Japheth

Japheth was one of Noah's three sons; his descendants, according to Genesis 10:2–5, are the ancestors of the Indo-European peoples, associated with regions north and west of the ancient Near East, including the Greeks (Javan), Medes (Madai), and peoples of Asia Minor and Europe. He joined his brother Shem in covering their father's nakedness and received Noah's blessing: 'May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem' (Genesis 9:27). Later Jewish interpretation read this verse as prophesying Gentile participation in Israel's spiritual heritage—a reading that appeared in debates about the inclusion of Gentiles in the early church. Japheth is the least prominent of the three sons in the subsequent biblical narrative.