Answers about…
tin in the Bible

Hebrew: בְּדִיל —transliteration: bdiyl or bedil —meaning: tin, or a metal alloy (because removed by smelting) —occurrences: 6

Tin was a well known metal in ancient times. Ancient Israel likely obtained its tin primarily through trade networks, as tin is not naturally abundant in the Levant. The main sources of tin during the Bronze Age (ca. 3000–1200 BC) and Iron Age (ca. 1200–586 BC) were:

• Anatolia (modern Turkey): The region was a significant source of tin, with deposits in areas like the Taurus Mountains. Tin was likely traded through intermediaries such as the Hittites or via maritime routes.

• Mesopotamia and the Persian Gulf: Tin was imported from further east, possibly from regions like modern-day Iran or Afghanistan, where tin mines existed. Mesopotamian trade networks, including those passing through the Persian Gulf, facilitated the movement of tin to the Levant.

• The “Tin Islands” (possibly Cornwall, Britain): Some scholars suggest that Phoenician traders, who were active in the Mediterranean and closely connected with Israel (e.g., through the port of Tyre), may have sourced tin from distant regions like Cornwall in Britain or Brittany in France. This is based on references in ancient texts (e.g., Herodotus) to the “Cassiterides” (Tin Islands), though the exact location remains debated.

  It is the general opinion that the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon obtained some of their supplies of tin from the British Isles. In Ezekiel 27:12 tin is said to have been brought from Tarshish, which was probably a commercial emporium port supplied with commodities from other places.

• Central Asia: Tin from regions like Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan may have reached the Levant via long-distance trade routes, such as those connecting to the Assyrian or Babylonian empires.

In the context of ancient Israel, tin was critical for producing bronze (an alloy of copper and tin), which was widely used for tools, weapons, and ornaments. The Israelites likely acquired tin through trade with neighboring powers like the Phoenicians, who controlled maritime trade routes, or through overland caravans from Mesopotamia or Anatolia. Archaeological evidence, such as bronze artifacts found in sites like Megiddo and Hazor, supports the idea that tin was imported.

Occurences of the word

The Hebrew word bdiyl appears 6 times in the Old Testament.

Numbers 31:22; Ezekiel 22:18, 20; 27:12 — translated as “tin” in KJV and modern translations

Isaiah 1:25 — translated as as “tin” in KJV, and as “alloy” in modern translations

Zechariah 4:10 — translated as “plummet” in KJV, and as “plumb” or “plummet” in modern translations