Tyre’s trade with Judah and Israel exemplifies the interdependence and providential supply that God orchestrates among nations.
In this verse, the prophet recounts how Tyre received valuable provisions, saying, “Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, cakes, honey, oil and balm they paid for your merchandise” (v.17). This statement speaks to a commercial relationship in which Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel—separate nations after roughly 930 BC due to the division of Solomon’s empire—provided essential goods. Wheat from Minnith, a region believed to be located northeast of the land of Israel, may have been known for its fertile fields and abundant harvest. These items (cakes, honey, oil, and balm) symbolize both agricultural richness and the daily sustenance that sustained life in that part of the ancient Near East.
The mention of Judah and Israel in discussion with Tyre highlights a closeness of trade ties in the mid-first millennium BC. Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem, endured as the southern kingdom until 586 BC, while Israel, centered in the north, fell to Assyria in 722 BC. Despite both kingdoms facing their own challenges and eventual conquest, their resources (honey from bees in hilly regions, oil from olive groves, and balm used for medicinal purposes) were highly desirable. The prophet’s note here demonstrates how expansive trade was integral to Tyre’s prosperity and positions Israelite regions as important contributors to the economic tapestry of the time.
This trade theme resonates with broader biblical motifs of provision and blessing in daily goods such as wheat, oil, and honey (Exodus 3:8). The New Testament depicts Jesus as the ultimate source of spiritual sustenance (John 6:35), hinting that while nations like Judah and Israel offered physical provisions to Tyre, God ultimately provides everything needful for body and soul. By citing these commodities, Ezekiel underscores the value of divine blessing reflected in everyday necessities and hints at the deeper provisions available to God’s people.
Set to dark mode
Ezekiel 27:17 meaning
In this verse, the prophet recounts how Tyre received valuable provisions, saying, “Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traders; with the wheat of Minnith, cakes, honey, oil and balm they paid for your merchandise” (v.17). This statement speaks to a commercial relationship in which Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel—separate nations after roughly 930 BC due to the division of Solomon’s empire—provided essential goods. Wheat from Minnith, a region believed to be located northeast of the land of Israel, may have been known for its fertile fields and abundant harvest. These items (cakes, honey, oil, and balm) symbolize both agricultural richness and the daily sustenance that sustained life in that part of the ancient Near East.
The mention of Judah and Israel in discussion with Tyre highlights a closeness of trade ties in the mid-first millennium BC. Judah, with its capital in Jerusalem, endured as the southern kingdom until 586 BC, while Israel, centered in the north, fell to Assyria in 722 BC. Despite both kingdoms facing their own challenges and eventual conquest, their resources (honey from bees in hilly regions, oil from olive groves, and balm used for medicinal purposes) were highly desirable. The prophet’s note here demonstrates how expansive trade was integral to Tyre’s prosperity and positions Israelite regions as important contributors to the economic tapestry of the time.
This trade theme resonates with broader biblical motifs of provision and blessing in daily goods such as wheat, oil, and honey (Exodus 3:8). The New Testament depicts Jesus as the ultimate source of spiritual sustenance (John 6:35), hinting that while nations like Judah and Israel offered physical provisions to Tyre, God ultimately provides everything needful for body and soul. By citing these commodities, Ezekiel underscores the value of divine blessing reflected in everyday necessities and hints at the deeper provisions available to God’s people.