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Tarshish

Historical Location
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A distant maritime region, possibly in Spain, known for trade and Jonah’s attempted flight

Detailed Definition
Tarshish appears as a far-western port supplying Solomon with metals and as the destination Jonah chose to flee from God (Jonah 1). It symbolizes the ends of the earth and human evasion of divine call. In poetry, Tarshish represents escape, the limits of geography, and the futility of running from one’s destiny or conscience.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Jonah 1, Tarshish is the distant port Jonah flees toward, symbolizing avoidance; In Isaiah 23 and Psalm 72, Tarshish represents far-flung trade and tribute; The poet John Masefield references Tarshish in “Cargoes” as exotic maritime wealth; Modern scholars debate Tarshish’s location (Spain, Sardinia, Tartessos); Contemporary poetry uses Tarshish to explore escape, calling, and global connection.
Additional Notes
Tarshish, a distant port (possibly Spain), symbolizes escape (Jonah 1) and maritime wealth (Psalm 72:10). In poetry, it evokes exotic trade and global reach. Masefield’s “Cargoes” romanticizes it. Students should note scholarly debates over its location and its contrast with Phoenician ports like Tyre.
Also Known As
Tartessos Distant Port Jonah’s Escape Maritime Enigma
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