Bible Encyclopedias
Javan

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jā´van ( יון , yāwān , meaning unknown):

(1) In Genesis 10:2 , Genesis 10:4 = 1 Chronicles 1:5 , 1 Chronicles 1:7 Septuagint Ἰωυάν , Iōuán ; Isaiah 66:19; Ezekiel 27:13 Septuagint Ἑλλάς , Hellás , Greece); Daniel 8:21 m; Daniel 10:20; Daniel 11:2; Zechariah 9:13; Joel 3:6 (Hebrew 4:6) Septuagint ὁι Ἑλληνες , hoi Héllēnes , i.e. "Greeks"), "son" of Japheth, and "father" of Elisha, Tars, Kittim, and Rodarim, i.e. Rhodes (incorrectly "Dodanim" in Genesis 10:4 ). Javan is the Greek Ἰάων , Iáōn or Ἰάων , Iá (v )ōn , and in Gen and 1 Ch = the Ionian Greeks of Asia Minor, probably here = Cyprus. The reference in Ezekiel 27:13 (from which that in Isaiah 66:19 is copied) is the country personified. In Joel the plural יונים , yewānı̄m , is found. In Dan the name is extended to the Greeks generally. Corroboration of the name is found in Assyrian (Schrader, editor, Keilinschriftliche Bibliothek , II, 43). "The Persian Yauna occurs in the same double reference from the time of Darius; compare Aesch. Pers ., 176, 562" (Skinner, Gen , 198). In Egyptian the word is said to be yevan -‛n'a ; in the Tell el-Amarna Letters Yivana is mentioned as being in the land of Tyre. See HDB , II, 552b.

(2) Place (Ezekiel 27:19 ); the name is missing in Septuagint.

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Javan'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​j/javan.html. 1915.