What does Genesis 10:4 mean?
ESV: The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
NIV: The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites and the Rodanites.
NASB: The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
CSB: And Javan’s sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
NLT: The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
KJV: And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
NKJV: The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Verse Commentary:
Chapter 10 lists the names of the descendants of Noah's sons. Rather than tracing a long line of fathers and sons, it shows the wide spread of Noah's descendants into various tribes. Accordingly, this passage explains the origins of the nations of the ancient world. The previous verse listed the sons of Japheth's son Gomer.
This verse lists the sons of Japheth's son Javan. These four sons are apparently connected to the peoples who would later become the Greeks. Though Israel would not have many dealings in the Old Testament with the northern peoples who came from Japheth, these names and people do seem to be included in Bible prophecies. Some of these can be found in Ezekiel chapters 27 and 37—39. Culturally, the Greeks would become profoundly influential and would even conquer the territories of Israel under Alexander the Great.
Verse Context:
Genesis 10:1–5 details the descendants of Noah's son, Japheth. Japheth's sons will largely settle in the regions north of what would later become the nation of Israel. While some mention is made of these descendants, they will not be directly involved in many biblical events. Chapter 11 will describe the event that causes the peoples to be dispersed across the world into their separate regions.
Chapter Summary:
Genesis 10 is sometimes called the table of nations. It describes, in three sections, the peoples that descended from Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Japheth's people settled mostly to the north of what would be Israel. Ham's people became great nations in the region of the Middle East, including the people that would settle in the Promised Land before Israel drove them out. Shem's line would lead to Abraham and the Israelites.
Chapter Context:
Genesis 9 described events that happened between God, Noah, and his three sons after the flood. Genesis 11 will tell the story of the Tower of Babel and the dispersal of the nations. Between them, Genesis 10 is a table of the nations that come from Japheth, Ham, and Shem after God divides and disperses humanity.
Book Summary:
The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.
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