the son of Noah. His descendants possessed all Europe and the isles in the Mediterranean, as well those which belong to Europe, as others which depend on Asia. They had all Asia Minor, and the northern parts of Asia above the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates. Noah, when he blessed Japheth, said to him, "God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant." This blessing of Noah was accomplished, when the Greeks, and after them the Romans, carried their conquests into Asia and Africa, where were the dwellings and dominions of Shem and Canaan.

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The scripture says, "that they peopled the isles of the Gentiles, and settled in different countries, each according to his language, family, and people." It is supposed, that Gomer was the father of the Cimbri, or Cimmerians; Magog of the Scythians; Madai of the Macedonians or Medes; Javan of the Ionians and Greeks; Tubal of the Tibareniens; Meshech of the Muscovites or Ruthenians; and Tiras of the Thracians. By the isles of the Gentiles, the Hebrews understand the isles of the Mediterranean, and all the countries separated by the sea from the continent of Palestine; whither also the Hebrews could go by sea only, as Spain, Gaul, Italy, Greece, Asia Minor.

Japheth was known by profane authors under the name of Japetus. The poets make him the father of heaven and earth. The Greeks believe that he was the father of their race, and acknowledged nothing more ancient than him. Besides the seven sons of Japheth above mentioned, the Septuagint, Eusebius, the Alexandrian Chronicle, and St Austin, give him an eighth called Elissa, who is not mentioned either in the Hebrew or Chaldee, and the eastern people affirm that Japheth had eleven children.