OPHIR, a country mentioned in scripture, from which Solomon had great quantities of gold brought home in ships which he sent out for that purpose; but where to fix its situation is the great difficulty, authors running into various opinions on that head. Some have gone to the West, others to the East Indies, and the eastern coasts of Africa, in search of it. The generality place Ophir in the East Indies: but where there, is the question; many taking it for Taphrobana, now supposed to be Ceylon; others for Pegu, or for Sumatra; or for the Aurea Cherfonesus, now Malacca: unless Aurea Cherfonesus be, as many think, an appellative common to all countries producing gold. Kircher takes the term Ophir to be of Egyptian original, and to denote a great part of India: and, to obviate difficulties, perhaps it is best to take Ophir for India at large, without confining it to any particular country, not excluding even China and the Japanese islands.