Name Old Testament Rare
Dodanim
Dodanim
רוֹדָנִים do.da.nim
Dodanim (Hebrew: רוֹדָנִים, do.da.nim) is a biblical name; its Hebrew etymology is not securely established. It appears in 2 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Elishah in Genesis 10.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Dodanim
son of Japheth
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 2 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Patriarchal
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 10:4 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 1:7 |
| Cross-references | 31 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Tiras attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Tubal attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Madai attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Magog attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Javan attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Meshech attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Gomer attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Japheth.
- Elishah co-occurrence Appears with Elishah in Genesis 10.
Origin & meaning
People descended from Dodan(?) of the Greeks, first mentioned at Gen.10.4; descended from Javan (H3120); along with Elishah (H0473), Tarshish (H8659) and Kittim (H3794); also called Rodanim or Rodanites at 1Ch.1.7;
§ Dodanim or Rodanim = "leaders"
sons or descendants of Javan
The Dodanim were descendants of Javan, son of Japheth, mentioned in the Table of Nations.
The biblical story
The Dodanim are mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 and 1 Chronicles 1. They are listed as one of the descendants of Javan, the son of Japheth (Gen.10.4; 1Ch.1.7).
Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah, and his descendants are generally associated with the peoples of Europe and Asia Minor. Javan, Japheth's son, is often connected with the ancient Greeks or the Ionians.
The Dodanim, along with Javan's other descendants (Elishah, Tarshish, and Kittim), are thought to represent various peoples or regions within the Greek or Mediterranean world. However, the exact identification of the Dodanim remains uncertain.
Some scholars suggest that the Dodanim may be associated with the island of Rhodes, located off the coast of Asia Minor. Others propose a connection with the Dardanians, an ancient people who lived in the region of the Dardanelles and Troy.
It is worth noting that in some manuscripts and translations of 1Ch.1.7, the name "Dodanim" is rendered as "Rodanim," which could be a scribal error or may suggest an alternative tradition linking Javan's descendants with the island of Rhodes.
Apart from these mentions in the Table of Nations, no further information is provided about the Dodanim in the Bible. Their inclusion in the genealogies serves to trace the spread of nations and peoples following the Flood and to establish the connection between Japheth's descendants and the Greek or Mediterranean world.
Key verses
Dodanim appears in 2 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Genesis 10:4 -
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
1 Chronicles 1:7
Show all 2 references
Genesis (1)
- Genesis 10:4
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 1:7