Genesis 10:4 — Word Study
WLCוּבְנֵ֥י יָוָ֖ן אֱלִישָׁ֣ה וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּתִּ֖ים וְדֹדָנִֽים׃
BSAAnd the sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of JavanYâvân [Greece, the Greek people] ElishahʼĔlîyshâh TarshishTarshîysh [a place on the Mediterranean, a merchant vessel] the KittitesKittîy [Cyprus, islanders] and the RodanitesDôdânîym [Dodanim, a group of people descended from Javan]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּבְנֵ֥י | and [the] sons of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| יָוָ֖ן | Javan | Noun proper masculine |
| אֱלִישָׁ֣ה | [were] Elishah | Noun proper masculine |
| וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישׁ | and Tarshish | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| כִּתִּ֖ים | Kittim | Noun proper |
| וְדֹדָנִֽים׃ | and Dodanim | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites. |
| KJV | And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. |
| ASV | And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. |
| YLT | And sons of Javan [are] Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. |
| WEB | The sons of Javan were: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. |
| BBE | And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, the Kittim and the Dodanim. |
Where they part company is in the names of the descendants, particularly in the Samaritan Pentateuch.
The sentence structure is straightforward, presenting a main clause followed by a list of descendants.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 10:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Descendants of Noahgenerated
Genesis 10:4 provides a list of the sons of Javan, marking the genealogical connections to various peoples and places. This verse is part of a broader section that outlines the descendants of Noah's sons, illustrating how nations and cultures spread across the earth. The context highlights the significance of lineage in understanding the origins of different groups, including the Greeks, and their historical connections to the Mediterranean region.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 24:24 | Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.” |
| 2 | Isaiah 23:1–12 | This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus. |
| 3 | Daniel 11:30 | Ships of Kittim will come against him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and rage against the holy covenant and do damage. So he will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָוָן, ya.Vangenerated
The word יָוָן (yavan) refers specifically to Javan, a son of Japheth, and denotes Greece or the Greeks. This term captures both a historical figure and a geographical location, emphasizing the connection between the ancient people and their territory.
The parsing indicates it is a proper noun, which reinforces its specific reference to the nation of Greece and its people. Javan's descendants are significant in biblical genealogies, linking them to the broader narrative of the nations.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations largely agree on the rendering of יָוָן as 'Javan' or 'Greece'.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse is straightforward, with the subject וּבְנֵי (and the sons of) leading into the proper nouns that follow. The finite verb is implied, connecting the descendants to their lineage.
The noun phrases are coordinated, listing the sons of Javan in a series, which emphasizes their equal significance in the genealogical record.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, יָוָן is rendered as ιωυαν, which maintains the connection to Greece. This choice reflects the translators' intent to convey the same geographical and cultural significance as the Hebrew.
The consistency in naming indicates a clear understanding of Javan's descendants and their importance in both texts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 10:4 lists the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites. This verse shows the connections between these groups and their origins as descendants of Javan, a son of Noah, linking them to Greece and the Mediterranean.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The sons of Javan listed are Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites, each representing different peoples and regions.
Javan signifies Greece or the Greeks, highlighting the cultural and geographical identity of this lineage.
Genealogy is important as it traces the origins of nations and peoples, helping to understand their historical connections and relationships.
Tarshish refers to a place associated with trade and maritime activities, indicating the economic interactions of Javan's descendants.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- How does understanding the genealogy of Javan's descendants help us grasp the historical context of the Mediterranean region?
- In what ways can we see the influence of Greek culture in the world today?
- Why do you think the Bible places such emphasis on genealogies?
- What can we learn from the diverse backgrounds of Javan's descendants?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators like Jerome and Bede reference this verse to discuss the significance of Javan's descendants in the context of the nations.
The sons of Javan were Elisha and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. From them were divided the islands of the nations in their lands, each according to its language, its kindred, and its people.Early Church Fathers on Genesis 10 →
"The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From the Ionians, that is, the Greeks, are born the Elishah, who are called Elishites, hence also the fifth language of Greece is called Aeolic,Early Church Fathers on Genesis 10 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 10:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the sons of Javan,.... Another son of Japheth; four sons of Javan are mentioned, which gave names to countries, and are as follow: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim; the first of these,
Read John Gill on Genesis 10 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. The sons of Javan; Elishah. Since the descendants of Javan populated Greece, we must seek "Elishah" in some part of that country.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 10 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleElishah, the father of the Grecians properly so called, who have preserved his name and remembrance in the cities Elis and Elissus, in a tract of ground called Elias, and in the Elysian fields. And from these came the Æolians, a people of the Lesser Asia, where many of the Grecian colonies were seated. Tarshish was father of the Cilicians, from whom their chief city Tarsus, in Hebrew Tarshish, took its name; see ; and from whom the whole Mediterranean Sea is called Tarshish, because the Cilicians were in a great degree masters of that sea. Kittim, or, Chittim, the father of the Macedonians, and Italians too, as may be gathered from hence, because both their countries are called by the name…
Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 10 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.Ver. 4. Elishah.] Whence the Eolians. Tarshish.] Whence the Cilicians, where Tarsus (Paul’ s country) was. Kittim.] Whence the Macedonians. Dodanim.] Whence the Epirotes (Scanderberg’ s country), where stands the city Dodaena.
