10:2 The sons of Japheth 1 were Gomer, 2 Magog, 3 Madai, 4 Javan, 5 Tubal, 6 Meshech, 7 and Tiras. 8
10:1 This is the account 13 of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons 14 were born 15 to them after the flood.
“Three 30 more kings will arise for Persia. Then a fourth 31 king will be unusually rich, 32 more so than all who preceded him. When he has amassed power through his riches, he will stir up everyone against 33 the kingdom of Greece.
1 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.
2 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.
3 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.
4 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.
5 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.
6 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
7 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
8 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.
9 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.
10 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.
11 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.
12 tc Most of the MT
13 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
14 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
15 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
16 tn Heb “he called to,” meaning “he named.”
17 tn Heb “and the darkness he called night.” The words “he called” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
18 tn Another option is to translate, “Evening came, and then morning came.” This formula closes the six days of creation. It seems to follow the Jewish order of reckoning time: from evening to morning. Day one started with the dark, continued through the creation of light, and ended with nightfall. Another alternative would be to translate, “There was night and then there was day, one day.”
19 tn Heb “the expanse.”
20 tn This statement indicates that it happened the way God designed it, underscoring the connection between word and event.
21 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
22 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
23 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
24 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
25 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
26 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
27 tn Heb “the he-goat, the buck.” The expression is odd, and the second word may be an explanatory gloss.
28 tn Heb “Javan.”
29 sn The question is rhetorical, intended to encourage reflection on Daniel’s part.
30 sn Perhaps these three more kings are Cambyses (ca. 530-522
31 sn This fourth king is Xerxes I (ca. 486-465
32 tn Heb “rich with great riches.”
33 tn The text is difficult. The Hebrew has here אֶת (’et), the marker of a definite direct object. As it stands, this would suggest the meaning that “he will arouse everyone, that is, the kingdom of Greece.” The context, however, seems to suggest the idea that this Persian king will arouse in hostility against Greece the constituent elements of his own empire. This requires supplying the word “against,” which is not actually present in the Hebrew text.