I remember as a young adult when attempting to read the Bible, every time I got to the genealogies my eyes would glaze over and my mind would wander. Genealogy is a boring subject, or should we say other people’s genealogy is a boring subject. Genealogy is not exclusive to salvation or receiving the Holy Spirit for Christians. Yet in our world people repeatedly claim a genealogical inheritance to certain lands. With that we have continuous fighting. A simple solution would be to test genealogy and trace heritage. But what if in doing that we found out that the entire political class of a nation had no genealogical rights to the land? More chaos would ensue. Obviously I am speaking of Israel and Palestine. Christians seem to lean on all sides, not being unified at all. While those who say they are Jews may not be by genealogy, they can be by conversion. Genealogy does not give land entitlement to anyone; as we will see, there has been a lot of mixing of tribes. The land of Israel was titled to Shem and his heirs. Not one great grandson of Shem and his heirs. Therefore the argument that the heirs of Jacob have a right to Israel is not quite right.
Jacob and his heirs moved back into Israel/Canaan after being in Padanaram/Syria/Mesopotamia. But then there was drought and Joseph brought them to Egypt. Then Jacob’s heirs left Egypt and re-inherited the land, but the Canaanites were still there the entire four hundred years that Jacob was in Egypt. Another part of the problem emerged again with the kingdom split, so that the captivities of the northern and southern kingdom dispersed, mingled, and then returned, making many Israelites mixed people. But there are more complications to this story. Some people claim that they are Abrahamic descendants and are entitled to the land of Israel, but Israel was not deeded to Abraham, it was deeded to Shem. Also, Abraham had eight sons, six of which were mixed, Semite-Canaanite and one Semite-Hamite. When Yahweh said that he would bless Abraham he did. It seems however that Abraham’s descendants are constantly fighting amongst themselves. If we look at a simplified genealogy from the time of Noah, we gain a better perspective of who is fighting who. While Issac is the son of promise he is not the only son or the only one with a claim to the land of Israel. Shem’s heirs have the title from the time of Noah, but we then see that Japheth’s heirs will dwell in the tents of Shem. We also see that Canaan will be servants to both Shem and Japheth. However, almost immediately, Shem’s heirs lived among the Hamites. Let’s explore.
Genesis 9:26 He also said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! And blessed by the Lord my God be Shem! And let Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth; and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ge 9:26–27.
Japheth is the eldest son of Noah and spiritually he will dwell in the tents of Shem. The idea of “tents” is not homes, but tabernacles of worship. Japheth will dwell in Shem’s houses of worship. The order of the three sons of Noah changes, and there may be an interesting aspect to this.
Jubilees 4:33 And in the twenty-fifth jubilee Noah took to himself a wife, and her name was ‘Ĕmzârâ, the daughter of Râkê’êl, the daughter of his father’s brother, in the first year in the fifth week: and in the third year thereof she bore him Shem, in the fifth year thereof she bore him Ham, and in the first year in the sixth week she bore him Japheth.
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (p. 765). (Function). Kindle Edition.
While it is noted that Japheth was born in the first year, Shem in the third year, and Ham in the fifth year, the order is Shem, Ham, and Japheth. There may be a spiritual reason for this. If we take a thirty thousand foot view of Israel we see that it was deeded to Shem, but Canaan (Ham’s son) moved in. Then we see that Canaan left the region for a period of time, but because of Israel’s sin and captivities due to sins, Israel was ultimately lost to the Hamites. Later the Japhethites conquered the Hamites and allowed the Semites to return to their land under the reign of the Japhethites. The Messiah came to earth and called all nations to himself. Then the Hamites overtook the Japhethites and installed their holy sites in the land over the top of the Israelites holy sites. By 1917, the Japhethites retook control of the land and awarded homesteading to Semites. Currently the Japhethites have political control of the land of Israel. After the harpazo the Hamites will reign in the land until the Day of the Lord when the Semites will be gathered and brought back to Israel. So the order of the three sons seems to be a foreshadow of the ages until the Messiah comes, and then after the Messiah of Israel, the order reverses back to Shem. Let’s go back to the time of the nations forming.
