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1 Chronicles 1:7 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוּבְנֵ֥י יָוָ֖ן אֱלִישָׁ֣ה וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּתִּ֖ים וְרוֹדָנִֽים׃ ס

BSAAnd the sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of JavanYâvân [Greece, the Greeks] ElishahʼĔlîyshâh [a son of Javan] TarshishTarshîysh [a place on the Mediterranean, a merchant vessel] the KittitesKittîy [inhabitants of Cyprus, islanders] and the RodanitesDôdânîym [Dodanim, a group of people descended from Javan]

Word
Listen & take away1 Chronicles 1
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 7 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ve.ro.da.Nim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Chronicles 1:7quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse lists the descendants of Javan, highlighting notable groups and places associated with them.
Who is speakingThe chronicler, documenting genealogies.
Where we areIn the genealogical record of the descendants of Noah.
The hard wordיָוָן
Take awayThe verse connects various peoples and places, emphasizing their lineage.
4 commentators on this verse Jamieson, Ellicott, AdamClarke, Cambridge & more — read them › clause The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Chronicles 1:7

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Genealogy of the Sons of Noahgenerated

6The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
7And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.
8The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
9The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.

1 Chronicles 1:7 provides a brief genealogy, listing the sons of Javan, which reflects the broader context of the descendants of Noah. This genealogy serves to establish the origins of various nations and peoples, linking them back to the patriarchs. The names mentioned are significant in understanding the historical and cultural connections among ancient civilizations, particularly those surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 72:10May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts.
2Isaiah 66:19I will establish a sign among them, and I will send survivors from among them to the nations—to Tarshish, Put, and the archers of Lud; to Tubal, Javan, and the islands far away who have not heard of My fame or seen My glory. So they will proclaim My glory among the nations.
3Numbers 24:24Ships will come from the coasts of Cyprus; they will subdue Asshur and Eber, but they too will perish forever.”
4Isaiah 23:1–12This is the burden against Tyre: Wail, O ships of Tarshish, for Tyre is laid waste, without house or harbor. Word has reached them from the land of Cyprus.
5Jeremiah 2:10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יָוָן, ya.Vangenerated

The word יָוָן (ya.Van) refers to Greece or the Greeks, derived from a historical figure, Javan, a son of Japheth. This term encapsulates both a geographical location and its people, emphasizing the connection between the ancient Greeks and their territory.

In this verse, it signifies not only a place but also a lineage, as the descendants of Javan are identified with various groups, including the Kittites and Rodanim, who are associated with the Mediterranean region.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb is absent, as this verse is structured around a noun phrase that lists the subjects: וּבְנֵי (and the sons of) followed by the names of the descendants. This structure emphasizes the familial connections and the lineage being documented.

The Hebrew word order places the subjects first, highlighting the importance of the descendants of Javan in this genealogical context.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יָוָן as ιωυαν, maintaining the connection to Greece. This choice reflects the historical understanding of Javan as the progenitor of the Greek people.

The consistent rendering across both texts indicates a shared recognition of the significance of Javan in the genealogical heritage.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Chronicles 1:7 lists the sons of Javan, including Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. These names represent various groups and places linked to Javan, providing insight into the ancient peoples of the Mediterranean.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who are the sons of Javan mentioned in this verse?

The sons of Javan include Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim, each representing different groups or places associated with Javan.

What does the name Javan signify?

Javan refers to Greece or the Greeks, indicating both a geographical region and its descendants.

Why is this genealogy important?

This genealogy connects various peoples and places to their origins, helping to understand the historical relationships among ancient civilizations.

What is the significance of the names listed in this verse?

