Lexical Summary Sabteka: Sabteca, Sabteka Original Word: סַבְתְּכָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Sabtecha, Sabtechah Probably of foreign derivation; Sabteca, the name of a son of Cush, and the region settled by him -- Sabtecha, Sabtechah. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originprobably of foreign origin Definition a son of Cush, also the territory settled by his desc. NASB Translation Sabteca (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs סַבְתְּכָא proper name, of a people 5th 'son' of Cush according to Genesis 10:7 = 1 Chronicles 1:9 (הָ֯ according to Baer; אָ֯, as Genesis, van d. H. Ginsb); location quite unknown; ᵑ6 Σαβακαθα, Σεβεκαθα. Topical Lexicon Lineage and Context Sabteca is named among the five sons of Cush, who was the son of Ham and grandson of Noah (Genesis 10:7; 1 Chronicles 1:9). In the Berean Standard Bible, Genesis 10:7 reads, “The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.” The parallel list in 1 Chronicles 1:9 repeats the same order. By placing Sabteca within the Table of Nations—the divinely preserved record of post-Flood dispersion—Scripture affirms both the unity of humanity in Adam and Noah, and the ordered diversity of peoples and lands that followed God’s mandate to “fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1). Geographical Associations While the text does not specify where Sabteca’s descendants settled, historical and linguistic lines of evidence point toward the southwestern Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. Ancient inscriptions from the early first millennium B.C. record South Arabian tribal names that resemble “Sabt-” roots, suggesting a linkage with coastal regions of modern Yemen. Others note affinities with eastern Sudan or Eritrea, where Nubian and Cushitic cultures flourished. The ambiguity itself underlines the wide reach of Cushite migrations and demonstrates how the Table of Nations captures movement between Africa and Arabia long before later empires drew formal borders. Role in the Table of Nations 1. Validation of Genesis history: Sabteca’s appearance in two distinct genealogical registers (Genesis and Chronicles) reinforces the reliability of early biblical chronology. Historical Significance Archaeological finds at South Arabian sites such as Marib and Qarnaw reveal early complex societies engaged in spice and incense trade—an economy that later benefitted Israelites and made possible the journey of “Sheba” (a descendant of Raamah, Sabteca’s brother). Although Sabteca’s own clan is not spotlighted in later narratives, its inclusion in Genesis affirms that no tribe lies outside God’s historical purposes. The Chronicles retelling, compiled after the exile, re-anchors post-exilic Israel in the same family tree, teaching that God’s covenant dealings span millennia and continents. Theological Themes • Human unity: All post-Flood peoples, including Sabteca’s line, share common descent, underscoring the universality of sin and the universal need for grace (Romans 3:23). Ministry Application Genealogies often appear tedious, yet they ground preaching and teaching in concrete history. Highlighting names like Sabteca helps congregations appreciate that Scripture speaks to every ethnic group. In missions training, Sabteca exemplifies how a single biblical mention can open avenues for cultural research, prayer, and engagement with peoples of Arabian-African descent today. By tracing God’s faithfulness to this obscure son of Cush, Christians gain confidence that the Lord “is not slow concerning His promise” (2 Peter 3:9) but is patiently gathering a redeemed multitude from every family of the earth. Forms and Transliterations וְסַבְתְּכָ֑א וסבתכא vesavteCha wə·saḇ·tə·ḵā wəsaḇtəḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:7 HEB: וְסַבְתָּ֥ה וְרַעְמָ֖ה וְסַבְתְּכָ֑א וּבְנֵ֥י רַעְמָ֖ה NAS: and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons KJV: and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons INT: and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca and the sons of Raamah 1 Chronicles 1:9 2 Occurrences |
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