While the birth order of Noah’s sons is unclear, it is interesting to look at what we are told about Ham, Shem, and Japheth. If Ham was the youngest, why does he lack respect for Noah after the flood? We remember Shem because he fathered the Semitic line—but why was he given this honor?
Japheth seems to get looked over a little bit. Could he be a victim of the middle child syndrome while Shem gets put on a pedestal as the oldest?
Japheth's name means "wide spreading", "to make large", or "enlargement". Some theologians, however, derive the name from yaphah , meaning "to be beautiful;" or "fair".
So, what do we know about Japheth, the son of Noah for whom we have the least scripture references?
Where Do We First Meet Japheth in the Bible?
We are introduced to Japheth in Genesis 5:32, 6:10, and 9:18. He is listed as one of Noah’s sons.
While the list of Noah’s sons is consistent in scripture, Shem, Ham, then Japheth, this may not be their birth order. Biblechronology.com suggests that “Noah gave birth to his firstborn when he was 500, but this was Japheth, not Shem, for in Genesis 10:21, he is called ‘Japheth, the elder.’ Ham was the youngest son (Genesis 9:24), and so Shem was the middle son, born two years after Japheth. Shem is mentioned first because he is in the Messianic Line…”
What Did Japheth and Shem Do After the Flood?
After the flood and God established his covenant with Noah, Noah built a vineyard. Genesis 9:21 tells us that “Noah drank some of [the vineyard’s] wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.”
We are told that Ham was the first to discover Noah in this drunken state. It is what Ham does next that changes the family dynamics. After seeing Noah’s naked body, Ham steps outside the tent and tells Shem and Japheth.
There are several thoughts and commentaries on what it means that Ham “saw his father’s nakedness.” Whatever the phrase means, Ham’s actions led to a curse, while Shem and Japheth’s actions led to a blessing.
Once Ham told Shem and Japheth about their father, Shem and Japheth stepped into action.
“But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so they would not see their father naked.” (Genesis 9:23)
Though we are a few hundred years before the Ten Commandments, the promise given in Exodus 20:12 follows because Shem and Japheth honored their father by not looking at his nakedness.
What Blessing Did Noah Give Japheth?
Two things happened when Noah woke and discovered what his sons had done.
Noah cursed Ham’s son, Canaan: “The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” (Genesis 9:25)
Following this curse, Noah blesses both Shem and Japheth. In Genesis 9:27, Noah gives three prophecies to Japheth’s lineage.
The first is that God would extend the territory of Japheth (Genesis 9:27). The verse has been interpreted in different ways by different scholars. Some scholars believe it refers to the expansion of the Greek empire, while others believe it refers to the spread of Indo-European languages.
The second blessing Noah asks for Japheth is that he “live in the tents of Shem.” This sounds counterintuitive, given that the sentence before asks for Japheth’s territory to be expanded. But one interpretation of “live in the tents” can also mean to be in the school of or learn from. Saying that Japheth will learn or be blessed by Shem. This is not unlike Abraham’s covenant established in Genesis 12:3: “. . . all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you.” Some commentators believe this is the first reference to the salvation of the Messiah coming to the Gentile nations.
The third blessing was that Canaan would be a slave to Japheth. In Gleason L. Archer’s Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, he states that one theory that this was fulfilled ‘when Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and took control over Canaan.” After this invasion, the Canaanites, as a recognized people group, ended in the historical narrative.
Who Were Japheth’s Descendants?
After the flood and the separation of Noah’s family, it is believed that Japheth’s family moved north, east, and west of Mt. Ararat.
The seven sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek, and Tiras. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia suggests that from this lineage come “roughly, the Armenians, Lydians, Medes, Greeks, Tibarenians, and Moschians…”
Of the seven sons of Japheth, we are only given a little more information about the descendants of Gomer and Javan.
Three sons of Gomer are listed—Ashkenas, Riphath, and Togarmah—but no further information is given about them or what people groups are propagated from them. A Christianity.com article on the Sons of Noah suggests that ‘Gomer is said to have inhabited northern Europe and been the father of the Celts.” This Gomer is not to be confused with the woman named Gomer in the book of Hosea. The Gomer of Hosea lived in the middle of the eighth century BC, while Gomer, the son of Japheth, is estimated to have lived in 3,000-5,000 BC.
We are given a little more information on the sons of Javan in Genesis 10:4. Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites, and the Rodanites. In Genesis 10:5, it is said that these people groups were maritime peoples and spread out to their territories. Even one of Javan’s sons bears the same name as the town Jonah was sailing to in his escape from God’s command in Jonah 1:3. The location of Tarshish is much debated as to being the town of Carthage ( as suggested by the Vulgate and Septuagint), Flavius Josephus suggested Tarshish being the town of Tarsus in Cilicia. In contrast, others suggest a port in Spain or even the island of Malta.
What Can We Learn from Japheth Today?
It is interesting to note that if Japheth was the oldest son of Noah, as indicated by Genesis 10:21, this is another instance where the younger son receives a greater blessing than the oldest.
We see this pattern throughout the Old Testament. Abel received a greater blessing than Cain (Genesis 4). God worked through Isaac instead of Abraham’s firstborn son, Ishmael (Genesis 17:18-19).
Jacob received the blessing of God instead of Esau (Genesis 28:10-15). Joseph is the son of Jacob to rescue the Israelites instead of Jacob’s oldest son, Rueben (Genesis 45:7). David—probably the youngest, or at least the least-valued son— is chosen as king instead of Jessie’s oldest son, Eliab (1 Samuel 16).
I love how God consistently does not fall into the cultural norms our human nature often puts into play. As Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us,
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Our human nature isn’t what leads to blessings. As the Doxology reminds us, it is the Lord from whom all blessings flow.
Further Reading:
What Do We Know about Noah’s Son Shem?
What is the Abrahamic Covenant and Why is It Important?
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/1971yes
You can find out more about Valerie, her books, and her blog at www.valeriefentress.com.
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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