Arkites עַרְקִי

The Arkites were a Canaanite people group mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and 1 Chronicles 1. They are listed among the descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham and grandson of Noah (Gen. 10:17; 1 Chr. 1:15).

The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 provides a genealogical record of the spread of Noah's descendants after the Flood, highlighting the various people groups and nations that emerged from them. The Arkites are mentioned alongside other Canaanite tribes, such as the Sidonians, Hivites, and Jebusites, indicating their shared ancestry and geographic proximity in the region of Canaan.

Beyond their inclusion in the Table of Nations, no further information is provided about the Arkites in the biblical text. Their mention serves to demonstrate the diversity of people groups that inhabited the land of Canaan prior to the Israelite conquest under Joshua.

Some scholars suggest that the Arkites may have been associated with the ancient city of Arqa, located in present-day Lebanon, approximately 25 kilometers northeast of Tripoli. However, this connection remains uncertain due to the lack of conclusive historical and archaeological evidence.

The Arkites, along with the other Canaanite tribes, were among the people groups that the Israelites were commanded to dispossess as they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 20:17). The presence of these Canaanite nations underscores the challenges faced by the Israelites as they sought to establish their own nation in obedience to God's covenant promises.