Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 4. Elishah] As Javan peopled a considerable part of Greece, it is in that region that we must seek for the settlements of his descendants; Elishah probably was the first who settled at Elis, in Peloponnesus.
Tarshish] He first inhabited Cilicia, whose capital anciently was the city of Tarsus, where the Apostle Paul was born.
Kittim] We have already seen that this name was rather the name of a people than of an individual: some think by Kittim Cyprus is meant: others, the isle of Chios; and others, the Romans; and others, the Macedonians.
Dodanim.] Or Rodanim, for the d and r may be easily mistaken for each other, because of their great similarity. Some suppose that this family settled at Dodona in Epirus; others at the isle of Rhodes; others, at the Rhone, in France, the ancient name of which was Rhodanus, from the Scripture Rodanim.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - This chapter shows concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them wa the whole earth overspread. No nation but that of the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come. The lists of names of father and sons were preserved of the Jews alone, for the sake of the Messiah Many learned men, however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations of the earth descended from each of the sons of Noah To the posterity of Japheth were allotted the isles of the gentiles; probably the island of Britain among the rest. All places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles, Jer 25:22. That promise, Isa 42:4, The isle shall wait for his law, speaks of the conversion of the gentiles to the faith of Christ.
Original Hebrew ובני1121 יון3120 אלישׁה473 ותרשׁישׁ8659 כתים3794 ודדנים׃1721