Jubilees 8:8 And in the sixth year thereof, she bore him a son, and he called his name Peleg, for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide the earth among themselves; for this reason he called his name Peleg. 9 And they divided [it] secretly among themselves and told it to Noah. 10 And it came to pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee that they divided the earth into three parts, for Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each, in the first year in the first week, when one of us, who had been sent, was with them. 11 And he called his sons, and they drew near to him, they and their children, and he divided the earth into the lots, which his three sons were to take in possession, and they reached out their hands, and took the writing out of the bosom of their father Noah. 12 And there came out on the writing as Shem’s lot the middle of the earth which he should take as an inheritance for himself and for his sons, for the perpetual generations, from the middle of the mountain range of Râfâ, from the mouth of the water from the River Tînâ, and his portion goes toward the west through the midst of this river, and it extends until it reaches the water of the abysses, out of which this river goes out and pours its waters into the sea Mê’at, and this river flows into the Great Sea. And all that is toward the north is Japheth’s, and all that is toward the south belongs to Shem. 13 And it extends until it reaches Kârâsô: this is in the bosom of the tongue which looks toward the south. 14 And his portion extends along the Great Sea, and it extends in a straight line until it reaches the west of the tongue which looks toward the south; for this sea is called the tongue of the Egyptian Sea. 15 And it turns from here toward the south toward the mouth of the Great Sea on the shore of [its] waters, and it extends to the west to ‘Afrâ and it extends until it reaches the waters of the River Gihon, and to the south of the waters of Gihon, to the banks of this river. 16 And it extends toward the east until it reaches the Garden of Eden, to the south thereof, [to the south] and from the east of the whole land of Eden and of the whole east [thereof], it turns to the east, and proceeds until it reaches the east of the mountain named Râfâ, and it descends to the bank of the mouth of the River Tînâ. 17 This portion came out by lot for Shem and his sons, that they should possess it forever to his generations forevermore. 18 And Noah rejoiced that this portion came out for Shem and for his sons, and he remembered all that he had spoken with his mouth in prophecy; for he had said, “Blessed is the Lord God of Shem, and may the Lord dwell in the dwelling of Shem.” 19 And he knew that the Garden of Eden is the Holy of Holies and the dwelling of the Lord, and Mount Sinai—the center of the desert, and Mount Zion—the center of the navel of the earth: these three were created as holy places facing each other. 20 And he blessed the God of gods who had put the word of the Lord into his mouth, and [blessed] the Lord forevermore. 21 And he knew that a blessed portion and a blessing had come to Shem and his sons to the generations forever—the whole land of Eden and the whole land of the Red Sea, and the whole land of the east, and India, and on the Red Sea and the mountains thereof, and all the land of Bashan, and all the land of Lebanon and the islands of Kaftûr, and all the mountains of Sanîr and ‘Amânâ, and the mountains of Asshur in the north, and all the land of Elam, Asshur, and Bâbêl, and Sûsân, and Mâ’ĕdâi, and all the mountains of Ararat, and all the region beyond the sea, which is beyond the mountains of Asshur toward the north, a blessed and spacious land, and all that is in it is very good.
Shem was allotted the middle portion of land which includes the Garden of Eden, which is the Holy of Holies, Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion.
Jubilees 8:22 And for Ham came out the second portion, beyond the Gihon toward the south to the right of the Garden, and it extends toward the south and it extends to all the mountains of fire, and it extends toward the west to the Sea of ‘Atêl and it extends toward the west until it reaches the Sea of Mâ’ûk—that [sea] into which everything which is not destroyed descends. 23 And it goes out toward the north to the limits of Gâdîr, and it goes out to the coast of the waters of the sea to the waters of the Great Sea until it draws near to the River Gihon and goes along the River Gihon until it reaches the right of the Garden of Eden. 24 And this is the land which came out for Ham as the portion which he was to occupy forever for himself and his sons to their generations forever.
Ham’s portion of land allotted to him and his descendants was south of Shem’s portion.
Jubilees 8:25 And for Japheth came out the third portion beyond the River Tînâ to the north of the outflow of its waters, and it extends northeastward to the whole region of Gog and to all the country east thereof. 26 And it extends northward to the north, and it extends to the mountains of Qêlt toward the north, and toward the Sea of Mâ’ûk, and it goes out to the east of Gâdîr as far as the region of the waters of the sea. 27 And it extends until it approaches the west of Fârâ, and it returns toward ‘Afêrâg, and it extends eastward to the waters of the Sea of Mê’at. 28 And it extends to the region of the River Tînâ in a northeasterly direction until it approaches the boundary of its waters toward the mountain Râfâ, and it turns toward the north. 29 This is the land which came out for Japheth and his sons as the portion of his inheritance which he should possess for himself and his sons, for their generations forever: five great islands, and a great land in the north. 30 But it is cold, and the land of Ham is hot, and the land of Shem is neither hot nor cold, but it is of blended cold and heat.
