What does 1 Chronicles 1:6 mean?
What is the meaning of 1 Chronicles 1:6?

The sons

1 Chronicles 1:6 records, “The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.”

• Genealogies such as this one link the post-Flood world directly back to Noah’s family (Genesis 10:1) and anchor later history to real people.

• Scripture presents these family lines as literal history, underscoring God’s sovereign design in populating the earth (Acts 17:26).

• By naming Gomer’s three sons, the verse shows how nations spread from a single household, fulfilling God’s command to “fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1).


Gomer

• Gomer is listed among “the sons of Japheth” (Genesis 10:2), placing him within the northern branch of Noah’s descendants.

Ezekiel 38:6 foresees Gomer allied with others “from the far north,” hinting at people groups in the regions around Asia Minor and beyond.

• The biblical picture: a genuine patriarch whose descendants formed recognizable northern tribes, reminding believers that prophecy and history intertwine.


Ashkenaz

Genesis 10:3 repeats his name alongside his brothers, confirming the same lineage.

Jeremiah 51:27 calls nations to attack Babylon, including “Ashkenaz,” showing that Ashkenaz’s descendants had become a distinct people group by Jeremiah’s day.

• Historically connected with areas north of the Black Sea and later with parts of Europe, Ashkenaz points to God’s wider plan to spread humanity across continents.


Riphath

• Only 1 Chronicles 1:6 and Genesis 10:3 mention Riphath, yet his inclusion confirms that every branch of the family matters in God’s record.

• Some historians link his line with regions of Anatolia or the Carpathian range, but Scripture’s intent is to trace real family roots, not to satisfy every curiosity.

• The brief mention encourages trust that every unknown name in God’s Word has a place in His larger redemptive story (Psalm 147:4).


Togarmah

Ezekiel 27:14 notes, “The men of Beth-togarmah traded your wares for horses, war horses, and mules,” showing Togarmah’s house as a commercial power.

Ezekiel 38:6 joins “Beth-togarmah from the far north” in the end-times coalition, indicating a far-reaching legacy.

• Traditionally tied to the Armenian highlands or eastern Anatolia, Togarmah’s line illustrates how God raised up nations that would later intersect prophetic events.


summary

1 Chronicles 1:6 is more than a list of obscure names; it traces real sons of a real father, Gomer, whose families became whole nations. Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah remind us that God oversees the spread of every tribe, linking early Genesis history to later prophets like Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Each name testifies to the faithfulness of God, who records every lineage and weaves every people into His unfolding plan of redemption.

Why are genealogies, like in 1 Chronicles 1:5, important in understanding biblical theology?
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