Hebrew word · H5801

עִזָּבוֹן

izvonayikh

ware

A technical trade term found only in Ezekiel 27 (vv. 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 27, 33). Lexicons give 'wares, goods, merchandise' (BDB, HALOT). It is usually derived from the verb ‘āzab, 'to leave, leave behind', which suggests goods 'left' or deposited at a market in exchange.

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

wares, goods

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezekiel 27:12

Range of meaning

A technical trade term found only in Ezekiel 27 (vv. 12, 14, 16, 19, 22, 27, 33). Lexicons give 'wares, goods, merchandise' (BDB, HALOT). It is usually derived from the verb ‘āzab, 'to leave, leave behind', which suggests goods 'left' or deposited at a market in exchange. Its companion term ma‘ărāb (v. 13 etc.) comes from ‘ārab, 'to exchange, give in pledge'.

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NIV and ESV say 'wares'. KJV's 'fairs' follows the Vulgate's nundinas (market-days). YLT's 'remnants' follows the root 'leave' too woodenly. 'Wares' is the safest rendering.

How it drifted

KJV's 'fairs' was correct in 1611 English, where a 'fair' was a periodic market for buying and selling. Today readers hear funfairs or county fairs. YLT's 'remnants' turns a commercial term into 'leftovers'.

Used elsewhere in the period

It is not attested elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible. Because its exact force has to be worked out from Ezekiel 27 alone, commentators (Zimmerli, Greenberg, Block) differ on whether it means goods in general, exports, or goods given in exchange.

Where it appears

Ezekiel · 7

  1. Ezekiel 27:12 עִזְבוֹנָֽיִךְ׃ wares your

    Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.

    Here: 'Your wares'. This rare trade term is found only in Ezekiel 27. It names the goods that change hands at Tyre's market, and the metals are what Tarshish paid for them.

  2. Ezekiel 27:14 עִזְבוֹנָֽיִךְ׃ wares your

    The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.

  3. Ezekiel 27:16 בְּעִזְבוֹנָֽיִךְ׃ for wares your

    Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.

  4. Ezekiel 27:19 בְּעִזְבוֹנַ֖יִךְ for wares your

    and casks of wine from Izal for your wares. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were exchanged for your merchandise.

  5. Ezekiel 27:22 עִזְבוֹנָֽיִךְ׃ wares your

    The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.

  6. Ezekiel 27:27 וְעִזְבוֹנַ֔יִךְ and wares your

    Your wealth, wares, and merchandise, your sailors, captains, and shipwrights, your merchants and all the warriors within you, with all the other people on board, will sink into the heart of the sea on the day of your downfall.

  7. Ezekiel 27:33 עִזְבוֹנַ֙יִךְ֙ wares your

    When your wares went out to sea, you satisfied many nations. You enriched the kings of the earth with your abundant wealth and merchandise.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.