בְּנֵ֤י דְדָן֙ רֹֽכְלַ֔יִךְ אִיִּ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים סְחֹרַ֣ת יָדֵ֑ךְ קַרְנֹ֥ות שֵׁן֙ וְהֹובְנִ֔ים הֵשִׁ֖יבוּ אֶשְׁכָּרֵֽךְ׃
The sons of Dedan were your merchants; many islands were the traders of your hand; horns of ivory and ebony they brought back as your payment.
Morphology
- בְּנֵי (bene) – Root: בן (ben); Form: Noun masculine plural construct; Translation: “sons of”; Notes: Refers to the people or descendants of Dedan, an Arabian trading tribe.
- דְדָן (Dedan) – Root: דדן (Dedan); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Dedan”; Notes: An ancient Arabian center of commerce located in the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula.
- רֹכְלַיִךְ (rokhlayikh) – Root: רכל (rakhal); Form: Noun masculine plural + suffix 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “your merchants”; Notes: Denotes Dedan’s role as one of Tyre’s trading partners.
- אִיִּים (iyyim) – Root: אי (ʾiy); Form: Noun masculine plural; Translation: “islands”; Notes: Refers to coastal or island nations engaged in trade with Tyre.
- רַבִּים (rabbim) – Root: רבב (rav); Form: Adjective masculine plural; Translation: “many”; Notes: Describes the numerous maritime centers trading with Tyre.
- סְחֹרַת (seḥorat) – Root: סחר (saḥar); Form: Noun feminine singular construct; Translation: “trade of”; Notes: Refers to commerce or business activity, introducing the next possessive phrase.
- יָדֵךְ (yadekh) – Root: יד (yad); Form: Noun feminine singular construct + suffix 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “your hand”; Notes: Idiomatic for “your control” or “your trade dealings.”
- קַרְנֹות (karnot) – Root: קרן (qeren); Form: Noun feminine plural construct; Translation: “horns of”; Notes: Refers to tusks or horns used for crafting, often associated with ivory trade.
- שֵׁן (shen) – Root: שׁן (shen); Form: Noun feminine singular; Translation: “ivory”; Notes: Precious material from elephant tusks, imported from African or Indian regions.
- וְהֹובְנִים (ve-hovnim) – Root: הובנים (hovnim); Form: Conjunction וְ + noun masculine plural; Translation: “and ebony”; Notes: Refers to a dense black wood used for luxury furniture and art, also an import from tropical regions.
- הֵשִׁיבוּ (heshibu) – Root: שׁוב (shuv); Form: Hifil perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they brought back”; Notes: Hifil indicates causative action—bringing or delivering goods as payment.
- אֶשְׁכָּרֵךְ (eshkarekh) – Root: אֶשְׂכָּר (eskhar); Form: Noun masculine singular construct + suffix 2nd person feminine singular; Translation: “your payment / reward”; Notes: Refers to the profit or wages Tyre received through trade transactions.