Tharshish (2)

2. THARSHISH. The Country of Tharshish, whither Solomon sent his Fleets.¹ There is a multitude of different Opinions concerning this Country. Josephus, the Chaldee and Arabick Paraphrasts, explain it of Tarsus, a City of Cilicia: The Septuagint, St. Jerome, and Theodoret, understand it of Carthage. Eusebius makes the Spaniards to be descended from Tharshish: The Arabian Geographer will have it to be Tunis in Africa. Bochart makes it to be Tartessus, an Island in the Streights of Gades. By Tharshish, M. Le Clerc understands Thassus,

an Island and City in the Ægean Sea.

Grotius thinks the whole Ocean to be called Tharshish, because of the famous City of Tartessus, now mention’d. Sanctius believes the Sea in general to be called Tharshish, and that the Ships of Tharshish are those that are employ’d in Voyages at Sea, in opposition to the small Vessels that are used only in some navigable River. The Seventy translate Tharshish sometimes by the Sea; and the Scripture gives alike the Name of Ships of Tharshish to those that were fitted out at Eziongeber, on the Red-Sea, and which sailed upon the Ocean, as to those that were fitted out at Joppa, and in the Ports of the Mediterranean. We cannot apprehend any other way than this to explain all the Passages wherein mention is made of the Ships of Tharshish.

For on one side we see plain enough that Tharshish signifies the City of Tarsus, and Cilicia; and on the other side we observe, that they fitted out Ships of Tharshish, or Ships to go to Tharshish, in Places from whence we cannot suppose that they went to Tarsus in Cilicia. For example, the Author of the Book of Judith, describing the Course or Judith ii. 12, 13. Vulgat. Jonah i. 3, &c. Psalm lxxii. 10.Conquests of Holofernes, says he went into Cilicia, and destroyed all the Children of Tharshish, or Tharsis. Jonah, flying from before the Face of the Lord, went on Ship-board at Joppa to go to Tharshish, probably to Tarsus in Cilicia. The Prophets c Isaiah and Ezekiel, among the Merchant Ships that came to traffick at Tyre, put those of Tharshish. Cilicia was altogether within reach from Tyre; and there is but little Probability that they should come from the Coasts of the Ocean to trade there. Lastly, the Psalmist puts the Kings of Tharshish with those of the Isles: The kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents. But by the Isles or Islands are generally meant those of the Mediterranean, and the Maritime Places, whither the Hebrews were used to go by Sea.

From all these Passages it may be concluded, that the Country of Tharshish was upon the Mediterranean, and that probably it was Cilicia.

Therefore, when we see Ships fitted out upon the Red-Sea, or at Ezion-geber, in order to go to Tharshish, we must conclude one of these two things; either that there were two Countries called Tharshish, one upon the Ocean, and another upon the Mediterranean, which by no means seems to be probable; or that Ships of Tharshish in general signifies nothing else but Ships able to bear a long Voyage, large Merchant Ships, in opposition to the small Craft intended for a Home-Trade in navigable Rivers. See our Commentary upon Gen. x. 4.

Read this article in its place on the printed pages