The names highlight the descendants of Javan and their connection to significant regions and cultures in the ancient world.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What connections can I draw between the descendants of Javan and modern cultures?
  2. How do genealogies like this one help us understand the history of nations?
  3. In what ways does understanding my ancestry help me appreciate my heritage?
  4. What role do you think trade and interaction played among the descendants of Javan?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Chronicles 1:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Chronicles 1 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

THE SONS OF JAPHETH THE FAIR—(1 Chronicles 1:5-7). The Oriental theory of political and even social communities refers each to a common ancestor. The Israelites are known as “sons of Israel,” the Ammonites as “sons of Ammon” (Authorised version, “children”). In the same way, an Arab tribe is called. the “Bκni Hassan” (sons of Hassan), and Assurbanipal styles his subjects “sons of Asshur.” Sometimes a people is called “sons” of the land or city they inhabit; e.g., the Babylonians are styled “sons of Babel.” The “sons of Japheth” are probably the fair Caucasian race. (5) Gomer.—The Cimmerians of the Greek writers; called Gi-mir-ra-a-a in Assyrian inscriptions. Their country was Cappadocia…

Read Charles John Ellicott on 1 Chronicles 1 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 7. The sons of Javan] "But the sons of Macedon, Alsu, and Tarsus, Ilation, and Dardania, or, according to others, Elisha, Alam, Titsas, Achzavia, and Dardania, Ridom, and Chamen, and Antioch." So says this Targum, which I shall henceforth designate by the letter T.

Read AdamClarke on 1 Chronicles 1 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

7. Elishah] Ezekiel (1 Chronicles 27:7) addressing Tyre, “Blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was thine awning.” Elishah clearly denotes some islands or coastlands near the territory of Javan, but no closer identification is at present possible. If it be the Alashya of the Tell-el-Amarna Letters (cp. Flinders Petrie, Syria and Egypt, p. 161), it may be Cyprus or some part of Cyprus; cp. note on Kittim. Tarshish] Probably Tarsus in Cilicia is meant, for the next people mentioned are its near neighbours, the Kittim, i.e. the inhabitants of Cyprus. Tarsus was early colonised by the Greeks and was the capital of the country as early as the close of the fifth century b.c. It is to be…

Read Cambridge on 1 Chronicles 1 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

And the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

NETBNew English Translation2006

The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the sons of Javan; Elisha, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Also the sonnes of Iauan, Elishah and Tarshishah, Kittim, and Dodanim.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Rodanim.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And sons of Javan: Elisha, and Tarshishah, Kittim, and Dodanim.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And sons of Javan: Elisha, and Tarshishah, Kittim, and Dodanim.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the sons of Javan: Elishah, and Tharshishah, Kittim, and Rodanim.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the sons of Javan: Elisa and Tharsis, Cethim and Dodanim.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, Rodanim.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the sons of Javan: Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Rodanim.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וּandclausenoun phrase · subjectבְנֵ֥יthe.sonsיָוָ֖ןof.Javannoun phrase · predicateאֱלִישָׁ֣ה[were].Elishahוְandnoun phraseתַרְשִׁ֑ישָׁ(to)הTarshishכִּתִּ֖יםKittimוְandרוֹדָנִֽיםRodanim

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree on the wording of this verse, with all six words matched. This consistency reinforces the reliability of the genealogical record presented.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וּבְנֵ֥י יָוָ֖ן אֱלִישָׁ֣ה וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישָׁה כִּתִּ֖ים וְרוֹדָנִֽים׃ ס

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּבְנֵ֥יυἱοὶיָוָ֖ןιωυανאֱלִישָׁ֣הελισαוְתַרְשִׁ֑ישָׁהθαρσιςכִּתִּ֖יםκίτιοιוְרוֹדָנִֽים׃ סῥόδιοι

