Ezekiel 27:19

19. Dan… and Javan… fairs R.V. reads, “Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for thy wares.” For Javan see note Ezekiel 27:13. Kautzsch renders “Wedan and Javan of Uzal [Genesis 10:27 ] furnished thy wares.” Uzal would be identified with Sana in Arabia. There are iron mines in central Arabia (Doughty), and the steel of Sana is still held in high repute; but according to this interpretation the “Javan” seems out of place. MacPherson (Hastings’s Dictionary of the Bible, 1898) identifies this with the Dedan of Ezekiel 27:15, which he believes to be the same mentioned Ezekiel 25:13; but this makes this place too conspicuous among the countries bringing tribute to Tyre. The text is very difficult, but Halevy seems to have offered the best suggestion. He changes one letter and identifies Dan with Rodan ( Revue Semitique, April, 1894. Compare note Ezekiel 27:15). This would join Rhodes and Cyprus (Ezekiel 27:13) or Rhodes and the Greeks of Asia Minor as traders with Tyre.

Bright iron R.V., margin, “wrought iron.” Rhodes was famous from ancient times for its artificers, its ships, and its arms. At this very period the isles of Greece were capturing from Phoenicia the commerce of the world. (See Introduction to Daniel, III, 2.) Halevy believes the words translated bright… cassia, and calamus are technical terms for iron in the triple form of cakes (pig iron), flexible plates, and bars ( Journal Asiatique and Revue Semitique).