יחזקאל, פרק כ״ז, פסוק י״ז

The bustling trade network of the ancient city of Tyre relied heavily on its neighbors, drawing upon the rich agricultural bounty of the Land of Israel. The residents of Judah and Israel actively engaged in this commerce, acquiring foreign goods from Tyre to sell in their own cities. In exchange, or perhaps as collateral, they supplied Tyre's markets with the finest local produce their land had to offer [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].

A central commodity brought from Israel was a specific, highly prized type of wheat. The primary approach among commentators is that this wheat was named after a region in Israel celebrated for growing beautiful, choice grain. However, other interpretations suggest the name refers to the quality or preparation of the crop itself. It may describe exceptionally large and beautiful grains that were so valuable they were sold individually by count rather than by weight, or it might refer to portions of prepared food. Ancient traditions also identify this trade item as peeled barley or simply as massive quantities of grain [רש״י].

Alongside the wheat, the merchants traded another product whose exact identity has sparked much discussion. A widely held view is that this refers to the balsam tree, a luxurious perfume-producing plant native to the Jericho area, which was famous for its pleasant scent [רש״י ואברבנאל בשם ספר יוסיפון, מצודת ציון]. Conversely, some suggest that it is simply the name of a specific geographical location, much like the region known for its wheat [רד״ק]. Other possibilities include roasted field vegetables, a specific herb used to make cleaning supplies [רד״ק], or a general term denoting a delicacy, a type of grain, or a fragrance [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The trade delegations also supplied Tyre with honey, oil, and a special balm. This balm was a valuable tree resin, common in the Gilead region, which functioned as a perfume, an ingredient for incense, or a medicine [מצודת ציון, אברבנאל, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Interestingly, identifying this resin as balsam creates a slight conflict with the idea that the previously mentioned luxury plant was also balsam, as it is unlikely the same good would be listed twice under two different names [רד״ק]. Ultimately, the residents of Judah and Israel gathered all these premium agricultural goods and delivered them directly to the markets of Tyre, using them as the primary currency for their extensive trade [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].