Atlas Biblica

    person

    Joktan

    יׇקְטָן

    Joktan, a descendant of Shem through Eber, was the ancestor of several Arabian tribes.

    verses
    6
    first named
    Genesis 10:25
    last named
    1 Chronicles 1:23
    period
    the Patriarchs
    tribe
    Early Patriarch

    Description

    Who was Joktan?

    In the words of STEPBible TIPNR:

    Joktan is mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 10 and 1Chronicles 1 as a descendant of Shem, the son of Noah. He was the son of Eber and the brother of Peleg (Gen.10.25; 1Ch.1.19). The biblical record states that in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided, possibly referring to the division of languages and nations at the Tower of Babel (Gen.10.25).

    Joktan is described as the ancestor of several Arabian tribes. Gen.10.26-29 and 1Ch.1.20-23 list his 13 sons: Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. These names are associated with various regions in Arabia, suggesting that Joktan's descendants settled in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

    The mention of Joktan and his sons in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) serves to highlight the diversity of peoples and nations that descended from Noah's sons after the Flood. It also demonstrates the fulfillment of God's command to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth (Gen.9.1).

    Although no further details are provided about Joktan's life or his relationship with his descendants, his inclusion in the biblical genealogies emphasizes the connection between the Semitic peoples and the Arabian tribes. It also underscores the importance of genealogical records in ancient Near Eastern societies for establishing family ties and tracing the origins of nations.

    Relations

    Direct connections

    Every entity the graph places in a stated relation with this one, grouped by the kind of link. Each relation is authored once and its inverse derived, so both ends always agree. Rows marked “registry” come from the identity spine rather than from a verse, and a row marked “which bearer is the source’s decision” is one where the name could have meant more than one person. The last group is not a relation at all — it counts the events two entities stand in together.

    How the graph connects Joktan10 of 15 entities the graph connects to Joktan, in one group: kinship 10. Kinship, company and ground are stated relations; events counts the acts two entities stand in together and is not a relation. Each mark is sized by how many verses name that entity and labelled with the link and the count, so the grouping and the size are both readable without colour. Distance from the centre carries nothing.EberChild of · 2 events · 12 versesPelegSibling of · 2 events · 8 versesAbimaelFather of · 2 versesAlmodadFather of · 2 versesDiklahFather of · 2 versesHadoramFather of · 2 versesHavilahFather of · 2 versesHazarmavethFather of · 2 versesJerahFather of · 2 versesJobabFather of · 2 versesJoktan

    The 10 best-attested of 15 are drawn. All 15 are listed below.

    Child of

    • Eberregistry, no versewhich bearer is the source’s decision

    Father of

    Sibling of

    Stands in the same events as

    Places

    Where this happens

    A person is placed by the events they take part in, and an event has to clear three things to place them: it must say where it happened, that place must be one the gazetteer can put a coordinate on, and the verse must report it rather than foretell, command or ask it. Nothing anchored here clears all three. Where the text names a setting no gazetteer surveys — a vineyard, a palace, a plot of ground — it is left off rather than guessed at; where a place is named only in a prophecy, the map does not draw what was said to be coming as though it had happened; and a place reached only through a relation is not inherited, because standing beside somebody is not being somewhere.

    No verse Atlas has read as a report puts this person anywhere.

    Not read yet

    Read it

    Where to read it

    Every verse of the text carried here that names this entity — 6, across 2 books.

    1. Genesis3 verses

      10:2510:2610:29

    2. 1 Chronicles3 verses

      1:191:201:23

    Onward

    Where this page goes

    Not the direct relations above — these are one hop further out, ranked so that a rare shared connection outweighs a common one. Descriptions by STEPBible TIPNR.

    via Eber and PelegEber’s fatherhoodEber’s fatherhood is an event attested across 2 verses, connecting 2 pageable entities.via PelegPeleg’s fatherhoodPeleg’s fatherhood is an event attested across 2 verses, connecting 2 pageable entities.via PelegReuSon of Peleg, ancestor of Abrahamvia EberShelahSon of Arpachshad and ancestor of Abrahamvia EberShelah’s fatherhood of EberShelah’s fatherhood of Eber is an event attested across 2 verses, connecting 2 pageable entities.

    Sources

    What this rests on