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Meaning, origin and etymology of the name Tarshish


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Tarshish Tarshish

The name Tarshish is assigned four times in the Bible. The first Tarshish is a son of Javan, son of Japheth, son of Noah. Most famously is Tarshish, the city famed for its wealth and merchant fleet (1 Ki 10:22), but which location is unknown. It was located on a coast, possibly an island (Ps 72:10, Isa 23:6) at a great distance from Palestine (Isa 66:19, Jon 1:3). It is quite possible that the town Tarshish was located in the territory of the Javanite Tarshish, and that Genesis suggests that the town was named after the man. In the Old Testament Tarshish is firmly connected with the merchant navy; merchant ships are referred to as `ships of Tarshish', even when they sail for Ophir. (1 Ki 22:48). The fleet of Israel was most successful under Solomon, who built it in Ezion-geber, near Eloth.
Then there are a Benjaminite (1 Chr 7:10) and one of seven Persian princes (Est 1:14) named Tarshish. The Biblical name of a certain precious stone (perhaps yellow Jasper, says BDB, but translated chrysolite by NIV and beryl by NAS) is also tarshish (Ex 28:20).

These names (and noun) Tarshish come from different languages and have different etymologies. The Persian prince was probably known as Tarshata, which means His Excellency (BDB). Another suggestion is a relation to the word tarsta, the feared or revered (BDB).
TWOTOT suggests that the name of the wealthy city Tarshish may mean Refinery, probably in the language of its most likely location.

A Hebrew audience, however, may have connected the name Tarshish to words that occur in Hebrew. Jones relates the name to rashash (rashash 2224) meaning beat down, shatter. The prefix taw would denote a thorough destruction. But although Tarshish is mentioned here and there as subject of God's wrath (Ps 48:7, Isa 2:16, 23:1), it is mostly known for its great success in the economical arena. Isaiah even predicts that Tarshish is not going to be simply destroyed, as were Sodom and Gomorrah, but that its legacy will one day be employed to service God (60:9). It is unlikely that the name Tarshish is supposed to be linked to a verb that denotes defeat and destruction.

We note that the shish-part of the name Tarshish looks a lot like the word shayish (shayish 2379), alabaster a mostly translucent or white crystal. And the tar-part looks a lot like tor (tor 2500c), dove. It comes from the verb tur (tur 2500), seek, spy out. Derivative tor (tor 2500a) denotes a certain ornament, probably a plait or circlet (Song 1:10).

To a Hebrew audience, the name Tarshish may have sounded like White Dove or Dove-White.




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