6 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Chronicles 1:7בֵּןand [the] sand [the] sons בֵּןיָוָןJavanJavanיָוָןאֲלִישָׁה[were] Elis[were] Elishahאֲלִישָׁהתַּרְשִׁישׁand Tarshisand TarshishתַּרְשִׁישׁכִּתִּיKittimKittimכִּתִּירוֹדָנִיםand Rodanimand Rodanimרוֹדָנִיםבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהיַ֫יִןwinewineיַ֫יִןתַּרְשִׁישׁjasperjasperתַּרְשִׁישׁאֲלִישָׁהElishahElishahאֲלִישָׁהעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןתּוּבַלTubalTubalתּוּבַלרוֹדָנִיםDodanimDodanimרוֹדָנִיםכִּתִּיCyprusCyprusכִּתִּיאֳנִיָּהfleetfleetאֳנִיָּהאִיcoastlandcoastlandאִיצִיshipshipצִי
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Chronicles 1:7

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
וּבְנֵ֥יu.ve.Nei and [the] sons of H1121 Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural construct
HC/Ncmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
יָוָ֖ןya.Van Javan H3120 Noun proper masculine
11× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Refers to Greece or the Greeks, descended from Javan, a son of Joktan. This term is used to describe the country and its people, as seen in the KJV translation of Javan.
Amplified meaning
Greece, the Greeks
Tyndale gloss
Greece
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָוָן (yavan) refers to Javan, a son of Japheth mentioned in Genesis 10:2, and denotes the region of Greece or Ionia, as well as the descendants of Javan, known as Ionians. The term captures both a historical figure and a geographical location, emphasizing the connection between the ancient people and their territory.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָוָן n.pr.gent. Ionia(ns), Greece

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3120 יָוָן Ionia(ns), Greece

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3120 Yavan yaw-vawn'

probably from the same as 3196; effervescing (i.e. hot and

active); Javan, the name of a son of Joktan, and of the race

(Ionians, i.e. Greeks) descended from him, with their

territory; also of a place in Arabia:--Javan.

see HEBREW for 03196

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָוָן (ya.van) — Javan.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.2;

son of: Japheth (H3315);

brother of: Gomer (H1586), Magog (H4031), Madai (H4074), Tubal (H8422), Meshech (H4902) and Tiras (H8494);

father of: Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721); also called Greek at Jol.3.6 + NT.

§ Javan = "Ionia" or "Greece"

1) a son of Japheth and grandson of Noah

2) Greece, Ionia, Ionians

2a) location of descendants of Javan

יָוָן (ya.van) — Greece.

§ Javan = "Ionia" or "Greece"

1) Greece, Ionia, Ionians

2) location of descendants of Javan

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ja'-van (yawan, meaning unknown):

(1) In Ge 10:2,4 = 1Ch 1:5,7 Septuagint Iouan); Isa 66:19; Eze 27:13 Septuagint Hellas, Greece); Da 8:21 m; 10:20; 11:2; Zec 9:13; Joe 3:6 (Hebrew 4:6) Septuagint hoi Hellenes, i.e. "Greeks"), "son" of Japheth, and "father" of Elisha, Tars, Kittim, and Rodarim, i.e. Rhodes (incorrectly "Dodanim" in Ge 10:4). Javan is the Greek Iaon or Ia(v)on, and in Ge and 1Ch = the Ionian Greeks of Asia Minor, probably here = Cyprus. The…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Javan

(1.) The fourth “son” of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), whose descendants settled in Greece, i.e., Ionia, which bears the name of Javan in Hebrew. Alexander the Great is called the “king of Javan” (rendered “Grecia,” Dan. 8:21; 10:20; comp. 11:2; Zech. 9:13). This word was universally used by the nations of the East as the generic name of the Greek race.

(2.) A town or district of Arabia Felix, from which the Syrians obtained iron, cassia, and calamus (Ezek. 27:19).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(clay). A son of Japheth. (Genesis 10:2,4) Javan was regarded as the representative of the Greek race. The name was probably introduced into Asia by the Phoenicians, to whom the Ionians were naturally better known than any other of the Hellenic races, on account of their commercial activity and the high prosperity of their towns on the western coast of Asia Minor. A town in the souther part of Arabia (Yemen), whither the Phoenicians traded. (Ezekiel 27:19)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The fourth son of Japheth, Ge 10:2,4. This name is the same as the Greek Ion, whence comes Ionia, and it is understood that Javan was the ancestor of the Greeks. See GREECE.

