Noah’s Flood – Noah’s Descendants and the History of Nations
Table of Contents
Most Biologists and Geneticists agree that that virtually all people in today’s world– are closely related, genetically, and share genes with one male ancestor, subbed ‘Y-chromosome Adam’.
“As times move forward, we find that humans have very, very shallow genetic roots which go back very recently to one ancestor. That indicates that there was an origin in a specific location on the globe, and then it spread out from there.”
– US News and World Report, December 4, 1995
Overview – The History of Nations
The Bible proclaims that all of the human race has descended from Noah’s family and are children of Noah, and we are all descendants of Noah’s three sons. We are all Noahs descendants. This article reviews what is said about the sons of Noah in the Bible and what nations came from Noah’s sons.
History of peoples and cities, literature, art, and genetics show relations to the Biblical accounts of Noah’s threes son the repopulated the world after the Global Flood. Each of the sons of Noah divided after the tower of Babel, and began to populate the world in different areas.
Early World Population Problem = No Problem!
some critics say that the entire worlds populations could not have occurred simply by 8 people in circa 2400 b.c. but doing the calculations you can easily figure out the entire would population can easily be acquired by a handful of people:
- 3 sons, 3 daughters => each have 20 children.
- 30 parent (60 people in 20 years) each have 20 children = 600 people.
- 300 parents (600 people) each have 15 children (in 20 years) = 4500 people.
- 2250 parents (4500 people) each have 15 children = 33,750,
- So in less than 100 years we easily reach 50,000 world population.
- Thus the 3 sons of Noah generate each of the early world nations as we observe from history and archeology.
Descendants of Noah
Noahs Descendants where commanded by God to spread to the ends of the earth and multiply. They did not actually begin doing this until after God had come down and scattered them after their attempt to create the tower of Babylon. Studying the nations genetically and historically we can find where did Noah’s sons go? Most of the sons of Noah had blended quite thoroughly in many areas forming unique peoples and cultures around the entire world!
Spreading of the Nations
There are many different theories about just how exactly the different tribes of people spread throughout the world, from the 3 sons of Noah in the Bible:
1.) Land bridges, due to the ice age and receding flood waters, the oceans did not cover much of the continental shelves causing massive amount of land to be exposed, connecting continents.
2.) Pangaea; all of the earth’s land mass was one large continent known as Pangaea, which eventually split into all different land masses. This would have occurs as some believe the bible records in Genesis 10.25, that in the days of Peleg, the Earth was divided.
3.) Inventions of boats, ships and trade routes. Through exploration, the tribes of the world eventually happen upon all the continents and islands of the world.
Regardless of the cause of how the nations spread, we can still trace ancestral roots to the sons of Noah through traditions, historic references, ancient names of cities and peoples, and through other archaeological references.
Descendants of Shem
Shem eventually became the father of all modern day Middle East, spreading to Asia, and eventually furthest west and became Native Americans in North and South America.
Shem is the ancestor of the Semitic people. All Jews and Arabs consider themselves sons of Shem through Arpachshad (thus they are referred to as Semites or Semitic).
Some scholars such as John Webb also believed their heritage can be traced through many of the Chinese and Indian people as well, mixing with other tribes of Japheth and Ham.
Spreading of Shems Sons:
Elam- Elamites => Persians
The Patriarch of the tribes of the Elamites, whom can be traced to ancient Persians. The Elamites called their land Haltamti and had an empire whose capital was Susa, in what is now Khuzistan, in modern Iran. Although their language is not regarded as Semitic according to linguists.
Ashur– Assyria => Paletine
Ashur is the Patriarch of the tribes that eventually became associated with Assyria. This nation eventually became associated with Palestine.
Asshur is also identified as the founder of Nenevah, Rehoboth, and Calah (Gen 10.11).
Arpachshad- Jews; Edomites => Edom + Babylonians => Iran, Iraq
The Patriarch of Chaldea and Sumeritan tribes associated with the cities of Ur and others in the Euphrates.
Traces of genetic similarities found in YDNA reveal the lineage of Arpachshad contributing to the Asia- Australian mixing.
Many ask the question, which of Noah’s sons did Jesus come from. The answer we find is here, from the line of Shem, from Noah to Abraham.
Lud- Lydia
Patriarch of the Lydians
Aram- Arameans => Syrians
Patriarch of Arameans
Descendants of Japheth
Japheth became the father of all modern day Caucasian people groups, or European nations and India, (Indo-Europa). Many of Japheth’s descendants have been traced to have expanded to Australia, and the Pacific Islanders as well as mixed with Asia. Eventually spread to North and South America, mixing with other descendants of Shem and Ham.
Spread of the Sons of Japheth:
Gomer- Gimirru => Germany, Wales; Saxons => England
Gomer has been identified to be the patriarch of the Gimirru (or Cimmerians) according to 720b.c. Assyrian inscriptions.
Ashkenaz, Ashkuz, Ishkuz– one of the sons of Gomer was the name used for the Scythians whom appear in the Assyrian Archaeological record in 8th century in the Caucasus region and occupied regions in Europe and Asia.
In medieval Hebrew, Germany is known as Ashkenaz, and is the origin of the term Ashkenazic Jews and whose tribes also mixed with the cimmerians.
Riphath– one of the sons of Gomer is identified as the patriarch of the Paphlagonians and Carpathians.
Togarmah– one of the sons of Gomer. He has been identified as the patriarch of the Armenian and Georgian people, and some scholars have also identified him with Turkey and mixing with Germany.
Magog- Scythians => Russians; Irish, Hungary
Second son of Japheth. His name appears in Assyrian texts as mat gugu, of the land of gugu, also meaning Lydia. Gugu is known in Greek texts as Gyges of Lydia as a historic king of Lydia founder of Mermnad dynasty (716-678 b.c.). Whom is also tied to Irish and Hungarian traditions. Historian Josephus Flavius reveals him as the patriarch of the Sythians whom dewlt north of the Black Sea.
Madai- Aryans=> Medes => India => Australians => Pacific Islanders => Asia
The third son of Japheth. The patriarch of the Medes of Persia of north Iran. They appear in Assyrian inscriptions as Amadai in 844 b.c.
The tribes of the Aryans, Medes and perhaps a few other tribes eventually became the people of India.
There are some genetic clues when examining the YDNA Haplogroups of the people of Australian and Asia today, that seem to reveal the line of Madai can be traced to Australia and even throughout the pacific islands of Polynesia.
Australian to Chinese – Polynesian People (Pacific Ocean People)
Three different Japhetic lineages such as those genetically found in the Aryans and the Dravidian lines can be traced to the people of Australia as well as traces of semetic tribes, which show some similarities to the tribes of Britian and the Japhetic Phoencians. This lineage goes into the people of China.
Javan => Ionians => Greeks
Elishah – one of the sons of Javan, the patriarch of the Aegean people and the Northwest Peloponnesos.
Tarshish – one of the sons of Javan, indentified as the patriarch of Spain and some tribes leading into modern England. Historic cities in both places have a deep heritage in connection with the name, cities such as Tarsus in Anatolia and Tartessus in Southern Spain.
Kittim – one of the sons of Javan, identified with the people of Cyress known as the Kition, Macedinia and inhabiants of Greece. This name does appear in various other texts with other interpreations on settlement.
Dodanim one of the sons of Javan, identified with the people of the Aegean island Rhodes in Asia Minor and traces to the Greeks.
Tubal- Russia; Iberians => Portugal, Spain
One of the sons of Japheth and is identified with Tabal, the Anatolian kingdom and an ancient tribe of the Tibareni, and the Iberians. The Iberuians became modern day Spain and Portugal. Tubal is also identified as the ancestor of the Illyrians and Italy.
Meshech- Anatolia => Georgians; Russia
one of the sons of Japheth. Meshech is identified with the Mushki tribe of Anatolia whom are identified as the ancestors of the Georians and connected with the people of the Mediterranean Sea mixing with the tribes that eventually became Russia.
Tiras- Persians; Thracians, Tursha => Turkey; Italians?
One of the sons of Japheth, identified with the ancient people of Thracian according to written records dating to 700 b.c. Tiras is also associated with the Tursha and Tysenoi people of the Mediterranean Sea.
Tiras is also identified with Persian according to the Talmud.
Descendants of Ham
Ham is the primary patriarch of all African countries. Africans mostly all understood their heritage to be from Ham and particularly through Cush. A few specific people groups to this day still trace their ancestry and genealogy back to Ham, such as the Yoruba in West Africa.
