Tarshish
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Tarshish - a Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning "the sea coast." It 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 (Kings 22, 48). In all probability this was the south Spanish trading city that was known to the Greeks as Tartessos (see there for non-biblical history). 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.
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. [1] (http://www.bible.ort.org/books/torahd5.asp?action=displaypage&book=2&chapter=28&verse=18&portion=20)
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.
Tarshish is often pronounced as Tarish (source: Lay Liturgical Resources (http://www.layliturgy.com/LBS/overview/geographic/LBS_over_Tarshish.htm))
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.