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
אֱלִישָׁ֣ה'e.li.Shah [were] Elishah H473 Noun proper masculine
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Elishah was a son of Javan, a descendant of Noah, and is mentioned in the Bible as an ancestor of the Aeolians. His name means God of the coming one, signifying a connection to the divine. Elishah is also linked to the island of Cyprus.
Amplified meaning
a son of Javan
Tyndale gloss
Elishah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲלִישָׁה (Eliyshah) refers to a figure identified as a son of Javan, a descendant of Noah. He is mentioned in Genesis 10:4 and is associated with the Greeks, possibly as an ancestor of the Aeolians. The name may mean 'God of the coming (one).' There is a note that Elishah is another name for Cyprus.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲלִישָׁה n.pr.loc. as son of Javan

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H473 אֲלִישָׁה as son of Javan

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

473 'Eliyshah el-ee-shaw'

probably of foreign derivation; Elishah, a son of

Javan:--Elishah.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱלִישָׁה (e.li.shah) — Elishah.

A man of the Greeks living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.4;

son of: Javan (H3120);

brother of: Tarshish (H8659), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721)

§ Elishah = "God of the coming (one)"

descendant of Noah, son of Javan; perhaps ancestor of the Aeolians

אֱלִישָׁה (e.li.shah) — Elishah.

Elishah = "God of the coming (one)"

descendant of Noah, son of Javan; perhaps ancestor of the Aeolians

Another name of kit.ti (כִּתִּי "Cyprus" H3794H)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

e-li'-sha ('elishah, "God saves"; Elisa, Eleisai):

Mentioned in Ge 10:4 as the eldest son of Javan, and in Eze 27:7 as the source from which the Tyrians obtained their purple dyes. On the ground of this latter statement attempts have been made to identify it with Southern Italy or the north of Africa. Josephus (Ant., I, vi, 1) identified Elisha with the Aeolians. The Targum on Ezekiel gives "the province of Italy." Other suggestions include Hellas, Ells, and Alsa; the last named is a kingdom mentioned in the Tell el-Amarna Letters, but its precise location is unknown. It is impossible as yet to claim certainty for any of these conjectures.

A. C. Grant

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Elishah

The oldest of the four sons of Javan (Gen. 10:4), whose descendants peopled Greece. It has been supposed that Elishah’s descendants peopled the Peloponnesus, which was known by the name of Elis. This may be meant by “the isles of Elishah” (Ezek. 27:7).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(God is salvation), the eldest son of Javan. (Genesis 10:4) The residence of his descendants is described in (Ezekiel 27:7) as the isles of Elishah, whence the Phoenicians obtained their purple and blue dyes. Some connect the race of Elishah with the AEolians, others with Elishah, and in a more extended sense Peloponnesus, or even Hellas.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A son of Javan, Ge 10:4. "The isle of Elishah," which sent purple and scarlet stuffs to Tyre, Eze 27:7, are supposed to mean Greece and the adjacent islands.

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישָׁהve.tar.Shi.shah and Tarshish H8659 Conjunction · noun proper masculine · suffix
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Tarshish was a place on the Mediterranean, also the name of a Persian and an Israelite, and a term for a merchant vessel, as mentioned in 1 Chronicles 7:10.
Amplified meaning
a place on the Mediterranean, a merchant vessel
Tyndale gloss
Tarshish
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּרְשִׁישׁ (Tarshish) refers to a distant port, possibly linked to the Mediterranean, and is associated with trade and merchant vessels. It also denotes a man from the tribe of Benjamin and a Persian noble. The word is connected to yellow jasper and appears in various contexts, including a city mentioned in relation to Jonah's flight.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּרְשִׁישׁ n.pr.

loc. a distant port, site not certainly known

m.

in Benjamin

Persian noble

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8659 תַּרְשִׁישׁ . a distant port, site not certainly known

. . in Benjamin

. Persian noble

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8659 Tarshiysh tar-sheesh'

probably the same as 8658 (as the region of the stone, or the

reverse); Tarshish, a place on the Mediterranean, hence, the

ephithet of a merchant vessel (as if for or from that port);

also the name of a Persian and of an Israelite:--Tarshish,

Tharshish.

see HEBREW for 08658

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.

