The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
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Douay Rheims 1609
AD 1609
ALSO the sons of Reuben the first begotten of Israel (for he was his first begotten: (a) but when he had violated his fathers bed, his first birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, and he was not reputed for the first begotten.
(a) See annotations; Gen. 49. nu. 4.
Because thou didest ascend thy fathers bed] For this crime of incest Reuben was deprived of his first-birth-right. Who being by order of birth former in guistes, whereby he should have had double portion; and greater in Empire, Whereby he should have been Prince or Lord over his brethren, the former prerogative was given to Joseph, whose two sons were heads of two Tribes, the other was given to the Tribe of Juda, in David and his posterity. He was also deprived of his prerogative in Priesthood, which was after annexed to the Tribe of Levi, Whereupon the Chaldee paraphrases speaketh thus to Reuben: It belonged to thee to have received three better letters then thy brethren, Priesthood, Best portion,...
To Japheth the son of Noah were born seven sons who occupied land in Asia from Amanus and Taurus of Coele-Syria and the mountains of Cilicia as far as the river Don. Then in Europe they occupied land as far as Gadira, leaving behind names for places and peoples, most of which were afterwards changed: others remain as they were. So Gomer actually refers to the Galatians; Magog to the Scythians; Madai to the Medes; Javan to the Ionians who are also the Greeks (from which we get 'the Ionian Sea'); and Thubal to the Iberians who are also the Spaniards from whom derive the Celtiberians, although certain people suppose them to be the Italians. Mosoch refers to the Cappadocians, so that among themselves up to the present day their city is also called Mazeca; Thiras refers to the Thracians, whose name has not been much changed. I know that a certain man has referred Gog and Magog, both as regards the present verse and in Ezekiel, to the account of the Goths who were recently raging in our land...
