Reference: Merchant
American
Ge 23:16. The commodities of different countries were usually exchanged by traders of various kinds, in caravans or "traveling companies," Isa 21:13, which had their regular season and routes for passing from one great mart to another, Ge 37:25,28. These merchants prospered by wandering, as ours do by remaining stationary. The apostle James reminds them to lay their plans in view of the uncertainty of life, and their need of divine guidance, Jas 4:13. Some of the maritime nations, as Egypt, and still more the Phoenicians, carried on a large traffic by sea, Isa 23:2; Eze 27:28.
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And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver of which he had spoken in the ears of the sons of Heth, - four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant,
And when they had sat down to eat bread, they lifted up their eyes and looked, and lo! a caravan of Ishmaelites, coming in from Gilead, - and, their camels, were bearing tragacanth gum, and balsam and cistus-gum, they were going their way, to take them down to Egypt.
And there passed by certain Midianites travelling merchants, so they drew forth and uplifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, for twenty pieces of silver, - and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
The oracle on Arabia, - Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye caravans of Dedanites.
Be dumb, ye inhabitants of the Coast, - Whom the merchants of Zidon, passing over the sea, once replenished;
At the sound of the outcry of thy pots, the coasts shall quake:
Come now! ye that say - Today or To-morrow, we will journey unto this city here, and will spend there a year, and will trade and get gain, -
Easton
The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning "to travel about," "to migrate," and hence "a traveller." In the East, in ancient times, merchants travelled about with their merchandise from place to place (Ge 37:25; Job 6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering (Ge 37:28; 39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded (Ge 49:13; De 33:18; Jg 5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (26/type/emb'>1Ki 9:26; 10:11,26,28; 22:48; 2Ch 1:16; 9:10,21). After Solomon's time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.
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And when they had sat down to eat bread, they lifted up their eyes and looked, and lo! a caravan of Ishmaelites, coming in from Gilead, - and, their camels, were bearing tragacanth gum, and balsam and cistus-gum, they were going their way, to take them down to Egypt.
And there passed by certain Midianites travelling merchants, so they drew forth and uplifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites, for twenty pieces of silver, - and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
Now, Joseph, was taken down to Egypt, - and Potiphar, courtier of Pharaoh, chief of the royal executioners, an Egyptian bought him, at the hand of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.
Zebulon, by a haven of seas, shall he settle down, - Even he, by a haven of ships, With his utmost part upon b Zidon.
And, of Zebulun, he said, Rejoice, Zebulun in thy going out, - And thou , Issachar in thy tents:
Gilead, beyond the Jordan, took his rest, but, Dan, wherefore remained he with the ships? Asher, abode by the shore of the seas, and, by his creeks, must needs rest.
A fleet also, did King Solomon build in Ezion-geber, which is beside Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.
Moreover also, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in, from Ophir sandal-wood in great abundance, and precious stones.
And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen, and so it was that he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, - for whom he found place in the chariot cities, and near the king, in Jerusalem.
And the horses that Solomon had were, an export, out of Egypt, - and, a company of the merchants of the king, used to fetch, a drove, at a price,
Jehoshaphat, made ships of Tarshish, to go to Ophir, for gold; but they went not, - for ships had been broken to pieces in Ezion-geber.
Caravans turn aside by their course, they go up into a waste, and are lost: