Ophir

March 26, 2019

The queen of the South (Lk 11:31-11:31)

“The queen of the South

Will rise

At the judgment

Against the people

Of this generation.

She will condemn them.

Because she came

From the ends of the earth

To listen to

The wisdom of Solomon.

See!

Someone greater

Than Solomon

Is here.”

 

βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτούς· ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that the queen of the South (βασίλισσα νότου) would rise (ἐγερθήσεται) at the judgment time (ἐν τῇ κρίσει) against the men or people of this generation.  She will condemn them (καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτούς), because she came from the ends of the earth (ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς) to listen to the wisdom of Solomon (ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος).  However, someone greater than Solomon is here (καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε).  This saying about the Queen of Sheba can also be found in Matthew, chapter 12:42, so that perhaps this is a Q source.  However, in Luke here, it preceded the comments about the men of Nineveh, while it was the reverse in Matthew.  Why was this unnamed Queen of Sheba able to give a judgment on this generation?  She was not even Jewish.  However, she visited King Solomon in 1 Kings, chapter 10:1-13, with the same story repeated in 2 Chronicles, chapter 9:1-12.  This mythical mysterious woman came from Sheba, but no one knows exactly where that was or her specific name.  She might have been from around the gold mines at Ophir, wherever that might be.  This might explain her wealth in spices, gold, and precious stones.  Anyway, King Solomon answered all her questions with great wisdom.  She observed all his wisdom, plus his house, his food, his clothing, and his servants.  She praised King Solomon, the son of King David, because his wisdom exceeded what she had anticipated and his prosperity exceeded her expectations.  Matthew and Luke both called her the Queen of the South (βασίλισσα νότου).  Matthew also said that she would rise up at the judgment time against this generation and condemn them.  She had come from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon.  Now, Matthew reminded them that someone greater than King Solomon was there among them, Jesus himself.  Do you recognize greatness when you see it?

April 26, 2018

The Queen of Sheba (Mt 12:42-12:42)

“The Queen of the South

Will rise up

At the judgment

With this generation.

She will condemn it.

Because she came

From the ends of the earth

To listen

To the wisdom of Solomon.

See!

Something greater

Than Solomon is here.”

 

βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν· ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε.

 

This saying about the Queen of Sheba can also be found in Luke, chapter 11:31, so that perhaps this is a Q source.  However, in Luke, it preceded the comments about the men of Nineveh.  Why was this unnamed Queen of Sheba able to give a judgment on this generation?  She was not even Jewish.  However, she visited King Solomon in 1 Kings, chapter 10:1-13, with the same story repeated in 2 Chronicles, chapter 9:1-12.  This mythical mysterious woman came from Sheba, but no one knows exactly where that was or her specific name.  She might have been from around the gold mines at Ophir, wherever that might be.  This might explain her wealth in spices, gold, and precious stones.  Anyway, King Solomon answered all her questions with great wisdom.  She observed all his wisdom, plus his house, his food, his clothing, and his servants.  She praised King Solomon, the son of King David, because his wisdom exceeded what she had anticipated and his prosperity exceeded her expectations.  Here she is called the Queen of the South (βασίλισσα νότου).  She would rise up at the judgment time against this generation (ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης).  Just like the men of Nineveh, she would condemn them (καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν).  She had come from the ends of the earth (ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς) to hear the wisdom of Solomon (ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος).  Now, Matthew reminded them that something or someone greater than King Solomon was there among them (καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε), Jesus himself.

September 6, 2017

The description of the man on the banks of the Great River (Dan 10:4-10:6)

“On the twenty-fourth day

Of the first month,

As I was standing

On the bank

Of the great river,

That is the Tigris,

I looked up.

I saw

A man clothed

In linen,

With a belt

Of gold,

From Uphaz,

Around his waist.

His body was

Like beryl.

His face was

Like lightning.

His eyes were

Like flaming torches.

His arms,

As well as his legs,

Were

Like the gleam

Of burnished bronze.

The sound

Of his words were

Like the noise

Of a multitude.”

