אוֹפִיר
𐤀𐤅𐤐𐤉𐤓
Ofir
H211 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal and geographical name in the Hebrew Bible. It primarily refers to: (1) a descendant of Joktan, listed among the early progenitors of peoples in Genesis; (2) a region, noted for its exceptional gold and other riches. The exact location of the region is debated and not clearly identifiable from the biblical text.
Semantic Range
personal name (descendant of Joktan); geographical region associated with valuable gold and precious goods; by extension, a distant or wealthy land
Root / Etymology
Root/etymology uncertain. The form אוֹפִיר appears as both a personal and place name, but its derivation is unknown in Hebrew. Attempts to connect it with words in other Semitic or non-Semitic languages (such as Egyptian, Sanskrit, or South Arabian toponyms) remain speculative and unconfirmed.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Torah (Genesis 10:29), Ophir is one of the sons of Joktan, associated with early tribal or ethnic groups of the Arabian Peninsula. In later historical books (notably 1 Kings 9:28; 10:11; 22:49; 2 Chronicles 8:18), Ophir becomes famous as a distant land, accessible by sea, from which Solomon's fleet brought gold and exotic goods. The name's status as both a personal and geographic noun suggests a toponym that may reflect the name of a founding ancestor, common in biblical ethnogeography. The precise location of Ophir remains unknown; suggestions have included the Arabian Peninsula, India, East Africa (notably the Swahili coast), or southeast Asia. English translations retain "Ophir" as a proper noun, but the region's identity and actual location were already obscure in the biblical period. There is no indication that the term had a secondary or religious meaning beyond these references. In post-biblical tradition, "Ophir" sometimes takes on symbolic connotations for wealth and far-flung exotic lands, but these interpretations do not reflect the biblical usage. Use of "Ophir" as "the region of gold" in English translation does not fully capture the personal or ethnic aspects reflected in the genealogical lists.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or (shortened) אֹפִיר; and אוֹפִר; of uncertain derivation; Ophir, the name of a son of Joktan, and of a gold region in the East; Ophir.
Bantu Hebrew
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אופיר (ʾ-w-p-y-r) — uncertain proper name, personal or place name
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H211-02 |
אוֹפִ֥ר | ofir | HNp |
Ophir | Ophir | 7 |
H211-03 |
אוֹפִ֔ירָ/ה | ofirah | HNp/Sd |
Ophir | Ophir-ward | 3 |
H211-01 |
מֵ/אוֹפִ֑יר | meofir | HR/Np |
from Ophir | from Ophir | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
13 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H211-02 |
Genesis 10:29 | אוֹפִ֥ר | ofir | HNp |
Ophir | Ophir |
H211-03 |
1 Kings 9:28 | אוֹפִ֔ירָ/ה | ofirah | HNp/Sd |
to Ophir | Ophir-ward |
H211-01 |
1 Kings 10:11 | מֵ/אוֹפִ֑יר | meofir | HR/Np |
from Ophir | from Ophir |
H211-01 |
1 Kings 10:11 | מֵ/אֹפִ֜יר | meofir-2 | HR/Np |
from Ophir | from Ophir |
H211-03 |
1 Kings 22:49 | אוֹפִ֛ירָ/ה | ofirah | HNp/Sd |
Ophir | Ophir-ward |
H211-02 |
Isaiah 13:12 | אוֹפִֽיר | ofir | HNp |
of Ophir | Ophir |
H211-02 |
Psalms 45:10 | אוֹפִֽיר | ofir | HNp |
Ophir | Ophir |
H211-02 |
Job 22:24 | אוֹפִֽיר | ofir | HNp |
Ophir | Ophir |
H211-02 |
Job 28:16 | אוֹפִ֑יר | ofir | HNp |
of-Ophir | Ophir |
H211-02 |
1 Chronicles 1:23 | אוֹפִ֥יר | ofir | HNp |
Ophir | Ophir |