Trade and Merchants in the Bible

• Abraham weighs out silver “according to the standard of the merchants”Gen 23:16
  The verses

  Gen 23:16Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of the merchants.
• An Ishmaelite caravan carries spices, balm and myrrh to EgyptGen 37:25
  The verses

  Gen 37:25And as they sat down to eat a meal, they looked up and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. Their camels were carrying spices, balm, and myrrh on their way down to Egypt.
• Joseph is sold to traders for twenty shekels of silverGen 37:28, Gen 37:36
  The verses

  Gen 37:28So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

  Gen 37:36Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
• Hiram sends cedar and cypress; Solomon pays in wheat and olive oil1 Kgs 5:8–11, 2 Chr 2:15
  The verses

  1 Kgs 5:8–11Then Hiram sent a reply to Solomon, saying: “I have received your message; I will do all you desire regarding the cedar and cypress timber. My servants will haul the logs from Lebanon to the Sea, and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate the logs, and you can take them away. And in exchange, you can meet my needs by providing my household with food.” So Hiram provided Solomon with all the cedar and cypress timber he wanted, and year after year Solomon would provide Hiram with 20,000 cors of wheat as food for his household, as well as 20,000 baths of pure olive oil.

  2 Chr 2:15Now let my lord send to his servants the wheat, barley, olive oil, and wine he promised.
• Solomon’s fleet brings 420 talents of gold from Ophir1 Kgs 9:26–28
  The verses

  1 Kgs 9:26–28King Solomon also assembled a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea. And Hiram sent his servants, men who knew the sea, to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s servants. They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.
• Solomon receives revenue from merchants and traders1 Kgs 10:15, 2 Chr 9:14
  The verses

  1 Kgs 10:15not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.

  2 Chr 9:14not including the revenue from the merchants and traders. And all the Arabian kings and governors of the land also brought gold and silver to Solomon.
• Naomi sells the land that belonged to ElimelechRuth 4:3
  The verses

  Ruth 4:3And he said to the kinsman-redeemer, “Naomi, who has returned from the land of Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech.
• Goldsmiths and merchants repair a section of Jerusalem’s wallNeh 3:32
  The verses

  Neh 3:32And between the upper room above the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and merchants made repairs.
• Men of Tyre sell fish in Jerusalem on the SabbathNeh 13:16
  The verses

  Neh 13:16Additionally, men of Tyre who lived there were importing fish and all kinds of merchandise and selling them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah in Jerusalem.
• Nehemiah shuts the gates; merchants camp outside the cityNeh 13:19–20
  The verses

  Neh 13:19–20When the evening shadows began to fall on the gates of Jerusalem, just before the Sabbath, I ordered that the gates be shut and not opened until after the Sabbath. I posted some of my servants at the gates so that no load could enter on the Sabbath day. Once or twice, the merchants and those who sell all kinds of goods camped outside Jerusalem,
• A capable wife buys a field and sells linen garmentsProv 31:16, Prov 31:24
  The verses

  Prov 31:16She appraises a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

  Prov 31:24She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchants.
• Paul’s ship unloads its cargo at TyreActs 21:2–3
  The verses

  Acts 21:2–3Finding a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, we boarded it and set sail. After sighting Cyprus and passing south of it, we sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo.
• Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from ThyatiraActs 16:14
  The verses

  Acts 16:14Among those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message.
• Money changers and dove sellers in the temple courtsJohn 2:14
  The verses

  John 2:14In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables.
• A merchant sells all he has for one precious pearl (a parable)Matt 13:45–46
  The verses

  Matt 13:45–46Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
• Servants are given money to trade with (a parable)Luke 19:13, Matt 25:16
  The verses

  Luke 19:13Beforehand, he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Conduct business with this until I return,’ he said.

  Matt 25:16The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more.
• “Tomorrow we will go to this or that city and carry on business”Jas 4:13
  The verses

  Jas 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”

Trading with Tyre (Ezekiel 27)

• Tarshish: silver, iron, tin and leadEzek 27:12
  The verses

  Ezek 27:12Tarshish was your merchant because of your great wealth of goods; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your wares.
• Javan, Tubal and Meshech: slaves and bronze utensilsEzek 27:13
  The verses

  Ezek 27:13Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your merchants. They exchanged slaves and bronze utensils for your merchandise.
• Beth-togarmah: horses, war horses and mulesEzek 27:14
  The verses

  Ezek 27:14The men of Beth-togarmah exchanged horses, war horses, and mules for your wares.
• Dedan: saddlecloths; the coastlands: ivory tusks and ebonyEzek 27:15, Ezek 27:20
  The verses

  Ezek 27:15The men of Dedan were your clients; many coastlands were your market; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

  Ezek 27:20Dedan was your merchant in saddlecloths for riding.
• Aram: turquoise, purple, embroidery, fine linen, coral and rubiesEzek 27:16
  The verses

  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.
• Judah and Israel: wheat, honey, oil and balmEzek 27:17
  The verses

  Ezek 27:17Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, cakes and honey, oil and balm for your merchandise.
• Damascus: wine of Helbon and woolEzek 27:18
  The verses

  Ezek 27:18Because of your many products and your great wealth of goods, Damascus traded with you wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar,
• Arabia and Kedar: lambs, rams and goatsEzek 27:21
  The verses

  Ezek 27:21Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats.
• Sheba and Raamah: spices, precious stones and goldEzek 27:22
  The verses

  Ezek 27:22The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.

In the Law

• Honest scales, weights and measuresLev 19:35–36, Deut 25:13–15
  The verses

  Lev 19:35–36You must not use dishonest measures of length, weight, or volume. You shall maintain honest scales and weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

  Deut 25:13–15You shall not have two differing weights in your bag, one heavy and one light. You shall not have two differing measures in your house, one large and one small. You must maintain accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
• Buyer and seller must not take advantage of each otherLev 25:14
  The verses

  Lev 25:14If you make a sale to your neighbor or a purchase from him, you must not take advantage of each other.

Sayings

• “Worthless!” says the buyer, then boasts on the way outProv 20:14
  The verses

  Prov 20:14“Worthless, worthless!” says the buyer, but on the way out, he gloats.
• Traders who wait for the Sabbath to end to sell grainAmos 8:5
  The verses

  Amos 8:5asking, “When will the New Moon be over, that we may sell grain? When will the Sabbath end, that we may market wheat? Let us reduce the ephah and increase the shekel; let us cheat with dishonest scales.