Descendants of Japheth

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1. Gomer, the eldest son of Japheth, is the father of the ancient Cimmerians, who settled on the northern shore of the Black Sea. The modern and familiar name "Crimea," and the "Cimbri" of olden times, are derived from the Cimmerians, the immediate descendants of Gomer. The Gauls and Celts of ancient times, and of more modern date the Germans, French, and English, or British rather, are descended from Gomer.
2. Magog evidently refers to the Scythians or Mongolian tribes who settled on the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea.
3. Madai is readily identified as the well-known Medes, who were allied to the Persians in after years (Isa. 13:1717Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it. (Isaiah 13:17)).
5. Tubal we identify as the modern Tobolsk, capital of Asiatic Russia. The peoples descended from Tubal were located between the Black Sea and the Caspian.
6. Meshech, from its association with Tubal and connection with Gog, or Russia, in Ezek. 38, 39, we identify as Moscow, not only a large and populous province, but the city of that name, forming, till the beginning of this century, the metropolis of the whole Russian Empire.
7. Tiras is in all probability the progenitor of the Thracians.
8. Ashkenaz, whose descendants settled in the northern and southern side of the Black Sea.
9. Riphath, the father of the tribes who located themselves on the Rhipean or Carpathian mountains, pretty far north of Tiras or Thrace.
10. Togarmah, better known as Armenia, the people of which assert that they are descended from "Targom," or the Togarmah of Scripture.
12. Tarshish is identified by many as Tuscany, in Italy; it may be so, but the proof is not so satisfactory as we would wish. There was an eastern city and a western one both of that name.
13. Kittim or Chittim is the ancient name for the now noted island of Cyprus, but we regard it as denoting the islands and sea coast of the Mediterranean under the yoke of Rome (Dan. 11:3030For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. (Daniel 11:30)).
14. Dodanim. believed by many to signify an ancient Greek race.
"By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, everyone after his tongue, after their familes in their nations." It will be observed from the foregoing brief geographical notes, that the "seas round which the descendants of Japheth located, were the Mediterranean, Caspian, and Black Seas; this will help us to understand what is meant by the "isles of the Gentiles." A similar expression occurs in Zeph. 2:1111The Lord will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the heathen. (Zephaniah 2:11), etc.