Genesis 10 - The Table of Nations (Line of Japheth)

Genesis Chapter 10:1 to 11:9 is the next Toldot known as "the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood".  It comprises the Table of Nations and the Tower of Babel incident.

The Table of Nations in Chapter 10 represented the descendants of Shem, Ham and Japheth "according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations".  The point that Chapter 11 started with the description that "the whole earth used the same language and the same words" provided us with the context that, chronologically, the event in Chapter 11:1-9 happened in between the description of the nations in Chapter 10.  It probably happened during Peleg's time (3rd generation from Shem, Ham and Japheth) "for in his days the earth was divided".

Unlike the creation story and the global flood, the Table of Nations is unique to the Bible with no parallel in other ancient texts.  The Table of Nations makes several points:

(1) It puts all the nations in its geographical context and will be extremely important in understanding of the various Biblical prophesies that came later.  We also need to note that since the names of nations change over time, the names mentioned in Chapter 10 is time-stamped to Moses time since it was written by him.

(2) The Table of Nations shows no ethnic superiority of any kind.  This is instructive to us that no one nation or race is superior.

(3) Besides some deviations, this Table of Nations is repeated in 1 Chronicles Chapter 1.  We will highlight the deviations in the subsequent discussions. 

Most of the materials are taken from Fruchtenbaum commentary on Genesis.

Line of Japheth

Japheth had 7 sons:

Gomer (to complete, finish): Based on other ancient near eastern texts, Gomer is located in the area south of the Black Sea (Turkey).  Other suggestions to their region include Germany, France and Wales.  The only other reference to Gomer as a country is in Ezekiel 38 (verse 6) where they were part of the northern alliance that were involved in the failed invasion of Israel.

Magog (rooftop or covering): Magog dwelled in the region between the Black and Caspian Seas, where Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and parts of Russia reside.  Magog is also mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39 with the leader of the northern alliance hailing from the land of Magog.  It is further mentioned together with Gog in Revelation 20:8 to illustrate the extent of Satan's final deception by alluding to the earlier Ezekiel incident.

Madai (measure or out of abundance): This same Hebrew word is translated to Medes or Media in the rest of the Bible who went on to form the Persian-Medes empire under Cyrus during Daniel's time.  It is located south of the Caspian Seas which linked it to present day Iran.  Fruchtenbaum mentioned that some of Madai's descendents migrated to India.  Medes is mentioned in the future as the nation that God will use to destroy Babylon (Isaiah 13:17-20, Jeremiah 51:11-12, Jeremiah 51:28-29). 

Javan (mire, soft mud[?]): This same Hebrew word is translated to Greece / Greeks in other parts of the Bible.  Javan is also mentioned in Ezekiel 27:13,19 (as one of the countries that traded with Tyre), Isaiah 66:19-21 (as one of the countries in the millenium that the Jews would go to spread God's word to) and Joel 3:4-6 (where Tyre, Sidon and Philistines were accused of selling the Jews to the Greeks as slaves during the Tribulation).  

Tubal (bringing forth): The Greek historian Herodotus put Tubal north of the Mediterranaen Sea in Turkey.  Others have put them at Tobolsk in Siberia.  Tubal is mentioned together with Javan in both Isaiah 66:19-21 and Ezekiel 27:13,19.  Tubal is also mentioned along with Meshech in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as part of the northern alliance against Israel, and also in Ezekiel 32:26 where they are mentioned together with Egypt by God's lamentation.

Meshech (drawing out): Meshech is located between the Black and Caspian Seas.  They are always mentioned in together with Tubal as described above.  In Psalm 120, Meshech is alluded to be enemies of Israel.

Tiras (moisture, fragment):  The location of Tiras is uncertain but people have put it in the west of the Black Sea where Romania and Bulgaria are today.  Tiras is only mentioned in the geneology listed here and in 1 Chronicles. 

The Bible also listed 7 grandsons of Japheth, 3 from Gomer and 4 from Javan:

From Gomer

Ashkenaz (spreading/sprinkling fire):  Ashkenaz is located at the south-western tip of the Black Sea.  Others put it in the region of present day Germany and Denmark.  It's only other mention is in Jeremiah 51:27 together with the kingdoms of Ararat and Minni as God's instrument against Babylon. 

Riphath (healing, remedy, health): Riphath is located in the similar region as Ashkenaz.  There is no other mention of Riphath in the Bible.  In 1 Chronicles 1, Riphath is spelled as diphath, probably due to a scribal error where the hebrew letter resh and dalet are similar in writing.  

Togarmah (break/crush bones):  Togarmah is located in the similar region as Ashkenaz and Riphath in the region of Turkey.  Togarmah is noted in Ezekiel 27:14 for exporting horses to Tyre and in Ezekiel 38:6 together with Gomer as part of the northern alliance against Israel.  

From Javan 

Elishah (God helps/support):  Elishah is located in the region of Cyprus/Crete.  The only other mention of Elishah is in Ezekiel 27:7 which mention Tyres maritime might that its distinctive sails could be seen from the coastlands of Elishash. 

Tarshish (contemplation, examination):  Tarshish is traditionally located in the region of Spain.  It is mentioned 25 times in the Bible.  Tarshish is known as exporters of many items (1 Kings 10:22, 2 Chronicles 9:21, Ezekiel 27:12, Jeremiah 10:9), related to ships (1 Kings 22:48, 2 Chronicles 20:36, Psalm 48:7, Isaiah 2:16, Isaiah 23), as one of the countries with Sheba and Dedan to protest against the northern alliance invasion of Israel (Ezekiel 38:13) and finally as one of the countries in the millenium that the Jews would go to spread God's word to (Isaiah 66:19).  It is also mentioned in Jonah as the region that Jonah wanted to escape to avoid God. 

Kittim (crusher / crushed ones): Kittim is located in the region of Cyprus/Crete together with Elishah.  This is confirmed by the reference of Kittim to ships and coastlands (Numbers 24:24, Daniel 11:30, Jeremiah 2:10). 

Dodanim (beloved): Dodanim is located in the region of Greece.  No other mentions is made of Dodanim in the Bible.

A total of 14 nations are mentioned under Japheth.  Verse 5 pointed to the fact that the nations as inhabiting the coastlands, namely, the European, Persian and Asian regions.  This is a fulfilment of Noah's blessings that "May God enlarge Japheth".