João wrote:
> Is it well understood the Biblical criteria in divinding people
into three
> sons of Noah? For example, I think Kham was ancestor of African,
Arabian and
> Canaanite people, including Cretan and Babylonian (Nimrod). Yaphet
was
> ancestor of Mediterranean people. Shem was ancestor of Oriental or
Northern
> people, Persians (or Elamites?), Assyrian and Lydians.
This three way split of peoples represented an ethnic view of the
world of 6th century Jews. Exposed to the huge histories of the
Baylonians and Eyptians around tem, they felt they needed to invent
similar views and place themselves and their neighbours within them.
As the Bivle says
Gen 10:1 Now these [are] the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem,
Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
Gen 10:2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan,
and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
Gomer (otherwise called Kimmer) are the Cimmerians, who burst into
the consciousness of the Middle East during the Assyrian Empire.
Magog is often seen as the Massagetae (Eastern Saka), although
personally I wonder if better references are to be found.
Madai is the Medes.
Javan is Ionians = Greeks.
Tubal is difficult, I haven't found one that works well for this one.
Meshech is the Muski, who confronted the Assyrians in their attempted
invasion of Anatolia. I suspect that the Tubal were involved here
too.
Tiras = Tyrrsenoi (Ty-Rasena) our good frends the Etruscans.
It is interesting that these are basicaly circum black sea folk. Is
it coincidence that these are the first people mentioned after Noah
and the flood. By the way the etymology of Noah has been linked to
the Hurrian NHMZULI. So another good connection northward in the
Harran region. I have a whole theory on this if anyone is interested.
:-)
Gen 10:3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
Askenaz is the Scythians. Ripath and Togarmah I understand are
derivable from Scythian tribes.
Gen 10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and
Dodanim.
Elisha looks like Wilusa (Illios). Tashish has been lnked to
Tartessos in Spain (there are biblical references to the Phoenician
Ships of Tarshish that make sense in this context). Dodanim =
Dardani (illyrian tribes already spoken of by me in other contexts.)
Gen 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their
lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their
nations.
Gen 10:6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and
Canaan.
Cush is the Nubian Kush, although Rohl recently has suggested
Mesopotamian connections which I feel are too far fetched.
Mizraim + Egypt (Musri). It is interesting that the Bible makes a
clear destinction between Upper Egypt (Misraim) and Phut (lower
Egypt), indicating that it was put together in the Iron Age when
Upper Egypt was ruled by the Pharaoh and Lower Egypt ruled by the
priests of Thebes, and the two were autonomous.
Canaan is transparent. Nubia, Egypt and Canaan being related seems
to be a vague memory of the New Kingdom Empire of Egypt.
Gen 10:7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and
Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
These are all South Arabian tribal affiliations. Seba = Sheba, etc.
Gen 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the
earth.
his is the Mesopotamian connection Rohl makes much of. Nimrod has
many affiliations. Most see him as a legendary memory of Naram Sin
of Akkad.
Gen 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is
said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
Gen 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and
Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Erech is Uruk, Accad is Akkad. Shinar is Sumer. This area is one
the Bible writers were familiar with from their captivity in Babylon.
Gen 10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh,
and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
Gen 10:12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great
city.
Gen 10:13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and
Naphtuhim,
Ludim is the Lydians. How the Bible saw these linked to Egpt is
anyones guess. Anamim is the name the Hebrews usually give to the
commoner (anawim), although other etymologies are no doubt possible.
Gen 10:14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,)
and Caphtorim.
Caphtorim = Keftiu (Crete) and Philistim is the Philistines. Again
these linkages are confused, which show the bible writers had no real
conception of cultural or real linguistic connections. Obviously the
connection of Philistines with the peoples of the isles had been
forgotten by the time the Bible was written.
It then goes into the descendents of Canaan, which would be of little
interest to this list.
I would be interested in what else others on this list make of this
Biblical "Book of Nations".
Regards
John