Ophir
(abundane).
The eleventh in order of the sons of Joktan. (Genesis 10:29; 1 Chronicles 1:23) (B.C. after 2450.) A seaport or region from which the Hebrews in the time of Solomon obtained gold. The gold was proverbial for its fineness, so that “gold of Ophir” is several times used as an expression for fine gold, (1 Chronicles 29:4; Job 28:16; Psalms 45:9; Isaiah 13:12) and in one passage (Job 22:24) the word “Ophir” by itself is used for gold of Ophir, and for gold generally.
In addition to gold, the vessels brought from Ophir almug wood and precious stones. The precise geographical situation of Ophir has long been a subject of doubt and discussion. The two countries which have divided the opinions of the learned have been Arabia and India, while some have placed it in Africa.
In five passages Ophir is mentioned by name, (1 Kings 9:28; 10:11; 22:18; 2 Chronicles 8:18; 9:10) If the three passages of the book of Kings are carefully examined, it will be seen that all the information given respecting Ophir is that it was a place or region accessible by sea from Ezion-geber on the Red Sea, from which imports of gold, almug trees and precious stones were brought back by the Tyrian and Hebrew sailors.
The author of the tenth chapter of Genesis certainly regarded Ophir as the name of some city, region or tribe in Arabia. It is almost certain that the Ophir of Genesis is the Ophir of the book of Kings.
There is no mention, either in the Bible or elsewhere, of any other Ophir; and the idea of there having been two Ophirs evidently arose from a perception of the obvious meaning of the tenth chapter of Genesis on the one hand, coupled with the erroneous opinion, on the other that the Ophir of the book of Kings could not have been in Arabia.
(Hence we conclude that Ophir was in southern Arabia, upon the border of the Indian Ocean; for even if all the things brought over in Solomon’s ships are not now found in Arabia, but are found in India, yet, there is evidence that they once were known in Arabia and, moreover, Ophir may not have been the original place of production of some of them, but the great market for traffic in them.)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Ophir
Ophir o'-fer, o'-fir ('owphiyr (Ge 10:29), 'owphir (1Ki 10:11), 'ophir): ⇒See a list of verses on OPHIR in the Bible. 1. Scriptural References: The 11th in order of the sons of Joktan (Ge 10:29 = 1Ch 1:23). There is a clear reference also to a tribe Ophir (Ge 10:30). Ophir is the name of a land or city somewhere to the South or Southeast of Palestine for which Solomon's ships along with Phoenician vessels set out from Ezion-geber at the head of the Gulf of Aqabah, returning with great stores of gold, precious stones and "almug"-wood (1Ki 9:28; 10:11; 2Ch 9:10; 1Ki 22:48; 2Ch 8:18). We get a fuller list of the wares and also the time taken by the voyage if we assume that the same vessels are referred to in 1Ki 10:22, "Once every three years came the navy of Tarshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks." The other products may not have been native to the land of Ophir, but it is certain that the gold at least was produced there. This gold was proverbial for its purity, as is witnessed by many references in the Old Testament (Ps 45:9; Job 28:16; Isa 13:12; 1Ch 29:4…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Ophir
A proper name that occurs twelve times in OT. 1. Gn 10%=1 Ch 1% (LXX Οὐφείρ) repre- sents Ophir as the eleventh of the thirteen sons of Joktan, and locates him in the list between Sheba and Havilah. Gn 1059. 81 testifies that the name designates a Ben le (or land) ‘from Mesha as thou goest towards Sephar, the mountain (m. ‘hill βοῦν ἢ of the east.’ 2.1K 9%28 (B Σωφηρά, A Σωφαρά), 10% and 2 Ch 9° (LXX Σουφείρ), 1 K 22% (A ᾿Ὠφείρ, B om.), and 2 Ch 818 (B Σωφειρά, A Σωφῆρα), with 1 K 10”, designate a place to which the Tarshish ships of Hiram and Solomon sailed from Ezion-geber, at the head of the Gulf of Akabah, and after three years returned with gold, silver, precious stones, costly woods, ivory, apes, and peacocks. It is not specified that Ophir was the source of all these proamat but simply that such articles were rought back by the merchantmen at the end of a three years’ cruise. It is quite possible that some of these wares were purchased at regular ports to which they had been brought by other traders. So that Ophir needs not ate sought for at some oint where all these products…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Ophir
Gen 10:29. Placed between Sheba and Havilah, Ophir must be in Arabia. Arrian in the Periplus calls Aphar metropolis of the Sabeans. Ptolemy calls it Sapphara, now Zaphar. Eleventh of Joktan's sons. Gesenius explains Ophir, if Semitic, "fruitful region." The Himyaritic ofir means "red". The Mahra people call their country "the ofir country" and the "Red Sea" Bahr Ofir. Aphar means "dust". In 1Ki 9:26-28; 1Ki 10:11, Solomon's navy on the Red Sea fetched from Ophir gold and almug trees; and in 1Ki 10:22, once in three years (which included the stay in Ophir as well as the long coasting voyage) Tarshish ships (i.e. like our term for far voyaging ships, "Indiamen") brough; "gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks." Mauch, an African traveler, found at latitude 20 degrees, 15 minutes S.l longitude 26 degrees 30 minutes E., ruins resembling Solomon's temple, which he connects with Ophir. The gold of western Asia was anciently obtained principally from Arabia. Saba in the southwestern part of Yemen is the only other place for gold besides Ophir mentioned in Scripture (Isa 60:6). Strobe, 16:7…
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