:4And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
- Ezek 38:13Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will ask, ‘Have you come to capture the plunder? Have you assembled your hordes to carry away loot, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and goods, to seize great spoil?’
- 2 Chr 20:36–37They agreed to make ships to go to Tarshish, and these were built in Ezion-geber.
- 1 Kgs 22:48Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
- Isa 23:14Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for your harbor has been destroyed!
- Jonah 1:3Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.
- Ezek 27:18Because of your many products and your great wealth of goods, Damascus traded with you wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar,
- Isa 60:9Surely the islands will wait for Me, with the ships of Tarshish in the lead, to bring your children from afar, with their silver and gold, to the honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.
- Ezek 27:16Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.
- Isa 2:16against every ship of Tarshish, and against every stately vessel.
- Ps 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
- Isa 23:6Cross over to Tarshish; wail, O inhabitants of the coastland!
- Jer 10:9Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz—the work of a craftsman from the hands of a goldsmith. Their clothes are blue and purple, all fashioned by skilled workers.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 27:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.