A man of the Greeks living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.4;

son of: Javan (H3120);

brother of: Elishah (H0473), Kittim (H3794) and Dodanim (H1721)

§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"

son of Javan

תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.

§ Tarshish or Tharshish = "yellow jasper"

1) a city of the Phoenicians in a distant part of the Mediterranean Sea to which the prophet Jonah was trying to flee

perhaps in Cyprus or Spain

2) a city somewhere near and accessible to the Red Sea to which ships constructed at Ezion-geber on the Elanitic Gulf on the Red Sea were to sail

תַּרְשִׁישׁ (tar.shish) — Tarshish.

A man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.7.10;

son of: Bilhan (H1092H);

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper | Suff — Conjunction · noun proper masculine · suffix
HC/Npm/Sd
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tar'-shish (tarshish):

(1) Eponym of a Benjamite family (1Ch 7:10); Rhamessai, A and Lucian, Tharseis

(2) One of the "seven princes" at the court of Ahasuerus (Es 1:14 Massoretic Text).

(3) The Hebrew name of a precious stone (Eze 10:9 margin, English Versions of the Bible "beryl"; Ex 28:20; 39:13; Eze 1:16; 28:13; So 5:14; Da 10:6).

See STONES, PRECIOUS.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Tarshish

A Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning “the sea coast.” (1.) One of the “sons” of Javan (Gen. 10:4; 1 Chr. 1:7).

(2.) The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon. The question as to the locality of Tarshish has given rise to not a little discussion. Some think there was a Tarshish in the East, on the Indian coast, seeing that “ships of Tarshish” sailed from Eziongeber, on the Red Sea (1 Kings 9:26; 22:48; 2 Chr. 9:21). Some, again, argue that Carthage was the place so named. There can be little doubt, however, that this is the name of a Phoenician port in Spain, between the two mouths of the Guadalquivir (the name given to the river by…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(established). Probably Tartessus, a city and emporium of the Phoenicians in the south of Spain, represented as one of the sons of Javan. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Kings 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:7; Psalms 48:7; Isaiah 2:16; Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:12,25; Jonah 1:3; 4:2) The identity of the two places is rendered highly probable by the following circumstances: 1st. There is a very close similarity of name between them, Tartessus being merely Tarshish in the Aramaic form. 2nd. There seems to have been a special relation between…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. The second son of Javan, Ge 10:4.

2. Tartessus, an ancient city between two mouths of the Guadalquiver, in the south of Spain. It was a Phoenician colony, and was the most celebrated emporium in the west to which the Hebrews and Phoenicians traded. That Tarshish was situated in the west is evident from Ge 10:4, where it is joined with Elisha, Kittim, and Dodanim. See also Ps 72:10. According to Eze 38:13, it was an important place of trade; according to Jer 10:9, it exported silver, and according to Eze 27:12,25, silver, iron, tin, and lead to the Tyrian markets.…

