Joktan or Yoktan (Hebrew: יָקְטָן, Modern Yoqtan Tiberian Yoqá¹­Ä?n Arabic: قحطانâ€? ; literally, "little") was the second of the two sons of Eber (Gen. 10:25; 1 Chr. 1:19) mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. His name means "small" or "smallness".

In the Book of Genesis 10:25 it reads: "And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan."

Joktan's sons in the order provided in Gen. 10:26-29, were: Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.

In Pseudo-Philo's account (ca. 70), Joktan was first made prince over the children of Shem, just as Nimrod and Phenech were princes over the children of Ham and Japheth, respectively. In his version, the three princes command all persons to bake bricks for the Tower of Babel, however twelve, including several of Joktan's own sons, as well as Abraham and Lot, refuse the orders. Joktan smuggles them out of Shinar and into the mountains, to the annoyance of the other two princes.^[1] The traditional history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church also maintains that Joktan's sons would take no part in the tower building, and that they were thus allowed to preserve the original Ge'ez language — which their descendants, the Agazyan, carried across the Red Sea into Ethiopia as they mixed with the Cushitic and Agaw people to form the hybrid Habesha race.

The Arab peoples comprise numerous clans and tribes. Many historians trace the peoples of the southern Arabian Peninsula to Joktan. However, early Biblical ethnographers, including Josephus and Hippolytus of Rome, identified Joktan's sons with peoples around the Indus river.

One scholar believes Joktan's family separated from his brother Peleg's near a place called Mesha - see Genesis 10:30, at or near Mashhad, he theorizes - and went east over the Silk Road toward the Orient, fathering the Sinitic peoples.^[2]

In pre-Islamic literature[link]

Details about the three of Joktan's sons, Sheba, Ophir and Havilah, were preserved in a tradition known in divergent forms from three pre-Islamic Arabic and Ethiopic sources: the Kitab al-Magall (part of Clementine literature), the Cave of Treasures, and the Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan.

Kitab al-Magall: "He [Nimrod] died in the days of Reu, and the third thousand since Adam was completed. In his days the people of Egypt set up a king over them called Firnifs. He reigned over them for sixty-eight years. In his days also a king reigned over the town of Saba and annexed to his kingdom the cities of Ophir and Havilah, his name was Pharaoh. He built Ophir with stones of gold, for the stones of its mountains are pure gold. After him there reigned over Havilah a king called Hayul. He built it and cemented it, and after the death of Pharaoh women reigned over Saba until the time of Solomon son of David."

Cave of Treasures: "And in the days of Reu, the Mesraye, who are the Egyptians, appointed their first king; his name was Puntos, and he reigned over them sixty-eight years. And in the days of Reu a king reigned in Shebha (Saba), and in Ophir, and in Havilah. And there reigned in Saba sixty of the daughters of Saba. And for many years women reigned in Saba--until the kingdom of Solomon, the son of David. And the children of Ophir, that is, Send (Scindia ?), appointed to be their king Lophoron (?), who built Ophir with stones of gold; now, all the stones that are in Ophir are of gold. And the children of Havilah appointed to be their king Havîl, who built Havilah, that is, Hend (India ?)."

Conflict of Adam and Eve: "And in those days Ragu [Reu] was 180 years old, and in his 140th year Yanuf [Apophis] reigned over the land of Egypt. He is the first king who reigned over it, and he built the city of Memphis, and named it after his own name. That is Misr, whose name is rendered Masrin. This Yanuf died; and in his stead, in the days of Ragu, one from the land of India reigned, whose name was Sasen, and who built the city of Saba. And all the kings who reigned over that country were called Sabaeans, after the name of the city. Then again Phar'an reigned over the children of Saphir [Ophir], and built the city of Saphir with stones of gold; and that is the land of Sarania, and because of these stones of gold, they say that the mountains of that country and the stones thereof are all of gold. Then the children of Lebensa of the country of India, made king over them, one called Bahlul, who built the city of Bahlu. Then Ragu died in his 289th year."

See also[link]

• not to be confused with Jokshan
• Qahtanite

References[link]

Wikisource has original 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary text related to:

Joktan

Toni Braxton
Toni Braxton on the Vh1 Divas 2009 Red Carpet
Background information
Birth name	Toni Michelle Braxton
Born	(1967-10-07) October 7, 1967 (age 44) Severn, Maryland, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1989–present
Labels	LaFace, Arista, Blackground, Atlantic
Associated acts	The Braxtons, Tamar Braxton, Babyface, Kenny G, Lisa Lopes
Website	www.tonibraxton.com

Toni Michelle Braxton (born October 7, 1967)^[1] is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide. She has a contralto vocal type.^{[citation needed]}

Braxton topped the Billboard 200 with her 1993 self-titled debut album and continued that streak with her second studio album Secrets, which spawned the number-one hits "You're Makin' Me High" and "Un-Break My Heart". Although she had successful albums and singles, Braxton shortly filed for bankruptcy, but then returned with her chart-topping third album, The Heat. In 2009, she returned to the spotlight with "Yesterday", a #12 R&B hit which serves as the first single off her new album Pulse, released on May 4, 2010, which debuted at #1 on Billboard R&B Album Chart.^[2] Braxton was involved in the 7th season of the reality show Dancing with the Stars. Her professional partner was Alec Mazo. She was voted off in week five of the competition. It was announced on October 6, 2010 that Braxton once again had filed for bankruptcy. A reality series entitled Braxton Family Values, starring Toni and her sisters, debuted April 12, 2011 on WE tv. WE tv ordered a 13-episode second season of the show after the third episode of the first season. On September 18, 2011, Braxton was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Early life and education[link]

Braxton was born in Severn, Maryland. Toni's father, Michael Conrad Braxton, was a Methodist^[3][4] clergyman and power company worker, and her mother, Evelyn, a native of South Carolina, was a former opera singer and cosmetologist, as well as a pastor.^[5][6] The Braxton children were raised in a strict religious household.^[7] Braxton's first performing experience was singing in her church choir.^[7]

Toni and brother Michael Braxton Jr. are the eldest of the siblings, followed by younger sisters Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar.

She attended Bowie State University to obtain a teaching degree^[8] but decided to sing professionally after she was discovered by William E. Pettaway Jr., who heard her singing to herself while pumping gas.^[9]

Music career[link]

[edit] 1989–92: The Braxtons

Braxton and her four sisters (Traci, Towanda, Trina, and Tamar) began performing as The Braxtons in the late 1980s and were signed to Arista Records in 1989. Their first single, "Good Life", was released in 1990.^[10] Though the song was not successful, it attracted the attention of Antonio "L.A." Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.^[10]

With Braxton's low register sounding similar to that of Anita Baker,^{[citation needed]} Reid and Babyface recruited her to record a demo of "Love Shoulda Brought You Home", a song that they had written for Anita Baker for the soundtrack of Eddie Murphy's film, Boomerang. Baker, who was pregnant at the time,^[11] did not record the song but suggested that Braxton record it. Her recording was later included on the soundtrack along with "Give U My Heart", a duet by Braxton and Babyface. Braxton, meanwhile, was signed to Reid and Edmonds' Arista-distributed imprint, LaFace Records, and immediately began recording her solo debut album.

