The name Japheth in Hebrew means ‘enlargement’. This name is generally understood to refer to the way in which the descendants of Japheth spread out: they wandered further than the descendants of Shem who stayed roughly in the area of the Middle East. ‘Japheth’s name has been preserved in both branches of the Aryan family, which very early split into two major divisions and settled in Europe and India. The Greeks, for example, trace themselves back to Japetos, a name which without doubt is the same … In the Indian account of the Flood, “Noah” is known as “Satyaurata,” who had three sons, the eldest of whom was named Iyapeti. The other two were called Sharma and C’harma (Shem and Ham)’ (Custance, Noah’s Three Sons).
Gomer means ‘complete’ or ‘perfect’. ‘Most of the western nations of Europe are thought to have descended from him’ (Alfred Jones, Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names). ‘The Greek writer, Homer, calls them the Cimmerians. These people were originally found on the north coast of the Black Sea. Later, during the eighth century B.C., they attacked Armenia and established themselves at Lake Van. About 700 BC they moved farther west and conquered the kingdom of the Lydians under Gyges’ (G. Ch. Aalders, Genesis). From them ‘our descended the Cumri or Cymry in Wales and Brittany’ (Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament). Ezekiel 38:6 speaks of Gomer, and all his bands in confirmation that his descendants were widespread. Magog is said by Josephus to be the ancestor of the Scythians, who form the basis of the Russian people, but this is not supported by other sources. ‘The territory of the Medes was to the east of Assyria in the mountains that form the north-western section of Iran, to the south of the Caspian Sea’ (Aalders). Madai means ‘extended of the Lord’ (Jones). ‘It is reasonably clear that the Madai appear subsequently as the Medes and Javan gave rise to the Ionians [the more important tribe from which the Greeks came]… What we have is a general term [Madai] for those who became Indians, Medes, and Persians’ (Custance). Isaiah 66:19 prophesies the gospel going to the Gentiles and to the nations that have not seen God’s glory, and includes the name Javan, Tubal, and other descendants of Japheth. In this way Japheth dwelt in the tents of Shem and came into gospel blessing. Josephus attributes the founding of the Iberians to Tubal. Meshech ‘is probably the same as “Mushki” in the ancient Assyrian tablets … These people were to be found in Asia Minor, to the north-west of Assyria’ (Aalders). Josephus and the Targum say that the Thracians were descended from Tiras. Custance identifies Ashkenaz with the earliest settlers in Germany and Scandinavia, Rithpath with Europe or Carpathians, and Togarmah with the ancient inhabitants of Armenia. He associates Elishah with Hellas, a name for the Greeks as a whole, Tarshish with Spain of North Africa, Kittim with Cyprus, and Dodanim with Rhodes.