Ophir

Type Place Hebrew אֹופִיר · אוֹפִיר · ה

A region probably in southern Arabia; known for its gold.

    About Ophir

    Place to which Solomon sent a fleet of merchant ships to bring back gold and all sorts of precious and exotic products. The location of Ophir is not certain; most scholars place it in southwest Arabia. There may be a relationship between the place and the man named Ophir who appears in the table of nations as a son of Joktan (Gn 10:29; cf. 1 Chr 1:23), a descendant of Shem. The names of Joktan and his sons are connected with the southern and western parts of Arabia.

    First Kings 9:26–28 reports that Solomon built a fleet of merchant ships at Ezion-geber, which was near Elath on the Gulf of Aqaba. Hiram, king of Tyre, provided seamen to accompany those of Solomon. This expedition returned with 420 talents of gold for Solomon. First Kings 10:11 adds that the fleet of Hiram brought from Ophir a great amount of almug wood and precious stones.

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    Key References

    1 Kings 10:11

    (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.

    1 Kings 9:28

    They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.

    All Scripture References (10)

    1 Kings (3)
    1 Kings 9:28

    They sailed to Ophir and imported gold from there—420 talents—and delivered it to Solomon.

    1 Kings 10:11

    (The fleet of Hiram that brought gold from Ophir also brought from Ophir a great cargo of almug wood and precious stones.

    1 Kings 22:49

    At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.

    1 Chronicles (1)
    1 Chronicles 29:4

    three thousand talents of gold (the gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the buildings,

    2 Chronicles (2)
    2 Chronicles 8:18

    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.

    2 Chronicles 9:10

    (The servants of Hiram and of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir also brought algum wood and precious stones.

    Job (2)
    Job 22:24

    and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,

    Job 28:16

    It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.

    Psalms (1)
    Psalm 45:10

    Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear: Forget your people and your father’s house,

    Isaiah (1)
    Isaiah 13:12

    I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.