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
כִּתִּ֖יםki.Tim Kittim H3794 Noun proper
8× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the island of Cyprus or its inhabitants. In the Bible, it is also used to describe other islanders in the Mediterranean, including the Greeks and Romans. The KJV translates it as 'Chittim' or 'Kittim'.
Amplified meaning
inhabitants of Cyprus, islanders
Tyndale gloss
Cyprus
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּתִּי (Kittiy) refers to Cypriotes or islanders, particularly those from Cyprus. It is derived from a name associated with the descendants of Javan, a figure in Genesis 10:4. The term encompasses a broader category of Mediterranean islanders, including Greeks and Romans, and is sometimes translated as 'bruisers.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כִּתִּי] adj.gent. alw. pl.; usu. as n.gent. = Cypriotes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3794 כִּתִּי = Cypriotes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3794 Kittiy kit-tee'

or Kittiyiy {kit-tee-ee'}; patrial from an unused name

denoting Cyprus (only in the plural); a Kittite or Cypriote;

hence, an islander in general, i.e. the Greeks or Romans on

the shores opposite Palestine:--Chittim, Kittim.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּתִּי (kit.ti) — Kittim.

Someone descended from Kittim of the Greeks, first mentioned at Gen.10.4; descended from Javan (H3120); along with Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659) and Dodanim (H1721)

§ Chittim or Kittim = "bruisers"

1) a general term for all islanders of the Mediterranean Sea

2) the descendants of Javan, the son of Japheth and grandson of Noah

כִּתִּי (kit.ti) — Cyprus.

§ Chittim or Kittim = "bruisers"

a general term for all islanders of the Mediterranean Sea

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kit'-im (kittim, Isa 23:12; Jer 2:10; kittiyim, apparently plural of kitti (not found, but compare (4) below); Ketioi, Kitioi, Ketieim, Jer 2:10; Chettieim, Chettein):ntified with Sepphoris, which is represented by the modern village of Seffuriyeh].

1. Two Usages of the Name:

In Ge 10:4 the word is applied to the descendants of Javan, and indicates, therefore, the Greek-Latin races, whose territory extended along the coasts of the Mediterranean, and included its islands. By the side of Kittim are mentioned Elisha, Tarshish, and Dodanim ( = Rodanim of 1Ch 1:7), generally explained respectively as Sicily with Southern Italy…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Kittim

(Gen. 10:4). (See CHITTIM.)

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Twice written in the Authorized Version for Chittim. (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7)

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of Javan, and grandson of Noah, Ge 10:4. See CHITTIM.

and [the] sons of Javan [were] Elishah and Tarshish Kittim and Rodanim
וְרוֹדָנִֽים׃ סve.ro.da.Nim and Rodanim H1721 Conjunction · noun proper masculine
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Dodanim were a group of people descended from Javan, a son of Noah. They are also known as the Rodanim and are mentioned in the book of Genesis and 1 Chronicles.
Amplified meaning
Dodanim, a group of people descended from Javan
Tyndale gloss
Dodanim
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוֹדָנִים (Rhodim) refers to the Dodanim, a group mentioned in the genealogies of the Old Testament as descendants of Javan, a son of Noah. The entries indicate that this term may also be rendered as Rodanim or Rodanites, with some lexicons suggesting a meaning of 'leaders.' The word's derivation is uncertain, and it appears in Genesis 10:4 and 1 Chronicles 1:7.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוֹדָנִים n.pr.gent.pl. Rhodians

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1721 רוֹדָנִים Rhodians

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1721 Dodaniym do-daw-neem'

or (by orthographical error) Rodaniym (1 Chron. 1:7)

{ro-daw-neem'}; a plural of uncertain derivation; Dodanites,

or descendants of a son of Javan:--Dodanim.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוֹדָנִים (do.da.nim) — Dodanim.

People descended from Dodan(?) of the Greeks, first mentioned at Gen.10.4; descended from Javan (H3120); along with Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659) and Kittim (H3794); also called Rodanim or Rodanites at 1Ch.1.7;

§ Dodanim or Rodanim = "leaders"

sons or descendants of Javan

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculine
HC/Npm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rod'-a-nim: The reading of Massoretic Text in 1Ch 1:7 for the DODANIM (which see) of Ge 10:4, corresponding to the Rhodioi of the Septuagint in both passages. The Rodanim are generally identified as inhabitants of the island of RHODES (which see), well known to the ancient Phoenicians (Homer's Iliad).

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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