Ophir (II)

II. OPHIR, a Country much celebrated in Scripture, and about which the Criticks have proposed a great Number of Conjectures. ‘Tis agreed with great Reason, that this is the Country that was peopled by Ophir the Son of Joktan, of whom we have now made Mention; and Moses lets us know, that the thirteen Sons of Joktan dwelt from Mesha to Sephar, a Mountain of the East. But as Mesha and Sephar are Places as much unknown as Ophir it self, there was a Necessity of taking another Method to discover the Country of Ophir. All the Passages have been examined in which Mention is made of this Country, and it has been observed, that the same Ships that went to Tharshish, went also to Ophir¹; that these Ships set out from Ezion-geber, a Port of the Red-Sea; that three Years were required for Solomon’s Fleet to make the Voyage of Ophir; that this Fleet returned freighted with Gold, Peacocks, Apes, Spices, Ivory, and Ebony²; lastly, that the Gold of Ophir was in more Esteem than any other Gold mentioned in Scripture, and that the Country of Ophir more abounded with Gold than any other that was then known. By these Tokens they have undertaken to search for Ophir, but almost all the Interpreters have taken different Ways.

Josephus says³, that the Country of Opher is in the Indies, and that it is called the Gold Country. ‘Tis thought he means Chersonesus Aurea, known now by the Name of Malacca, a Peninsula opposite to Sumatra. Lucas Holstenius⁴, after many Enquiries, thinks we must fix upon India in General, or at the City of Supar in the Island of Celebos. Others place it in the Kingdom of Malabar, or of Ceilon, or in the Isle of Tapobrana, so famous among the Antients. Bochart has laboured to support this Opinion. Eupolemus⁵ has placed Ophir in the Island Durphe in the Red-Sea. Masseus believed it was Pegu, and ‘tis said the Peguans pretend to be descended from those Jews, that Solomon sent to work the Mines of this Country. Lipenius, who has composed a particular Treatise concerning the Country of Ophir, places it beyond the Ganges, at Malacca, Java, Sumatra, Siam, Bengal, Pegu, &c. Others⁶ have sought for the Country of Ophir in America, and have placed it in the Island called Hispaniola. Christopher Columbus, who first discovered this Island in 1492, was used to say he had found the Ophir of Solomon. He saw there deep Caverns, which went under Ground for above sixteen Miles, from whence he thought Solomon might have dug up his Gold. Postel and some others have placed it in Peru, a Country famous for its vast Quantity of Gold. Others have searched for it in Africa. They say that the Inhabitants of Melinda or Sofala, on the Eastern Coast of Ethiopia, have it by Tradition, and even have Books which affirm, that Solomon every three Years sent his Fleet thither, to fetch Gold, which is in great Plenty there. John Dos Santos relates, that in Monomotapa there is a Mountain called Fura, where there are excellent Mines; that upon the same Mountain there is an old Castle, which by Tradition is said to have been the Habitation of the Queen of Sheba; and that this Country is the real Ophir. Others place it at Angola, upon the Eastern Coast of Africa; others at Carthage, though this City was not built till a long Time after Solomon. Others have placed it in Spain.

Grotius⁷ guesses, that Solomon’s Fleet did not perhaps go to the Indies, but only to a Port of a City of Arabia, by Arrian called Aphar, by Pliny Saphar, by Ptolemy Sapphera, and by Stephanus Saphinira. This City was situated upon the Coasts of Arabia that were washed by the Ocean. That the Indians brought their Merchandizes thither, and that Solomon’s Navy went thither to bring them home. Huetius in his Dissertation upon the Navigation of Solomon, says the Land of Ophir was upon the Eastern Coast of Africa, which the Arabians call Zanguebar; that the Name Ophir was given more particularly to the small Country of Sophala, which is upon the same Coast; that Solomon’s Fleet went out of the Red-Sea, and from the Harbour of Ezion-geber, entered into the Mediterranean Sea by the Canal of Communication which joined the two Seas; that it doubled the Cape of Guadarfay, and coasted along Africa to come to Sophala: That there was found in Abundance whatever was brought to Solomon by this Voyage. But we have shewn in our Dissertation upon the Land of Ophir, printed before our Commentary upon Genesis, that the Canal of Communication between the Red-Sea and Mediterranean, was not finished till a long Time after the Age of Solomon. See also Marsham, Canon Ægyptiac. Sæcul. 15.

Geropius Becanus and Bivarius, suppose Solomon’s Fleet not to depart from the Red- Sea, but from the Mediterranean. They pretend that the Port of Ezion-geber was upon the Sea last mentioned. They say that Ezion -geber, according to Scripture, was in 1 Kings ix. 26. 2 Chron. viii. 17.Idumea; that Idumea bordered upon the Mediterranean; that upon this Sea is found Gaston-gabria in Strabo, and Beto-gabria in Ptolemy; which City is probably the same as Ezion-geber. True it is, that the Scripture places the City of Ezion-geber upon the Red-Sea, or according to the Hebrew the Sea of Zuph: But they pretend that this Name may express in General the Sea of Limits, which will as well agree to the Mediterranean as to the Red-Sea. Hornius⁸ does not disapprove this Opinion; but it is easy to confute it by two or three Arguments.

1. The Sea of Zuph is never taken but for the Red-Sea. Zuph signifies Rushes or Sea Moss.

2. Ezion-geber was upon the Gulph of Elath, upon the Red-Sea. This can admit of no Difficulty.

3. Idumea might extend as far as the Mediterranean Sea in the Time of Ptolemy the Geographer; but in the Time of Solomon, and a great while after, it extended into Arabia Petrea, towards Elath and Ezion-geber. The Abbot de Choisy⁹ is much inclined to the Opinion of those that would place Ophir in the Kingdom of Siam. In this Kingdom and round about it are found all those Things, that Solomon’s Navy went to fetch from Ophir; and the Voyage is long enough for three Years, between this Place and Ezion-geber.

But we have taken a new Course in Quest of the Country here inquired for. We think that Ophir the Son of Joktan, with his Brethren, peopled the Countries that lie between the Mountain Masius and the Mountains of Saphar, which are probably those of the Tapires or Saspires, towards Armenia, Media, and the Sources of the Tigris and Euphrates; for we do not pretend at this Day to assign the Limits of those Countries. We shall content our selves with pointing out pretty near where the Place was. Eustathius of Antioch¹⁰, as well as we, places Ophir in Armenia. The Emperor Justinian divided Armenia into four Parts, and one of these Parts was called Sophara. Strabo puts upon the Phasis a People called Sarapenes¹¹. Quadratus speaks of the Obarenians¹² upon the River Cyrus; and Pliny the Suarni, situated between the Caspiæ Portæ, the Gordian Mountains, and the Euxin Sea. The Gold of Pharvaim, or of Sepharvaim, is the same as the Gold of Ophir¹³. An S has often been added to the Beginning of Words to shew their Aspiration; and the Septuagint sometimes reads Sophir for Ophir. Sepharvaim has much Relation to Mount Saphar mentioned by Moses. Perhaps to this will be replied these three Things. First, that in the Country where we place Ophir all the Things are not to be found, that Solomon fetched home by his Fleet. Secondly, that this Country does not border upon the Sea, nor could there be any passing thither with a Fleet. Thirdly, that this could not be a three Years Voyage. But I answer, that the Fleet of Solomon in its Voyage of three Years, that is, which returned the third Year after its Departure, stopped at several Harbours, in each of which it took in such Things as were necessary. It took in Apes, Ebony, and Parrots upon the Coasts of Ethiopia. It took in Gold at Ophir, or at the Place of Traffick, whither the People of Ophir resorted. It might also find Ivory there, or if you please in some of the Ports of Arabia, where also it might be supplied with Spices in great Quantity: For this Fleet, after its Departure from Ezion-geber, might trade to both Sides of the Red-Sea, upon the Coasts of Arabia and Ethiopia; it might even visit the Parts of Ethiopia which are beyond the Straits, when it had entered into the Ocean. Thence it might coast between the two Sides of Arabia which are washed by the Ocean, and might pick up whatever Curiosities were to be found in those Countries. Thence it entered into the Persian Gulph, and might visit all the Places of Trade on both the Shores of this Sea, and thence run up the Tigris or Euphrates, as far as these Rivers were navigable.

The Antients tell us the Names of several Places of Traffick upon the Tigris and Euphrates, which were heretofore famous, before they had raised Banks upon the Tigris, or made Out-lets in the Euphrates, which afterwards interrupted the Navigation of those Rivers, or made it more difficult. Strabo may be perused upon this Head, in the first Book of his Geography, in more Places than one. The Gerræans, who dwelt upon the Shores of the Persian Gulph, used to go up the Euphrates with their Floats as far as the City of Thapsacus. Thus though the Countries we mention were not Maritime, yet they might go to ‘em by Sea, by going up the Tigris or Euphrates, as we have said. And though it should be true, that Ophir was situated upon neither of these Rivers; yet if it were within Reach so as that Goods might be brought thither from them, it would be sufficient to justifie our Hypothesis. Lastly, though it might be true that three Years were more than enough to perform this Voyage; ‘tis very possible that about thirty Months might be employed in it, that is, two Summers and one Winter, by supposing, as is very probable, the Fleet stopped at several Ports to make a trading Voyage, by selling or exchanging their Merchandize for what they wanted.

