5587 trade

Fair business transactions are essential to distribute the benefits of God’s goodness between individuals and nations. Scripture insists on honesty in trade and warns against abuses.

Trade in ancient Israel

Lev 25:14 Land transactions required the approval of the ruler of the state; 2Ki 4:7; 2Ki 7:1; Ne 3:31-32 The good wife’s trade: Pr 31:13-18,24
Zep 1:11; Mt 21:12 pp Mk 11:15-16 pp Lk 19:45 pp Jn 2:14-16 trade in Jerusalem in Jesus Christ’s day

International trade

Under Solomon 1Ki 9:26-28 pp 2Ch 8:17-18 See also 1Ki 10:14-15 pp 2Ch 9:13-14 Transit taxes were imposed on inter-state trade. Also some taxes were owed to the state by merchants for some kinds of trade; 1Ki 10:28-29 pp 2Ch 1:16-17; 2Ch 9:21; SS 3:6-7

Under Jehoshaphat 1Ki 22:48 pp 2Ch 20:35-37 Soon afterwards the port of Ezion Geber passed back into the hands of Edom (see 2Ki 8:20).

In the Psalms Ps 107:23

Trade among the nations

Hittites Ge 23:16

Shechemites Ge 34:10,21

Ishmaelites Ge 37:25

Midianites See also Ge 37:28

Egypt Ge 42:34; Isa 45:14

Sheba Job 6:19; Jer 6:20

Damascus 1Ki 20:34

Tyre and the surrounding nations Isa 23:8 See also Eze 27:1-36

Tarshish Eze 38:13; Jnh 1:3-5

Nineveh Na 3:16

Ancient Babylon Eze 16:29; Eze 17:4

Babylon the Great Rev 18:9-24 See also Rev 18:2-3

Honesty is essential in trade

Lev 19:35-36 See also Dt 25:13-16; Pr 11:1; Pr 16:11; Pr 20:10,23

Warnings against abuses in trade

Dishonesty Am 8:4-5 See also Eze 28:18; Hos 12:7; Mic 6:10-11

Oppression Job 20:18-19; Eze 28:16

Overconfidence Jas 4:13-16

Pride Eze 28:5 See also Isa 2:12,16; Isa 23:17-18

Sabbath trading Ne 10:31; Ne 13:15-22

The slave trade Ge 37:26-28,36; Ge 39:1; Am 2:6; Am 8:6; 1Ti 1:10; Rev 18:13

Sacrilegious trade Jn 2:14-16

Immoral trade Joel 3:3

The imagery of trade applied to spiritual matters

Mt 13:45-46 See also Pr 23:23; Mt 25:14-18; Lk 19:13; 1Co 6:20

See also