1 Chronicles 1:7

[See comments on 1 Chronicles 1:5]

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. No JFB commentary on these verses.

THE SONS OF JAPHETH THE FAIR—(1 Chronicles 1:5-7). The Oriental theory of political and even social communities refers each to a common ancestor. The Israelites are known as “sons of Israel,” the Ammonites as “sons of Ammon” (Authorised version, “children”). In the same way, an Arab tribe is called. the “Bκni Hassan” (sons of Hassan), and Assurbanipal styles his subjects “sons of Asshur.” Sometimes a people is called “sons” of the land or city they inhabit; e.g., the Babylonians are styled “sons of Babel.” The “sons of Japheth” are probably the fair Caucasian race. (5) Gomer.—The Cimmerians of the Greek writers; called Gi-mir-ra-a-a in Assyrian inscriptions. Their country was Cappadocia, called Gamir by the ancient Armenians. The Arabic version has “Turkey.” Magog.—Ezekiel 38:2-3; Ezekiel 38:6 speaks of Gog, king of Magog, and suzerain of Tubal, Meshech, Gomer and the house of Togarmah. With the name Gog compare Gβgu, king of Salii, mentioned in connection with Assurbanipal’s campaign against the Mannβ-a. Magog appears to be a general name for the peoples north of Assyria, i.e., in Armenia. Madai.—The Medes. 2 Kings 17:6; Isaiah 13:17. Assyr., Ma-da-a-a.Javan.—The Assyrian Yavnan, i.e., Cyprus, mentioned in the Behistun Inscription, as here, along with Media, Armenia, and Cappadocia. (Comp. Joe 3:6; Isaiah 66:19.) Tubal and Meshech, the Tibareni and Moschi of classical writers; and the Muski and Tabali of Assyrian records. Tiras has been compared with the Tyras or Dniester. Perhaps we may compare Tros and the Trojans. (6) Ashchenaz.—Jeremiah 51:27, near or in Armenia. Apparently the Asguzβa mentioned by Esarhaddon in the account of his campaign against the Cimmerians and Cilicians. The Arabic has Slavonia.Riphath.—The reading of Gen 10:3, some Heb. MSS., the LXX., and Vulg. The common Hebrew text (Van der Hooght’s) wrongly reads Diphath (Syriac, Diphar). Togarmah seems to be the Tulgarimmη on the border of Tabali, which Sennacherib reduced in his expedition against Cilicia (Smith, Sennach., p. 86). (7) Elishah.—Usually identified with Hellas, or the Hellenes. Perhaps, however, Carthage is meant: comp. the name Elissa, as a by-name of Dido, Virg. Ζn. iv. 335. Tarshish.—Usually identified with the Phoenician colony of Tartessus, in Spain. (Comp. Psalms 72:10.) Dodanim.—So many Heb. MSS., the Syriac, Vulg., and Genesis 10:3. The LXX. has “Rhodians,” which implies a reading, Rodanim, which we find in the common Hebrew text. Dodanim might be the Dardauians of the Troad, or the Dodoneans (Dodona, the seat of an ancient oracle, the fame of which might have reached Phoenician ears). Thus far the list appears to deal with Asia Minor and adjacent lands; and Japheth, whose name is curiously like the Greek Iδpetus, seems to include the western races so far as known to the Hebrews.

Verse 7. The sons of Javan] "But the sons of Macedon, Alsu, and Tarsus, Ilation, and Dardania, or, according to others, Elisha, Alam, Titsas, Achzavia, and Dardania, Ridom, and Chamen, and Antioch." So says this Targum, which I shall henceforth designate by the letter T.

7. Elishah] Ezekiel (1 Chronicles 27:7) addressing Tyre, “Blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning.” Elishah clearly denotes some islands or coastlands near the territory of Javan, but no closer identification is at present possible. If it be the Alashya of the Tell-el-Amarna Letters (cp. Flinders Petrie, Syria and Egypt, p. 161), it may be Cyprus or some part of Cyprus; cp. note on Kittim. Tarshish] Probably Tarsus in Cilicia is meant, for the next people mentioned are its near neighbours, the Kittim, i.e. the inhabitants of Cyprus. Tarsus was early colonised by the Greeks and was the capital of the country as early as the close of the fifth century b.c. It is to be distinguished from the Tarshish (= Tartessus in the south of Spain) of Ezekiel 27:12. Kittim] spelt in A.V. Chittim (R.V. Kittim) in Numbers 24:24; Isaiah 23:1; Isaiah 23:12; Jeremiah 2:10; Ezekiel 27:6, and Daniel 11:30. The inhabitants of Cyprus are meant, and “Kittim may be a reminiscence of Citium, the name of one of its oldest towns. In later times Kittim” (Chittim) is used vaguely of Western nations; “the ships of Kittim” (Daniel 11:30) are the Roman ships; “the land of Chittim” (Χεττιείμ, 1Ma 1:1) is Macedonia (ib. 1Ma 8:5). Dodanim] R.V. Rodanim, so Heb. and LXX. (Ῥόδιοι). In the A.V. the spelling is made to agree with that of Gen 10:4, where, however, the LXX. has again Ῥόδιοι. No doubt the Rhodians are meant; their island was celebrated even in the days of Homer. For the confusion of reading between D and R see note on Riphath, 1 Chronicles 1:6.

Dodanim - See the Genesis 10:4 note.