Read John Trapp on Genesis 10 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Javan has four main divisions:— 1. Elishah, a maritime people of Greece. Traces of the name occur in Aeolis and in Elis, a district of the Peloponessus. Some boldly identify with Hellas. The isles of Elishah are mentioned in Ezekiel 27:7.2. Tarshish. At so early a period this could scarcely be Tartessus, but is more probably the Tyrseni, or Tyrrheni, a race once powerful in Italy, Corsica, Sardinia, and finally in Spain. Probably Tartessus, at the mouth of the Guadalquiver, in Spain, was founded by them, and took from them its name. At this time they; were apparently a small tribe of the Javanites; but while Elishah followed the sea-coast and colonised Greece, Tarshish took a course so…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 10 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. Elishah] As Javan peopled a considerable part of Greece, it is in that region that we must seek for the settlements of his descendants; Elishah probably was the first who settled at Elis, in Peloponnesus. Tarshish] He first inhabited Cilicia, whose capital anciently was the city of Tarsus, where the Apostle Paul was born. Kittim] We have already seen that this name was rather the name of a people than of an individual: some think by Kittim Cyprus is meant: others, the isle of Chios; and others, the Romans; and others, the Macedonians. Dodanim.] Or Rodanim, for the ד and ר may be easily mistaken for each other, because of their great similarity. Some suppose that this family settled…
Read AdamClarke on Genesis 10 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. the sons of Javan] The names here mentioned are evidently geographical. Javan’s sons are well-known Greek colonies and settlements or communities. This example will serve to illustrate the composition of the genealogical list. Elishah] Mentioned in Ezekiel 27:7 as a place from which there was a trade in purple. Josephus identified it with the Ζolians. Other conjectures have been Hellas, Elis, Sicily, and Carthage. Possibly, it is Alasa, the modern Cyprus. Tarshish] Probably the ancient commercial town of Tartessus, at the mouth of the river Guadalquivir. It is classed with the isles in Psalms 72:10, Isaiah 60:9. Its trade is mentioned in Ezekiel 27:12. On “the ships of Tarshish” in King…
Read Cambridge on Genesis 10 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4. Sons of Javan — Rather, Yavan, the Ionian families. Elishah — The AEolians, (Elis,) who occupied three fourths of Greece, and spread to the coasts and isles of Asia Minor.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 10 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
The sons of Javan were: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, and the Dodanim.
Tyndale line
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Also the sonnes of Iauan, Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Strictly literal
And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And sons of Javan [are] Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And sons of Javan [are] Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And Javan's sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
From the Latin
And the sons of Javan: Elisa and Tharsis, Cetthim and Dodanim.
Simplified
The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, the Kittim and the Dodanim.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint align closely, with all six words matched. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words: אלישׁ (Elishah) and רודנים (Rodanites), indicating some variation in names but not in the overall lineage.
וּבְנֵ֥י יָוָ֖ן אֱלִישָׁ֣ה וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּתִּ֖ים וְדֹדָנִֽים׃
6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ובני יון אלישׁ תרשׁישׁ כתים ורודנים
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: אלישׁ (Elishah), רודנים (Dodanite)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 10:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.
בֵּן 4870 n.m. son
son, male child, born of a woman
children (male and female)
youth, young men
the young of animals
of plant shoots
fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
member of a guild, order or class
of animals son of (the) herd
ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
n. relat. of age
base
בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.
done
H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman
. children (male and female)
. youth, young men
. the young of animals
. of plant shoots
. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows
. . member of a guild, order or class
. of animals son of (the) herd
. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.
. n. relat. of age
H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son
1121 ben bane
from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the
widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,
including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,
etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)
(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,
(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,
bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X
came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of
first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +
kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)
people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +
spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous
one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01
see HEBREW for 0251
בֵּן (ben) — son: child.
: child/son
בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.
A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;
son of: Jaaziah (H3269);
brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)
§ Beno = "his son"
the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)
בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.
: descendant, people, tribe, nation
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : child/son
בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.
: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : descendant
בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.
: rebel/son(Belial)
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
§ : people/men/nation/tribe
בֵּן (ben) — son.
: [inheriting]son/heir
A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)
בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.
: warrior/son(strong)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יָוָן (yavan) refers to Javan, a son of Japheth mentioned in Genesis 10:2, and denotes the region of Greece or Ionia, as well as the descendants of Javan, known as Ionians. The term captures both a historical figure and a geographical location, emphasizing the connection between the ancient people and their territory.
יָוָן n.pr.gent. Ionia(ns), Greece
base
H3120 יָוָן Ionia(ns), Greece
3120 Yavan yaw-vawn'
probably from the same as 3196; effervescing (i.e. hot and
active); Javan, the name of a son of Joktan, and of the race
(Ionians, i.e. Greeks) descended from him, with their
territory; also of a place in Arabia:--Javan.
see HEBREW for 03196
יָוָן (ya.van) — Javan.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.2;
son of: Japheth (H3315);
brother of: Gomer (H1586), Magog (H4031), Madai (H4074), Tubal (H8422), Meshech (H4902) and Tiras (H8494);
father of: Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721); also called Greek at Jol.3.6 + NT.
§ Javan = "Ionia" or "Greece"
1) a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah
2) Greece, Ionia, Ionians
2a) location of descendants of Javan
יָוָן (ya.van) — Greece.
§ Javan = "Ionia" or "Greece"
1) Greece, Ionia, Ionians
2) location of descendants of Javan
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ja'-van (yawan, meaning unknown):
(1) In Ge 10:2,4 = 1Ch 1:5,7 Septuagint Iouan); Isa 66:19; Eze 27:13 Septuagint Hellas, Greece); Da 8:21 m; 10:20; 11:2; Zec 9:13; Joe 3:6 (Hebrew 4:6) Septuagint hoi Hellenes, i.e. "Greeks"), "son" of Japheth, and "father" of Elisha, Tars, Kittim, and Rodarim, i.e. Rhodes (incorrectly "Dodanim" in Ge 10:4). Javan is the Greek Iaon or Ia(v)on, and in Ge and 1Ch = the Ionian Greeks of Asia Minor, probably here = Cyprus. The…
Javan
(1.) The fourth “son” of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), whose descendants settled in Greece, i.e., Ionia, which bears the name of Javan in Hebrew. Alexander the Great is called the “king of Javan” (rendered “Grecia,” Dan. 8:21; 10:20; comp. 11:2; Zech. 9:13). This word was universally used by the nations of the East as the generic name of the Greek race.
(2.) A town or district of Arabia Felix, from which the Syrians obtained iron, cassia, and calamus (Ezek. 27:19).
(clay). A son of Japheth. (Genesis 10:2,4) Javan was regarded as the representative of the Greek race. The name was probably introduced into Asia by the Phoenicians, to whom the Ionians were naturally better known than any other of the Hellenic races, on account of their commercial activity and the high prosperity of their towns on the western coast of Asia Minor. A town in the souther part of Arabia (Yemen), whither the Phoenicians traded. (Ezekiel 27:19)
The fourth son of Japheth, Ge 10:2,4. This name is the same as the Greek Ion, whence comes Ionia, and it is understood that Javan was the ancestor of the Greeks. See GREECE.
אֲלִישָׁה (Eliyshah) refers to a figure identified as a son of Javan, a descendant of Noah. He is mentioned in Genesis 10:4 and is associated with the Greeks, possibly as an ancestor of the Aeolians. The name may mean 'God of the coming (one).' There is a note that Elishah is another name for Cyprus.
אֲלִישָׁה n.pr.loc. as son of Javan
base
H473 אֲלִישָׁה as son of Javan
473 'Eliyshah el-ee-shaw'
probably of foreign derivation; Elishah, a son of
Javan:--Elishah.
אֱלִישָׁה (e.li.shah) — Elishah.
A man of the Greeks living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.4;
son of: Javan (H3120);
brother of: Tarshish (H8659), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721)
§ Elishah = "God of the coming (one)"
descendant of Noah, son of Javan; perhaps ancestor of the Aeolians
אֱלִישָׁה (e.li.shah) — Elishah.
Elishah = "God of the coming (one)"
descendant of Noah, son of Javan; perhaps ancestor of the Aeolians
Another name of kit.ti (כִּתִּי "Cyprus" H3794H)
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
e-li'-sha ('elishah, "God saves"; Elisa, Eleisai):
Mentioned in Ge 10:4 as the eldest son of Javan, and in Eze 27:7 as the source from which the Tyrians obtained their purple dyes. On the ground of this latter statement attempts have been made to identify it with Southern Italy or the north of Africa. Josephus (Ant., I, vi, 1) identified Elisha with the Aeolians. The Targum on Ezekiel gives "the province of Italy." Other suggestions include Hellas, Ells, and Alsa; the last named is a kingdom mentioned in the Tell el-Amarna Letters, but its precise location is unknown. It is impossible as yet to claim certainty for any of these conjectures.
A. C. Grant
Elishah
The oldest of the four sons of Javan (Gen. 10:4), whose descendants peopled Greece. It has been supposed that Elishah’s descendants peopled the Peloponnesus, which was known by the name of Elis. This may be meant by “the isles of Elishah” (Ezek. 27:7).
(God is salvation), the eldest son of Javan. (Genesis 10:4) The residence of his descendants is described in (Ezekiel 27:7) as the isles of Elishah, whence the Phoenicians obtained their purple and blue dyes. Some connect the race of Elishah with the AEolians, others with Elishah, and in a more extended sense Peloponnesus, or even Hellas.
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (Tarshish) refers to a distant port, possibly linked to the Mediterranean, and is associated with trade and merchant vessels. It also denotes a man from the tribe of Benjamin and a Persian noble. The word is connected to yellow jasper and appears in various contexts, including a city mentioned in relation to Jonah's flight.
תַּרְשִׁישׁ n.pr.
loc. a distant port, site not certainly known
m.
in Benjamin
Persian noble
base
H8659 תַּרְשִׁישׁ . a distant port, site not certainly known
. . in Benjamin
. Persian noble
8659 Tarshiysh tar-sheesh'
probably the same as 8658 (as the region of the stone, or the
reverse); Tarshish, a place on the Mediterranean, hence, the
ephithet of a merchant vessel (as if for or from that port);
also the name of a Persian and of an Israelite:--Tarshish,
Tharshish.
see HEBREW for 08658
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
A man of the Greeks living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.4;
son of: Javan (H3120);
brother of: Elishah (H0473), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721)
§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"
son of Javan
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"
1) a city of the Phoenicians in a distant part of the Mediterranean Sea to which the prophet Jonah was trying to flee
perhaps in Cyprus or Spain
2) a city somewhere near and accessible to the Red Sea to which ships constructed at Ezion-geber on the Elanitic Gulf on the Red Sea were to sail
תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.
A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.10;
son of: Bilhan (H1092H);
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
tar'-shish (tarshish):
(1) Eponym of a Benjamite family (1Ch 7:10); Rhamessai, A and Lucian, Tharseis
(2) One of the "seven princes" at the court of Ahasuerus (Es 1:14 Massoretic Text).
(3) The Hebrew name of a precious stone (Eze 10:9 margin, English Versions of the Bible "beryl"; Ex 28:20; 39:13; Eze 1:16; 28:13; So 5:14; Da 10:6).
See STONES, PRECIOUS.
Tarshish
A Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning “the sea coast.” (1.) One of the “sons” of Javan (Gen. 10:4; 1 Chr. 1:7).
(2.) The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon. The question as to the locality of Tarshish has given rise to not a little discussion. Some think there was a Tarshish in the East, on the Indian coast, seeing that “ships of Tarshish” sailed from Eziongeber, on the Red Sea (1 Kings 9:26; 22:48; 2 Chr. 9:21). Some, again, argue that Carthage was the place so named. There can be little doubt, however, that this is the name of a Phoenician port in Spain, between the two mouths of the Guadalquivir (the name given to the river by…
(established). Probably Tartessus, a city and emporium of the Phoenicians in the south of Spain, represented as one of the sons of Javan. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Kings 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:7; Psalms 48:7; Isaiah 2:16; Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:12,25; Jonah 1:3; 4:2) The identity of the two places is rendered highly probable by the following circumstances: 1st. There is a very close similarity of name between them, Tartessus being merely Tarshish in the Aramaic form. 2nd. There seems to have been a special relation between…
1. The second son of Javan, Ge 10:4.
2. Tartessus, an ancient city between two mouths of the Guadalquiver, in the south of Spain. It was a Phoenician colony, and was the most celebrated emporium in the west to which the Hebrews and Phoenicians traded. That Tarshish was situated in the west is evident from Ge 10:4, where it is joined with Elisha, Kittim, and Dodanim. See also Ps 72:10. According to Eze 38:13, it was an important place of trade; according to Jer 10:9, it exported silver, and according to Eze 27:12,25, silver, iron, tin, and lead to the Tyrian markets.…
כִּתִּי (Kittiy) refers to Cypriotes or islanders, particularly those from Cyprus. It is derived from a name associated with the descendants of Javan, a figure in Genesis 10:4. The term encompasses a broader category of Mediterranean islanders, including Greeks and Romans, and is sometimes translated as 'bruisers.'
[כִּתִּי] adj.gent. alw. pl.; usu. as n.gent. = Cypriotes
base
H3794 כִּתִּי = Cypriotes
3794 Kittiy kit-tee'
or Kittiyiy {kit-tee-ee'}; patrial from an unused name
denoting Cyprus (only in the plural); a Kittite or Cypriote;
hence, an islander in general, i.e. the Greeks or Romans on
the shores opposite Palestine:--Chittim, Kittim.
כִּתִּי (kit.ti) — Kittim.
Someone descended from Kittim of the Greeks, first mentioned at Gen.10.4; descended from Javan (H3120); along with Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659) and Dodanim (H1721)
§ Chittim or Kittim = "bruisers"
1) a general term for all islanders of the Mediterranean Sea
2) the descendants of Javan, the son of Japheth and grandson of Noah
כִּתִּי (kit.ti) — Cyprus.
§ Chittim or Kittim = "bruisers"
a general term for all islanders of the Mediterranean Sea
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
kit'-im (kittim, Isa 23:12; Jer 2:10; kittiyim, apparently plural of kitti (not found, but compare (4) below); Ketioi, Kitioi, Ketieim, Jer 2:10; Chettieim, Chettein):ntified with Sepphoris, which is represented by the modern village of Seffuriyeh].
1. Two Usages of the Name:
In Ge 10:4 the word is applied to the descendants of Javan, and indicates, therefore, the Greek-Latin races, whose territory extended along the coasts of the Mediterranean, and included its islands. By the side of Kittim are mentioned Elisha, Tarshish, and Dodanim ( = Rodanim of 1Ch 1:7), generally explained respectively as Sicily with Southern Italy…
Kittim
(Gen. 10:4). (See CHITTIM.)
Twice written in the Authorized Version for Chittim. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7)
Son of Javan, and grandson of Noah, Ge 10:4. See CHITTIM.
רוֹדָנִים (Rhodim) refers to the Dodanim, a group mentioned in the genealogies of the Old Testament as descendants of Javan, a son of Noah. The entries indicate that this term may also be rendered as Rodanim or Rodanites, with some lexicons suggesting a meaning of 'leaders.' The word's derivation is uncertain, and it appears in Genesis 10:4 and 1 Chronicles 1:7.
רוֹדָנִים n.pr.gent.pl. Rhodians
base
H1721 רוֹדָנִים Rhodians
1721 Dodaniym do-daw-neem'
or (by orthographical error) Rodaniym (1 Chron. 1:7)
{ro-daw-neem'}; a plural of uncertain derivation; Dodanites,
or descendants of a son of Javan:--Dodanim.
רוֹדָנִים (do.da.nim) — Dodanim.
People descended from Dodan(?) of the Greeks, first mentioned at Gen.10.4; descended from Javan (H3120); along with Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659) and Kittim (H3794); also called Rodanim or Rodanites at 1Ch.1.7;
§ Dodanim or Rodanim = "leaders"
sons or descendants of Javan
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
do'-da-nim (dodhanim, "leaders"): In Ge 10:4, the son of Javan, the son of Japheth. This would place the Dodanim among the Ioninns. The parallel passage 1Ch 1:7, with the Septuagint and Samaritan Pentateuch, has, however, "Rodanim," which is probably the true reading. This identifies the people with the Rhodians (compare on Eze 27:15 under DEDAN).
Dodanim
Leaders, a race descended from Javan (Gen. 10:4). They are known in profane history as the Dardani, originally inhabiting Illyricum. They were a semi-Pelasgic race, and in the ethnographical table (Gen. 10) they are grouped with the Chittim (q.v.). In 1 Chr. 1:7, they are called Rodanim. The LXX. and the Samaritan Version also read Rhodii, whence some have concluded that the Rhodians, the inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, are meant.
(leaders), (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7) a family or race descended from Javan, the son of Japhet. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7) Dodanim is regarded as identical with the Dardani, who were found in historical times in Illyricum and Troy.