Ophir

The land of Ophir or Ofir ( Hebrew אוֹפִיר ) is a legendary land of gold in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is known mainly as a result of the gold wealth. King Solomon is said to have brought from there his gold. Ophir is often associated with the known from Egyptian sources Gold Land of Punt.

• 2.1 Sofala and Zimbabwe

Swell

Mentioned in the Old Testament

1 Kings

The report (1 Kings 9.26 to 28 EU ): King Solomon also built a fleet at Ezion Geber, which is near Elath on the shore of the Red Sea in Edom. Hiram sent his people, experienced sailors, with the servants of Solomon to ship. They went to Ophir, brought from there 420 talents of gold, and brought it to king Solomon is with the mention of the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:10-11 EU) directly related: You ( Queen of Sheba ) gave the king 120 talents Gold, plus a huge amount of balsam and precious stones. Never has so much more balm in the country as the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Also, the fleet of Hiram, which brought gold from Ophir, brought back large quantities Almuggimholz and gemstones.

The precious " Almuggimholz " refers rather to a region in Lebanon and is less able to connect with Ofir. The information in Chapter 10 with respect to the Almuggimholzes be regarded as subsequently introduced editorial supplement to explain the origin of the materials for Solomon's temple and to construct a connection between Solomon and Hiram. As a historical annals note that information divorced from hence.

2 Chronicles

• 2 Chr 8,18 EU:

• 2 Chr 9,10 EU:

Book of Tobit

• Tob 13:17 EU:

Other sources

Apart from the Bible and a Judean inscription dating from the 7th century BC, which mentions the " gold of Ophir ", there are still some Arabic reports that mention the gold country " Afir ", which should be the same as Ophir.

Localization

The starting point of the journey to the land of Ophir was the port Eziongaber at the far end of the Gulf of Aqaba, near the present-day port city of Eilat. The timing of the command of King Solomon trip is assumed around the year 940 BC.

However, the localization of the country Ophir is controversial due to the inaccurate description by the Bible for the researchers. Maybe it was in Abyssinia or in the Near East. Nubia was for the ancient Egyptians, a " land of gold ". It is conceivable that even Solomon then had his gold. Ophir was sought in Somalia, Yemen, Persia or the west coast of Africa. Even in the New World they went on the search. It was suggested it in Peru or in the Caribbean. A Spanish expedition was looking for in 1567 under the leadership of Alvaro de Mendaña de Neyra Ophir in the Pacific. They discovered a group of islands and named them Solomon Islands, although there is no gold was found.

Sofala and Zimbabwe

1502 Vasco da Gama discovered the city of Sofala and noticed the abundance of gold and precious stones. Three years later, built by the Portuguese in Sofala an establishment. They said to have discovered Ophir. Two more years later, it is reported of Great Zimbabwe, which was the source of the gold Sofalas. The Portuguese, however, never entered Zimbabwe.

In the 19th century the German African traveler Karl Mauch Ophir and brought back to Zimbabwe connection. His theory was particularly in Germany and England many followers. The press spoke of the rediscovery of Ophir. The well-known writer of adventure novels Sir Henry Rider Haggard (1856-1925) made ​​the " Ophir " myth popularized by his hero Allan Quatermain in East Africa - was looking for the diamond mines of King Solomon - of course, completely unhistorical. The allusions to the colonial pioneer Cecil Rhodes, who had become rich by diamond shops and today's Zimbabwe had brought under British control were evident.

Especially loudly advocated the end of the century, the German adventurer and colonial pioneer Carl Peters this view and tried to get the name " Ophir " and " Africa " in an etymological connection. Beginning of the 20th century, his theory was, however, more and more criticized. First in 1905 and finally in 1952 was demonstrated by the analysis of archaeological findings that Great Zimbabwe was founded in the early Middle Ages by the black African Shona. In order for a contact with King Solomon by the large time difference of nearly 2000 years is excluded. However, applied the old " Ophir " theory in white Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, as the official state ideology, because it could be argued with her ​​that the black Africans in ancient times would have only forced by light-skinned races may be forced to work. The archaeologist Peter Garlake, the final proof for the black African origins of ruin plant had succeeded was not allowed to publish his research in Rhodesia. Chance appear still Books, in which claims of non-African origin of the ruins and a relationship with Phoenicians or Egyptians is made. The authors come almost exclusively from the South African region including a view of African history as it was generally accepted during the colonial period and is, like rezipiert still in circles that mourn apartheid.

The well established in the 19th century theory of the Indologist Christian Lassen, Ophir was located on the northwest coast of the East Indies, near the mouth of the Indus River, and the name of Ophir was derived from North Indian tribe of the " Abhira " was the dispute over Sofala and Zimbabwe marginalized.