On the 24th of the 1st month, Daniel was on the banks of the great river, the Euphrates, not the Tigris, since the Tigris does not go through Babylon. Then Daniel looked up. He saw a man dressed in linen clothes with a Uphaz gold belt. Uphaz was another name for Ophir, a large gold mining area. Daniel then described this man’s body as like beryl or emerald looking. His face was like lightning. His eyes were like flaming torches. He almost sounded like Santa Claus. His arms and legs were like burnished bronze, similar to the bronze man at the end of the Book of Ezekiel, chapters 40-47. The sound of his voice was like a large group of people. He was quite unique.

November 2, 2016

These foolish man made idols (Jer 10:8-10:9)

“They are stupid.

They are foolish.

The instruction given by idols

Is no better than wood.

Beaten silver is brought

From Tarshish.

Gold is brought

From Uphaz.

They are the work

Of the artisans.

They are the work

Of the hands of the goldsmiths.

Their clothing is blue.

Their clothing is purple.

They are all the product

Of skilled men.”

Jeremiah remarks that the false idol gods are stupid and foolish. Any instruction from them is like instruction from a piece of wood. Their silver is from Tarshish, the big ship building place somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea. Usually the gold is from Ophir, but here it is from an unknown place only mentioned here called Uphaz, that may be another name for Ophir. They even have blue and purple clothing. Obviously these false idols are the work products of skilled humans, both artisans and goldsmiths.

July 22, 2016

The punishment of the Lord (Isa 13:11-13:13)

“I will punish the world

For its evil.

I will punish the wicked

For their iniquity.

I will put an end

To the pride of the arrogant.

I will lay low

The insolence of tyrants.

I will make mortals

More rare than fine gold.

I will make humans

More rare than the gold of Ophir.

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble.

The earth will be shaken out of its place.

The wrath of Yahweh of hosts

Will show his fierce anger

On that day.”

Isaiah turns to the first person singular of Yahweh to punish the whole world, in particular the evil ones. The evil, the wicked, the iniquitous, the prideful, the arrogant, the tyrants, and the insolent will all be punished. Thus human mortals will become as rare as fine gold, especially the expensive gold from Ophir. The heavens will tremble and the earth will shake like an earthquake. The wrath and anger of Yahweh will show itself on that day against human sinners. There is no doubt that this is an end time scenario.

April 28, 2016

Money and wives (Sir 7:18-7:19)

“Do not exchange a friend for money.

Do not exchange a real brother for the gold of Ophir.

Do not dismiss a wise wife.

Do not dismiss a good wife.

Her charm is worth more than gold.”

Continuing with these sayings of Sirach, you should not exchange a friend for money. Neither should you get rid of your brother for the special gold from Ophir, the great gold mining place. You should not dismiss a wise, good, or charming wife because she is worth more than gold. This seems to indicate it might be all right to get rid of an unwise or bad wife.

September 29, 2015

The anointed one (Ps 45:6-45:9)

“Your throne!

O God!

Endures forever and ever.

Your royal scepter is a scepter of equity.

You love righteousness.

You hate wickedness.

Therefore God,

Your God!

Has anointed you

With the oil of gladness.

Thus you are beyond your companions.

Your robes are all fragrant

With myrrh, aloes, and cassia.

From ivory palaces

Stringed instruments make you glad.

Daughters of kings are

Among your ladies of honor.

At your right hand

Stands the queen in gold of Ophir.”

Is this throne the throne of God or the king that endures forever? Once again, the scribe psalmist treats the king like a mini-god. The royal crown helps insure equality. Then we have the famous saying about being anointed with the oil of gladness that had such a resonance with Christian prayers about anointing. This is a royal anointing of the new king. This new king was beyond his companions. His robes were fragrant or smelly. They were filled with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Myrrh was an aromatic perfume from the Asian bushes. Aloes was a bitter tasting leaf that was used in perfumes. Cassia is an Asian evergreen tree with an aromatic bark that also was used in perfumes. Ivory and stringed instruments were also there. All this adds to the concept of wealth. Of course stringed instruments and beautiful ladies of honor were also added to the scene. Then there was queen in her gold from the mysterious unknown but often mentioned Ophir.

July 22, 2015

Where can you find wisdom? (Job 28:12-28:19)

“But where shall wisdom be found?

Where is the place of understanding?

Mortals do not know the way to it.

It is not found in the land of the living.

The deep says.

‘It is not in me.’

The sea says.

‘It is not with me.’

It cannot be gotten for gold.

Silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir.

It cannot be valued in precious onyx or sapphire.

Gold and glass cannot equal it.

It cannot be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal.

The price of wisdom is above pearls.

The chrysolite topaz of Ethiopia cannot compare with it.

It cannot be valued in pure gold.”

The important question remains, “Where can this wisdom be found?” In a beautiful colorful response this biblical author says where it is not to be found. No mortal humans have this wisdom since it cannot be found among the land of the living. It cannot be found in the oceans or seas. You cannot buy it either. No matter how much gold or silver you have, wisdom is more valuable. You cannot measure it with precious stones, glass, or gold. Coral, crystals, topaz, and pure gold are all less valuable than wisdom. Ophir is the place to find gold, while Ethiopia was the place of topaz. Wisdom is beyond any human knowledge or any precious item here on earth.

February 25, 2015

The prayer of Tobit for the return to Jerusalem (Tob 13:14-14:1)

“Happy are those who love you!

Happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity!

Happy also are all who grieve with you because of your afflictions.

They will rejoice with you.

They will witness all your glory forever.

My soul blesses the Lord,

The great King!

Jerusalem will be built as his house for all ages

How happy I will be,

If a remnant of my descendents should survive,

They would see your glory,

They would acknowledge the King of heaven.

The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphires and emeralds.

All her walls will be built with precious stones.

The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold.

The battlements will be built with pure gold.

The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with ruby.

The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with stones of Ophir.

The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy.

All her houses will cry ‘Hallelujah!’

Blessed be the God of Israel!

The blessed will bless your holy name forever and ever.’

This ended Tobit’s words of praise.”

The setting is the time before the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem. It is not just the Temple, but the whole town that will praise God. Everyone will be happy who love Jerusalem and want it to prosper. Those who have grieved with you will rejoice with its new glory. Tobit’s soul blessed the Lord, who is the great king. Jerusalem shall be his home for all ages to come. The remnant of his descendents will return and be happy in the glory of Jerusalem. They will acknowledge the king of heaven there. The renewed paved streets of Jerusalem will have sapphires, emeralds, Ophir, and all kinds of precious stones. The gates will have these stones plus golden towers. The gates and houses will cry out with Alleluia all over the place. The God of Israel is to be blessed. Thus, we come to the end of Tobit’s prayer. It is more like a lament, a longing for the return to Jerusalem. He, in fact, had lived in the north, not in Jerusalem, but he would journey every year to worship there. This canticle or hymn clearly believed in an idealized Jerusalem.

December 21, 2014

The wealth of King Solomon (2 Chr 8:17-8:18)

“Then King Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom. King Huram sent him ships with his servants who were familiar with the sea. They went to Ophir together with the servants of King Solomon. They imported from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold. They brought it to King Solomon.”

Once again, this is based on 1 Kings, chapter 9. Here King Solomon is not in the ship building business. Here his good friend Hiram or Huram from Tyre helped with his ships since his men were good seamen. Everything else is exactly the same. They went to the same places. Eloth was a seaport in the land of Edom on the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba. Ophir is difficult to locate, but there was a huge gold mine there. There is a mention of this in Genesis, chapter 10, when showing how the earth was populated after the great flood. The descendants of Shem, Noah’s son lived in the Persian Gulf or the Indian Ocean area and they mentioned the town of Ophir. So both biblical authors were familiar with this town and its gold. This time the gold haul is 450 talents of gold, 30 more talents than was in 1 Kings. That would put its value over 2 billion USA dollars, $2,000,000,000.00, quite a large amount of money or wealth for any time, even for 3,000 years ago. They brought all this gold to King Solomon.