Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse lists four sons of Joktan, but the real significance lies in the subsequent verses where all thirteen of Joktan's sons are enumerated. This extensive list isn't just a dry record; it lays the groundwork for understanding the early settlement of Arabia and highlights how the descendants of Noah began to populate diverse regions after the flood.
Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage continues the table of nations, tracing the descendants of Noah after the Flood. It focuses on Joktan, one of the sons of Eber, and lists his thirteen sons who became the progenitors of various peoples, primarily in the Arabian Peninsula. The context is the early repopulation and scattering of humanity, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of different cultures and lands.
This verse lists four of Joktan's sons, names that echo through history. Who were these people, and where did they settle?
Genesis 10:26 names four of Joktan's thirteen sons: Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, and Jerah. These individuals are considered the patriarchs of early Arab tribes.
Diverse Settlements
The names of Joktan's descendants are significant because they help map the early dispersal of peoples across the Arabian Peninsula, laying the groundwork for the cultures and nations that would develop there.
Joktan's name means 'little one,' yet his lineage established a vast territory. What does this tell us about God's plans for His people?
Joktan, a descendant of Shem through Eber, is presented as the father of many tribes who settled what is often referred to as Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia). While his name might suggest smallness, his descendants spread widely and established significant regions.
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A Thread of God's Providence
Understand the original words
yalad · Hebrew Verb
A male progenitor or the source of a lineage; in a biblical context, it often implies the passing down of a covenantal or genealogical heritage.
This verse lists the immediate sons of Joktan, sons of Eber, and grandsons of Shem. Their placement in Genesis 10 situates them within the early repopulation of the earth and the formation of distinct peoples following the great flood.
Post-Flood
Repopulation after the Flood
Following the global flood, humanity, preserved through Noah's family, began to repopulate the Earth. This event marked a new beginning for humankind.
Post-Flood
The Table of Nations
Genesis 10 details the lineage of Noah's sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth) and the subsequent dispersal of peoples across the earth, establishing the foundational ethnic groups.
Post-Flood— this verse
Joktan's Descendants Settle Arabia
Joktan, a descendant of Shem, and his thirteen sons established themselves in Arabia Felix (modern Yemen and surrounding areas), giving rise to numerous tribes.
This verse immediately precedes the genealogy of Joktan's descendants and sets the context by mentioning Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, highlighting a lineage that will lead to Abraham and the people of Israel.
Genesis 11:10This verse begins the genealogy from Shem after the flood, showing the lineage that continues to be significant for salvation history, contrasting with the more geographically dispersed descendants of Joktan.
1 Chronicles 1:19This passage lists the descendants of Eber, including Peleg and Joktan, providing a parallel account that reinforces the genealogical framework established in Genesis.
Genesis 10:30This verse describes the dwelling place of Joktan's descendants, 'from Mesha as you go toward Sephar in the eastern hills,' offering geographical context to the peoples mentioned in verse 26.
clarkeGenesis 10:26: "And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,"
Joktan - He had thirteen sons who had their dwelling from Mesha unto Sephar, a mount of the east, which places Calmet supposes to be mount Masius, on the west in Mesopotamia, and the mountains of the Saphirs on the east in Armenia, or of the Tapyrs farther on in Media. In confirmation that all men have been derived from one family, let it be observed that there are many customs and usages, both sacred and civil,…
calvinGenesis 10:1-32: "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood."
Et filii Chus, Seba, et Havilah, et Sabthah, et Rahamah, et Sabtecha. Filii autem Rahamah, Seba, et Dedan.
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Et Chus genuit Nimrod: ipse coepit esse potens in terra:
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
9.…
The verse lists four sons of Joktan, but the real significance lies in the subsequent verses where all thirteen of Joktan's sons are enumerated. This extensive list isn't just a dry record; it lays the groundwork for understanding the early settlement of Arabia and highlights how the descendants of Noah began to populate diverse regions after the flood.
This passage continues the table of nations, tracing the descendants of Noah after the Flood. It focuses on Joktan, one of the sons of Eber, and lists his thirteen sons who became the progenitors of various peoples, primarily in the Arabian Peninsula. The context is the early repopulation and scattering of humanity, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of different cultures and lands.
This passage continues the table of nations, tracing the descendants of Noah after the Flood. It focuses on Joktan, one of the sons of Eber, and lists his thirteen sons who became the progenitors of various peoples, primarily in the Arabian Peninsula. The context is the early repopulation and scattering of humanity, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of different cultures and lands.
"Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah," — The verse lists four sons of Joktan, but the real significance lies in the subsequent verses where all thirteen of Joktan's sons are enumerated. This extensive list isn't just a dry record; it lays t…
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Last reviewed October 2026