Havilah חֲוִילָה
A son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.
Who is Havilah in the Bible?
Havilah was a son of Joktan and a descendant of Shem, one of Noah's three sons, appearing in the Table of Nations recorded in Genesis 10:29 and 1 Chronicles 1:23. As part of Joktan's line, Havilah is associated with the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula in the genealogical records that document the world's nations and peoples after the Great Flood. The Bible provides no further biographical details about this individual beyond his place in the ancestral lineage of ancient peoples.
Biography
Havilah is mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis and 1 Chronicles as a son of Joktan, who was a descendant of Shem, one of Noah's three sons. The Table of Nations is a genealogical record of the descendants of Noah's sons after the Great Flood, representing the known nations and peoples of the ancient world. Joktan's descendants, including Havilah, are associated with the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula. No further information is provided about this Havilah in the Bible. (Gen.10.29; 1Ch.1.23).
Family
Parents
Siblings
- Almodad Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Sheleph Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Hazarmaveth Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Jerah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Hadoram Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, a descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Uzal Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Diklah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem through JoktanView full profile →
- Obal Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of JoktanView full profile →
- Abimael Early PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem, son of JoktanView full profile →
- Sheba Tribe of GadSon of AbihailGadite leader during the reign of JothamView full profile →
- Ophir Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of JoktanView full profile →
- Jobab Tribe of BenjaminSaul's familyA son of Elpaal, descendant of BenjaminView full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 1 verse
- Genesis 10:29
"Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan."
Study Genesis →
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:23
"Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | חֲוִילָה |
Havilah
(3) Mentioned with Shur as one of the limits of the territory of the Ishmaelites (Ge 25:18); compare the same limits of the land of the Amalekites (1Sa 15:7), where, however, the text is doubtful. It is described (Ge 2:11,12) as bounded by the river Pishon and as being rich in gold, bdellium and "shoham-stone" (English Version of the Bible, "onyx"). The shoham-stone was perhaps the Assyrian samtu, probably the malachite or turquoise. The mention of a Cushite Havilah is explained by the fact that the Arabian tribes at an early time migrated to the coast of Africa. The context of Ge 10:7 thus favors situation on the Ethiopian shore, and the name is perhaps preserved in the kolpos Aualites and in the tribe Abalitai on the South side of the straits of Babel-Mandeb. Or possibly a trace of the name appears in the classical Aualis, now Zeila` in Somaliland. But its occurrence among the Yoktanite Arabs (Ge 10:29) suggests a location in Arabia. South Arabian inscriptions mention a district of Khaulan (Chaulan), and a place of this name is found both in Tihama and Southeast of San`a'. Again Strabo's Chaulotaioi and Chuwaila in Bahrein point to a district on the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. No exact identification has yet been made.
A. S. Fulton
hav'-ok: "Devastation," "to make havoc of" is the translation of lumainomai, "to stain," "to disgrace"; in the New Testament "to injure," "destroy" (Ac 8:3, "As for Saul he made havoc