Joktan Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Joktan, a descendant of Shem through Eber, was the ancestor of several Arabian tribes.
son of Eber (GEN 10:25)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem › Arphaxad › Cainan › Salah › Eber › Joktan
Names
-
en
Joktan
small dispute; contention; disgust
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en
Joktan
· Also called · H3355 none · GEN 10:25 smaller
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he
יָקְטָן
yaqətan · H3355 · GEN 10:25 smaller
- he יׇקְטָן · H3355
- el Ιεκταν Iektan · none · GEN 10:25
- bg Йектан
Mentioned in (6)
SDA Books
Awaiting permission to publishLinked through an explicitly cited Bible passage
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Conditional birth estimate
Conditional birth bounds under generation assumptions; not attested parental ages, biological limits or a lifespan.
The anchors give incompatible conditional intervals. This calculation establishes no birth year.
Below are relatives with a selected birth year, the generations separating them, and the interval allowed by each anchor. Each relative’s page shows available dates and sources. The overall estimate uses the intersection of the allowed intervals.
| Relative / anchor year | Generations | Conditional interval |
|---|---|---|
| Eber · 2282 BC Ancestor |
1 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2257 BC – 2152 BC |
| Salah · 2312 BC Ancestor |
2 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2262 BC – 2052 BC |
| Arphaxad · 2347 BC Ancestor |
4 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2247 BC – 1827 BC |
| Shem · 2447 BC Ancestor |
5 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2322 BC – 1797 BC |
| Noah · 2948 BC Ancestor |
6 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2798 BC – 2168 BC |
| Lamech · 3130 BC Ancestor |
7 25–130 years per generation |
c. 2955 BC – 2220 BC |
| Methuselah · 3317 BC Ancestor |
8 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3117 BC – 2277 BC |
| Enoch · 3382 BC Ancestor |
9 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3157 BC – 2212 BC |
| Jared · 3544 BC Ancestor |
10 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3294 BC – 2244 BC |
| Mahalaleel · 3609 BC Ancestor |
11 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3334 BC – 2179 BC |
| Cainan · 3679 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3379 BC – 2119 BC |
| Cain · 4004 BC Ancestor |
12 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3704 BC – 2444 BC |
| Enos · 3769 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3444 BC – 2079 BC |
| Adam · 4004 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3679 BC – 2314 BC |
| Eve · 4005 BC Ancestor |
13 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3680 BC – 2315 BC |
| Seth · 3874 BC Ancestor |
14 25–130 years per generation |
c. 3524 BC – 2054 BC |
Joktan Article
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.
Joktan Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
Little, the second of the two sons of Eber (Gen. 10:25; 1 Chr. 1:19). There is an Arab tradition that Joktan (Arab. Kahtan) was the progenitor of all the purest tribes of Central and Southern Arabia.
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Joktan_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Joktan@Gen.10.25-1Ch) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, joktan_1686)