In biblical times, merchants played a significant role in the economic and social life of ancient societies. The term "merchant" refers to individuals engaged in trade, buying and selling goods for profit. The Bible provides various insights into the lives and activities of merchants, reflecting both their economic importance and the moral considerations associated with their trade.

Old Testament Context

Merchants are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in the context of trade routes and commerce. The ancient Near East was a hub of trade, with merchants traveling long distances to exchange goods such as spices, textiles, metals, and other valuable commodities. In Genesis 37:25, we read about a caravan of Ishmaelite merchants traveling from Gilead to Egypt, carrying spices, balm, and myrrh. This passage highlights the extensive trade networks that existed during the patriarchal period.

The book of Proverbs offers wisdom concerning the conduct of merchants, emphasizing honesty and integrity in business dealings. Proverbs 11:1 states, "Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but an accurate weight is His delight." This verse underscores the importance of fairness and honesty in trade, reflecting God's concern for justice in economic transactions.

Ezekiel 27 provides a detailed description of the city of Tyre, a prominent trading center in the ancient world. The chapter lists various goods and the nations involved in trade with Tyre, illustrating the city's wealth and the extensive reach of its commerce. However, the passage also serves as a warning against pride and reliance on material wealth, as Tyre's eventual downfall is attributed to its arrogance and self-sufficiency.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, merchants continue to be a part of the economic landscape. Jesus' parables often include references to trade and commerce, using them as illustrations to convey spiritual truths. In Matthew 13:45-46, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a merchant seeking fine pearls, who, upon finding one of great value, sells everything he has to purchase it. This parable highlights the supreme worth of the kingdom of heaven and the willingness to sacrifice all for its sake.

The cleansing of the temple, as recorded in the Gospels, also involves merchants. In John 2:14-16, Jesus drives out those selling animals and exchanging money in the temple courts, declaring, "Stop turning My Father’s house into a marketplace!" This act underscores the sanctity of worship and the danger of commercializing religious practices.

The book of Revelation provides a prophetic vision of the fall of Babylon, symbolizing the corrupt world system. Revelation 18:11-13 describes the lament of merchants over the destruction of Babylon, as they mourn the loss of their lucrative trade. This passage serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly wealth and the ultimate judgment of God upon unrighteousness.

Moral and Ethical Considerations

Throughout the Bible, the role of merchants is often examined through a moral and ethical lens. The Scriptures consistently advocate for honesty, fairness, and integrity in business dealings. The prophet Micah poses a rhetorical question in Micah 6:11, "Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights?" This question highlights God's intolerance for deceit and exploitation in commerce.

The Bible also warns against the dangers of materialism and the pursuit of wealth. In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul writes, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." This admonition serves as a caution to merchants and all believers to prioritize spiritual values over material gain.

In summary, merchants in the Bible are depicted as integral to the economic fabric of society, yet their activities are subject to divine scrutiny. The biblical narrative calls for ethical conduct in trade, emphasizing the importance of honesty, justice, and the recognition of God's sovereignty over all aspects of life.Merchant

Genesis 23:16. The commodities of different countries were usually exchanged by traders of various kinds, in caravans or "traveling companies," Isaiah 21:13, which had their regular season and routes for passing from one great mart to another, Genesis 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, James 4:13. Some of the maritime nations, as Egypt, and still more the Phoenicians, carried on a large traffic by sea, Isaiah 23:2 Ezekiel 27:28.

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 (Genesis 37:25; Job 6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering (Genesis 37:28; 39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded (49:13; Deuteronomy 33:18; Judges 5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (1 Kings 9:26; 10:11, 26, 28; 22:48; 2 Chronicles 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. 1. (n.) One who traffics on a large scale, especially with foreign countries; a trafficker; a trader.

2. (n.) A trading vessel; a merchantman.

3. (n.) One who keeps a store or shop for the sale of goods; a shopkeeper.

4. (a.) Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant service.

5. (v. i.) To be a merchant; to trade.

MERCHANT; MERCHANTMAN

mur'-chant, mur'-chant-man.

See COMMERCE; MERCHANDISE; TRADE.

1713. emporos -- a passenger on shipboard, a merchant
... a passenger on shipboard, a merchant. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
emporos Phonetic Spelling: (em'-por-os) Short Definition: a merchant ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1713.htm - 7k

1710. emporeuomai -- to travel in, to traffic, by impl. to trade
... to trade. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: emporeuomai Phonetic Spelling:
(em-por-yoo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I travel as a merchant, engage in trade ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1710.htm - 7k

2585. kapeleuo -- to make a trade of
... of gain. 2585 -- properly, to act as an unscrupulous merchant, ie "a "
who profits by " the Word of God" for personal gain. 2585 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2585.htm - 6k

3669b. kenaani -- a trader, merchant
... 3669a, 3669b. kenaani. 3670 . a trader, merchant. Transliteration: kenaani
Short Definition: merchant. Word Origin from kana Definition ...
/hebrew/3669b.htm - 5k

3667b. kenaan -- a merchant
... 3667a, 3667b. kenaan. 3668 . a merchant. Transliteration: kenaan Short
Definition: merchants. Word Origin from kana Definition a ...
/hebrew/3667b.htm - 5k

7402. rakal -- probably to go about
... Word Origin a prim. root Definition probably to go about NASB Word Usage merchant
(2), merchants (3), traded (4), traders (8). spice merchant. ...
/hebrew/7402.htm - 6k

3667. Kna'an -- a son of Ham, also his desc. and their land West ...
... Canaan, merchant, traffic From kana'; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the
country inhabited by him -- Canaan, merchant, traffick. see HEBREW kana'. ...
/hebrew/3667.htm - 5k

