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Merchant

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G444

ἄνθρωπος

anthrōpos — a human

ἄνθρωπος, -ου, ὁ, [in LXX chiefly for אִישׁ ,אָדָם, also for אֱנוֹשׁ, etc. ;] man: 1. generically, a human being, male or female (Lat. homo): Jhn.16:21; with art., Mat.4:4 12:35, Mrk.2:27, Jhn.2:25, Rom.7:1, al; disting. from God, Mat.19:6, Jhn.10:33, Col.3:23, al.; from animals, etc., Mat.4:19, Luk.5:10, Rev.9:4, al.; implying human frailty and imperfection, 1Co.3:4; σοφία ἀνθρώπων, 1Co.2:5; ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαι, 1Pe.4:2; κατὰ ἄνθρωπον περιπατεῖν, 1Co.3:3; κατὰ ἄ. λέγειν (λαλεῖν), Rom.3:5, 1Co.9:8; κατὰ ἄ- λέγειν, Gal.3:15 (cf. 1Co.15:32, Gal.1:11); by meton., of man's nature or condition, ὁ ἔσω (ἔξω) ἄ., Rom.7:22, Eph.3:16, 2Co.4:16 (cf. 1Pe.3:4); ὁ παλαιὸς, καινὸς, νέος ἄ., Rom.6:6, Eph.2:15 4:22, 24 Col.3:9, 10; joined with another subst., ἄ. ἔμπορος, a merchant, Mat.13:45 (WH, txt. om. ἄ.); οἰκοδεσπότης, Mat.13:52; βασιλεύς, 18:23; φάγος, 11:19; with name of nation, Κυρηναῖος, Mat.27:32; Ἰουδαῖος, Act.21:39; Ῥωμαῖος, Act.16:37; pl. οἱ ἄ., men, people: Mat.5:13, 16 Mrk.8:24, Jhn.4:28; οὐδεὶς ἀνθρώπων, Mrk.11:2, 1Ti.6:16. 2. Indef., ἄ. = τις, some one, a man: Mat.17:14, Mrk.12:1, al.; τις ἄ., Mat.18:12, Jhn.5:5, al.; indef. one (Fr. on), Rom.3:28, Gal.2:16, al.; opposite to women, servants, etc., Mat.10:36 19:10, Jhn.7:22, 23. 3. Definitely, with art., of some particular person; Mat.12:13, Mrk.3:5, al.; οὗτος ὁ ἄ., Luk.14:30; ὁ ἄ οὗτος, ἐκεῖνος, Mrk.14:71, Mat.12:45; ὁ ἄ. τ. ἀνομίας, 2Th.2:3; ἄ τ. θεοῦ (of Heb. אִישׁ אֱלֹהִים), 1Ti.6:11, 2Ti.3:17, 2Pe.1:21; ὁ υἰὸς τοῦ ἀ., see: υἱός. SYN.: ἀνήρ, which see (and cf. MM, VGT, 44; Cremer, 103, 635). (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8269

שַׂר

sar — ruler

1) prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain 1a) chieftain, leader 1b) vassal, noble, official (under king) 1c) captain, general, commander (military) 1d) chief, head, overseer (of other official classes) 1e) heads, princes (of religious office) 1f) elders (of representative leaders of people) 1g) merchant-princes (of rank and dignity) 1h) patron-angel 1i) Ruler of rulers (of God) 1j) warden

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H8446

תּוּר

tur — to spy

1) to seek, search out, spy out, explore 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to seek out, select, find out how to do something 1a2) to spy out, explore 1a2a) explorers, spies (participle) 1a3) to go about 1a3a) merchant, trader (participle) 1b) (Hiphil) to make a search, make a reconnaissance

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GREEK · G1713

ἔμπορος

emporos — trader/merchant

ἔμ-πορος, -ου, ὁ (πόρος, a journey), [in LXX chiefly for סָחַר, רָכַל ;] 1. a passenger on shipboard, one on a journey. 2. a merchant: Mat.13:45, Rev.18:3, 11 18:15, 23.† (AS)

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GREEK · G7204

ἐμπολάω

empolaō — to do business

1. to get by barter or traffic, earn , (Sophocles Tragicus):—;Mid., βίοτον πολὺν ἐμπολόωντο they were getting much substance by traffic , (Odyssey by Homer) 2. to deal or traffic in a thing, to purchase, buy , (Sophocles Tragicus):—;metaphorically, ἐμπ. τὴν ἐμὴν φρένα to make profit of my mind, by dealing with me, (Odyssey by Homer) 3. absolute to deal as a merchant, traffic , (Aristophanes Comicus):—;metaphorically, ἠμποληκὼς τὰ πλεῖστ᾽ ἀμείνονα having dealt in most things with success, (Aeschulus Tragicus) (ML)

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GREEK · G7388

ἐπιβάτης

epibatēs — a crewman

1. one who mounts or embarks; 2. ἐπιβάται, οἱ, the soldiers on board ship, the fighting men , as opposite to the rowers and seamen, (Herdotus Historicus) 3. a merchant on board ship, supercargo , (Demosthenes Orator) 4. the fighting man in a chariot, (Plato Philosophus) (ML)

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GREEK · G7795

κάπηλος

kapēlos — a peddler

1. a retail-dealer, huckster, hawker, peddlar, higgler , Lat. institor, (Herdotus Historicus), attic; opposite to the merchant ἔμπορος); (Xenophon Historicus), etc.; applied to Darius because of his finance-regulations, (Herdotus Historicus):—; κ. ἀσπίδων, ὅπλων a dealer in . . , (Aristophanes Comicus) 2. a tavern-keeper, publican , Lat. caupo, (Aristophanes Comicus), etc. 3. metaphorically, κ. πονηρίας a dealer in petty roguery, (Demosthenes Orator) (ML)

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GREEK · G9203

στρογγύλος

strongulos — globular

1. round, spherical , (Herdotus Historicus), etc.; λίθοι στρ. pebbles , (Xenophon Historicus) 2. circular , (Plato Philosophus) 3. round, compactly formed , (Xenophon Historicus) 4. of ships, στρ. ναῦς, στρ. πλοῖον, a merchant- ship, from its round shape , as opposite to the long narrow ship-of-war μακρὰ ναῦς); (Herdotus Historicus), etc. 5. metaphorically of phrases, well-rounded, compact, pithy, terse , (Aristophanes Comicus):—;adverb, στρογγυλώτατα as tersely as possible , (Aristotle Philosopher) (ML)

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Historical dictionary entry

The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning “to travel about,” “to migrate,” and hence “a traveller.” In the East, in ancient times, merchants travelled about with their merchandise from place to place (Gen. 37:25; Job 6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering (Gen. 37:28; 39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded (49:13; Deut. 33:18; Judg. 5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (1 Kings 9:26; 10:11, 26, 28; 22:48; 2 Chr. 1:16; 9:10, 21). After Solomon’s time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Merchant in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →