Havilah

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Easton's Bible Dictionary - Havilah

Havilah [N] [H] [S]

the sand region.

  • A land mentioned in Genesis 2:11 rich in gold and bdellium and onyx stone. The question as to the locality of this region has given rise to a great diversity of opinion. It may perhaps be identified with the sandy tract which skirts Babylonia along the whole of its western border, stretching from the lower Euphrates to the mountains of Edom.

  • A district in Arabia-Felix. It is uncertain whether the tribe gave its name to this region or derived its name from it, and whether it was originally a Cushite ( Genesis 10:7 ) or a Joktanite tribe ( 10:29 ; comp 25:18 ), or whether there were both a Cushite and a Joktanite Havilah. It is the opinion of Kalisch, however, that Havilah "in both instances designates the same country, extending at least from the Persian to the Arabian Gulf, and on account of its vast extent easily divided into two distinct parts." This opinion may be well vindicated.

  • One of the sons of Cush ( Genesis 10:7 ).

  • A son of Joktan ( Genesis 10:29 ; 1 Chronicles 1:23 ).

    These dictionary topics are from
    M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
    published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
    [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary
    Bibliography Information

    Easton, Matthew George. "Entry for Havilah". "Easton's Bible Dictionary". .

    • Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary - Havilah

    Havilah [N] [E] [S]

    that suffers pain; that brings forth
    Hitchcock's Dictionary of Bible Names. Public Domain. Copy freely.
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary
    [S] indicates this entry was also found in Smith's Bible Dictionary
    Bibliography Information

    Hitchcock, Roswell D. "Entry for 'Havilah'". "An Interpreting Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names". . New York, N.Y., 1869.

    Smith's Bible Dictionary - Havilah

    Havilah [N] [E] [H]

    (circle ).

    1. A son of Cush. ( Genesis 10:7 )
    2. A son of Joktan. ( Genesis 10:29 )
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary
    [H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
    Bibliography Information

    Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Havilah'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901.

    Smith's Bible Dictionary - Havilah

    Havilah. [N] [E] [H]

    ( Genesis 2:11 )

    1. A part of Eden through which flowed the river Pison (Araxes). It was probably the Grecian Colchis, in the northeast corner of Asia Minor, near the Caspian Sea.
    2. A district in Arabia Felix, ( Genesis 10:7 ) named from the second son of Cush; probably the district of Kualan, in the northwestern part of Yemen.
    [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
    [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary
    [H] indicates this entry was also found in Hitchcock's Bible Names
    Bibliography Information

    Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Havilah'". "Smith's Bible Dictionary". . 1901.

    International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Havilah

    HAVILAH

    hav'-i-la (chawilah; Heuila):

    (1) Son of Cush (Genesis 10:7; 1 Chronicles 1:9).

    (2) Son of Yoktan, descendant of Shem (Genesis 10:29; 1 Chronicles 1:23).

    (3) Mentioned with Shur as one of the limits of the territory of the Ishmaelites (Genesis 25:18); compare the same limits of the land of the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:7), where, however, the text is doubtful. It is described (Genesis 2:11,12) as bounded by the river Pishon and as being rich in gold, bdellium and "shoham-stone" (English Version of the Bible, "onyx"). The shoham-stone was perhaps the Assyrian samtu, probably the malachite or turquoise. The mention of a Cushite Havilah is explained by the fact that the Arabian tribes at an early time migrated to the coast of Africa. The context of Genesis 10:7 thus favors situation on the Ethiopian shore, and the name is perhaps preserved in the kolpos Aualites and in the tribe Abalitai on the South side of the straits of Babel-Mandeb. Or possibly a trace of the name appears in the classical Aualis, now Zeila` in Somaliland. But its occurrence among the Yoktanite Arabs (Genesis 10:29) suggests a location in Arabia. South Arabian inscriptions mention a district of Khaulan (Chaulan), and a place of this name is found both in Tihama and Southeast of San`a'. Again Strabo's Chaulotaioi and Chuwaila in Bahrein point to a district on the Arabian shore of the Persian Gulf. No exact identification has yet been made.

    A. S. Fulton

    Copyright Statement
    These files are public domain.

    Bibliography Information
    Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'HAVILAH'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.