Descendants of Japheth
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.
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 Ezekiel 38, 39, we identify as Moscow, not only a large and populous province, but the city of that name, forming 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 as satisfactory as we would wish. There was an eastern city and a western one both of that name.
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 families, 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 Zephaniah 2:11,11The 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.
Descendants of Ham
1. Cush is wrongly translated “Ethiopia” in Isaiah 18:1,1Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: (Isaiah 18:1) and elsewhere. The Cushites settled partly on the Nile and partly on the Euphrates. “Rivers of Ethiopia” or Cush, are therefore the rivers Nile and Euphrates.
2. Mizraim is a plural word, denoting both Upper and Lower Egypt.
3. Phut, an African people, known as the Libyans, and from whom the Moors are in turn descended.
4. Canaan is the general designation of the nations inhabiting the country from the Mediterranean on the west, to the Jordan on the east, and prior to Israel’s occupation.
5. Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabtecha, Sheba, and Dedan, these seven names all refer to peoples settled at or near the Persian Gulf.
6. Babel, Erech, Accad, Calneh, these four cities originally formed the strength of the Babylonian kingdom.
7. Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, Resen, these four cities originally constituted the strength of the Assyrian kingdom.
8. Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim, these six, it will be observed, have the plural ending, and denominate various African tribes or nations.
9. Philistim are the well-known people who settled within the western borders of Canaan, namely, the Philistines.
10. Caphtorim are the original inhabitants of the Isle of Crete, now known as Candia in the Mediterranean, once a mighty kingdom of 100 cities, — so sang Homer.
Descendants of Shem
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.
Most of the other names refer to tribes inhabiting various parts of Arabia.
Principal Peoples
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.
Past and Future
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 Russians (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. 11). 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 Psalm 83. 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.