The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse lists the descendants of Gomer, but the most striking detail might be the common Jewish tradition identifying Ashkenaz with Germany. This connection, though debated among scholars, hints at a far-reaching scope for these ancient genealogies, suggesting the descendants of Noah's sons spread across vast distances and influenced regions much further west than one might initially assume.
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of the Table of Nations, detailing the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood. It lists the immediate offspring of Gomer, who was a son of Japheth, continuing the genealogical account that explains how humanity repopulated the earth. These descendants are presented as the ancestors of various peoples, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of nations.
Genesis 10 is like an ancient world map, showing how humanity spread after the Great Flood. Have you ever wondered where entire peoples got their start?
This chapter, often called the 'Table of Nations,' details the descendants of Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Our verse focuses on Gomer, one of Japheth's sons.
The names in Genesis 10 might sound ancient and obscure, but many scholars see echoes of them in later peoples and places. How do these ancient names connect to our world?
While pinpointing exact matches between these ancient names and modern ethnic groups is challenging, biblical scholars and historians have proposed several likely connections for Gomer's sons:
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These identifications are based on linguistic similarities, geographical proximity described in Scripture, and later historical and traditional accounts. They highlight how these ancestral lines, though starting in the Near East, eventually populated vast regions.
While the exact geographical locations of Gomer's descendants are debated, Genesis 10:3 provides an ancient framework for understanding the early dispersion of peoples, with later historical and rabbinic traditions offering insights into their potential settlements in Asia Minor, Armenia, and even Europe.
~1400 BC
Post-Flood Population Expansion
Following the Great Flood, Noah's descendants rapidly multiplied, establishing new settlements and developing distinct cultural groups across the globe.
~1400 BC
Division of Nations
The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 outlines the ancestral lineages of humanity, detailing the dispersion and establishment of various peoples and languages after the flood.
Early 1st Century AD
Rabbinic Traditions on Gomer's Descendants
Later Jewish traditions began to associate Ashkenaz with Germany, Riphath with the northern regions near the Carpathian Mountains, and Togarmah with Armenia or Turkic peoples.
c. 590 BC
Prophecy Against Babylon
In Jeremiah 51:27, the prophet calls on nations to rise against Babylon, specifically mentioning Ashkenaz alongside Ararat (Armenia) and Minni, suggesting a geographical connection to Anatolia or the Caucasus region.
c. 580 BC
Prophecy Against Gog
Ezekiel 27:14 connects Togarmah with other northern nations like Gomer, Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, situating them in the regions around the Black Sea and Anatolia.
c. 60 AD— this verse
Early Christian Interpretations
Early Christian scholars like Josephus identified Riphath with the Paphlagonians and Togarmah with the Phrygians or Cappadocians, placing these descendants of Gomer in Asia Minor.
This passage directly mentions Ashkenaz alongside Ararat and other nations, helping to locate the descendants of Gomer geographically in the ancient Near East, likely in or around Armenia.
Ezekiel 27:14Ezekiel groups Togarmah with other nations like Javan (Greece) and Tubal, providing context for the broader sphere of influence and trade among these Japhethite descendants.
Ezekiel 38:6Here, Togarmah is listed with Gomer, its ancestor, and other northern nations allied with Gog, further solidifying its identification with regions in the north and west, potentially including Armenia and its surrounding areas.
1 Chronicles 1:6This parallel genealogy confirms the names of Gomer's sons, though Riphath is listed as Diphath, highlighting slight variations in transcription while reinforcing the lineage.
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.…
clarkeGenesis 10:3: "And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah."
Ashkenaz - Probably gave his name to Sacagena, a very excellent province of Armenia. Pliny mentions a people called Ascanitici, who dwelt about the Tanais and the Palus Maeotis; and some suppose that from Ashkenaz the Euxine Sea derived its name, but others suppose that from him the Germans derived their origin. Riphath - Or Diphath, the founder of the Paphlagonians, which were anciently called Riphataei. Togarmah - The…
The verse lists the descendants of Gomer, but the most striking detail might be the common Jewish tradition identifying Ashkenaz with Germany. This connection, though debated among scholars, hints at a far-reaching scope for these ancient genealogies, suggesting the descendants of Noah's sons spread across vast distances and influenced regions much further west than one might initially assume.
This passage is part of the Table of Nations, detailing the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood. It lists the immediate offspring of Gomer, who was a son of Japheth, continuing the genealogical account that explains how humanity repopulated the earth. These descendants are presented as the ancestors of various peoples, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of nations.
This passage is part of the Table of Nations, detailing the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood. It lists the immediate offspring of Gomer, who was a son of Japheth, continuing the genealogical account that explains how humanity repopulated the earth. These descendants are presented as the ancestors of various peoples, laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of nations.
"The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah." — The verse lists the descendants of Gomer, but the most striking detail might be the common Jewish tradition identifying Ashkenaz with Germany. This connection, though debated among scholars, hints at…
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Last reviewed October 2026