Lexical Summary Dodanim: Dodanim Original Word: דֹּדָנִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Dodanim Or (by orthographical error) Rodaniym (1 Chron. 1:7) {ro-daw-neem'}; a plural of uncertain derivation; Dodanites, or descendants of a son of Javan -- Dodanim. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation, see also Rodanim Definition a son of Javan, also his desc. NASB Translation Dodanim (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs דֹּדָנִים proper name, of a people, plural Genesis 10:4; but = רוֺדָנִים 1 Chronicles 1:7; read here רדנים, so ᵐ5 Sam Di StaDe Pop. Javan. 11; compare Ezekiel 27:15 above below דְּדָן. רוֺדָנִים proper name, of a people plural Rhodians; — 1 Chronicles 1:7, Ῥόδιοι; and so "" Genesis 10:4 (for דֹּדָנִים p. 187). Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences Dodanim is named twice in Scripture, both times within genealogical lists that trace the post-Flood spread of nations: Genesis 10:4 and 1 Chronicles 1:7. In each passage he appears as one of four sons of Javan, who is himself a son of Japheth. Genealogical Context and Identity Noah → Japheth → Javan → Dodanim. This placement links Dodanim with the early maritime peoples of the Mediterranean world. Javan’s other sons—Elishah, Tarshish, and Kittim—are all associated with important coastal or island regions. Together they represent the expansion of Japheth’s descendants “into their lands, each with his own language, by their clans within their nations” (Genesis 10:5). Dodanim therefore belongs to the family line that fathered some of the earliest Gentile sea-traders and colonizers. Textual Variants and Name Forms While Genesis records “Dodanim,” the parallel list in 1 Chronicles preserves “Rodanim,” a form reflected in several ancient versions (including the Septuagint). The Hebrew characters for d and r are easily confused, explaining the interchange. “Rodanim” points naturally to the island of Rhodes, while “Dodanim” may reflect a broader ethnonym engrained in Near-Eastern tradition (e.g., the Dardanians of northwest Asia Minor). The dual form suggests an island or coastal group rather than a single individual. Geographical Associations 1. Rhodes: The earliest patristic writers, and many modern commentators, connect Rodanim with the Rhodians. Rhodes lay astride key trade routes linking Asia Minor, the Aegean, Cyprus, and Egypt—perfectly matching the maritime profile of Javan’s sons. Role in the Table of Nations The Table of Nations (Genesis 10) is not merely an ethnographic catalog; it is an inspired record demonstrating the orderly fulfillment of God’s mandate to “fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Dodanim, though briefly mentioned, embodies three themes: 1. Diversity within unity: Each son of Javan develops a distinct sphere, yet all remain branches of one family. Prophetic and Theological Significance Though Dodanim never reappears as an active character, the nations that sprang from him form part of the prophetic horizon called “the islands” or “coastlands” (Isaiah 42:4; Jeremiah 31:10). These distant peoples eventually receive messianic light, fulfilling the promise that the Servant’s salvation would reach “to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). Thus the terse genealogical note anticipates the universal scope of the Gospel, later realized when Paul’s missionary journeys touched the very regions first settled by Japheth’s maritime descendants (Acts 16:11–12; 19:1). Historical Influence Archaeology and classical history portray the Rhodians and Dardanians as skilled shipbuilders, merchants, and—in Rhodes’ case—legal innovators. Their maritime prowess contributed to the network of sea lanes that eventually carried Hebrew Scriptures (via the Septuagint) and, later, Christian testimony across the Mediterranean basin. Lessons for Ministry Today 1. God’s concern spans every coastline and language group noted in Scripture, whatever their prominence. Summary Dodanim (or Rodanim) represents the ancestral root of significant Aegean island and coastal peoples. Though mentioned only twice, his placement within inspired genealogy validates the historical spread of humanity, anchors later prophetic references to the “islands,” and underscores the expansive reach of divine redemption—from Ararat’s slopes to the furthest Mediterranean shores. Forms and Transliterations וְדֹדָנִֽים׃ וְרוֹדָנִֽים׃ ודדנים׃ ורודנים׃ vedodaNim verodaNim wə·ḏō·ḏā·nîm wə·rō·w·ḏā·nîm wəḏōḏānîm wərōwḏānîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:4 HEB: וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּתִּ֖ים וְדֹדָנִֽים׃ NAS: and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. KJV: and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. INT: and Tarshish Kittim and Dodanim 1 Chronicles 1:7 2 Occurrences |
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