3669. Kna'aniy -- inhab. of Canaan
... Kna'aniy. 3669a . inhab. of Canaan. Transliteration: Kna'aniy Phonetic Spelling:
(ken-ah-an-ee') Short Definition: Canaanite. Canaanite, merchant, trafficker ...
/hebrew/3669.htm - 5k

5503. sachar -- to go around or about, travel about
... root Definition to go around or about, travel about NASB Word Usage commercial
(1), customer (3), customers (2), merchant (1), merchants (6), roving about (1 ...
/hebrew/5503.htm - 6k

7788. shur -- perhaps to travel, journey
... Travel about. A primitive root; properly, to turn, ie Travel about (as a harlot
or a merchant) -- go, singular See also shiyr. see HEBREW shiyr. 7787, 7788. ...
/hebrew/7788.htm - 6k

8446. tur -- to seek out, spy out, explore
... root; to meander (causatively, guide) about, especially for trade or reconnoitring --
chap(-man), sent to descry, be excellent, merchant(-man), search (out ...
/hebrew/8446.htm - 6k

8659. Tarshish -- a son of Javan, his desc. and their land, also a ...
... the same as tarshiysh (as the region of the stone, or the reverse); Tarshish, a
place on the Mediterranean, hence, the ephithet of a merchant vessel (as if for ...
/hebrew/8659.htm - 6k

7403. Rakal -- a city in S. Judah
... Rachal. From rakal; merchant; Rakal, a place in Palestine -- Rachal. see HEBREW
rakal. 7402, 7403. Rakal. 7404 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7403.htm - 6k

The Merchant.
... THE MERCHANT. THE MERCHANT. 9,9,9,9. ... transl., Jane Borthwick or Sarah Findlater.
Once a merchant travelled far and wide,. Over mountain-chains and ocean's tide; ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/borthwick/hymns from the land of luther/the merchant.htm

Carletta and the Merchant
... CARLETTA AND THE MERCHANT. "If I could only have your faith, gladly would I--- but
I was born a skeptic. I cannot look upon God and the future as you do." ...
/.../carletta and the merchant.htm

The Merchant's Son.
... THE MERCHANT'S SON. JOHN HARVEY was born in London, in the year 1654: his
father was a Dutch merchant: he was piously educated under ...
/.../wesley/stories of boys and girls who loved the saviour/the merchants son.htm

The Pearl of Great Price.
... THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. Very similar to the parable of the Hidden Treasure
is this one of the merchant seeking goodly pearls. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the new testament/the pearl of great price.htm

Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas.
... And as he was thus speaking and growing angry, there happened to be there a certain
merchant come from India, by name Abbanes, sent from the king Gundaphoros ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostle thomas/acts of the holy apostle.htm

Ezekiel's Discourse
... saying, And thou, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre; and say unto Tyre,
O thou that dwellest at the entry of the sea, which art the merchant of the ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii ezekiels discourse.htm

Saved and Saving.
... A few years ago, in a town somewhere in this state, a merchant died, and while
he was lying a corpse I was told a story I will never forget. ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/saved and saving.htm

Twenty-Fourth Lesson. In My Name;'
... A merchant leaving his home and business, gives his chief clerk a general power,
by which he can draw thousands of pounds in the merchant's name. ...
/.../murray/with christ in the school of prayer/twenty-fourth lesson in my name.htm

Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas, when He came into India, and ...
... And when the apostle came into the cities of India, with Abbanes the merchant, Abbanes
went away to salute Gundaphoros the king, and reported to him about the ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostle thomas/acts of the holy apostle 2.htm

Making Haste to be Rich.
... This was the language of an old merchant, who had made his fortune by the system
he recommended, and was addressed to a young man just entering business with a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arthur/words for the wise/making haste to be rich.htm

Merchant (15 Occurrences)
... 4. (a.) Of, pertaining to, or employed in, trade or merchandise; as, the merchant
service. 5. (vi) To be a merchant; to trade. Int. ...MERCHANT; MERCHANTMAN. ...
/m/merchant.htm - 13k

Merchant's (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Merchant's (1 Occurrence). Proverbs 31:14 She is like
the merchant's ships; she bringeth her food from afar. (WBS). ...
/m/merchant's.htm - 6k

Merchant-ships (1 Occurrence)
Merchant-ships. Merchant's, Merchant-ships. Mercies . Multi-Version
Concordance Merchant-ships (1 Occurrence). Proverbs ...
/m/merchant-ships.htm - 6k

Canaanites (63 Occurrences)
... and Sidon, their famous cities, were the centres of great commercial activity; and
hence the name "Canaanite" came to signify a "trader" or "merchant" (Job 41:6 ...
/c/canaanites.htm - 55k

Canaan (102 Occurrences)
... 2. Meaning of the Name: As the Phoenicians were famous as traders, it has been supposed
that the name "Canaanite" is a synonym of "merchant" in certain ...
/c/canaan.htm - 64k

Trafficker (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who traffics, or carries on commerce; a trader;
a merchant. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TRAFFIC, TRAFFICKER. ...
/t/trafficker.htm - 9k

Traffic (12 Occurrences)
... traf'-ik-er (kena`-an, micchar, cachar, rekhullah): (1) Kena`an = "Canaan," and,
as the Canaanites were celebrated merchants, came to mean "merchant," and so ...
/t/traffic.htm - 12k

Trafficked (7 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:12 Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds
of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded for thy wares. ...
/t/trafficked.htm - 8k

Merchantman
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A merchant. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MERCHANT; MERCHANTMAN. mur'-chant, mur'-chant-man. ...
/m/merchantman.htm - 6k

Customer (3 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:12 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. ...
/c/customer.htm - 7k

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