- Traveler on Noah's Ark
- Father of Gentile Nations (Indo-European)
Biography
Japheth - Eldest son of Noah (Moses 8:12; see also Gen. 5:32; 6:10; 7:13; 9:18, 23); his blessing (Gen. 9:27). His descendants were dispersed over the European coasts of the Mediterranean and the districts adjoining the Black and Caspian seas (Gen. 10:1–5, 21; 1 Chr. 1:4–5), forming what is now called the Indo-European family of nations.
Japheth's Blessing
God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (Genesis 9:27)
Genesis Narrative
Japheth's descendants were dispersed over the European coasts of the Mediterranean and the districts adjoining the Black and Caspian seas (Gen. 10:1–5, 21; 1 Chr. 1:4–5), forming what is now called the Indo-European family of nations (Gentiles).
1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Historical Map
Geographic identifications for the Sons of Noah (Flavius Josephus, c. 100 AD); Japheth's sons shown in red
Josephus Narrative
According to Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews I.6):
Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais (Don), and along Europe to Cadiz; and settling themselves on the lands which they light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names.
Josephus subsequently detailed the nations supposed to have descended from the seven sons of Japheth.
Book of Jasher
The "Book of Jasher", published by Talmudic rabbis in the 17th century, provides some new names for Japheth's grandchildren not found in the Bible, and provided a much more detailed genealogy (see Japhetic).
Children of Japheth
- Gomer ben Japheth - regarded by Hebrews as founder of Germanic/Turkish peoples
- Magog ben Japheth - regarded as progenitor of Scythian and Scandinavian peoples
- Madai ben Japheth - regarded as progenitor of Medes (Iranian) peoples
- Javan ben Japheth - regarded by Hebrews as founder of Greek peoples
- Tubal ben Japheth - rrogenitor of Anatolian peoples (state in Turkey)
- Meshech ben Japheth - regarded as progenitor of the Georgian-Armenian Race
- Tiras ben Japheth - lost to history
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Gomer ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Magog ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Madai ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Javan ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Tubal ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Meshech ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Tiras ben Japheth | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Shem ben Noah | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
| Ham ben Noah | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | Egyptus, wife of Ham |
| Japheth ben Noah | Mesopotamia | Mesopotamia | |
References
- Book of Genesis 9-10
- 1 Chronicles 1:5-7
- Japheth - LDS Bible Dictionary
- Japheth - Wikipedia
Footnotes (including sources)
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