The sons of Japheth: the names of Japheth’s sons are also to be identified as ethnic or national groups. Therefore the name of the son applies both to an individual and to the peoples who are descended from him. Good News Translation has made this clear by saying, after the final name of the sons of Japheth, “were the ancestors of the peoples who bear their names.” See comments on sons in Gen 10.1.

The Hebrew text uses no punctuation after Japheth but gives each name after the first (Gomer), prefixed with the connective waw “and.” In some languages punctuation such as the dash (Good News Translation) or colon (New English Bible) will not be usable. In such cases we may say, for example, “The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, ….”

Since the list begins with Japheth, who will be understood in many languages to be the youngest (he has always been named last), it may be necessary to recognize this by beginning “The list starts with the youngest son, Japheth. His sons were called Gomer, Magog, ….” Some translators may find it desirable to use three headings within chapter 10: “Sons of Japheth” before verse 2, “Sons of Ham” before verse 6, and “Sons of Shem” before verse 21.

Seven names are given as the first-generation descendants of Japheth. The main focus of this group of names is geographic. The names refer to ethnic groups, or peoples, or nations that lived in Asia Minor. They are therefore the northernmost nations in the table.

Gomer is mentioned in Ezek 38.6 as a nation in alliance with Gog. Known to ancient Greek historians, this group disappeared from history in the sixth century B.C.

Magog is an uncertain name also mentioned in Ezek 38.2; 39.6. In Hebrew the name may mean “the place of Gog.” In Ezekiel Magog is an apocalyptic figure who marches from the north, together with other nations, against Israel and is destroyed by God.

Madai is a name applied to the Medes in 2 Kgs 17.6 and elsewhere. The Madai or Medes were often mentioned together with the Persians (Dan 5.28). They spoke an Indo-European language.

Javan refers to the Ionian Greeks on the coast of Asia Minor, mentioned in Isa 66.19; Ezek 27.13. Following the conquests of Alexander the Great, use of the name was extended to all Greeks.

Tubal and Meshech occur as a pair of names in Ezek 27.13 and elsewhere. They lived in eastern Asia Minor and later southeast of the Black Sea. They are mentioned in Assyrian inscriptions as powerful military people. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project gives the spelling as “Moshekh.”

Tiras: no one by this name is found in the Old Testament, nor has this name appeared in other ancient texts. Here Good News Translation adds, referring to all the names just given, “were the ancestors of the people who bear their names.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .