Tarshish is used as a name twenty six times in Scripture. It clearly does not have the same referent each time.
Evidently there were at least two locations known to the Hebrews as Tarshish. One location seems relatively close to Israel. Although it was reached by ocean going ships (2 Chronicles 20:36-37, Psalms 48:7; 72:10, Isaiah 2:16; 23:1, 6, 14), it was the place from which Solomon purchased, ivory, apes, and peacocks (1 Kings 10:22), so it was very likely in northern Africa (nowhere near England). This is also the most likely location of Jonah’s Tarshish (Jonah 1:3; 4:2), but cannot possibly refer to the British Isles.
However, the other location is an island nation in the distant west (Psalms 48:7; 72:10, Isaiah 60:9; 66:19), also accessible to Israel by ocean going ships (Isaiah 2:16; 21:1), which was known for its silver (Jeremiah 10:9), and was a trading partner of the Phoenicians (Ezekiel 27:12, 25). Is there any evidence that this Tarshish could refer to the British Isles?
To continue reading this Bible article, click here.
Author: Jonathan Burke
Keywords: Tarshish, Tartessos, England, Phoenicians, Phoenicia, Britain, British Isles, Spain, silver, gold, sea trading, sea merchants, Mediterranean coastlands, coastland, Mediterranean, merchant, merchant ships, gold of Ophir, young lions, young cubs, British colonies
Bible reference(s): Genesis 10:4, 1 Kings 10:22, 1 Kings 22:48, 1 Chronicles 1:7, 2 Chronicles 9:21, 2 Chronicles 20:36, 2 Chronicles 20:37, Esther 1:14, Job 22:24, Job 28:16, Psalm 45:9, Psalms 48:7, Psalms 72:10, Isaiah 2:16, Isa 13:12, Isaiah 23:1, Isaiah 23:6, Isaiah 23:10, Isaiah 23:14, Isaiah 60:9, Isaiah 66:19, Jeremiah 10:9, Ezekiel 27:12, Ezekiel 27:25, Ezekiel 27:27, Ezekiel 38:13, Jonah 1:3, Jonah 4:2
Source: September 20, 2016.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.