complete verse (Genesis 10:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 10:7:

  • Newari: “The sons of Cush — Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah — Sheba and Dedan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Cush also had children who were Sheba, Havila, Sabta, Raama and Sabteca. The children of Raama were Sheba and Dedan.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 10:7

The sons of Cush: the association of the five names that follow seems to be mainly geographical. According to Westermann most of the names describe people in Arabia.

Seba is mentioned only with Sheba in Psa 72.10 and with Ethiopia in Isa 43.3.

Havilah: see comments on 2.11. In 10.29 Havilah is listed as one of the sons of Joktan. It apparently refers to an area in Arabia.

Sabtah is perhaps a commercial city in Arabia by that name. It is not mentioned elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Raamah is named together with Sheba in Ezek 27.22 as sending traders to Tyre. It is perhaps a south Arabian city mentioned in ancient inscriptions.

Sabteca: not known elsewhere.

The sons of Raamah are two, and they occur as the descendants of Jokshan in Gen 25.3. In Ezek 38.13 they occur as merchant people.

Sheba is perhaps the land of the queen of Sheba mentioned in 1 Kgs 10. It is found also in Isa 60.6 and elsewhere. The Sheba people or Sabaeans lived in southwest Arabia and were a commercial people.

Dedan: Isa 21.13 refers to these people as having caravans of camels, and so they represent traders. They are mentioned also in Jer 25.23 and 49.8 along with Edom and other tribes of Arabia. The name is found in south Arabic inscriptions.

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 .