Tarshish

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Tarshish was an ancient city or region across the Mediterranean Sea from Israel, although its exact location is unknown. In the Bible, Tarshish was named as a source of King Solomon's great wealth in metals, and it was also the destination of Jonah’s boat when he fled from God.

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Fleeing to Tarshish

TANAKH

Jonah's attempt to flee from God's command by traveling to Tarshish is a dramatic and relatable story of human resistance to divine will. The Book of Jonah, one of the Minor Prophets, begins with Jonah's flight to Tarshish to avoid his prophetic mission, leading to a series of miraculous events.

Jonah, however, started out to flee to Tarshish from GOD’s service. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went aboard to sail with the others to Tarshish, away from GOD’s service.

Jonah 1:3

You Cannot Escape God

KABBALAH

Jonah's attempt to flee to Tarshish illustrates the futility of trying to escape God's omnipresence. The Zohar, a foundational Kabbalistic text, delves into the mystical and esoteric aspects of the Torah, including the story of Jonah.

AND THE LORD SAID TO ABRAM AFTER THAT LOT WAS SEPARATED FROM HIM. In connection with this verse R. Abba discoursed on the following text: Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord (Jonah, I, 3). He said: ‘Woe to the man who seeks to hide himself from God, of whom it is written, “Do I not fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?” (Jer. 23, 24). Why, then, did Jonah seek to flee from Him?

Zohar, Lech Lecha 20:180

The Wrecked Ships of Jehoshaphat

TANAKH

Jehoshaphat's ambitious maritime venture to acquire gold through his Tarshish ships ended in failure, underscoring the risks of ancient seafaring. The Book of Kings I recounts the construction of these ships and their subsequent wrecking at Ezion-geber.

Jehoshaphat constructed Tarshish ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But he did not sail because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

I Kings 22:49

The Idols of Tarshish

COMMENTARY

The import of precious metals from Tarshish to fashion idols highlights the irony of investing in lifeless objects despite their artistic value. The Book of Jeremiah critiques the Israelites for their idolatry, emphasizing the futility of worshipping beautifully crafted but lifeless idols.

Beaten silver is imported from Tarshish and gold from Ufaz, in order to fashion these images, which are the work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; sky-blue and purple wool is their garment, of the idols, all of them the work of the skilled. They may be works of art, but they are merely lifeless toys. It is possible that the Tarshish mentioned here is in Spain, where large silver mines were found even in ancient times, of the kind that do not exist in Israel or in the surrounding area.

Steinsaltz on Jeremiah 10:9

Tarshish and the Future Redemption

COMMENTARY

Wealth from various nations, including Tarshish, will sustain the Jewish people during the Messianic era. The Tze'enah Ure'enah states that nations will recognize God's goodness, and ships reminiscent of Solomon's time will bring silver and gold back to Israel, reassuring the wealthy that their riches will endure with the arrival of the Messiah.

“Behold the coastlands await me, etc.” [60:9]. Those who live among the nations will hope to me. They will recognize Me that I do good to those that I want and evil to those that I want. The great ship from the sea that is called Tarshish, like the ships came in the days of King Solomon. They will bring your children from afar. Israel will bring their their silver and gold with them out of the exile. Therefore, the rich person who has much money in the exile should not worry and should not say that his money will be lost when the Messiah will come…

Tze'enah Ure'enah, Haftarot, Ki Tavo 10

Tribute from Tarshish

COMMENTARY

The verse from Psalms envisions a future where even distant lands like Tarshish recognize and honor a righteous Jewish king. Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s modern translation and commentary on the Hebrew Bible offers a clear and engaging interpretation of this messianic prophecy.

The king’s power and influence will extend far beyond the borders of the Land of Israel. The kings of Tarshish, a faraway city variously identified, located in Spain according to some, and the kings of the islands will bring tribute to the king. The kings of Sheba and Seva, in farthest Arabia or Africa, will offer gifts.

Steinsaltz on Psalms 72:10

Divine Justice Against Tarshish

MIDRASH

The rabbis interpreted a verse from Psalms as a prophecy of divine justice against Tarshish. The Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, a second-century halachic midrash, explains Psalm 48:8, highlighting that the future punishment of Tarshish will come through a strong east wind, as indicated in the verse: "With the east wind, You will break the ships of Tarshish."

And thus you find that the Holy One Blessed be He is destined to exact punishment of "the merry kingdom" (Tarshish), viz. (Psalms 48:8) "With an east wind You will smash the ships of Tarshish."

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Tractate Vayehi Beshalach 5:15

Scenes from the Story of Jonah, Étienne Delaune, 1569

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