Migration of the Sons of Ham:
Cush- Kush => Ethiopia; Babylonians => Arabs; Australia-Asia, Sumeritans
Cush the son of Ham is the known patriarch of the kingdom of Kush south of Egypt dating back at least to 2000 b.c., expanding and is known as modern day Ethopia. Cush is also associated with the Kassites inhabitance of the Zagros in Mesopotamia and the Sumeritan cities of Kish.
Seba one of the sons of Cush, identified as the patriarch of Yemen and Ethiopia. He is also identified with Sabeans.
Havilah one of the sons of Cush, identified as one of the patriarchs of the Arabian Peninsula, specifically one of the Arabian cities of Remah in the Persian Gulf.
Sabtha one of the sons of Cuch, identified with Hadhramis, with their ancient capitol of Saubatha, in east Yemen
Raamah one of the sons of Cush, identified with Rhammanitae of the southwest Arabian Peninsula, the Arabian city of Regmah in the Persian Gulf.
Sheba one of the sons of Raamah, identified with the Sabeans and people of the Red Sea, Yemen, Arabia and Ethiopia.
Dedan one of the sons of Raamah, identified with the people of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
Sabtechah one of the sons of Cush, identified with the Sabeans from the region in Eritrea.
Nimrod one of the sons of Cush, identified as the patriarch of the primary part of the babylonian region and the ancient city of Babel, and other regions such as Assyria, Sumer and Akkad.
Mizraim- Egyptians, Philistines
Mizraim was a son of Ham, and is known as the patriarch of upper and lower Egypt in ancient times known as Ta-Wy or the two lands. The ‘aim’ in Mizraim is representative of a duality. Modern Arabic speaking Egyptians refer to their country as Misr.
Ludim was one of the sons of Mizraim, identified as the patriarch of Eastern Libya. Also known as Libum or referenced as Lebou.
Anamim was one of the sons of Mizraim and is identified with the people of Assyria. Assyrians inscriptions from the time of Sargon II referred to the Egyptians as the ‘Anami.’
Lehabim was one of the sons of Mizraim, identified possibly with the ancient tribes of Libya.
Naphtuhim was one of the sons of Mizraim, identified with the Egyptians people of Na-Ptah whom eventually formed Memphis.
Pathrusim was one of the sons of Mizraim, identified with the people of Pathros; also identified with the Egyptian word Pa-To-Ris whch means southerner, for the southern people of Egypt.
Casluhim was one of the sons of Mizraim, identified with the people of Philistines (Gen 10.14, 1Chron 1.12)
Caphtorim one of the sons of Mizraim, identified with the people of Caphtor of northern Egypt near Philista.
Phut- Libya
Phut was one of the sons of Ham, identified with the people of Libya. They dwelt west of Egypt and have also been identified with the early tribes of the Phoenicians or the ‘Land of Punt.’
Canaan- Hittites => some early Asian tribes; Phoenicians; Canaanites; Jebusites; Amorites => Mixed with ancient Babylonians
Canaan was one of the sons of Ham, identified with the peoples and tribes that lived on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean in Lebanon, Syria, and spread abroad (Gen 10.18) as it would seem all the way through Asia.
Sidon was on of the sons of Canaan, identified with the Phoenicians, and was also the name of one of the oldest cities on the Phoenician coastlines.
Heth was one of the sons of Canaan, identified with the Hittites and the region of Anatolia. Anatolia had a powerful entity named Hatti which may be connected with Heth.
Jebusite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified with the tribes of the ancient Jebusites living in ancient Canaan previously known as the Jebus.
Amorite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified with the Amurru the people who dwelt near the Jordan river as far back as 2000 b.c. They were known to the Egyptians.
Girgasite was one of the sons of Canaan, is identified as one of the tribes that dwelt in the land of Canaan.
Hivite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified as one of the tribes inbaiting the land of Canaan.
Arkite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified as a probably candidate in connection with the Phoenician city Arqa.
Sinite was one of the sons of Canaan, and is identified with some of the ancient tribes of Syria. The Sinites are also identified as a tribe that eventually connected to some of the sino- chinese tribes in asia. Sanskrit also identified china as ‘sina,’ a.k.a xino, sino, cino, etc.
Arvadite was a son of Canaan and is identified with one of the Phoenician cities of Arwad.
Zemarite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified with the Phoenician city of Zemar.
Hamathite was one of the sons of Canaan, identified with the Syrian city of Hamath.
Division of Languages
Genesis (Gen 11.9) describes the event which God separates the tribes of the world into different languages which causes them to spread throughout the different land masses and continents of the world.
