Original Word: כִּלְמָד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Kilmad
Pronunciation: kil-MAD
Phonetic Spelling: (kil-mawd')
KJV: Chilmad
NASB: Chilmad
Word Origin: [of foreign derivation]

1. Kilmad, a place apparently in the Assyrian empire

Chilmad

Of foreign derivation; Kilmad, a place apparently in the Assyrian empire -- Chilmad.

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a place of unc. location
NASB Translation
Chilmad (1). (si vera lectio) Ezekiel 27:23, named after , ; = modern Kalwâdha near Bagdad, according to G. Smith^{TSBA i, 61} Dl^{Pa 206}, compare Schr^COT; but text dubious see Co; , whence Mez^{Stadt Harran 34} all Media; JKi Hi Co () Asshur was as thine apprentice (see below ) in trading; but sense not very probably

Name and Possible Meaning

While its precise derivation is uncertain, the term likely designates a distinct locality in Mesopotamia. Ancient versions leave the consonants intact, suggesting the place was known in Ezekiel’s day. Some researchers relate it to a site along the Tigris River, perhaps near modern Kalwādā south-east of Baghdad, a view that fits the trading pattern described in Ezekiel.

Scriptural Context

Ezekiel 27:23 lists Chilmad among a cluster of Mesopotamian trading partners of the Phoenician city of Tyre: “Haran, Canneh, and Eden, as well as the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you” (Berean Standard Bible). The verse is part of Ezekiel’s lamentation over Tyre (Ezekiel 27:1-36), a poetic catalogue highlighting the city’s extensive commercial network and warning of its impending ruin.

Historical and Geographical Considerations

1. Mesopotamian Corridor: The grouping with Haran (in upper Mesopotamia) and Asshur (in Assyria) places Chilmad somewhere along the north-south caravan route that paralleled the Tigris.
2. Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian Influence: The time frame (early sixth century BC) coincides with Neo-Babylonian dominance, when regional towns acted as distribution points for agricultural produce, woven goods, and precious materials.
3. Linguistic Echoes: Akkadian tablets mention a district Kaldu mātu (“land of the Chaldeans”) and a town Kalwādā; either could lie behind Ezekiel’s spelling, though absolute identification remains elusive.

Role in Ancient Commerce

Tyre’s merchants prized Mesopotamian textiles, spices, and stones. Chilmad’s placement in the list hints that it handled specialty items—perhaps dyed fabrics or fine embroidery—common to the Tigris trade. Its inclusion underscores the breadth of Tyrian exchange: from distant Tarshish in the west (Ezekiel 27:12) to riverine hubs in the east.

Prophetic Significance in Ezekiel 27

The lament over Tyre uses commercial partners like Chilmad to dramatize the magnitude of the city’s fall. By naming well-known centers across the ancient world, the prophet establishes that no alliance, however far-flung, could avert divine judgment. The ruin of Tyre thus becomes a warning to every nation trusting in wealth rather than in the Lord.

Theological and Ministry Applications

• Fleeting Prosperity: Chilmad’s mention—otherwise forgotten by history—illustrates how even bustling markets vanish when separated from God’s purposes. Believers are reminded to invest in eternal riches rather than transient gain (Matthew 6:19-20).
• Interconnected Nations: The Bible portrays global commerce centuries before modern globalization. This affirms Scripture’s historical reliability and encourages Christians to engage world cultures with the gospel, knowing that God oversees the nations (Acts 17:26-27).
• Prophetic Certainty: Just as Ezekiel’s word against Tyre came to pass, so every prophetic promise concerning the return of Christ and the consummation of His kingdom will be fulfilled. Chilmad’s silent testimony urges steadfast faith in the total trustworthiness of God’s Word.

See Also

Haran; Asshur; Tyre; Ezekiel 26–28; Revelation 18

כִּלְמַ֥ד כלמד kil·maḏ kilMad kilmaḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Ezekiel 27:23
HEB: שְׁבָ֑א אַשּׁ֖וּר כִּלְמַ֥ד רֹכַלְתֵּֽךְ׃
NAS: Asshur [and] Chilmad traded
KJV: Asshur, [and] Chilmad, [were] thy merchants.
INT: of Sheba Asshur Chilmad traded

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 3638
1 Occurrence

kil·maḏ — 1 Occ.