Dict: easton - Merchant

easton:

Merchant @ The Hebrew word so rendered is from a root meaning "to travel about," "to migrate," and hence "a traveller." In the East, in ancient times, merchants travelled about with their merchandise from place to place kjv@Genesis:37:25; kjv@Job:6:18), and carried on their trade mainly by bartering kjv@Genesis:37:28 kjv@Genesis:39:1). After the Hebrews became settled in Palestine they began to engage in commercial pursuits, which gradually expanded (49:13; kjv@Deuteronomy:33:18; kjv@Judges:5:17), till in the time of Solomon they are found in the chief marts of the world (kjvKings:9:26; 10:11-26, 28; 22:48; kjv@2Chronicals:1:16 kjv@2Chronicals:9:10 kjv@2Chronicals:9:21). After Solomon's time their trade with foreign nations began to decline. After the Exile it again expanded into wider foreign relations, because now the Jews were scattered in many lands.