Before the Reign of David the Hebrews Vid. 1 Kings ix. 26. 2 Chron. viii. 17. 1 Kings xi. 15, 16. 1 Chron. xviii. 13. did not much apply themselves to Trade by Sea. The Canaanites or Phœnicians were then in Possession of all the Commerce of the Mediterranean; and as the Hebrews had little or no Territory on the Shore of this Sea, and nothing at all on the Ocean, it is not to be wondered at that they did not think of making Sea Voyages. Besides, from Joshua’s Time to David, they had hardly any Enjoyment of Peace, so that they were not in any Condition of applying themselves to Navigation. But after David had made a Conquest of Idumæa, and was become Master of Elath, and of Ezion-geber upon the Red-Sea¹⁴; he considered the Advantage that their Situation afforded for the Trade of the Ocean. He set out Fleets, and it is very probable, that from their Voyages he obtained the three Thousand Talents of Gold that he bequeathed to the building of the Temple. Tria millia talenta de auro Ophir, —— ad deaurandos 1 Chron: xxix. 4.parietes templi.

After the Death of his Father, Solomon continued the same Traffick to Ophir from whence his Fleet in one Voyage alone brought four Hundred and fifty Talents of 2 Chron. viii. 18. 2 Chron. viii. 17.Gold. He improved and carried to Perfection what his Father had begun at Elath and Ezion-geber. He went in Person to these Cities, ordered Ships to be built there, caused those two Harbours to be fortified, and gave the necessary Orders, not only that the Trade of Ophir might be effectually carried on, but also might be extended to such other Places, to which the Red-Sea opened him a Passage. And in Order to furnish the Cities of Elath and Ezion-geber with Inhabitants that might be qualified to carry on his Designs, he brought thither from the maritime Places of Palestine, as many Seafaring People as he possibly could, especially Tyrians, with whom his good Friend and Ally King Hiram supplied him in great Numbers. This was the chief Source of those immense Riches that King Solomon acquired, in which, as well as in Wisdom, he exceeded all the Kings of his Time, having made Silver as common at Jerusalem as the Stones in the Street.

Solomon’s Successors the Kings of Judah, who had Idumæa to their Share, still carried on this Traffick. They made Use of the Port of Ezion-geber, down to the Times of Jehoshaphat. But this King having here prepared a Fleet to go to Ophir, in Conjunction with Ahaziah King of Israel, and this Fleet being there destroyed, it sunk a great Part of the Reputation of this Harbour. At the Entrance of this Haven there was a Chain of Rocks, upon which the Fleet was driven by the Winds when it attempted tempted to go out of the Port, and was there dashed to Pieces. This Storm was raised by the express Appointment of God, to punish Jehoshaphat for entering into a League with the idolatrous King of Israel. The Year after Jehoshaphat fitted out another Fleet from the Port See 1 Kings xxii. 49. 2 Chron. xx. 36, 37.of Elath, to go to Ophir, and would not let Ahaziah have any Share in the Undertaking.

Under Jehoram, Son and Successor of Jehoshaphat, the Idumæans revolting against Judah2 Kings viii. 20, 22., obtained their Liberty, and the Kings of Judah lost the Cities of Elath and Ezion-geber, by the Help of which they had carried on their Trade to Ophir. But Uzziah or (Azariah) King 2 Kings xiv. 22. 2 Chron xxvi. 2.of Judah having recovered Elath at the Beginning of his Reign, fortified it a new, peopled it with his own Subjects, and restored the Trade of Ophir, which was continued to the Reign of Ahaz. Then Rezin King of Damascus surprized Elath, drove out the Jews that were settled there, put Syrians in their Place, with a Design of carrying on the Trade to Ophir, and the South-Sea, to his own Advantage. But the Year following Tiglath-pileser made a Conquest of Elath from Rezin, and preserved the Property of the Trade to himself. After this Time the Affairs of the Jews would no longer allow them to think of Ophir, or of extending their Commerce by Sea. Nor do I so much as find the Name mentioned in their Books, which were written after the Captivity of Babylon.

Upon this whole Matter may be consulted, either the Authors above cited, the Commentators upon the first Book of Kings, Ch. ix. and our Dissertation upon the Land of Ophir before our Commentary upon Genesis.

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