יחזקאל, פרק כ״ז, פסוק י״ג

Tyre stood as a bustling center of international commerce, drawing nations from across the known world to its massive markets. Each visiting nation contributed its own unique local goods to the city's vibrant economy. The nations of Javan, Tubal, and Meshech arrived as active merchants [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Some commentators note that these specific traders may have focused on selling directly to individuals or specialized in the spice trade [מלבי״ם, אברבנאל].

True to the nature of ancient commerce, each group brought the resources most abundant in their homelands [רד״ק]. From the regions of Meshech and Tubal came spices and human captives, fueling an active slave trade of men and women, while Javan supplied copper vessels [אברבנאל].

The exact nature of how these goods were handled in Tyre is a matter of discussion. The primary approach among commentators is that this was a straightforward exchange of merchandise. The visiting nations bartered their slaves and copper items directly for Tyre's local products [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, another perspective suggests a more complex financial arrangement. In this view, the merchants took goods from Tyre to sell in foreign markets, leaving their slaves and copper vessels behind as collateral. These items served as a financial guarantee to secure their debt until they returned to pay for the merchandise they had taken [מלבי״ם].