The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and {b} Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

(b) Of Madai and Javan came the Medes and Greeks.

Wesley's Notes

10:2 Moses begins with Japhet's family, either because he was the eldest, or because that lay remotest from Israel, and had least concern with them, at that time when Moses wrote; and therefore he mentions that race very briefly; hastening to give account of the posterity of Ham, who were Israel's enemies, and of Shem, who were Israel's ancestors: for it is the church that the scripture designed to be the history of, and of the nations of the world only as they were some way or other interested in the affairs of Israel.

Scofield Reference Notes

[1] Gomer - Progenitor of the ancient Cimerians and Cimbri, from whom are descended the Celtic family.

[2] Magog - From Magog are descended the ancient Scythians, or Tartars, whose descendants predominate in the modern Russia. Ezek 38:2 39:6 Rev 20:8.

[3] Madai - Progenitor of the ancient Medes.

[4] Javan - Progenitor of those who peopled Greece, Syria, etc.

[5] Tubal - Tubal's descendants peopled the region south of the black Sea, from whence they spread north and south. It is probable that Tobolsk perpetuates the tribal name. A branch of this race peopled Spain.

[6] Meshech - Progenitor of a race mentioned in connection with Tubal, Magog, and other northern nations. Broadly speaking, Russia, excluding the conquests of Peter the Great and his successors, is the modern land of Magog, Tubal, and Meshech.

[7] Tiras - Progenitor of the Thracians.

From these seven sons of Japheth are descended the goyim, or Gentile, nations, trans. "heathen" 148 times in the A.V. The name implies nothing concerning religion, meaning simply, non-Israelite, or "foreigner."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:1-7 This chapter shows concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them was the whole earth overspread. No nation but that of the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come. The lists of names of fathers and sons were preserved of the Jews alone, for the sake of the Messiah. Many learned men, however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations of the earth descended from each of the sons of Noah To the posterity of Japheth were allotted the isles of the gentiles; probably, the island of Britain among the rest. All places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles, Jer 25:22. That promise, Isa 42:4, The isles shall wait for his law, speaks of the conversion of the gentiles to the faith of Christ.