The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 lists the descendants of Noah's three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—after the Flood. It serves as a genealogical account of the nations known to the ancient Hebrews and their perceived relationship to each other. Here is a breakdown of the descendants as listed in Genesis 10:
Descendants of Japheth:
- Gomer - Associated with the Cimmerians, near modern-day Ukraine and parts of Russia.
- Ashkenaz - Often linked with modern Germany.
- Riphath - Thought to be in the region of modern-day Turkey or northern Iran.
- Togarmah - Generally associated with parts of Armenia or Turkey.
- Magog - Traditionally linked with tribes north of the Black Sea, possibly Russians or eastern Europeans.
- Madai - The Medes, associated with the region of modern-day Iran.
- Javan - Represents the Ionians or ancient Greeks, encompassing parts of Greece, Western Turkey, and the Aegean Islands.
- Elishah - Possibly linked to Cyprus or regions in Greece.
- Tarshish - Thought to be ancient Tartessos, possibly in southern Spain.
- Kittim - Identified with Cyprus.
- Dodanim (or Rodanim) - Linked to the island of Rhodes.
- Tubal - Associated with the Tibareni, near the Black Sea in modern-day Turkey.
- Meshech - Likely the Moschi, located in the area of modern-day Turkey or Georgia.
- Tiras - Identified with the Thracians, who lived in what is now Bulgaria and parts of Turkey.
Descendants of Ham:
- Cush - Associated with the region south of Egypt, encompassing modern-day Sudan or Ethiopia.
- Seba - Likely part of modern-day Sudan or Ethiopia.
- Havilah - Possibly in modern-day Yemen or Saudi Arabia.
- Sabtah - Thought to be part of modern-day Sudan or Eritrea.
- Raamah - Possibly in the region of Yemen.
- Sheba - Corresponds to the Sabaean kingdom, modern-day Yemen.
- Dedan - Located in modern-day Saudi Arabia.
- Sabteca - Possibly in Sudan or Ethiopia.
- Nimrod - His kingdom in Shinar includes sites like Babylon, Erech, and Accad, all in modern-day Iraq.
- Mizraim - Refers to Egypt.
- Ludim - Thought to be regions in or near modern Egypt.
- Anamim - Possibly in the Nile Delta or nearby regions.
- Lehabim - Possibly Libya.
- Naphtuhim - Generally identified with areas in northern Egypt.
- Pathrusim - Linked to Upper (southern) Egypt.
- Casluhim - Origin of the Philistines, near modern Gaza Strip.
- Caphtorim - Associated with Crete.
- Put - Linked with modern Libya.
- Canaan - Encompasses modern-day Lebanon, Israel, Palestinian territories, and parts of Syria and Jordan.
- Sidon - Modern-day Sidon in Lebanon.
- Heth - Ancestor of the Hittites, linked to regions in Turkey.
- Jebusite, Amorite, Girgasite, Hivite, Arkite, Sinite, Arvadite, Zemarite, Hamathite - Various groups located within the geographical confines of modern Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.
Descendants of Shem:
- Elam - Corresponds to modern-day southwestern Iran.
- Asshur - Represents Assyria, located in modern-day Iraq.
- Arpachshad - Ancestor of the Chaldeans, located in southern Iraq.
- Shelah, Eber, Peleg, Joktan - The lineage that leads to various Semitic tribes, with Joktan's descendants often linked to regions in Arabia.
- Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, Jobab - Various tribes and regions primarily in the Arabian Peninsula.
- Lud - Associated with the Lydians in western Turkey.
- Aram - Refers to the Arameans, located in parts of modern Syria and Iraq.
- Uz, Hul, Gether, Mash - Smaller tribes within the broader Aramean region.
This mapping provides a broader context of how the biblical Table of Nations parallels to known historical geography and contemporary nation-states.