Ophir
Ophir was a region famous for its high-quality gold, which was imported to Israel during the reigns of David and Solomon.
The name Ophir means “fruitful region”
PlaceTribe of JudahOld Testament6 books10 verses
Summary
A location in Judah Tribe first mentioned at 1 Kings 9:28; only referred to as Ophir (אוֹפִיר).
Location
- Identified as
- southwestern Arabia
- Certainty
- Uncertain (28% of scholarship) · 10 other possible locations
- Coordinates
- 18.217° N, 42.500° E
Glossary entries
Connections
- Founded by
Alternative names
- אוֹפִירOphir
Mentions
- They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.
- (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.
- Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
- …three thousand talents of gold (the gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings,
- So Hiram sent him ships captained by his servants, along with crews of experienced sailors. They went with Solomon’s servants to Ophir and acquired from there 450 talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.
- (The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.
- …and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
- It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
- The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
- I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.