Ashkenaz אַשְׁכְּנַז
Grandson of Japheth, son of Gomer
Who is Ashkenaz in the Bible?
Ashkenaz was a grandson of Japheth and son of Gomer, appearing in the genealogical records known as the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:3 and 1 Chronicles 1:6. He lived in the period following Noah's flood and represented one of the early branches of humanity as it spread across the ancient world. Scholars have historically connected Ashkenaz with the Scythian peoples who inhabited regions around Asia Minor and north of the Black Sea, making him a significant figure in the biblical account of humanity's dispersal and the origins of various ancient peoples.
Biography
Ashkenaz is mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 10 and 1 Chronicles 1, known as the Table of Nations. He was a son of Gomer and grandson of Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah. The Table of Nations records the spreading out of Noah's descendants after the flood, indicating the origins of various people groups. Ashkenaz and his brothers, Riphath and Togarmah, are associated with the peoples who settled in the region of Asia Minor and the Black Sea. Some scholars have connected the name Ashkenaz with the Scythians, a nomadic people who lived in the area north of the Black Sea.
Family
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 1 verse
- Genesis 10:3
"The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah."
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1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:6
"The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אַשְׁכְּנַז | ʾašĕkĕnaz | Ashkenaz , a Japhethite, also his descendants |
Ashkenaz
ISBE:TABLE OF NATIONS">TABLE OF NATIONS. It occurs also in Jer 51:27 (the King James Version "Ashchenaz") in connection with the kingdoms of Ararat and Minni, which suggests a location about Armenia.
(1) Jos 15:33, a site in the lowlands of Judah, probably near Estaol and Zorah. The small ruin Aslin between those two places may retain an echo