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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Merchandise
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muÌ‚r´chan-dı̄z ((1) עמר, ‛aÌ„mar (2) סחר, sÌ£ahÌ£ar, (3) סחר, sÌ£aÌ„hÌ£ar, (4) סחרה, sÌ£ehÌ£oÌ„raÌ„hÌ£, (5) רכלּה, rekhullaÌ„h, (6) מערב, ma‛ăraÌ„bh, (7) מרכּלת, markoÌ„leth; (8) ἐμποÏιÌα, emporıÌa (9) ἐμποÌÏιον, empoÌrion, (10) γοÌμος, goÌmos): There seem to be 4 distinct meanings of the word according to the Revised Version (British and American), namely: (1) The products, i.e. goods or things sold or exchanged, and so merchandise in the present-day usage: (a) sÌ£ahÌ£ar is translated thus in ; ; (b) sÌ£aÌ„hÌ£ar is translated thus in ; these two are from a root meaning “to travel around as a peddlerâ€; (c) rekhullaÌ„h, translated thus in , from a root meaning “to travel for trading purposesâ€; (d) ma‛ăraÌ„bh, translated thus in , , , , from a root meaning “to intermix, to barterâ€; (e) markoÌ„leth; translated thus in (the above 5 Hebrew words are all used to designate the goods or wares which were bartered); (f) ‛aÌ„mar, occurring in ; , translated in the King James Version “make merchandise of,†but in the Revised Version (British and American) “deal with as a slave,†or the Revised Version margin “deal with as a chattelâ€; (g) emporia, translated “merchandise†in ; (h) emporion, likewise in (the same Greek word is used in for the American Standard Revised Version “make merchandise of youâ€); (i) gomos, “merchandise,†margin “cargo.â€
(2) The process of trade itself, i.e. the business: rekhullaÌ„h has in it the root meaning of “itinerant tradingâ€, and so in the correct translation is not “merchandise,†as in the King James Version, but “traffic,†“abundance of thy traffic,†i.e. doing a thriving business: “trade was good.â€
(3) The place of trading, i.e. emporium, mart, etc.: sÌ£ehÌ£oÌ„raÌ„hÌ£ in is translated “mart.†In reference is made to the “house of merchandise.â€
(4) The profits of trading: In , sÌ£ahÌ£ar is translated “gaining.†Referring to wisdom, “For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, and the profit thereof than fine goldâ€; the King James Version “merchandise.â€