Languages in no way prove descent as many different people are conquered and blended in with each other cause a new genetic line to take over the specified region. Thus language is only one of the remaining clues that linguists and historians may use to be able to determine the migration patterns and roots of a particular nations ancestry, all the way back to the sons of Noah.
Hametic- Semitic Languages
At the Beginning in the 9th century, the Jewish grammarian Judah ibn Quraysh had begun to decode a relationship between the Semitic and Cushitic languages of the world. 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.
This can also be explained along with the large amount of tribal mixing between many of the sons of Ham and Shem.
Japhetic Languages
Linguists and Historians can trace back many of the European languages through similarities in phonetic characters and verbal linguistics revealing how many of the early tribes had a common heritage descending from the same ancestral tree.
The Soviet linguist Nikolai Marri was one of the many linguists throughout history to revise and research the overall Japhetic Hertitary Tree Concept, and helped to demonstrate that the languages of the Caucasus formed part of a once-widespread pre-Indo-European language group.
EuroAsian- Australian- Pacific Islanders
Observation and careful historic investigations in linguistics and genetics shows that many of the tribes of the sons of all 3 sons of Noah had migrated and created various cultures and people on the eastern most countries of the old world. Asia, Australian and migrations throughout the pacific island all eventually developed into a whole new diversity of people and languages.
Genetic Tracking
Origins of Human ‘Races’
People refer to those of similar skin color as the same ‘race.’ but looking at this from a Biblical perspective this is incorrect. There are in no way different ‘species’ of mankind, but rather simple ‘variation,’ genetically of different people.
Genetic Mutations Variation of Skin Color
In Genesis 11, God describes the event that caused the separation of all the nations of the world. as the different tribes of the world began to spread throughout the earth. People, depending on their location and genetic information available, began to slowly experience genetic differentiations between each nation. There are all kinds of circumstances that could have caused the variation to begin domination each people groups, but the main point is that God created all men equal and there is no different between any man on earth – (Acts 17.26, Rom 10.12).
This kind of variation has occurred in the entire human race since the time of Noah’s descendants. looking at how genes work we can see from this Punnett Square how easily diversified over a few generations different nations of people could have become so different even in a short amount of time:
Question:
How long would it take AaBb parents to have children with all the variations in skin color we see today?
Answer:
one generation.
Explanation:
It simply would take just one generation as we can see form the chart above to begin developing all the different skin colors of the world today as God would have programmed the complete diversity within our ancestors when he first created them.
We can see that 1/16 children could have had the lightest possible skin color and 1/16 could have had the darkest possible skin color. 6/16 would have been like their parents, and 4/16 would have had a lighter (lower case letters) or darker shade (capitol letters) skin color.
If parents of dark skinned people (AABB) moved to one part of the earth, and light skinned people (aabb) move to a different part of the earth , then the gene pool would have become limits to those features of those parents available to inheritance. Parents with AAbb would be limited to only having the ability to have medium colored children until a small a or large B people married into their gene pool.
References
Ayala. Francisco, “The Mechanisms of Evolution,” Scientific American, V. 239, No. 3, 1978, pp. 56-69.
Kolata, Gina, “Genes in Pieces.” Science, V. 207. No. 4429, 1980, pp. 392-393. (Note also the emphasized quotation on P. 393: “A number of molecular biologists believe there is more to the extra DNA than the evolutionary theories imply.”)
Pai, Anna. Foundations of Genetics New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1974, pp. 248-249.
Grassé, Pierre-Paul, Evolution of Living Organisms, New York: Academic Press, 1977, as quoted by William Bauer, “Review of Evolution of Living Organisms” ” Acts and Facts, Impact No. 76, 1979.
Kimura, Motoo, “The Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution,” Scientific American V. 241, No. 5, 1979, pp. 98-126.
Powell, Jeffrey, and Charles Taylor, “Genetic Variation in Diverse Environments,” American Scientist, V.67, No. 5, 1979, pp. 590-596. *Dr. Gary E. Parker is a Research Associate in Bioscience at the Institute for Creation Research and teaches Genetics and Biosystematics at Christian Heritage College, El Cajon CA. He is the senior author of several programmed instruction textbooks in biology.
Archaeology, The Bible and The Post-Flood Origins of Chinese History
Man in Adam and in Christ, Studies in the nature of humankind
The Sons of Japheth – History of the Nations
The Genetic Origin of the Nations – Christian Churches of God