And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
Sheba is often associated with the Sabaeans, a wealthy and influential kingdom in southwestern Arabia, known for its trade in spices and incense. The Queen of Sheba's visit to Solomon (1 Kings 10) highlights the wealth and significance of this region. Dedan is linked to a trading community in northwestern Arabia, known for its caravan routes. Both Sheba and Dedan are mentioned in prophetic literature (Isaiah 21:13; Ezekiel 38:13), indicating their continued importance in biblical history. These descendants of Raamah highlight the spread of trade and cultural exchange in the ancient Near East, with Sheba and Dedan serving as key players in the economic and political landscape of the time.

Genesis 10:7 opens with, “The sons of Cush…”. This reminds us that God tracks real families and real history. Cush, a son of Ham (Genesis 10:6), became progenitor of peoples stretching from the upper Nile to the Arabian Peninsula. His line shows:

• God’s promise of fruitfulness after the Flood is already unfolding (Genesis 9:1).

• The Table of Nations (Genesis 10) is literal genealogy, laying groundwork for later references—such as Cush’s prominence in Isaiah 11:11 and Acts 8:27.

“Seba” (Psalm 72:10; Isaiah 43:3) points to a wealthy people associated with trading ports along the Red Sea and upper Nile. Scripture portrays them as:

• Merchants bringing tribute to God’s king (Psalm 72:10–11).

• A reminder that distant nations will one day honor the Messiah (Isaiah 60:6).

“Havilah” recalls an earlier mention of a land “where there is gold” (Genesis 2:11–12). Later, Ishmael’s descendants live “from Havilah to Shur” (Genesis 25:18). Key takeaways:

• Real geography—probably the northern Arabian desert—anchors the narrative.

• The repeating name ties pre-Flood and post-Flood worlds together, underscoring continuity in God’s story.

Though Sabtah is not cited elsewhere, his inclusion matters. In genealogies:

• Every branch is recorded; none are forgotten before God (Malachi 3:16).

• The mention hints at peoples along the southern Arabian coast who later interact with Israel through trade (Ezekiel 27).

Raamah surfaces again as a trading partner with Tyre (Ezekiel 27:22). From this we see:

• Cush’s line influenced world commerce, fulfilling Genesis 9:1’s call to “fill the earth.”

• God’s Word accurately traces economic centers long before modern historians did.

Little else is said of Sabteca, yet his listing teaches:

• Scripture’s precision—names are recorded even when secular history loses track.

• The Creator values every nation that springs from Noah’s family (Acts 17:26).

The verse shifts focus: “And the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.” This structure shows:

• A second-generation snapshot, proving Genesis 10 is more than a surface census.

• God’s design of family lines branching outward, fulfilling His multiplying purpose.

Well-known from the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon (1 Kings 10:1–10), Sheba illustrates:

• A people famed for gold, spices, and wisdom‐seeking—echoing Genesis 10’s trade hints.

• Prophetic glimpse of Gentiles honoring Christ (Psalm 72:15; Isaiah 60:6; Matthew 2:11).

Dedan appears in prophetic oracles (Isaiah 21:13; Jeremiah 25:23; Ezekiel 27:15, 20; 38:13). Lessons:

• Caravan tribes from northwestern Arabia descend from Cush, fitting Genesis 10’s spread pattern.

• Dedan’s later role in end-times prophecies shows how early genealogy informs future events.

Genesis 10:7 records real sons of Cush—Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabteca—and Raamah’s sons, Sheba and Dedan. Each name roots biblical history in actual peoples, locations, and future prophecies. The verse showcases God’s faithfulness to multiply Noah’s line, connects the post-Flood world to later trade and prophetic scenes, and hints that nations near and far will ultimately bring their treasures and worship to the Lord.

1. Seba.--The name at this time of an Arabian tribe, which subsequently migrated into Africa, and settled in Meroe, which, according to Josephus, still bore in his days this appellation. They also left their name on the eastern side of the Red Sea, not far to the north of the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb.

2. Havilah, upon the river Pison (Genesis 2:11), was undoubtedly a region of Arabia, situated probably upon the Persian Gulf. Havilah is again mentioned in Genesis 10:29.

3. Sabtah.--Probably Hadramaut, in Arabia Felix. (See Note on Genesis 10:26.)

4. Raamah, on the Persian Gulf, was divided into Dedan upon the south-west and Sheba in the centre, while Havilah lay upon the north-west side. Of these, Sheba subsequently rose to fame as the kingdom of the Himyarite Arabs.

5. Sabtechah.--Apparently still more to the south of Dedan, but placed by some on the eastern side of the gulf. . . .