Joktan

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Joktan or Yoktan (יָקְטָן "little", Standard Hebrew Yoqtan, Tiberian Hebrew Yoqṭān) was the second of the two sons of Eber (Gen. 10:25; 1 Chr. 1:19) mentioned in the Hebrew Bible.

In the Book of Genesis 10:25 "And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan."

There is an Arab tradition that Joktan (Arabic: Kahtan) was the progenitor of all the main tribes of Central and Southern Arabia. There are thirteen children of Joktan: Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth (i.e., Hadramaut), Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba (in Yemen), Havilah (not in Arabia), Jobab, and Ophir (not in Arabia). Seven of them are said to each be the founder of an Arabian tribe.

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Contributed information by Lester D.K. Chow

In the Holy Scriptures, in the Book of Genesis, we find the genealogy of early mankind. In Genesis 10:25 and 10:26-30, we find the genealogy of Eber through Joktan and Joktan's sons. The names of Joktan's sons are: Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Haddram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab.

In the Holy Scriptures, the residence or dwelling place, at that time, of the descendants of Shem "...came to extend from Me'sha as far as Se'phar, the mountainous region of the East."

Arab traditions hold that Joktan was the progenitor of all Arab tribes or Middle East tribes prior to the time of Abram. Contrary to the above statement and Jewish belief, the descendants of Havilah do reside in the Middle East. Research has shown that the descendants of a man named Havilah, a Hamite and son of Cush, is often confused, intentionally, with the Shemite descendants of the Shemite Havilah (son of Joktan) and the two people are not the same!

According to Chinese records, the Zhou clan of the Zhou Dynasty descends from Joktan through his son Jobab (Jo.ab) their clanfather. During the time of Nimrod their family resided in the Fertile Crescent, in an ancient village, now, called Hassuna which was absorbed or sinocized into Nimrod's band.

The descendants of Eber are called Eberites. Eberites were mistakenly referred to as Hebrews. A term which now applies to both the Jews and Eberites.

The word "Hebrew", now, has become a patronymic name derived from Eber.

The name Joktan (יָקְטָן) originally meant "(Shem's) tribe to sustain".

Also refer to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhou_Dynasty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AEber

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