1. Elam is the ancient name for Persia.
2. Asshur is the country of Assyria.
3. Arphaxed is the northern portion of Assyria.
4. Lud refers to a people who settled in Asia Minor.
Here several of the names, as Salah, Peleg, must be read simply as the heads of races or peoples.
6. Eber or Heber, from whence sprung the Hebrews.
The most of the other names refer to tribes inhabiting various parts of Arabia.
The principal peoples descended from JAPHETH, were the Medians, Greeks, Romans, Russians, Gauls, and Britons.
The principal peoples descended from HAM, were the Egyptians Africans, Babylonians, Philistines, and Canaanites.
The principal peoples descended from SHEM, were the Hebrews, Persians, Assyrians, and many of the Arabian Tribes.
Most of the nations sprung from Japheth are distinctly pointed out as reappearing in the closing days under GOG, the then Emperor of all the Russias (Ezek. 38, 39 for Greece, see Zech. 9:1313When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. (Zechariah 9:13)). Egypt and Assyria are spoken of in the past and future, as king of the south and king of the north (Dan. 1113For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. (Daniel 11:13)). The ancient enemies of Israel are the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, and others are also named, as gathering in concert against the beloved people of Jehovah, when restored to their land, for which, see that prophetic Psa. 8313O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. (Psalm 83:13). Speaking generally, the descendants of Noah's sons will be found in the closing days, either under the chieftainship of Gog (Russia) -expressing their hatred and hostility to the jews; or under the Beast (the revived Roman power)—in open antagonism to the Lamb and His heavenly people.
The place which these nations occupy in the coming future, suppose the restoration of Israel—at least, Judah—to her land, and the old enmity to that people breaking out afresh; yea, more bitterly than before. The day of glory and blessing for Israel is nigh at hand; but first, the church will be translated to heaven, then will follow the restoration of the Jewish people (Isa. 18), to be succeeded by judgment upon the congregated nations, closed by the grand and glorious reign of Jesus over the millennial earth for 1000 years.