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mines and mining in the Bible

The process of mining is described in Job 28:1-11.

These words illustrate ancient mining operations.

“He sinks a shaft far from habitation,
Forgotten by the foot;
They hang and swing to and fro far from men.” —Job 28:4 NASB

Moses speaks of the mineral wealth of the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 8:9).

Sites of ancient mines in Israel and the surrounding nations are plentious. For example, Israel’s Timna Valley (Arava Valley), once known as Edom, was very rich in copper ore. Thousands of mine shafts and tunnels were eventually dug in the Flood laid sandstone. Mining began not long after the worldwide Flood, and copper was then smelted, leaving behind slag heaps. In the process, vast quantities of acacia trees and white broom bushes were overharvested and burned as smelter fuel.

These mines “were one of the most important sources of copper in antiquity.” According to a Biblical Archaeology Society article by Nathan Steinmeyer, “The Timna mines reached their zenith around the tenth century BCE, the period of the biblical kingdom of David and Solomon in the Judean Highlands.”

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Article Version: April 25, 2025