Ophir

Ophir is a place famous in the Bible for producing high-quality gold. As early as Job’s time (c. 1600 BC), “gold” or “pure gold” was almost synonymous with “gold of Ophir” (Job 22:24; 28:15-16). Psalm 45:9 describes royal women of the era wearing precious gold from Ophir. Isaiah 13:11-12 prophesies that after Babylon’s fall, tyrants will be as rare as the gold of Ophir, indicating their scarcity.

David donated 100 tons (3,000 talents) of Ophir gold for the Temple’s construction, currently valued at approximately $1.15605 billion USD (1 Chronicles 29:1, 2, 4). Later, David’s son Solomon sent out fleets that regularly returned from Ophir with 14,000 kilograms (420 talents) of gold (1 Kings 9:26-28). 2 Chronicles 8:18 describes the same event, stating the gold totaled 15,000 kilograms (450 talents). Due to the similar wording, scholars believe the author of Chronicles may have cited Kings, making a copying error the most probable explanation. However, this does not invalidate the doctrine of biblical inerrancy, nor does this discrepancy affect the accuracy of salvation truth. Instead, it reminds us to be more meticulous when studying God’s Word.

In addition to producing gold, Ophir also supplied the many algum wood (sandalwood) and precious stones that Solomon imported (1 Kings 10:11; 2 Chronicles 9:10). One hundred years later, King Jehoshaphat’s Tarshish fleet intended to sail to Ophir for gold, but the plan was aborted because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber in the Gulf of Aqaba (1 Kings 22:48; see Tarshish 4).

However, the exact location of Ophir remains debated. It may have been in Yemen or eastern Africa, particularly Somalia, across the Red Sea, known for abundant gold, sandalwood, and precious stones (1 Kings 10:11; 2 Chronicles 9:10). Some also suggest it was in India.