Original Word: בְּרוֹם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: browm
Pronunciation: beh-ROHM
Phonetic Spelling: (ber-ome')
KJV: rich apparel
NASB: many colors
Word Origin: [probably of foreign origin]

1. damask (stuff of variegated thread)

rich apparel

Probably of foreign origin; damask (stuff of variegated thread) -- rich apparel.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
variegated cloth
NASB Translation
many colors (1).

בְּרֹמִים noun [masculine] variegated cloth (Arabic rope (or fabric) of two strands or colours; compare Assyrian birmu, a kind of clothing COT^Gloss, burmu, iris, Zim^{BP 82}; on bur¥mu compare Jen^{Kosmol. 6 ff.}) וּבְגִנְזֵי בְּרֹמִים Ezekiel 27:24.

בַּרְנֵעַ compare ׳קדשׁ ב.

Overview

בְּרוֹם appears once in Scripture, at Ezekiel 27:24, where it supplies a vivid detail in the prophet’s lament over the commercial greatness—and coming ruin—of Tyre. The word conveys the idea of something raised, elevated, or set on high, which in this context highlights both the literal height of costly merchandise stacked for display and the figurative elevation of Tyre’s pride.

Usage in Ezekiel 27:24

Ezekiel catalogs the wares that made Tyre “perfect in beauty” and the envy of the nations. Among the articles listed are “multicolored carpets, bound with cords and tightly knotted”. The placement of בְּרוֹם within the verse underscores merchandise carefully packed “in the height” of Tyre’s bazaars—items so prized that they were lifted above common goods for safekeeping and admiration. Ezekiel deliberately contrasts this lofty imagery with the city’s coming plunge into the depths (Ezekiel 27:34), dramatizing the reversal that divine judgment brings on human arrogance.

Historical Background: Maritime Commerce of Tyre

In the sixth century B.C., Tyre dominated Mediterranean trade. Excavations and extra-biblical records confirm that luxury textiles from Mesopotamia and Arabia, along with ornate rugs and tapestries, were shipped through her harbors. Merchants stored such valuables on elevated shelving or upper rooms to protect them from street moisture and theft. Ezekiel’s single deployment of בְּרוֹם captures that snapshot: costly fabrics hoisted high within bustling warehouses, testifying to Tyre’s wealth.

Symbolism of Height and Exaltation

Throughout Scripture, height often stands for grandeur, security, or pride (Genesis 11:4; Isaiah 2:12-17). By using בְּרוֹם, Ezekiel aligns Tyre’s merchandise with the broader biblical motif of self-exaltation. The city’s “high” goods mirror its elevated self-image, soon to be humbled: “Your riches, merchandise, and goods…will sink into the heart of the seas” (Ezekiel 27:27-34). Thus the word functions as a poetic hinge: what sits high today will lie low tomorrow under God’s hand.

Theological Implications

1. The Sovereignty of God in Commerce: Tyre’s trading genius, epitomized by its high-placed wares, depended on the Lord’s providence. When the Lord withdrew His protective hand, the loftiest enterprises collapsed (Proverbs 21:1).
2. The Transience of Human Glory: בְּרוֹם spotlights goods prized for their visibility and status. Yet Ezekiel’s oracle reminds readers that visible splendor cannot secure lasting significance (Matthew 6:19-20).
3. Judgment Proportionate to Pride: Tyre’s “height” became the measure of her downfall. As James 4:6 teaches, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Connections with the Wider Biblical Theme of Pride and Humility

Root derivatives that speak of height or exaltation recur across Scripture:
• Psalm 113:4 — “The Lord is high above all nations.”
• Isaiah 57:15 — God “dwells in the high and holy place” yet also with the contrite.

These verses frame true exaltation as belonging exclusively to the Lord, while human loftiness invites discipline (Proverbs 16:18).

Practical Ministry Insights

• Stewardship over Showmanship: Churches and believers must evaluate whether ministry resources are displayed to magnify Christ or to advertise human capability.
• Vigilance in Prosperity: Like Tyre, congregations blessed with abundance must remember Deuteronomy 8:17-18, crediting the Lord alone.
• Preaching the Upside-Down Kingdom: Jesus models humility by descending from heavenly height to servant status (Philippians 2:5-8). Ezekiel’s imagery provides a striking Old Testament backdrop for that New Testament truth.

Related Passages Rooted in רום

Psalm 75:7 — God “brings one down, He exalts another.”

Isaiah 2:11 — “The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled.”

Luke 14:11 — “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Though written in Greek, this teaching echoes the same theological current that flows through בְּרוֹם.

Conclusion

בְּרוֹם, though occurring only once, encapsulates a universal biblical lesson: whatever humanity raises high apart from dependence on the Lord stands one step away from collapse. Tyre’s elevated textiles invite today’s readers to lift their gaze beyond earthly splendor to the truly “Most High” whose kingdom alone is everlasting.

בְּרֹמִ֑ים ברמים bə·rō·mîm beroMim bərōmîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts