תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish)
tar.shish
Tarshish
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 19 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Tarshish appears in Scripture with three distinct meanings, ranging from a person to a place. In Genesis 10:4 and 1 Chronicles 7:10, it identifies individuals descended from Javan and Bilhan respectively, placing the name within genealogical records of ancient families.
More significantly, Tarshish denotes a distant, wealthy port city that fascinated Israel’s kings and prophets. The sources suggest this location was far to the west, possibly in Spain or Cyprus, serving as a key destination for Phoenician trade ships. This reputation for remoteness and riches is central to the story of Jonah, who fled to Tarshish to escape God’s call (Jonah 1:3). Similarly, King Solomon’s fleet sailed there to bring back gold, silver, ivory, and apes (1 Kings 10:22; 2 Chronicles 9:21).
The word also refers to a Persian official named Tarshish who served near King Ahasuerus (Esther 1:14). Across these uses, the name consistently points to something distant, valuable, or on the outer edges of known territory.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Tarshish represents the furthest edge of the known world, a place so distant that fleeing there seemed like a way to escape God’s presence entirely. Jonah chose this remote port city because he believed geography could separate him from his Creator. Yet the storm followed him, showing that no matter how far we run, God’s reach extends beyond our wildest imaginings.
For believers today, this word reminds us that there is no such thing as a place outside of God’s care. Whether we feel distant due to circumstance or choice, His grace meets us where we are. The same God who commanded the winds for Jonah is present in every corner of our lives, inviting us not to run, but to rest in His nearness.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 19 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Tarshish15×
- Tarshish/ towards4×
- and/ Tarshish2×
- from/ Tarshish1×
- and/ Tarshish/ <towards>1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ3×
- תַּרְשִׁ֗ישׁ2×
- תַּרְשִׁ֔ישָׁ/ה2×
- תַּרְשִׁ֑ישָׁ/ה2×
- תַרְשִׁ֗ישׁ2×
- תַּרְשִׁישׁ֙1×
- תַּרְשִֽׁישׁ\׃1×
- תַּרְשִׁ֨ישׁ1×
- תַּרְשִׁ֕ישׁ1×
- תַּרְשִׁ֔ישׁ1×
- תַרְשִׁ֤ישׁ1×
- תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ1×
Key Verses
-
Jonah 1:3
But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh.
This verse captures the core tension of the word, as Jonah uses Tarshish’s distance as a literal barrier against divine calling.
-
I Kings 10:22
For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the fleet of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.
Here the term highlights immense wealth and global reach, showing how far Israel’s influence extended through trade with distant lands.
-
Isaiah 60:9
Surely the islands will wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from far away, their silver and their gold with them, for the name of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you.
The prophet reimagines these distant ships not as symbols of escape, but as vessels bringing people back to God in worship.