Press, Covenant; Coalition, Covenant Christian. The Complete 54-Book Apocrypha: 2022 Edition With the Deuterocanon, 1-3 Enoch, Giants, Jasher, Jubilees, Pseudepigrapha, & the Apostolic Fathers (pp. 780-783). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Japheth’s portion of land is north of Shem. Now If we look at an ancient map we see clearly this layout of tribes. It is interesting but because the nations migrated and mixed one cannot say who is from which son of Noah unless we look at our DNA.
Josephus breaks down the nations of the three sons of Noah for us using Greek terminology.
Japheth
Antiquities of the Jews 6:1:122-129
1. (122) Now they were the grandchildren of Noah, in honor of whom names were imposed on the nations by those that first seized upon them. Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountain Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia, as far as the river Tanais, and along Europe to Cadiz; and setting themselves on the lands which they light upon, which none had inhabited before, they called the nations by their own names; (123) for Gomer founded those whom the Greeks now call Galatians [Galls], but were then called Gomerites. Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians. (124) Now as to Javan and Madai, the sons of Japhet; from Madai came the Madeans, who are called Medes by the Greeks; but from Javan, Ionia and all the Grecians are derived. Thobel founded the Thobelites, who are now called Iberes; (125) and the Mosocheni were founded by Mosoch; now they are Cappadocians. There is also a mark of their ancient denomination still to be shown; for there is even now among them a city called Mazaca, which may inform those that are able to understand, that so was the entire nation once called. Thiras also called those whom he ruled over, Thirasians; but the Greeks changed the name into Thracians. (126) And so many were the countries that had the children of Japhet for their inhabitants. Of the three sons of Gomer, Aschanax founded the Aschanaxians, who are now called by the Greeks Rheginians. So did Riphath found the Ripheans, now called Paphlagonians; and Thrugramma the Thrugrammeans, who, as the Greeks resolved, were named Phrygians. (127) Of the three sons of Javan also, the son of Japhet, Elisa gave name to the Eliseans, who were his subjects; they are now the Aeolians. Tharsus to the Tharsians; for so was Cilicia of old called; the sign of which is this, that the noblest city they have, and a metropolis also, is Tarsus, the tau being by change put for the theta. (128) Cethimus possessed the island Cethima; it is now called Cyprus: and from that it is that all islands, and the greatest part of the seacoasts, are named Cethim by the Hebrews; and one city there is in Cyprus that has been able to preserve its denomination; it is called Citius by those who use the language of the Greeks, and has not, by the use of that dialect, escaped the name of Cethim. And so many nations have the children and grandchildren of Japhet possessed. (129) Now when I have premised somewhat, which perhaps the Greeks do not know, I will return and explain what I have omitted; for such names are pronounced here after the manner of the Greeks, to please my readers; for our own country language does not so pronounce them; but the names in all cases are of one and the same ending; for the name we here pronounce Noeas, is there Noah, and in every case retains the same termination.
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 36.
Simplified, Japheth’s people were the Greeks and Romans, extending to northern and Eastern Europe.
