Places in the Bible Today:

Ophir

Data

Translated NameOphir
Typesisland, mine, region, or settlement
NotesLexham Bible Dictionary (2016) (Ophir) also notes Peru as a historical identification
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

11 Possible Identifications

  1. southwestern Arabia (modern): 30% confidence

    1. bridge in southwestern Arabiasouthwestern Arabia

  2. another name for Punt (ancient): 20% confidence

    1. panorama of hills in PuntPunt

  3. Sopara (modern): 20% confidence

    1. ruins at SoparaSopara

  4. Poovar (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. buildings at PoovarPoovar

  5. Sofala (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. ruins at SofalaSofala

  6. Sri Lanka (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. coastline of Sri LankaSri Lanka

  7. Goa (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. natural area in GoaGoa

  8. Sumatra (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of a mountain in SumatraSumatra

  9. another name for Adulis (ancient): less than 10% confidence

    1. ruins at AdulisAdulis

  10. Oman (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. panorama of oasis in OmanOman

  11. Mahd adh Dhahab (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Mahd adh DhahabMahd adh Dhahab

Verses (10)

1Sam-Esth (6)
1Kgs 9:28, 10:11, 22:48
1Chr 29:4
2Chr 8:18, 9:10
Job-Mal (4)
Job 22:24, 28:16
Ps 45:9
Isa 13:12

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookOphir (Place)
OpenBible.info (2007)Ophir
OpenBible.infoa104820 (Ophir)
TIPNROphir@1Ki.9.28
WikidataQ914073

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Ophir (place)
  2. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Ophir
  3. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Ophir
  4. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Ophir
  5. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  6. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Ophir (place)
  7. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): 1Kgs 9:28 note; 2Chr 8:18
  8. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Ophir
  9. HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History (2008)
  10. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  11. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Ophir
  12. IVP Atlas of Bible History (2006)
  13. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Ophir
  14. Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2014): Ophir
  15. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  16. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  17. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  18. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Ophir (Place)
  19. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Ophir
  20. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Ophir
  21. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  22. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  23. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): 1Kgs 9:28

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others, for example, then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Bernard Gagnon, Abukar Musa, Nahushraj, Kulvinder Bisla, Jules Frémeaux, Raveenhw, Dominik Hundhammer, Fajran08, Selaloulol, Hendrik Dacquin, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.

The isobands you see on the map (gray areas with dark borders) attempt to give you confidence where a region is. Because many ancient regions aren't precisely defined, I consulted atlases to determine where the biblical region is located and used that data to build the isobands. The smaller isobands reflect more confidence that the given isoband is in the region, while the larger isobands reflect less confidence. Isobands are a kind of contour line that here indicate confidence levels.