Apes
Imported once every three years in Solomon's and Hiram's Tarshish fleets (1Ki 10:22; 2Ch 9:21). Hebrew; quoph. The ape in Sanskrit is called kapi, "ramble;" Greek kepos, akin to English ape. Solomon, as a naturalist, collected specimens from various lands. Tarshish is identified by Sir Emerson Tennent with some Ceylon seaport; so the apes (quophim) brought to Solomon probably came from Ceylon, which abounds also in "ivory and peacocks."
The Tamil names moreover, for "apes," "ivory," and "peacocks," are identical with the Hebrew. Others think Ophir was on the E. African coast; then the apes would be of Ethiopia.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Apes
Animals of the simian type, imported by the merchant navy of Solomon (1 K 10-=', 2 Ch 9-'). There is no reason to believe that any one kind, or even family, of apes is intended. Many kinds were known to the ancients, and the ships of Asia and Africa constantly brought then, as they do now, various species of apes and monkeys. Aris- totle divides the simians into three groups — the KTJ^oi, the rlOriKot, and the itiKox^i^aXoi. But it is clear that the translators of the LXX did not understand <c^;3oi to be the equivalent of kOphim, for they have translated the latter wiOriKoi. As a naturalist, Solomon would no doubt have wished specimens of as many kinds as po.ssible of so curious an animal as the ape, and, regui ad exemplar, it would have been fashionable among his courtiers to possess these grotesque mimics of humanity Hence the steady market for apes as well as peacocks and ivory. G. E. Post. APELLES CAireW^s).— The name of a Christian greeted by St. Paul in Ro lO'", and described as the ' approved in Christ.' It was the name borne by a distinguished tragic actor, and by members of…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Apes
(Heb. kophim) are mentioned in (1 Kings 10:22) and 2Chr 9:21 There can be little doubt that the apes were brought from the same country which supplied ivory and peacocks, both of which are common in Ceylon; and Sir E. Tennent has drawn attention to the fact that the Tamil names for apes, ivory and peacocks are identical with the Hebrew.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia