Original Word: מַרְכֹּלֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: markoleth
Pronunciation: mar-ko'-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-ko'-leth)
KJV: merchandise
NASB: merchandise
Word Origin: [from H7402 (רָכַל - traders)]

1. a mart

merchandise

From rakal; a mart -- merchandise.

see HEBREW rakal

Word Origin
from rakal
Definition
probably place of trade, marketplace
NASB Translation
merchandise (1).

[מַרְכֹּ֫לֶת] noun feminine probably place of trade, market-place; — suffix בְּמַרְכֻּלְתֵךְ Ezekiel 27:24 in thy market-place (Thes Buhl^Lex Hi-Sm Krae and others; > כָּם רְכֻלָּתֵךְ ᵑ7 Co Berthol, compare Toy).

Term Overview

מַרְכֹּלֶת points to valuable “wares,” the kind of merchandise handled by international traders who supplied luxury items to the ancient Near-Eastern world.

Biblical Context and Usage

Ezekiel 27 is a lament over Tyre, the maritime emporium that drew the commerce of many nations. Verse 24 reads in the Berean Standard Bible, “They were your merchants in choice apparel, cloaks of blue and embroidered work, and in chests of multicolored woven garments, bound with cords and made of cedar.” The plural “they” refers to caravan cities (Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad) whose traders enriched Tyre with elite fabric goods. מַרְכֹּלֶת stands at the center of this verse, underscoring the opulence Tyre enjoyed and the depth of its commercial network.

Historical and Cultural Background

1. Trade Geography. Haran and the other cities listed in Ezekiel 27:23–24 lay on major caravan routes linking Mesopotamia, Arabia, and the Mediterranean. Tyre functioned as the port where eastern land-routes and western sea-routes met.
2. Luxury Textile Industry. Textiles were a portable store of wealth. Embroidered cloaks (cf. Judges 5:30) displayed status, and cedar chests protected them from pests. The attention given to fabric shows how fashion drove ancient economics much like modern global markets.
3. Economic Power and Vulnerability. Tyre’s prosperity depended on external wares. Ezekiel’s lament turns that strength into weakness, showing how a city’s glory can collapse when the Lord removes His protection (Ezekiel 27:26–36).

Theological and Prophetic Themes

• The Fleeting Nature of Earthly Wealth. Tyre’s storehouses overflowed with מַרְכֹּלֶת, yet “you have come to a horrible end and will be no more” (Ezekiel 28:19). Scripture consistently warns that material affluence cannot secure a lasting legacy (Proverbs 11:4; Psalm 49:16–17).
• Divine Sovereignty over Commerce. Nations rise and fall at the Lord’s command. The same God who blessed Abraham’s livestock (Genesis 13:2) judged Tyre’s merchandise. Modern economies remain under that sovereign rule.
• Foreshadowing of Final Judgment. Revelation 18:11–17 lists cargo strikingly similar to Ezekiel 27, climaxing in the ruin of future “Babylon.” מַרְכֹּלֶת thus links Tyre’s downfall with the ultimate collapse of every world system opposed to God.
• Opportunity for Gospel Advance. In Acts, trade routes and commercial centers (e.g., Corinth, Ephesus) become conduits for the missionary enterprise. The Lord can redeem the flow of goods to spread the good news.

Connections with Other Scriptures

Proverbs 31:18, 24 – virtuous industry that honors the Lord, contrasting selfish trade.

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up treasures in heaven.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 – call to generosity amid abundance.

Revelation 18 – echoes Ezekiel’s catalog of doomed luxury items.

Implications for Ministry and Discipleship

• Stewardship: Believers entrusted with commerce should hold goods lightly and invest generously in eternal pursuits.
• Prophetic Witness: Churches are to speak truth to economic systems that exploit or idolize wealth.
• Mission Strategy: Global trade hubs remain strategic fields for evangelism, just as the ancient caravans carried both cloth and ideas.
• Pastoral Care: Ezekiel’s imagery counsels those dazzled by material success to seek security in Christ alone.

Summary

מַרְכֹּלֶת in Ezekiel 27:24 symbolizes the height of human prosperity and the swiftness of its collapse under divine judgment. The term reminds God’s people that worldly wealth, no matter how exquisite, is transient, whereas obedience, generosity, and faith endure forever.

בְּמַרְכֻלְתֵּֽךְ׃ במרכלתך׃ bə·mar·ḵul·têḵ bemarchulTech bəmarḵultêḵInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts