Genesis 10 · Verse 2

Genesis 10:2

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
Genesis 10:2, King James Version

Genesis 10:2 in other translations

BSBThe sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
WEBThe sons of Japheth were: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
ASVThe sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
YLT‘Sons of Japheth are Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
DARBYThe sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
BBEThe sons of Japheth: Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras.
WebsterThe sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

What does Genesis 10:2 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 The sons of Japheth - Japheth is supposed to be the same with the Japetus of the Greeks, from whom, in an extremely remote antiquity, that people were supposed to have derived their origin. Gomer - Supposed by some to have peopled Galatia; so Josephus, who says that the Galatians were anciently named Gomerites. From him the Cimmerians or Cimbrians are supposed to have derived their origin. Bochart has no doubt that the Phrygians sprang from this person, and some of our principal commentators are of the same opinion. Magog - Supposed by many to be the father of the Scythians and Tartars, or Tatars, as the word should be written; and in great Tartary many names are still found which bear such a striking resemblance to the Gog and Magog of the Scriptures, as to leave little doubt of their identity. Madai - Generally supposed to be the progenitor of the Medes; but Joseph Mede makes it probable that he was rather the founder of a people in Macedonia called Maedi, and that Macedonia was formerly called Emathia, a name formed from Ei, an island, and Madai, because he and his descendants inhabited the maritime coast on the borders of the Ionian Sea. On this subject nothing certain can be advanced. Javan - It is almost universally agreed that from him sprang the Ionians, of Asia Minor; but this name seems to have been anciently given to the Macedonians, Achaians, and Baeotians. Tubal - Some think be was the father of the Iberians, and that a part at least of Spain was peopled by him and his descendants; and that Meshech, who is generally in Scripture joined with him, was the founder of the Cappadocians, from whom proceeded the Muscovites. Tiras - From this person, according to general consent, the Thracians derived their origin.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 10:1-7

This chapter shows concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them was the whole earth overspread. No nation but that of the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come. The lists of names of fathers and sons were preserved of the Jews alone, for the sake of the Messiah. Many learned men, however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations of the earth descended from each of the sons of…

Read the full comment on Genesis 10:1-7 →

Genesis 10:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] sons ofH1121
יֶ֔פֶתYe.fetJaphethH3315
גֹּ֣מֶרGo.mer[were] GomerH1586
וּמָג֔וֹגu.ma.Gogand MagogH4031
וּמָדַ֖יu.ma.Daiand MadaiH4074
וְיָוָ֣ןve.ya.Vanand JavanH3120
וְתֻבָ֑לve.tu.Valand TubalH8422
וּמֶ֖שֶׁךְu.Me.shekhand MeshechH4902
וְתִירָֽס\׃ve.ti.Rasand TirasH8494

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 10:2

  • Ezekiel 38:2

    Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

  • Ezekiel 38:6

    Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

  • Isaiah 66:19

    And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

  • 1 Chronicles 1:5-7

    The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

  • Revelation 20:8

    And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

  • Ezekiel 39:1

    Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:

  • Ezekiel 27:7

    Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee.

  • Ezekiel 38:15

    And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:

  • Ezekiel 27:12-14

    Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.

  • Ezekiel 27:19

    Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.

  • Genesis 10:21

    Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
21; 1Ch 1:5-7; Isa 66:19; Eze 27:7,12-14,19; 38:2,6,15; 39:1
Re 20:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 10:1

    Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

  • Genesis 10:2

    The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

  • Genesis 10:3

    And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

Read all of Genesis 10

Genesis 10:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Los hijos de Japhet: Gomer, y Magog, y Madai, y Javán, y Tubal, y Meshech, y Tiras.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Les fils de Japheth: Gomer, et Magog, et Madaï, et Javan, et Tubal, et Méshec, et Tiras.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Die Söhne Japhets: Gomer und Magog und Madai und Jawan und Tubal und Mesech und Tiras.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Filii Japheth: Gomer, et Magog, et Madai, et Javan, et Thubal, et Mosoch, et Thiras.