The traders of Sheba and Raamah traded with you: Sheba was a kingdom in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Raamah is always connected with Sheba in the Bible, but its exact position is unknown. It may have been the capital city of Sheba.

They exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices, and all precious stones, and gold: These people exported to Tyre spices, precious stones, and gold. The Hebrew word for spices refers to perfumes and sweet-smelling oils, not spices used for cooking These spices were the best of all kinds, that is, the very best of all sorts of perfumes. Precious stones may be rendered “jewels” (Good News Translation, New International Reader’s Version, New Living Translation) or “valuable gems” (New Century Version). Translators may use a general word that covers a wide range of gems. Of course, gold was the most valuable metal.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .