Genesis 10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
Ophir
The name "Ophir" is often associated with a region famous for its wealth, particularly gold. In the Hebrew context, Ophir is a place of abundance and prosperity. Historically, Ophir's exact location remains a mystery, though it is frequently mentioned in the Bible as a source of fine gold (1 Kings 9:28). This highlights the biblical theme of God's provision and the blessings bestowed upon His people. Ophir symbolizes the richness of God's creation and the potential for human prosperity when aligned with divine purpose.

Havilah
The name "Havilah" appears several times in the Bible, often associated with a land rich in resources, such as gold and precious stones (Genesis 2:11-12). The Hebrew root suggests a place of circularity or encampment, indicating a region that is both fertile and strategically significant. Havilah represents the idea of God's provision and the abundance found in His creation. It serves as a reminder of the blessings available to those who dwell in God's presence and follow His guidance.

Jobab
The name "Jobab" is less frequently mentioned, but it is significant in the genealogical context. In Hebrew, Jobab can mean "a desert" or "a howler," suggesting a connection to the wilderness or a place of desolation. This name may symbolize the trials and challenges faced by humanity. However, it also reflects the resilience and perseverance required to overcome adversity. Jobab's inclusion in the genealogy underscores the diversity of human experience and the strength found in faith and reliance on God.

All these were sons of Joktan
This phrase emphasizes the unity and shared heritage of the descendants of Joktan. Joktan, a descendant of Shem, represents a branch of humanity that spread across the earth, fulfilling God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). The genealogical record serves as a testament to God's faithfulness in preserving and guiding His people throughout history. It highlights the interconnectedness of all humanity and the divine plan that unfolds through generations. This unity in diversity reflects the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive work through His chosen people, ultimately culminating in the coming of Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ophir
A region or people known for its wealth, particularly in gold. Ophir is often associated with a distant land rich in resources, mentioned in various parts of the Bible for its fine gold.

2. Havilah
A region or people mentioned in the Bible, often associated with wealth and resources. It is sometimes linked to the land surrounding the Garden of Eden and is noted for its good quality gold and precious stones.

3. Jobab
A lesser-known figure in the Bible, listed as one of the sons of Joktan. The name Jobab appears elsewhere in the Bible, but it is unclear if these references are to the same individual.

4. Joktan
A descendant of Shem, one of Noah's sons. Joktan is the father of several sons who are believed to have settled in the Arabian Peninsula, contributing to the spread of Semitic peoples.
Teaching Points
Understanding Lineage and Legacy
The genealogies in Genesis remind us of the importance of family heritage and the impact of our ancestors on our lives. Reflect on how your family history shapes your identity and faith journey.

The Significance of Wealth and Resources
Ophir and Havilah are noted for their wealth. Consider how material wealth is viewed in the Bible and how it should be managed according to biblical principles.

The Spread of Peoples and Cultures
Joktan's descendants illustrate the spread of peoples and cultures. Reflect on how God uses diverse cultures to fulfill His purposes and how we can appreciate and learn from cultural diversity.

Biblical Names and Their Meanings
Names in the Bible often have significant meanings. Explore the meanings of biblical names and how they reflect the character or destiny of individuals.
Bible Study Questions
1. What can we learn from the genealogies in Genesis about God's plan for humanity and the spread of nations?

2. How does the mention of Ophir and Havilah in Genesis 10:29 relate to the biblical perspective on wealth and resources?

3. In what ways can understanding our own family history and heritage impact our faith and relationship with God?

4. How does the spread of Joktan's descendants illustrate God's sovereignty over nations and cultures?

5. What lessons can we draw from the biblical significance of names, and how can this understanding enhance our reading of Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 10:11
This verse mentions the ships of Hiram bringing gold from Ophir, highlighting the wealth and significance of Ophir in biblical times.

Genesis 2:11
Havilah is mentioned as a land rich in gold, bdellium, and onyx stone, connecting it to the resources and wealth described in Genesis 10:29.

Job 1:1
The name Jobab is similar to Job, though they are likely different individuals. However, the connection in names can lead to discussions about the historical and geographical context of these figures.
A Chapter of GenealogiesT. H. Leale.Genesis 10:1-32
Circumstances Attendant on ManT. Carlyle.Genesis 10:1-32
Gospel ArcheryDr. Talmage.Genesis 10:1-32
Ham's PosterityG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 10:1-32
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 10:1-32
LessonsG. Hughes, B. D.Genesis 10:1-32
NimrodG. Gilfillan.Genesis 10:1-32
Oneness of HumanityJ. Parker, D. D.Genesis 10:1-32
The Characteristics of a NationProf. J. G. Murphy.Genesis 10:1-32
The Planting of Nations Great ResponsibilityBishop Samuel Wilberforce.Genesis 10:1-32
People
Abimael, Almodad, Amorites, Anamim, Anamites, Aram, Arkite, Arkites, Arphaxad, Arvadite, Ashkenaz, Ashur, Canaanites, Caphtorim, Caphtorites, Casluhim, Casluhites, Dedan, Diklah, Dodanim, Eber, Elam, Elishah, Gether, Girgashite, Girgashites, Girgasite, Gomer, Hadoram, Ham, Hamathite, Hamathites, Havilah, Hazarmaveth, Heth, Hittites, Hivite, Hivites, Hul, Japheth, Javan, Jerah, Jobab, Joktan, Kittim, Lehabim, Lehabites, Lud, Ludim, Ludites, Madai, Magog, Mash, Mesha, Meshech, Mizraim, Naphtuhim, Naphtuhites, Nimrod, Noah, Obal, Ophir, Pathrusim, Peleg, Phut, Riphath, Sabtah, Sabtecha, Sabtechah, Salah, Seba, Shelah, Sheleph, Shem, Sinite, Sinites, Tarshish, Tiras, Togarmah, Tubal, Uzal, Zemarite, Zemarites, Zidon
Places
Accad, Admah, Assyria, Babel, Calah, Calneh, Canaan, Erech, Gaza, Gerar, Gomorrah, Lasha, Mesha, Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Resen, Sephar, Shinar, Sidon, Sodom, Tigris-Euphrates Region, Zeboiim
Topics
Havilah, Hav'ilah, Jobab, Joktan, Ophir, Sons
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 10:1-32

     7230   genealogies

Library
Ancient Chaldaea
The Creation, the Deluge, the history of the gods--The country, its cities its inhabitants, its early dynasties. [Illustration: 002a.jpg] "In the time when nothing which was called heaven existed above, and when nothing below had as yet received the name of earth,* Apsu, the Ocean, who first was their father, and Chaos-Tiamat, who gave birth to them all, mingled their waters in one, reeds which were not united, rushes which bore no fruit."** Life germinated slowly in this inert mass, in which the
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 3

Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

Healing a Phoenician Woman's Daughter.
(Region of Tyre and Sidon.) ^A Matt. XV. 22-28; ^B Mark VII. 24-30. ^b And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it [Jesus sought concealment for the purposes noted in the last section. He also, no doubt, desired an opportunity to impact private instruction to the twelve]; and he could not be hid. [The fame of Jesus had spread far and wide, and he and his disciples were too well known to escape the notice of any who had seen them or heard them described.] 25 But { ^a 22 And} behold,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
SYRIA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EGYPTIAN CONQUEST NINEVEH AND THE FIRST COSSAEAN KINGS-THE PEOPLES OF SYRIA, THEIR TOWNS, THEIR CIVILIZATION, THEIR RELIGION-PHOENICIA. The dynasty of Uruazagga-The Cossseans: their country, their gods, their conquest of Chaldaea-The first sovereigns of Assyria, and the first Cossaean Icings: Agumhakrime. The Egyptian names for Syria: Khara, Zahi, Lotanu, Kefatiu-The military highway from the Nile to the Euphrates: first section from Zalu to Gaza-The Canaanites:
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
Assur-nazir-pal (885-860) and Shalmaneser III. (860-825)--The kingdom of Urartu and its conquering princes: Menuas and Argistis. Assyria was the first to reappear on the scene of action. Less hampered by an ancient past than Egypt and Chaldaea, she was the sooner able to recover her strength after any disastrous crisis, and to assume again the offensive along the whole of her frontier line. Image Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief at Koyunjik of the time of Sennacherib. The initial cut,
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4

The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
ABRAHAM, THE TRADITIONAL FATHER OF HIS RACE.--Gen. 12:1-8; 13:1-13; 16; 18, 19; 21:7; 22:1-19. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 73-94. Prin of Pol., 160-175. Jehovah said to Abraham, Go forth from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, to the land that I will show thee, that I may make of thee a great nation; and I will surely bless thee, and make thy name great, so that thou shalt be a blessing, I will also bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation

The Interpretation of the Early Narratives of the Old Testament
[Sidenote: Importance of regarding each story as a unit] Of all the different groups of writings in the Old Testament, undoubtedly the early narratives found in the first seven books present the most perplexing problems. This is primarily due to the fact that they have been subject to a long process of editorial revision by which stories, some very old and others very late and written from a very different point of view, have been closely joined together. While there is a distinct aim and unity
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B. C. )
SARGON AS A WARRIOR AND AS A BUILDER. The origin of Sargon II.: the revolt of Babylon, Merodach-baladan and Elam--The kingdom of Elam from the time of the first Babylonian empire; the conquest's of Shutruh-nalkunta I.; the princes of Malamir--The first encounter of Assyria and Elam, the battle of Durilu (721 B.C.)--Revolt of Syria, Iaubidi of Hamath and Hannon of Gaza--Bocchoris and the XXIVth Egyptian dynasty; the first encounter of Assyria with Egypt, the battle of Raphia (720 B.C.). Urartu
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

Genealogy According to Luke.
^C Luke III. 23-38. ^c 23 And Jesus himself [Luke has been speaking about John the Baptist, he now turns to speak of Jesus himself], when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age [the age when a Levite entered upon God's service--Num. iv. 46, 47], being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son [this may mean that Jesus was grandson of Heli, or that Joseph was counted as a son of Heli because he was his son-in-law] of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

The Book of the First Generations of Man, and the Glory of the Cainites.
I. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN, AND THE GLORY OF THE CAINITES. A. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN. 1. The reasons why Moses records the generations of Adam 1. 2. Why he so particularly gives the years, and in the case of each patriarch adds "and he died" 1-2. 3. Why Enoch is placed in the records of the dead 3-4. * Was Enoch a sinner, and do sinners have hope of eternal life 4. * Of death. a. How we are to comfort ourselves against death 5. b. How reason views death, and how
Martin Luther—Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II

Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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