Ham
Antiquities of the Jews 6:2:130-139
2. (130) The children of Ham possessed the land from Syria and Amanus, and the mountains of Libanus, seizing upon all that was on its seacoasts and as far as the ocean, and keeping it as their own. Some indeed of its names are utterly vanished away; others of them being changed, and another sound given them, are hardly to be discovered; yet a few there are which have kept their denominations entire; (131) for of the four sons of Ham, time has not at all hurt the name of Chus; for the Ethiopians, over whom he reigned, are even at this day, both by themselves and by all men in Asia, called Chusites. (132) The memory also of the Mesraites is preserved in their name; for all we who inhabit this country [of Judea] call Egypt Mestre, and the Egyptians Mestreans, Phut also was the founder of Libya, and called the inhabitants Phutites, from himself: (133) there is also a river in the country of the Moors which bears that name; whence it is that we may see the greatest part of the Grecian historiographers mention that river and the adjoining country by the appellation of Phut: but the name it has now, has been by change given it from one of the sons of Mesraim, who was called Lybyos. We will inform you presently what has been the occasion why it has been called Africa also. (134) Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, inhabited the country now called Judea, and called it from his own name Canaan. The children of these [four] were these: Sabas, who founded the Sabeans; Evilas, who founded the Evileans, who are called Getuli; Sabathes founded the Sabathens; they are now called by the Greeks, Astaborans; (135) Sabactas settled the Sabactens; and Ragmus the Ragmeans; and he had two sons, the one of whom, Judadas, settled the Judadeans, a nation of the western Ethiopians, and left them his name; as did Sabas to the Sabeans. But Nimrod, the son of Cush, staid and tyrannized at Babylon, as we have already informed you. (136) 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. (137) As for the rest, Ludicim, 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. (138) The sons of Canaan were these: Sidonius, who also built a city of the same name; it is called by the Greeks, Sidon; Amathus inhabited in Amathine, which is even now called Amathe by the inhabitants, although the Macedonians named it Epiphania, from one of his posterity: Arudeus possessed the island Aradus: Arucas possessed Arce, which is in Libanus;—(139) but for the seven others, [Eueus], Chetteus, Jebuseus, Amorreus, Gergesus, Eudeus, Sineus, Samareus, we have nothing in the sacred books but their names, for the Hebrews overthrew their cities; and their calamities came upon them on the occasion following:—
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 36–37.
Ham’s descendants were Ethiopia Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Palestine, Philista, Babylon. Canaan was in Israel, and his tribes included Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, and the Hittites.
Shem
Antiquities of the Jews 6:4:143-147
4. (143) Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean; for Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nieve; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. (144) Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks call Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. (145) Of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus; this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini, (146) Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. Heber begat Joctan and Phaleg; he was called Phaleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg, among the Hebrews, signifies division. (147) Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, 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. And this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem.
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 37.
Shem’s tribes include the Persians, Lydians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Palestinians, Syrians, Hebrews, and Armenians. Even though we do not know the genetics of the residents of these places, we see that they have all been fighting amongst themselves. Today, in modern history, Israel fights with the Persians, Palestinians, Syrians, and the Armenians. Which leads us to question who are today’s Israelites?
Jubilees 10:28 Ham and his sons went into the land that he was to occupy, which he acquired as his portion in the land of the south. 29 Canaan saw the land of Lebanon to the river of Egypt was very good, and he did not go into the land of his inheritance to the west that is to the sea, and he dwelt in the land of Lebanon, eastward and westward from the border of Jordan and from the border of the sea. 30 Ham, his father, and Cush and Mizraim, his brothers, said to him, “You have settled in a land which is not yours, and which did not fall to us by lot, do not do so. If you do you and your sons will be conquered in the land and be accursed through a war. By war you have settled, and by war will your children fall, and you will be rooted out forever. 31 Do not live in the land of Shem, for to Shem and to his sons did it come by their lot. 32 Cursed are you, and cursed will you be beyond all the sons of Noah, by the curse by which we bound ourselves by an oath in the presence of the holy judge, and in the presence of Noah our father.” 33 But he did not listen to them, and settled in the land of Lebanon from Hamath to the border of Egypt, he and his sons until this day. For this reason that land is named Canaan. And Japheth and his sons went towards the sea and settled in the land of their portion, and Madai saw the land of the sea and it did not please him, and he begged Ham and Asshur and Arpachshad, his wife’s brother for a portion, and he dwelt in the land of Media, near to his wife’s brother until this day. 34 And he called his and his son’s dwelling-place, Media, after the name of their father Madai.
Lumpkin, Joseph. Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher: Banned from the Bible (p. 129). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Canaan’s entry into the land titled to Shem caused problems for genetics, especially because Abraham married a Canaanite women, Keturah, and had six sons with her. These are Abrahams heirs too. Later the Israelites would wander for forty years not entering their land, but it wasn’t only their land, it was the land of Shem, not exclusively Jacob. Eventually the Canaanites would be driven out.
Genesis 10:15 Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, Heth [the Hittites],
16 The Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,
17 The Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,
18 The Arvadites, the Zemarites and the Hamathites. Afterward the families of the Canaanites spread abroad
19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon as one goes to Gerar as far as Gaza, and as one goes to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ge 10:15–19.
At the time when Abraham was in the land, he lived there with Shem and Eber, and gave an offering to Shem, who is Melchizedek, or Adoni “Lord”, Zedek “priest” from Melech (Melech-Zedek) Why? Shem was teaching the ways of Yahweh Elohim to the people of the region, his heirs and the Canaanites. The Jebusites were technically Canaanites who served in the Zedek priesthood, who were much later merged with the Levites by David. The Zedeks are a more pure priesthood than the Levites according to Ezekiel in the millennium.
Jasher 16:11 And Adonizedek king of Jerusalem, the same was Shem, went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and wine, and they remained together in the valley of Melech. 12 Adonizedek blessed Abram, and Abram gave him a tenth from all that he had brought from the spoil of his enemies, for Adonizedek was a priest before God.
Lumpkin, Joseph. Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher: Banned from the Bible (p. 205). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Abraham is going to become a great nation. Not the only nation, but he will have a lot of heirs because of his commitment to Yahweh Elohim. Abraham is honored with the one thing that he did not have, children.
Genesis 12:3 G2532 And G2127 I will bless G3588 the ones G2127 blessing G1473 you; G2532 and G3588 the ones G2672 cursing G1473 you, G2672 I will curse. G2532 And G1757 [6will be blessed G1722 7by G1473 8you G3956 1all G3588 2the G5443 3tribes G3588 4of the G1093 5earth].
“And speak well/praise them speak well/praise you and them downward cursing you downward curse, and in-speak well/praise in you all the tribes/offshoots indeed.”
The word eulogeō means “speak well”, eu means “good or well”, and logos means “said or speak”. The word kataraomai is a “downward curse”or “imprecation” which comes from katara, kata “downward”, and ara “imprecation”.
How does this scripture get so mixed up? It turns out Abraham is a great nation, he had eight sons, Ishmael, Isaac, Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. All of them had several sons of their own. Ishmael had twelve sons, but Isaac only had two sons. What Yahweh said is that HE would bless those who speak well of Abram and those that curse Abram would be cursed. Yahweh did not say all people have to bless Abram, just don’t curse Abram. The nations coming from Abram, the offshoots, will be blessed. How does one pick which son or grandson to focus on and bless? We should understand that it is all Abram/Abraham’s sons, not just one grandson, that Yahweh is speaking of. Are we blessing one offshoot and cursing another? All the tribes of earth are blessed because of Abram/Abraham. We know that we are sons and daughters of Abraham if we have faith like Abraham. Therefore if someone is expecting that the whole world has to only bless Israel, who was a grandson of Abraham, then they are clearly mistaken. This is a clever marketing strategy used to manipulate others. A Babylon trick.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2025/06/mystery-global-system-babylon-in-church.html
We see that Isaac studied under Shem and Eber in Jerusalem. This is just a side note to make sense of the connections between Shem and his land, and Abraham’s heirs. At this time Sarah dies.
Jasher 23:5 My son Isaac is grown up and he has not for some time studied the service of his God; tomorrow I will go and bring him to Shem, and Eber his son, and there he will learn the ways of the Lord. For they will teach him to know the Lord as well as to know that when he prays continually before the Lord, he will answer him; there he will know the way of serving the Lord his God.
Lumpkin, Joseph. Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher: Banned from the Bible (p. 217). (Function). Kindle Edition.
After Isaac studies with Shem and Eber for two years and then marries Rebekah. Abraham marries Keturah and has six sons with her. Jacob studied in the tents of Shem and Eber until he was fifty seven years old. Abraham divided his sons into three lands.
Abraham’s Subdivisions
Antiquities of the Jews 9:3:213
(213) He put him in mind, that when Abraham was come alone out of Mesopotamia into Canaan, he had been made happy, not only in other respects, but that when his wife was at first barren, she was afterwards by him enabled to conceive seed, and bear him sons. That he left to Ismael and to his posterity the country of Arabia; as also to his sons by Ketura, Troglodytis: and to Isaac, Canaan
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 67.
During the Greek era the Troglodytes lived in Africa along the Red Sea.They are described by ancient historians as pastoral people living in caves along the Red Sea and other areas of Ethiopia, Egypt, in Africa. Think about this in light of the fact that Abraham taught all his sons about Yahweh Elohim and the Ethiopian connection to the ark of the covenant.
Zephaniah 3:10 G1537 From G4009 the limits G4215 of the rivers G* of Ethiopia G5264 I will welcome G3588 the ones G1289 of mine having been dispersed; G1473 G5342 they shall bring G2378.2 sacrifices G1473 to me.
Here the word translated sacrifices θυσιας means “sacrifices, offering, or altar”. It is presumed that at the end of the tribulation the Ethiopians will bring the ark of the covenant to the new temple in Jerusalem that Jesus will rule and reign from. Heirs of Abraham living in caves in Ethiopia would have looked at the defilement of the temple and the collapse of Judah as a reason to bring the ark of the covenant to Ethiopia for its preservation. Also Elephantine Island had a temple to Yahweh in the fifth century BC pointing out another place of residence for Shem and Abraham’s heirs.
Ishmael’s heirs
Antiquities 12:4:221
4. (220) When the lad was grown up, he married a wife, by birth an Egyptian, from whence the mother was herself derived originally. Of this wife were born to Ismael twelve sons; Nabaioth, Kedar, Abdeel, Mabsam, Idumas, Masmaos, Masoss, Chodad, Theman, Jetur, Naphesus, Cadmas. (221) These inhabited all the country from Euphrates to the Red Sea, and called it Nabatene. They are an Arabian nation and name their tribes from these, both because of their own virtue and because of the dignity of Abraham their father.
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 42–43.
Ishmael’s heirs went into the Arabian peninsula, some of them became known as the Nabateans. The Nabataeans/Nabateans built Petra.
Abraham and Keturah’s heirs
Antiquities of the Jews 15:1 238-241
(238) Abraham after this married Keturah, by whom six sons were born to him; men of courage and of sagacious minds:—Zambran, and Jazar, and Madan, and Madian, and Josabak, and Sous. Now the sons of Sous were Sabathan and Dadan;—the sons of Dadan were Latusim, and Assur, and Luom;—the sons of Madian were Ephas, and Ophren, and Anoch, and Ebidas, and Eldas. (239) Now, for all these sons and grandsons, Abraham contrived to settle them in colonies; and they took possession of Troglodytis, and the country of Arabia the Happy, as far as it reaches to the Red Sea. It is related of this Ophren, that he made war against Libya, and took it; and that his grandchildren when they inhabited it, called it (from his name) Africa; (240) and indeed Alexander Polyhistor gives his attestation to what I here say; who speaks thus:—“Cleodemus the prophet, who was also called Malchus, who wrote a history of the Jews, in agreement with the History of Moses, their legislator, relates that there were many sons born to Abraham by Keturah; (241) nay, he names three of them, Apher, and Surim, and Japhran: that from Surim was the land of Assyria denominated; and that from the other two (Apher and Japhran) the country of Africa took its name; because these men were auxiliaries to Hercules, when he fought against Libya and Antaeus; and that Hercules married Aphra’s daughter, and of her he begat a son, Diodorus; and that Sophon was his son; from whom that barbarous people called Sophacians were denominated.”
Flavius Josephus and William Whiston, The Works of Josephus: Complete and Unabridged (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1987), 44.
Keturah’s sons inhabited Arabia the Happy which today is known as Yemen. They also inhabited Troglodytis, Libya, Assyria, and Africa. Dadan is known today as Saudi Arabia.
Abraham’s instructions to all of his sons
Jubilees [Chapter 20] 1 In the forty-second jubilee, in the first year of the seventh week, Abraham called Ishmael, and his twelve sons, and Isaac and his two sons, and the six sons of Keturah, and their sons. 2 And he commanded them that they should observe the way of the Lord, that they should work righteousness, and love each his neighbor, and act in this manner among all men, that they should each walk with regard to the ways of the Lord to do judgment and righteousness on the earth. 3 He also commanded them that they should circumcise their sons, according to the covenant, which God had made with them, and not deviate to the right or the left of all the paths which the Lord had commanded us, and that we should keep ourselves from all fornication and uncleanness. 4 He said, “If any woman or maid commits fornication among you, burn her with fire. And do not let them commit fornication with her with their eyes or their heart; and do not let them take to themselves wives from the daughters of Canaan, because the offspring of Canaan will be rooted out of the land.” 5 He told them about the judgment on the giants, and the judgment on the Sodomites, how they had been judged because of their wickedness, and had died because of their fornication and uncleanness, and corruption through fornication together. 6 He said, “Guard yourselves from all fornication and uncleanness, and from all pollution of sin, or you will make our name a curse, and your whole life a shame, and all your sons to be destroyed by the sword, and you will become accursed like Sodom, and all that is left of you shall be as the sons of Gomorrah. 7 I implore you, my sons, love the God of heaven and cling to all His commandments. 8 Do not walk after their idols and after their ways of uncleanness, and do not make yourselves molten or graven gods. They are empty, and there is no spirit in them, for they are work of men’s hands, and all who trust in them, trust in nothing. 9 Do not serve them, nor worship them, but serve the most high God, and worship Him continually, and hope for His presence always, and work uprightness and righteousness before Him, that He may have pleasure in you and grant you His mercy, and send rain on you morning and evening, and bless all your works which you have performed on the earth, and bless your bread and your water, and bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, and the herds of your cattle, and the flocks of your sheep. 10 You will be for a blessing on the earth, and all nations of the earth will desire you, and bless your sons in my name, that they may be blessed as I am.” 11 He gave to Ishmael and to his sons, and to the sons of Keturah, gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, and he gave everything to Isaac his son. 12 Ishmael and his sons, and the sons of Keturah and their sons, went together and settled from Paran to the border of Babylon in all the land that is toward the East facing the desert. 13 These mingled (intermarried) with each other, and their names were called Arabs, and Ishmaelites.
Lumpkin, Joseph. Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher: Banned from the Bible (p. 140). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Let’s think about the promise of Genesis 12 and consider what it says and what it doesn’t say.
Genesis 12:1 NOW [in Haran] the Lord said to Abram, Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country, from your relatives and your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. [Heb. 11:8-10.]
2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others].
3 And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]. [Gal. 3:8.]
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ge 12:1–3.
Abraham was told to leave Haran and he was to go somewhere that Yahweh would tell him to. It does not say that Abraham was to displace Shem’s people, nor does it say Abraham was to displace Canaan. Abraham lived among both Shem’s heirs and Canaan’s heirs. Abraham married a Canaanite woman and then told his six sons to leave the area because the Canaanites would be wiped out. They left. When Joshua led Jacob’s sons into Israel he was to kill the Canaanites. However he did not kill all of the Canaanites. Also worth noting, not all of the Hebrews left Egypt. Some stayed and others went to Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and the British Isles.
Let’s come back to the story of Japheth.
Genesis 9:27 May God enlarge Japheth; and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.
The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Ge 9:27.
Japheth would dwell in the tents of Shem. Yahweh’s plan for the nations was never to exclude anyone. We have mixing of the nations all throughout the Bible. The Jebusites are the perfect example of this, they were mixed Semites and Canaanites who worshiped Yahweh, from Shem and Eber’s teachings. They were Zedek/Zadock priests. David merged them into the temple service with the Levites but they exceed the Levites in holiness.
Another example of Noah’s grandchildren mixing is that Shem had the region of Chaldea, but Nimrod, son of Cush, son of Ham, reigned in Babylon, which is in the Chaldean region. People did not remain tribal, they instead became national, mixing the tribes in each region or nation forming new nationalities.
The Semitic people are considered the Afro-Asiatic consisting of Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic. Under Shem’s lineage people are Africans, Arabic, Chaldean, Persians, Nabateans, Idumaeans, Armenians, Syrians, and Troglodytes.
The Hamites are Ethopians, Asians, Egyptians, Africans, Libyans, Canaanites, Babylonians, Gaza-ites, Philistines, Sidonians, and Palestinians.
The Japhetites are Asian Magog-ites, Scythians, Medes, Ionians, Cappadocians, Cilicians, Tarsians, Cypriots.
There is quite a mixing among all the sons of Noah. Respectfully, no one should predetermine who is entitled to certain lands, as we see that the people moved all over. Also, no one is excluded from inheriting the Kingdom of God, no matter what color, tribe, or gender they may be from.
Today we know that it is quite possible that Palestinians are actual heirs of Shem while the people living in Israel might in fact be Jews by conversion from Japheth. We realize that if we wanted to find actual ownership we would need to use genetic DNA testing. Although genetic testing hardly matters today as Jesus Messiah erases the boundaries of nations, tribes, and tongues. Why is the world so focused on this little country? Shem made Jeru-Salem, the center of the world for teaching about Yahweh Elohim. David planned for Solomon to build the temple over the Gihon Springs in the City of David. There, the Holy Spirit dwelt for about four hundred years. From here Jesus will sit on his throne in Jerusalem as King of kings and Lord of lords. No one can change that plan. No one can defile the region so much that Jesus will not return on the Day of the Lord and clean things up. Jesus Messiah will rule from Jerusalem because this was the place Shem taught the world about Yahweh Elohim. This little country will be the center of the Millennial Kingdom. All eyes will continue to be on Jerusalem through the millennium.
