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Tarshish occurs in the Hebrew Bible with two meanings:
- One of the "sons" of Javan.
- The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon (1 Kings 10:22). In all probability this was the city of Tarsus in southern Asia Minor, which was known to the Assyrians as Tarshisha. However, the name is sometimes also used in more general meanings, the bible uses the term ships of Tarshish to denote large ships intended for large voyages whatever their destination, and Jonah's fleeing to Tarshish must probably be taken as 'a place very far away' rather than a precise geographical term. Hertz (1936) identifies Tarshish as the city of Tartessos in Spain.
In the Oracle against Tyre, the prophet Ezekiel (27, 12) mentions that silver, iron, lead and tin came to Tyre from Tarshis (Trsys). They were stored in Tyre and resold, probably to Mesopotamia.
In the Jewish Bible, it is also the name of a gemstone associated with the Tribe of Asher that has been identified as chrysolite or aquamarine. *
In later history
Around 1665, the followers of Shabbatai Zvi in Izmir interpreted the ships of Tarshish as Dutch ships that would transport them to the Holy Land.
Some Old Testament scholars believe the Tarshish power to be Britain and possibly related to an Eastern Tarshish, namely India. Some, looking for the 2nd coming of Jesus and the Kingdom of God based round the land of Israel, believe that the prophecies regarding the Tarshish power have their latter day fulfilment in modern times.
Tarshish was also the name of a short-lived political party founded by would-be assassin of Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion, Moshe Dwek.
The Greek form of the name, Tharsis, was given by Giovanni Schiaparelli to a region on Mars.
Further reading
- J. D. Muhly, copper, tin, silver and iron: the search for metallic ores as an incentive for foreign expansion. In: Gitin et al. (eds.), Mediterranean Peoples in Transition: 13th to early 10th centuries BC. In Honor of Professor Trude Dothan. Jerusalem: Israel Exploration Society, 314-329.
- Hertz J.H. (1936) The Pentateuch and Haftoras. Deuteronomy. Oxford University Press, London.
"Tarshish"