[edit] 1993–95: Toni Braxton

On July 13, 1993, LaFace Records released Braxton's self-titled debut album, Toni Braxton.^[12] The album, which was primarily produced by Reid, Babyface, and Daryl Simmons, peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart.^[13] The first single, "Another Sad Love Song", peaked at number seven and number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts respectively.^[14] The album's second single, "Breathe Again" peaked in the top five of both the Hot 100 and R&B singles charts^[14] and no 2 in the UK.^[15] More singles from Toni Braxton were released in 1994, including "You Mean the World to Me", "Seven Whole Days", "I Belong to You", and "How Many Ways".^[14]

Braxton's debut album won her several awards, including three Grammy Awards (for Best New Artist and two consecutive awards for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1994 and 1995).^[16] She also won two American Music Awards (for Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist and Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist)^[16] in 1994 and another one in 1995 (for Favorite Soul/R&B Album).^[16] Toni Braxton was certified 8x platinum in USA and has sales of over 10 million worldwide.^[17][18]

[edit] 1996–98: Secrets

In June 1996, Braxton released her second and most successful album, Secrets.^[19] Braxton has said about the album: "The motivation for this album was to include a little bit of everything. Our aim was to come up with material that would have a familiar 'feel' to the people who bought the first album without being musically redundant."^[20] Along with Babyface, Braxton also worked with R. Kelly, Tony Rich, and David Foster on the album.^[21] Braxton was the co-executive producer of the album and co-wrote two of its songs, including the 1997 single "How Could an Angel Break My Heart", which was also later included on Diana Princess of Wales Tribute, a Princess Diana memorial album.^[22]

With help from the album's first single, "You're Makin' Me High" (which became Braxton's first number-one hit on the Hot 100 singles chart),^[14] the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart.^[23] "You're Makin' Me High" also topped the R&B singles chart for two weeks^[14] and saw similar success in Europe and Asia. The album's second single, "Un-Break My Heart" (written by Diane Warren)—which would later become the singer's signature song^{[citation needed]} —became the biggest hit of her career spending eleven weeks at number one on the Hot 100^[10] and also topping the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart for eleven weeks and the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart for four weeks^[24] as well as reaching no 2 in the UK^[25] The song is the second biggest selling single by a female singer in Billboard history behind Whitney Houston's, "I Will Always Love You".^{[citation needed]} Other singles from the album included the double A-side "I Don't Want To"/"I Love Me Some Him" (which peaked at number one on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart)^[14] and "How Could an Angel Break My Heart" which featured Kenny G, with whom Braxton later toured.^[26] After 92 weeks in the charts, Secrets is certified 8x platinum, becoming Braxton's second straight 8 million seller. Internationally, Secrets sold more than 15 million copies, thus cementing Braxton's superstar status.^[18]

Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top Hot 100 Singles Artist â€” Female,^[27] Top R&B Artist â€” Female (singles and albums),^[24] Top Hot R&B Singles Artist â€” Female,^[24] Top Hot Dance Club Play Artist, and Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist, while "Un-Break My Heart" became the Top Hot Dance Club Play Single and the Top Hot Adult Contemporary Track of the year. She won two Grammy Awards; one for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance^[16] and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and two American Music Awards for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album.^[16]

[edit] 1999–01: The Heat

In March 2000, LaFace Records released "He Wasn't Man Enough", the first single from Braxton's third studio album, The Heat. By June 2000, the song peaked at number two on the Hot 100 chart. Braxton's music video for "He Wasn't Man Enough", which also featured actress Robin Givens, was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards including Best Female Video and Best R&B Video and a Billboard Music Video Award for Best R&B Clip of the Year.^{[citation needed]}

The Heat was released on April 25, 2000. Debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 albums chart with first week sales of 194,448 copies sold,^[28] it remained in the top 20 for fifteen consecutive weeks. Braxton again worked with producers Babyface and Foster; also included in the staple were Rodney Jerkins, and new beau musician Keri Lewis. Braxton herself also took a more hands-on approach, co-writing and co-producing a handful of the tracks. "Gimme Some", a track on "The Heat", featured a rap verse from TLC star Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes.

The album's second single, "Just Be a Man About It", peaked at number 32 on the Hot 100 and number six on the R&B Charts. The third single, "Spanish Guitar", peaked at number 98 on the Hot 100 and number one on the Hot Dance & Club charts. The fourth single, "Maybe", peaked at 74 on the R&B charts.

The Heat was certified double platinum in the US with over 3 million copies sold worldwide.^[18] In February 2000, Braxton performed alongside Enrique Iglesias and Christina Aguilera during the Super Bowl Halftime show.^{[citation needed]} Braxton topped the Billboard Year-End Charts as the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Artist â€” Female, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album Artist â€” Female, and Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks Artist â€” Female. She also received the 2000 Aretha Franklin Award for Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. Braxton also picked up her sixth Grammy Award for "He Wasn't Man Enough" which won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and the album was nominated for Best R&B Album. It won Best R&B/Soul Album at the 2001 American Music Awards, her third win in a row.^{[citation needed]}

In 2002, while gearing up for the release of her fourth studio album, Braxton discovered she was pregnant with her second child. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to promote the album properly, she unsuccessfully lobbied Arista Records to get the label to postpone its release until after she was to give birth. Arista Records refused and the album was released as planned in November 2002. It received very little promotion from Arista and Braxton herself, due to a complicated pregnancy that confined her to bed rest. Braxton accused the company of being unwilling to compromise and punishing her from not putting her career over family. On the show VH1 Inside Out â€” Family Comes First, she documented the hardships of being pregnant with her second child at the same time as promoting an album.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2002–04: More Than a Woman

In November 2002, Braxton's fourth studio album More Than a Woman was released. Opening to an instant commercial disappointment, the album peaked at number 13. The first single, The Neptunes-produced "Hit the Freeway", failed at radio and peaked at number 86 on the Hot 100. The two singles that followed ("A Better Man", "Lies, Lies, Lies") also failed to make a dent and missed the Hot 100 completely. Meanwhile, a promotional vinyl was sent out to DJs for "Give It Back"/"Let Me Show You the Way (Out)".^{[citation needed]}

More Than A Woman was certified gold by RIAA and sold more 800,000 copies worldwide.^[29][30]

Prior to the release of the album, a dispute erupted between Braxton and Irv Gotti when he played a rough cut of "No More Love", a song that he produced for the album that was to be the first single. Disapproving of Gotti broadcasting the unfinished track, Braxton withheld it from being released. The same year, Braxton was further annoyed when Jay-Z used the same sample of 2Pac's "Me And My Girlfriend" that she had already used on her track "Me & My Boyfriend" for his and Beyoncé's "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". Furious, Braxton lashed out in a radio interview, accusing Jay-Z and producer Kanye West of taking money out of her children's college fund.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2003–06: Libra

In April 2003, Braxton abruptly left Arista Records, having been there for fourteen years, and immediately signed with Blackground Records—headed by Barry Hankerson, her manager at the time. The change of scenery, however, did not ultimately help her recording career. As had been the case during her final years at Arista—Braxton's fifth album, and first release on Blackground, Libra was released with scant promotion and accumulated poor sales.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2005, Braxton's new label, Blackground/Universal, released "Please"—the first single from her fifth album, Libra. The album was originally planned for a June release, but it was pushed back several times and was finally issued on September 27. Unfortunately for Braxton, her troubles with weak album promotion and lack of label commitment weren't over. "Please" peaked at number 36 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, while altogether missing the Hot 100. The album lacked promotion by Blackground, causing it to go under the radar of many.^{[citation needed]}

Despite this, Libra still managed to debut at number four on the Billboard 200 selling 114,593 copies in the first week. Libra also peaked at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Although that is strong for an album with little to no promotion, it became yet another commercial disappointment for Braxton. The album's second single, "Trippin' (That's the Way Love Works)" received less airplay and peaked at number 67 on the R&B chart. The failure was ascribed to the non-video presence of the single and lack of label support. The album was certified gold in late 2005 and has since sold 679,000 copies worldwide.^[29]

Braxton, meanwhile, recorded a song with Il Divo titled "The Time of Our Lives". The song was used as the official 2006 FIFA World Cup anthem and was performed at the championship's opening day in Berlin, Germany on June 9. The song was also performed at the closing ceremonies making Braxton and Il Divo the first artists to be asked to perform for the opening and closing ceremonies.^[31] The song peaked at number 17 in Germany. As a result Edel Records decided to re-release Libra in Germany, including a new album cover, artwork, and the new anthem.^{[citation needed]}

Braxton made an appearance on the season finale of American Idol 5 where she performed Elvis Presley's "In the Ghetto" with soon-to-be winner Taylor Hicks.^[32]

[edit] 2006–08: Toni Braxton: Revealed

Flamingo Las Vegas at night featuring Braxton, January 2007.

On May 19, 2006, the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas announced that Braxton would replace Wayne Newton as the casino's new headlining act on August 3, 2006.^[33] The show, entitled Toni Braxton: Revealed, was to be performed six nights a week and was scheduled to run through March 2007. Braxton Later confirmed that she was extending her show through August 2007. The show became the first headlining show from an African American performer in Las Vegas to enter the top ten Vegas shows charting. Due to the success of the show, it was reported that Braxton would extend her show through August 2008. The singer subsequently took time off after being hospitalized for chest pains in April 2008.^{[citation needed]} The show was later cancelled, and it was announced that the show was officially shut down in order for the singer to focus on her health.^[34]

Braxton has been released from her contract with Blackground after a number of disputes with former manager Barry Hankerson.^[35]

On January 12, 2007, Braxton filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court in Manhattan against Hankerson for $10 million, alleging "fraud, deception and double dealing," in addition to mismanaging her relationship with Arista Records.^[36] According to Braxton, Hankerson placed his own personal financial interests ahead of hers by using "double-talk" to compromise the relationship between Braxton and her former recording label, Arista Records, with Hankerson allegedly telling Arista that "Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista" and telling Braxton that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore".^[36] Braxton also accused Hankerson of failing to send her on request copies of accounting statements, lying about deals that he made on her behalf and engaging in a vendetta against her by refusing to provide information to other managers that she sought to employ to manage her career.^{[citation needed]}

The suit was settled with Braxton returning a $375,000 advance to Hankerson—who would also receive a percentage of the sales of her next album—and Hankerson releasing Braxton from her contract with him. The settlement also temporarily limited the companies in which Braxton can sign with.^[37][38]

In early August, various internet websites including TMZ.com and In Touch Weekly magazine began announcing that Braxton would be appearing on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars. The full cast of the next season of the show was confirmed on August 25, 2008 on Good Morning America, which confirmed Braxton as a contestant in the season with her partner being Alec Mazo.^[39] They were voted off in the fifth week of the competition.

Braxton, Lance Bass, Maurice Greene and Marlee Matlin headlined Dancing with the Stars winter tour starting in December 2008 and finishing in February 2009.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2009–10: Pulse

In October 2008, it was announced that Braxton signed to Atlantic Records. In the November 2008 issue of Jet, Braxton discussed her time spent on Dancing with the Stars as well as dealing with her son's autism. Braxton also talked about being signed to Atlantic Records and the debut of her upcoming single. She added that the complete CD is scheduled to come out in some time in 2009. She also hinted at a cooking show with fellow Dancing with the Stars competitor, Rocco DiSpirito.^{[citation needed]}

The DJ Frank E produced song "Yesterday" premiered on September 11, 2009 and features Trey Songz.^[40] It was released as the lead single from her sixth studio album Pulse.^[41] "Yesterday" peaked at #12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart making it her highest chart performance since her 2000 single "Just Be a Man About It", which peaked at #6. The single has been released worldwide on May 3, 2010.^[42] In the UK, "Yesterday" became Braxton's first hit single since the release of "Hit the Freeway", peaking at #50 on the UK Singles Chart and at #17 on the UK R&B Singles Chart. The song also became a moderate hit in Europe, peaking at #20 on the German Singles Chart, at #17 on the Swiss Singles Chart and charting at #50 on the European Hot 100.

On January 29, Braxton's official website posted two new songs from the upcoming album, "Hands Tied" and "Make My Heart". The former peaked at #29 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, the latter was sent to dance/club radio.^[43] She performed Make My Heart on The Wendy Williams Show. Videos for both songs "Make My Heart" and "Hands Tied" have been shot.

Braxton released her sixth studio album Pulse on May 4, 2010 in the US ^[44] and on May 10, 2010 in the UK.^[2]

The album debuted at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart and hit #1 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Braxton's fifth US top-ten album. It also achieved moderate chart success around the world. In Canada it debuted at #72 on the Top 100 Albums chart and in the United Kingdom it debuted at #28 on the Top 40 Albums and at #7 on the R&B Albums chart. It entered at #18 on the German Album Chart. In Switzerland, the album hit #9. Pulse became Toni's first album to chart inside the European Top 100 Albums since her 2000 album The Heat.

On June 28, Braxton posted a video for Woman.^[45]

Toni Braxton was included as part of the "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" remake of the 1985 hit "We Are the World" to help benefit the people of Haiti following the January 12, 2010 magnitude 7.0 MW earthquake in Haiti. The new version of the song was recorded on February 1, 2010. Music legends Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie act as Executive Producers as well as Wyclef Jean. Artists involved included Celine Dion, Barbra Streisand, Janet Jackson, Tony Bennett, Wyclef Jean, Josh Groban, Pink, Usher, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Levine, Justin Bieber, LL Cool J, among others.

[edit] 2011-present : Braxton Family Values and I Heart You

In January 2011, WE tv Network confirmed that it had signed Braxton for a reality series, Braxton Family Values, which will be marketed as one of the network's flagship shows. The series debuted April 12, 2011, and looks at the relationship between the singer/songwriter Braxton, her mother, and her four sisters; Trina, Tamar, Traci and Towanda — all aspiring singers themselves — along with the interpersonal relationships of each family member. The show will also look at Braxton's heavily publicized separation from estranged husband, singer Keri Lewis.^[46] Toni parted ways with her long time manager Vincent Herbert, who is also husband of sister Tamar Braxton, and signed a new management deal with Los Angeles-based entertainment/production company 'The Collective'.^[47]

Braxton has confirmed work on her seventh studio album and that L.A. Reid would be producing on the album.^[48] Braxton announced at Mercedes-Benz 2012 Fall/Winter Fashion Week in an interview with Rocco Leo Gaglioti as a part of "Fashion News Live" that she would be releasing a new single titled "I Heart You" in March, and that there will be a total of ten songs on the new release (nine new songs with one remix).^[49] Braxton premiered "I Heart You" on 9 March 2012.^[50]

Acting career[link]

Braxton has appeared on two Disney Broadway shows: She made her Broadway debut as Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" beginning September 9, 1998 where she replaced Kim Huber.^[51] During her run in the show Alan Menken wrote a new song for the musical called "A Change in Me," which was specially written for Braxton and was used in the musical ever since.^[52] She left the production on February 28, 1999 and was succeeded by Andrea McArdle.^[53] Her role in "Beauty and the Beast" marked the first (and only) time a black woman commanded the leading role of Belle on Broadway. (In the UK, Michelle Gayle played the role in the West End.) It also marked the first time a black woman would star in a Disney musical on Broadway.^[54] She then starred in "Aida" as Aida beginning June 30, 2003 where she replaced Simone^[55] and left the cast on November 16, 2003 where she was replaced by Michelle Williams.^[56] In 2001, she made her movie acting debut in the feature film Kingdom Come.^[57] In 2004, Braxton appeared as herself, voicing a singing character named Toni, in a special episode and DVD release ^[58] of the children's television show Blue's Clues.^[59] In August 2005, Braxton announced that she would be shooting a sitcom pilot for The WB's fall 2006 line-up, though plans to put the show into full-production fell through when The WB announced it would cease to exist in fall 2006 (as part of a merger with UPN to form The CW), She has also starred in the TV sitcom, Kevin Hill.^[60] Braxton has recently^[when?] completed filming of "The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure" alongside Jaime Pressly and Cloris Leachman due to be released 2010.^{[dated info]} Her character - Rosalie Rosebud - is a singer, whose over-the-top personality was apparently inspired by Mariah Carey.^[61]

Personal life[link]

Marriage, family, and son's autism[link]

Braxton met musician Keri Lewis when his group, Mint Condition, opened for her on tour.^[62] On April 21, 2001, they were married.^[62] On December 2, 2001, she gave birth to their first child,^[63] a son named Denim Cole Braxton-Lewis. The couple's second son, Diezel Ky Braxton-Lewis, was born on March 31, 2003.^[63]

In an October 2006 concert at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, it was reported that Braxton broke down in tears discussing her son, Diezel, who had recently been diagnosed with autism.^[64] Braxton has been outspoken regarding her doctor's failure to diagnose Diezel's condition earlier, contending that if he had been diagnosed earlier, he could have been helped.^[65]

As well as becoming a spokeswoman for Autism Speaks,^[66] she is also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.

In November 2009, through her attorney Antavius Weems, Braxton announced that she and Lewis had separated.^[67]

Health problems[link]

As of August 2007, rumors surfaced that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Toni stated to Access Hollywood that the breast cancer rumors were false and that her health is in great condition. However, in 2008, she had a benign lump removed from her breast.^[68]

On April 8, 2008, near the end of her two-year run at the Flamingo Hotel, Braxton was briefly hospitalized and the remaining dates on the show, which was scheduled to end on August 23, 2008, were canceled. Later, while appearing on Season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, she stated that she has been diagnosed with microvascular angina (small vessel disease).^[69]

On November 18, 2010, Braxton admitted to CBS News that she suffers from systemic lupus erythematosus, a potentially life threatening autoimmune disease. Braxton's brother also suffers from the disease, and her uncle died of complications from lupus.^[70]

Discography[link]

• 1993: Toni Braxton
• 1996: Secrets
• 2000: The Heat
• 2001: Snowflakes
• 2002: More Than a Woman
• 2005: Libra
• 2010: Pulse

Tours[link]

• Secrets Tour (1997)
• Libra Tour (2006)

Awards and nominations[link]

Filmography[link]

• 2001: Kingdom Come - Juanita Slocumb
• 2002: Play'd: A Hip Hop Story (TV) - Shonda
• 2005: Kevin Hill (3 Episodes, TV Series) - Terry Knox
• 2010: The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure - Rosalie Rosebud

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toni Braxton

• Official website
• Toni Braxton at Allmusic
• Toni Braxton at the Internet Movie Database
• Toni Braxton at AllRovi

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2011)

This T and O map, which abstracts that society's known world to a cross inscribed within an orb, remakes geography in the service of Christian iconography and identifies the three known continents as populated by descendants of Shem (Sem), Ham (Cham) and Japheth (yafeth)

The Sons of Noah, or Table of nations, is an extensive list of descendants of Noah appearing in Genesis 10 of the Hebrew Bible, representing a traditional ethnology. The significance of Noah in this context is that, according to Genesis, the population of the Earth was completely destroyed during the Flood because of the wickedness of the inhabitants, and Noah and his family were the sole eight survivors to continue the human race. The view of history presented by the Bible is thus that all humans on Earth are descended from Noah's family.

Historicity and coverage[link]

The world according to the Mosaic account (1854 map)

A literal interpretation of Genesis 10 suggests that the present population of the world was descended from Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their wives. Until the mid-19th century, this was taken by many as historical fact, and still is by many Orthodox Jews, and Christians.^{[citation needed]}

There are disputes about how many of the peoples of the Earth this story was intended to cover, and as to its accuracy. Many Jews and Christians retain the belief that the table applies to the entire population of the earth, while others read it as a guide only to local ethnic groups.^{[citation needed]}

The sons of Noah have not been mentioned in the Qur'an, except for the fact that one of the sons was among the people who did not follow his own father, not among the believers and thus was washed away in the flood. Also the Qur'an does not hint at a global deluge, but rather a regional flood, a great calamity, enough to have destroyed Noah's people, but to have saved him and his generations to come.^[1]

In the Biblical view, the listed children of Japheth, Shem and Ham correspond to various historic nations and peoples. In the typical interpretation, these sons of Noah correspond to three races: European, Semitic, and African. Alternate divisions claim Euro-Asian Japhet, Semitic Shem, and Afro-Asian Ham.^{[citation needed]}

Table of nations[link]

Shem, Ham and Japheth. Illustration by James Tissot 1904.

According to Genesis 10, Noah had three sons:

• Ham, forefather of the southern peoples (Hamitic)
• Shem, forefather of the middle peoples (Semitic)
• Japheth, forefather of the northern peoples (Japhetic Eurasia)

The names of these sons are thought to have significance related to Semitic roots. Ham means "warm".^[2] Shem merely means "name" or "renown", "prosperity".^[3] Japheth means "open".^[4]

It then proceeds to detail their descendants. The identification of several of the first generation is aided by the inclusion of the second, although several of their identifications are less certain. (The copy of the table in the biblical book of 1 Chronicles chapter 1 has occasional variations in the second generation, most likely caused by the similarity of Hebrew letters such as Resh and Daleth). Forms ending in -im are plurals, probably indicating names of peoples, and not intended as the name of a single person.

Japheth's descendants[link]

• Gomer, son of Japheth. Usually identified with the migratory Gimirru (Cimmerians) of Assyrian inscriptions, attested from about 720 BC.^{[citation needed]}
  • Ashkenaz, son of Gomer. It has been conjectured that this name arose from a misprint in Hebrew for "Ashkuz", by reading a nun for a vav. Ashkuz and Ishkuz were names used for the Scythians, who first appear in Assyrian records in the late 8th century in the Caucasus region, and at times occupied vast areas of Europe and Asia. Additionally, in Medieval Hebrew, Germany is known as Ashkenaz, and is the origin of the term Ashkenazic Jews.^{[citation needed]}
  • Riphath (Diphath in Chronicles), son of Gomer. Identification with Paphlagonians of later antiquity has been proposed, but this is uncertain.^{[citation needed]}
  • Togarmah, son of Gomer. Some Armenian and Georgian traditions have claimed descent from Togarmah; other authors have attempted to connect them with Turkic peoples.^{[citation needed]}
• Magog, son of Japheth. This name appears in the Assyrian texts as mat gugu, The Land of Gugu, and means Lydia. Gugu is known in Greek texts as Gyges of Lydia, a historical king of Lydia and the founder of the Mermnad dynasty (ruled c.716-678 BC). Is claimed as an ancestor in both Irish and Hungarian medieval traditions. Flavius Josephus, followed by Jerome and Nennius, makes him ancestor of the Scythians who dwelt north of the Black Sea. According to Johannes Magnus, Magog migrated to Sweden (via Finland) 88 years after the flood, and one of his sons was the first king of Sweden. His accounts became accepted by the Swedes, and the numbering of Swedish Monarchs was altered accordingly. Magog is also sometimes said to be the ancestor of the Goths, Finns, Huns, and Slavs.
• Madai, son of Japheth. The Medes of Northwest Iran first appear in Assyrian inscriptions as Amadai in about 844 BC.^{[citation needed]}
• Javan, son of Japheth. This name is said to be connected with the Ionians, one of the original Greek tribes.^{[citation needed]}
  • Elishah, son of Javan. Identifications have been proposed with various Aegean peoples such as Elis of northwestern Peloponnesos, or Ellis of Phthia.^{[citation needed]}
  • Tarshish (Tarshishah in Chronicles), son of Javan. Has been variously connected with Tarsus in Anatolia, or Tartessus in southern Spain.^{[citation needed]}
  • Kittim, offspring of Javan. Usually connected with Kition in Cyprus, but name appears in other texts with a variety of interpretations.^{[citation needed]}
  • Dodanim (Rodanim in Chronicles), offspring of Javan. Usually connected with large Aegean island of Rhodes near the coast of Asia Minor.^{[citation needed]}

Note: the Greek Septuagint (LXX) of Genesis includes an additional son of Japheth, "Elisa", in between Javan and Tubal; however, as this name is found in no other ancient source, nor in I Chronicles, he is almost universally agreed to be a duplicate of Elisha, son of Javan. Nevertheless, the presence of Elisa (as well as that of Cainan son of Arpachshad, below) in the Greek Bible accounts for the traditional enumeration among early Christian sources of 72 families and languages, from the 72 names in this chapter, as opposed to the 70 names, families and languages usually found in Jewish sources.^{[citation needed]}

• Tubal, son of Japheth. He is connected with Tabal, an Anatolian kingdom, and by way of the ancient tribe of the Tibareni both with the Iberians of the Caucasus and those of the Iberian peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal). Sometimes he is also seen as the ancestor of the Illyrians and Italics. In the book of Jubilees he was bequeathed the three 'tongues' of Europe.^{[citation needed]}
• Meshech, son of Japheth. He is regarded as the eponym of the Mushki tribe of Anatolia. The Mushki are sometimes considered one of the ancestors of the Georgians, but also became connected with the Sea Peoples who roved the Mediterranean Sea.
• Tiras, son of Japheth. This name is usually connected with that of Thracians, an ancient nation first appearing in written records around 700 BC. It has also been associated with some of the Sea Peoples such as Tursha and Tyrsenoi, with the river Tiras (Dniester), and sometimes with the Anatolian region of Troas, dating to the later 13th century BC. In tractate Yoma, of the Talmud, it states that Tiras is Persia.^{[citation needed]}

Japheth is traditionally seen as the ancestor of Europeans, as well as some more eastern nations; thus Japhetic has been used as a synonym for Caucasians. Caucasian itself derives in part from the assumption that the tribe of Japheth developed its distinctive racial characteristics in the Caucasus, where Mount Ararat is located. The term Japhetic was also applied by the early linguists (brothers Grimm, William Jones, Rasmus C. Rask and others) to what later became known as the Indo-European language group, on the assumption that, if descended from Japheth, the principal languages of Europe would have a common origin, which apart from Uralic, Kartvelian, Pontic, Dagestanian, and Basque, appears to be the case. In a conflicting sense, the term was also used by the Soviet linguist Nikolai Marr in his Japhetic theory intended to demonstrate that the languages of the Caucasus formed part of a once-widespread pre-Indo-European language group.^{[citation needed]}

Ham's descendants[link]

• Cush, son of Ham. The Empire of Kush to the south of Egypt is known from at least 1970 BC, but this name has also been associated by some with the Kassites who inhabited the Zagros area of Mesopotamia, the Sumerian city of Kish.^{[citation needed]}
  • Seba, son of Cush. Has been connected with both Yemen and Ethiopia, with much confusion with Sheba below. (The Shibboleth-like division amongst the Sabaeans into Sheba and Seba is acknowledged elsewhere, for example in Psalm 72, leading scholars to suspect that this is not a mistaken duplication of the same name, but a genuine historical division. The significance of this division is not yet completely understood, though it may simply reflect which side of the sea each was on.)^{[citation needed]}
  • Havilah, son of Cush. Usually considered to be a part of the Arabian peninsula near the Red Sea.^{[citation needed]}
  • Sabtah, son of Cush. Sometimes connected with Hadhramis (their ancient capital being Saubatha) in eastern Yemen.^{[citation needed]}
  • Raamah, son of Cush. Has been connected with Rhammanitae mentioned by Strabo in the southwest Arabian peninsula, and with an Arabian city of Regmah at the head of Persian Gulf.^{[citation needed]}
    • Sheba, son of Raamah. Has been connected with Sabaeans and peoples on either side of the narrowest part of the Red Sea, in both Yemen/South Arabia, and Eritrea/Ethiopia/Somalia.^{[citation needed]}
    • Dedan, son of Raamah. Apparently a region of the Tabuk Province of Saudi Arabia.^{[citation needed]}
  • Sabtechah, son of Cush. Possibly Sabaiticum Ostium, Sabaeans living around a specific harbour in Eritrea.^{[citation needed]}
  • Nimrod, son of Cush, also identified as a mighty hunter before God, and the founder of ancient Babel, Akkad, Sumer, and possibly cities in Assyria. The Hebrew wording of Genesis 10:11 has led to some ambiguity as to whether Asshur here is the son of Shem or a city built by Nimrod; either interpretation can be found in various modern versions.^{[citation needed]}
• Mizraim, son of Ham. Mizraim is a name for Upper and Lower Egypt and literally translates as Ta-Wy in Ancient Egyptian ("The Two Lands"). The -aim in Mizraim represents dual number. Arabic-speaking modern Egyptians refer to their country as Miá¹£r.
  • Ludim, offspring of Mizraim. Sometimes considered a scribal error for Lubim, a reference to the Lebou of Eastern Libya.^{[citation needed]}
  • Anamim, offspring of Mizraim. There is a reference in an Assyrian inscription from Sargon II's time to Anami, a tribe located in Cyrene, Libya.^{[citation needed]}
  • Lehabim, offspring of Mizraim. Identification uncertain, possibly Libya.^{[citation needed]}
  • Naphtuhim, offspring of Mizraim. Has been connected with Na-Ptah, the Egyptian form of Memphis.^{[citation needed]}
  • Pathrusim, offspring of Mizraim. Possibly connected with Egyptian word Pa-To-Ris meaning southerners.^{[citation needed]}
  • Casluhim ("out of whom came Philistim").(Genesis 10:14, 1Chronicles 1:12)
  • Caphtorim, offspring of Mizraim, associated with Caphtor in northeast Egypt near Philistia.(Genesis 10:14, 1Chronicles 1:12)
• Phut, son of Ham. Ancient authorities are fairly universal in identifying Phut with the Libyans (Lebu and Pitu), the earliest neighbors of Egypt to the west. (Although more recent theories have tried to connect Phut with Phoenicia, or the currently unidentified Land of Punt.)^{[citation needed]}
• Canaan, son of Ham. This is known to be the name of a nation and people who settled the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean in what is now called Israel and Lebanon and Syria.
  • Sidon, firstborn son of Canaan, and name one of the oldest city-states on the Phoenician coast.^{[citation needed]}
  • Heth, son of Canaan, considered ancestor of "Hittites", a people of Canaan, possibly connected with Hatti, a powerful entity in Anatolia.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Jebusite", offspring of Canaan, a tribe that lived around Jerusalem, that was formerly known as Jebus according to the Books of Kings.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Amorite", offspring of Canaan, a people living between the Jordan and Euphrates rivers by at least 2000 BC, known as Amurru to the Akkadians and Egyptians.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Girgasites", offspring of Canaan
  • "the Hivite", offspring of Canaan
  • "the Arkite", offspring of Canaan, probably city-state of Arqa in Phoenicia.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Sinite", offspring of Canaan, possibly connected with the Wilderness of Sin, or the Sinn river in Syria.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Arvadite", offspring of Canaan, refers to the Phoenician city-state of Arwad, now; inhabited island in Syria.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Zemarite", offspring of Canaan, refers to the Phoenician city-state of Zemar.^{[citation needed]}
  • "the Hamathite", offspring of Canaan, refers to Syrian city of Hamath.^{[citation needed]}

Africans were thus anciently understood to be the sons of Ham, particularly his descendant Cush, as Cushites are referred to throughout scripture as being the inhabitants of East Africa, and they and the Yoruba still trace their ancestry through Ham today. Beginning in the 9th century with the Jewish grammarian Judah ibn Quraysh, a relationship between the Semitic and Cushitic languages was seen; modern linguists group these two families, along with the Egyptian, Berber, Chadic, and Omotic language groups into the larger Afro-Asiatic language family. In addition, languages in the southern half of Africa are now seen as belonging to several distinct families independent of the Afro-Asiatic group. Some now discarded Hamitic theories have become viewed as racist; in particular a theory proposed in the 19th century by Speke, that the Tutsi were supposedly Hamitic and thus inherently superior.^{[citation needed]}

The 17th-century Jesuit, Athanasius Kircher, thought that the Chinese had also descended from Ham, via Egyptians.^[5]

Shem's descendants[link]

Shem is traditionally held to be the ancestor of the Semitic people; Religious Jews and Arabs consider themselves sons of Shem through Arpachshad (thus, Semites).

In the view of some 17th century European scholars (e.g., John Webb), the people of China and India descended from him as well.^[5]

• Elam, son of Shem. The Elamites called their land Haltamti and had an empire (capital Susa) in what is now Khuzistan, modern Iran. Elamite, however, is not a Semitic language.
• Ashur, son of Shem, associated with Assyria.
• Arpachshad, (also transcribed Arphaxad) son of Shem. He or his immediate descendants are credited in early tradition^[6] with founding the city of Ur of the Chaldees, usually identified (following archaeologist Wooley) with the Sumerian city of Ur on the south bank of the Euphrates^[7].
• Lud, son of Shem. Most ancient authorities assign this name to the Lydians of Eastern Anatolia.
• Aram, son of Shem. There are references to a campaign against a place called 'Arame' as early as 2300 BC in the inscriptions of Naram-Sin of Akkad^[8]
  • Uz, son of Aram.
  • Hul, son of Aram.
  • Gether, son of Aram.
  • Mash, son of Aram (1 Chronicles has Meshech).

Arpachshad's family (genealogy of Abraham) and the Line of Joktan[link]

The genealogy at this point lists several generations of Arpachshad's descendants, on account of their connection with the Hebrew nation and the rest of Genesis:

• Cainan is listed as the son of Arpachshad and father of Shelah in some ancient sources. The name is omitted in the Hebrew Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible, but the Greek Septuagint and genealogy of Jesus in St. Luke 3:36 include the name.
• Shelah (also transcribed Salah) son of Arpachshad (or Cainan).
  • Eber son of Shelah.
    • Peleg, son of Eber. In the table, it is said that the Earth was divided in the days of Peleg. A threefold division among Ham, Shem and Japheth preceding the Tower of Babel incident, is elaborated on in several ancient sources^[9].
    • Joktan, son of Eber.

Joktan's Sons[link]

• Almodad, son of Joktan. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary "Almodad" means "immeasurable", however it has also been translated as "not measured",^[10] "measurer",^[11] "measure of God",^[12] "the beloved," or, "God is beloved",^[13] "God is love",^[14] and "God is a friend".^[15][16]

• Sheleph, son of Joktan. Sheleph means "drawing out" or "who draws out" (Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary).^{[Full citation needed]}
• Hazarmaveth, son of Joktan. Hazarmaveth, also transcribed Hazarmaueth, means "dwelling of death" (Hitchcock's Bible Dictionary).^{[Full citation needed]}
• Jerah, son of Joktan.
• Hadoram, son of Joktan. According to Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's footnotes: "Hadarom: Some interpret this as denoting 'the south.'^{[Full citation needed]}
• Uzal, son of Joktan.
• Diklah son of Joktan.
• Obal, son of Joktan.
• Abimael, son of Joktan.
• Sheba, son of Joktan.
• Ophir, son of Joktan.
• Havilah, son of Joktan.
• Jobab, son of Joktan.

In historiography[link]

In Flavius Josephus[link]

Geographic identifications of Flavius Josephus, c. 100 AD

The first century Jewish-Roman historian Flavius Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews Book 1, chapter 6, was among the first of many who attempted to assign known ethnicities to some of the names listed in Genesis chapter 10. His assignments became the basis for most later authors, and were as follows^[17]:

• Gomer: "those whom the Greeks now call Galatians, [Galls,] but were then called Gomerites".
  • Aschanax (Ashkenaz): "Aschanaxians, who are now called by the Greeks Rheginians".
  • Riphath: "Ripheans, now called Paphlagonians".
  • Thrugramma (Togarmah): "Thrugrammeans, who, as the Greeks resolved, were named Phrygians".
• Magog: "Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians".
• Madai: "the Madeans, who are called Medes, by the Greeks".
• Javan: "Ionia, and all the Grecians".
  • Elisa: "Eliseans... they are now the Aeolians".
  • Tharsus (Tarshish): "Tharsians, for so was Cilicia of old called". He also derives the name of their city Tarsus from Tharsus.
  • Cethimus (Kittim): "The island Cethima: it is now called Cyprus". He also derives the Greek name of their city, which he spells Citius, from Cethimus.
• Thobel (Tubal): "Thobelites, who are now called Iberes".
• Mosoch (Meshech): "Mosocheni... now they are Cappadocians." He also derives the name of their capital Mazaca from Mosoch.
• Thiras (Tiras): "Thirasians; but the Greeks changed the name into Thracians".

• Chus (Cush): "Ethiopians... even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Chusites".
  • Sabas (Seba): Sabeans
  • Evilas (Havilah): "Evileans, who are called Getuli".
  • Sabathes (Sabta): "Sabathens, they are now called by the Greeks Astaborans".
  • Sabactas (Sabteca): Sabactens
  • Ragmus (Raamah): Ragmeans
    • Judadas (Dedan): "Judadeans, a nation of the western Ethiopians".
    • Sabas (Sheba): Sabeans
• Mesraim (Misraim): Egypt, which he says is called Mestre in his country.
  • "Now all the children of Mesraim, being eight in number, possessed the country from Gaza to Egypt, though it retained the name of one only, the Philistim; for the Greeks call part of that country Palestine. As for the rest, Ludieim, and Enemim, and Labim, who alone inhabited in Libya, and called the country from himself, Nedim, and Phethrosim, and Chesloim, and Cephthorim, we know nothing of them besides their names; for the Ethiopic war which we shall describe hereafter, was the cause that those cities were overthrown."
• Phut: Libya. He states that a river and region "in the country of Moors" was still called Phut by the Greeks, but that it had been renamed "from one of the sons of Mesraim, who was called Lybyos".
• Canaan: Judea, which he called "from his own name Canaan".
  • Sidonius (Sidon): The city of Sidonius, "called by the Greeks Sidon".
  • Amathus (Hamathite): "Amathine, which is even now called Amathe by the inhabitants, although the Macedonians named it Epiphania, from one of his posterity."
  • Arudeus (Arvadite): "the island Aradus".
  • Arucas (Arkite): "Arce, which is in Libanus".
  • "But for the seven others [sons of Canaan], Chetteus, Jebuseus, Amorreus, Gergesus, Eudeus, Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the sacred books but their names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities".

• Elam: "Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians".
• Ashur: Assyrians, and their city Niniveh built by Ashur.
• Arphaxad: "Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans".
  • Sala
    • Heber (Eber): "from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews".
      • Phaleg (Peleg): He notes that he was so named "because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division".
      • Joctan
        • "Elmodad, Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it."
• Aram: "Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians".
  • Uz: "Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria".
  • Ul (Hul): Armenia
  • Gather (Gether): Bactrians
  • Mesa (Mesh): "Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini".
• Laud (Lud): "Laudites, which are now called Lydians".

In Hippolytus[link]

The chronicle of Hippolytus of Rome (c. 234), existing in numerous Latin and Greek copies,^[18] make another attempt to assign ethnicities to the names in Genesis 10, in some cases similar to those of Josephus, but with many differences, which are:

• Gomer – Cappadocians
  • Ashkenaz – Sarmatians
  • Riphath – Sauromatians
  • Togarmah – Armenians
• Magog – Galatians, Celts
• Javan
  • Elishah – Siculi (Chron Pasc: Trojans and Phrygians)
  • Tarshish – Iberians, Tyrrhenians
  • Kittim – Macedonians, Romans, Latins
• Tubal – "Hettali" (?)
• Meshech – Illyrians
• Misraim
  • Ludim – Lydians
  • Anamim – Pamphylians
  • Pathrusim – Lycians (var.: Cretans)
  • Caphtorim – Cilicians
• Put – Troglodytes
• Canaan – Afri and Phoenicians
  • Arkite – Tripolitanians
• Lud – Halizones
• Arpachshad
  • Cainan – "those east of the Sarmatians" (one variant)
    • Joktan
      • Elmodad – Indians
      • Saleph – Bactrians
      • Hazamaveth, Sheba – Arabs
      • Adoram – Carmanians
      • Uzal – Arians (var.: Parthians)
      • Abimael – Hyrcanians
      • Obal – Scythians
      • Ophir – Armenians
      • Deklah – Gedrosians
• Aram – "Etes" ?
  • Hul – Lydians (var: Colchians)
  • Gether – "Gaspeni" ?
  • Mash – Mossynoeci (var: Mosocheni)

The Chronicle of 354, the Panarion by Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 375), the Chronicon Paschale (c. 627), the History of Albania by the Georgian historian Movses Kaghankatvatsi (7th century), and the Synopsis of Histories by John Skylitzes (c. 1057) follow the identifications of Hippolytus.

In Jerome[link]

Jerome, writing ca. 390, provided an 'updated' version of Josephus' identifications in his Hebrew Questions on Genesis. His list is substantially identical to that of Josephus in almost all respects, but with the following notable differences:

• Thubal, son of Japheth: "Iberians, who are also the Spaniards from whom derive the Celtiberians, although certain people suppose them to be the Italians."
• Gether, son of Aram: "Acarnanii or Carians"
• Mash, son of Aram: Maeones

In Isidore of Seville and later authors[link]

The scholar Isidore of Seville, in his Etymologiae (ca. 600), repeats all of Jerome's identifications, but with these minor changes^[19]:

• Joktan, son of Eber: Indians
• Saleph, son of Joktan: Bactrians
• Magog, son of Japheth: "Scythians and Goths"
• Ashkenaz, son of Gomer: "Sarmatians, whom the Greeks call Rheginians".

Isidore's identifications for Japheth's sons were repeated in the Historia Britonum attributed to Nennius. Isidore's identifications also became the basis for numerous later mediaeval scholars, remaining so until the Age of Discovery prompted newer theories, such as that of Benito Arias Montano (1571), who proposed connecting Meshech with Moscow, and Ophir with Peru.

Shem as the Father of the Far East[link]

The Emperor Yao, whom the Figurist Jesuits thought to be the image of Noah on the traditional Chinese history

In the view of some 17th century European scholars (e.g., John Webb), the people of China and India descended from Shem.^[5] Both Webb and the French Jesuits belonging to the Figurist school (late 17th-early 18th century) went even further, identifying the legendary Emperor Yao of Chinese history with Noah himself.^[5]

Extrabiblical sons of Noah[link]

There exist various traditions in post-biblical sources claiming that Noah had children other than Shem, Ham, and Japheth — born variously before, during, or after the Deluge.

According to the Quran (Hud v. 42–43), Noah had another unnamed son who refused to come aboard the Ark, instead preferring to climb a mountain, where he drowned. Some later Islamic commentators give his name as either Yam or Kan'an.^[20]

According to Irish mythology, as found in the Annals of the Four Masters and elsewhere, Noah had another son named Bith, who was not allowed aboard the Ark, and who attempted to colonise Ireland with 54 persons, only to be wiped out in the Deluge.

Some 9th century manuscripts of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles assert that Sceafa was the fourth son of Noah, born aboard the Ark, from whom the House of Wessex traced their ancestry; in William of Malmesbury's version of this genealogy (c. 1120), Sceaf is instead made a descendant of Strephius, the fourth son born aboard the Ark (Gesta Regnum Anglorum).

An early Arabic work known as Kitab al-Magall or the Book of Rolls (part of Clementine literature) mentions Bouniter, the fourth son of Noah, born after the flood, who allegedly invented astronomy and instructed Nimrod.^[21] Variants of this story with often similar names for Noah's fourth son are also found in the ca. 5th century Ge'ez work Conflict of Adam and Eve with Satan (Barvin), the ca. 6th century Syriac book Cave of Treasures (Yonton), the 7th century Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius (Ionitus^[22]), the Syriac Book of the Bee 1221 (Yônatôn), the Hebrew Chronicles of Jerahmeel, ca. 12th–14th cent. (Jonithes), and throughout Armenian apocryphal literature, where he is usually referred to as Maniton; as well as in works by Petrus Comestor c. 1160 (Jonithus), Godfrey of Viterbo 1185 (Ihonitus), Michael the Syrian 1196 (Maniton), Abu Salih the Armenian c. 1208 (Abu Naiţur); Jacob van Maerlant c. 1270 (Jonitus), and Abraham Zacuto 1504 (Yoniko).

Martin of Opava (c. 1250), later versions of the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, and the Chronicon Bohemorum of Giovanni di Marignola (1355) make Janus (i.e., the Roman deity) the fourth son of Noah, who moved to Italy, invented astrology, and instructed Nimrod.

According to the monk Annio da Viterbo (1498), the Hellenistic Babylonian writer Berossus had mentioned 30 children born to Noah after the Deluge, including sons named Tuiscon, Prometheus, Iapetus, Macrus, "16 titans", Cranus, Granaus, Oceanus, and Tipheus. Also mentioned are daughters of Noah named Araxa "the Great", Regina, Pandora, Crana, and Thetis. However, Annio's manuscript is widely regarded today as having been a forgery.^[23]

See also[link]

Notes[link]

• Dillmann, A., Genesis: Critically and Exegetically Expounded, Vol. 1, Edinburgh, UK, T. and T. Clark, 1897, 314.
• Kautzsch, E.F.: quoted by James Orr, "The Early Narratives of Genesis," in The Fundamentals, Vol. 1, Los Angeles, CA, Biola Press, 1917.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Latin Vulgate and English Douay-Rheims
• English Septuagint
• King James Version and Revised Standard Version
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Entry for "Genealogy" - a 1901/6 view (the early days of comparative linguistics and the documentary hypothesis).
• The connection of modern nations to the table according to a creationist source (with Europe as descended from the tribes of Israel, and the UK and USA from Joseph (but by different sons)).
• Custance, Arthur C., The Roots of the Nations. A more standard creationist account that associates Japheth with Europe.