The Talmudic tradition that there are seventy nations in the world is based on the list of Noah's descentants (R' Bachya).
The haggadic assumption that there are This tradition of seventy nations and languages in the world is based upon the ethnological table given in Gen. 10deep-11, where seventy grandsons of Noah are enumerated, each of whom became the ancestor of a nationrooted. The earlier Christian writers also took this table as determining According to the number Midrash each of existing nations and languages; but reckoning with the Septuagint, which counts seventy-two grandsons of Noah, there must be seventy-two nations and languages (see Augustine, "De Civitate Dei"; Anio, in his commentary on is placed under the second book protection of Berosus; comp. Azariah dei Rossi, "Me'or 'Enayim, Imre Binah," xlviii.). The Haggadah seems to have followed in this case the theory of the Hellenistsa special angle, who regarded the ethnological table as a scientific and complete division of mankind into three racesexcept Israel, distributed among three separate zones. This theory whose Protector is expounded in the Book of Jubilees; "and at the beginning of the thirtyG-third jubilee they divided the earth into three parts between Shem, Ham, and Japheth, according to their inheritance" (ch. viii.)d Himself.
Just as there were seventy nations (cf. Targum Yonasan to 11:7), the words of the Torah engraved on the Tablets on Mount Ebal (Deut. 27:2ff) were written in seventy languages (Mishna, Sotah 7:5) so that all the nations might read it. For the same reason, G-d's voice at Sinai divided itself into seventy languages (Shabbos 58b). The seventy bullocks sacrificed on Tabernacles were offered to atone for the seventy nations. 'Woe to the nations!' says Rav Yochanan; 'for they suffered a loss [by having destroyed the Temple] and do not realize the extent of the loss. While the Temple existed the altar atoned for them, but now [that it is destroyed] who will atone for them?' (Sukkah 55b) The seventy members of the Sanhedrin also corresponded to the seventy nations of the world. (Targum Yerushalmi to Gensis 28:3). According to many commentators (Radak, Ralbag, Chizkuni, Malbim) this concept seems to underlie Deut. 32:8 which says that G-d 'established the boundaries of nations [i.e. the seventy nations]... according to the number of te children of Israel' -- namely the seventy who descended to Egypt with Yakov (Gensis 46:27) ==Table of NationsRabbinic View ==
The majority of Palestinian and Babylonian scholars considered the ethnological table to be a simple historical narrative, enumerating, without any pretense to completeness, the descendants of Noah, and indicating the places they had chosen for their respective residences. This is clearly expressed by R. Huna of Sepphoris, who, interpreting Canticles vi. 8 as an allusion to the nations and their languages, says: "Sixty and eighty are one hundred and forty. Of these, there are seventy nations, each of which possesses a separate language but not a separate script, and seventy other nations, each of which possesses both a separate language and a separate script; as to the nations which possess neither a separate language nor a separate script, they are numberless" (Cant. R. l.c.). In a later midrash, the "Midrash ha-Gadol," it is inferred from Cant. vi. 8 that there were only sixty original nations, eliminating from the ethnological table the ten nations descended from Japheth, Gomer, Javan, Ham, Cush, Raamah, Shem, Mizraim, Aram, and Joktan. As to the languages, the "Midrash ha-Gadol" counts seventy-two, as do the Christian authorities. "The total number of the countries that the children of Noah divided among their descendants was 104; of islands, 99; of languages, 72; and of scripts, 16. To the share of Japheth fell 44 countries, 33 islands, 22 languages, and 5 scripts; Ham received 34 countries, 33 islands, 24 languages, and 5 scripts; Shem, 26 countries, 33 islands, 26 languages, and 6 scripts."
(see image) Barn-Houses of the National Farm School, Doylestown, Pa.(From a photograph.)
Attempts were made by == Other Views === The haggadic assumption that there are seventy nations and languages in the world is based upon the ethnological table given in Genesis 10, where seventy grandsons of Noah are enumerated, each of whom became the ancestor of a nation. The earlier Christian writers also took this table as determining the Rabbis to identify those number of existing nations and languages; but reckoning with the Septuagint, which were not known to counts seventy-two grandsons of Noah, there must be seventy-two nations and languages (see Augustine, "De Civitate Dei"; Anio, in his commentary on the average readersecond book of Berosus; comp. Azariah dei Rossi, "Me'or 'Enayim, Imre Binah," xlviii.). The Targumim Haggadah seems to Gen. x. have followed in this case the theory of the Hellenists, who regarded the ethnological table as a scientific and I Chroncomplete division of mankind into three races, distributed among three separate zones. i., both This theory is expounded in the Palestinian Book of Jubilees; "and at the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee they divided the Babylonian Talmudsearth into three parts between Shem, Ham, and various midrashimJapheth, interpret many according to their inheritance" (ch. viii.). ==Enumerating the Nations== There is some disagreement as to how the count of seventy nations is to be derived from the names following verses. A counting of the Biblical nations in the light names -- including Shem, Cham and Yafet, will reveal a total of their geographicaland ethnological knowledgeseventy-four. The links below list common system (following Pesikta Zutresa; Torah Sheleimah 9:110) of ascribing 14 nations to Yafet; 30 to Cham; and 26 to Shem, totalling seventy. Shem, Cham and Yafet themselves are omitted as are the rabbinical identifications Philistines who, according to Samuel KraussGenesis 10:14 are designated as a mixed race. Others include the Philstines but omit Nimrod from whom a separate nation did not descend. Yalkut Shimoni 61 attributes 15 nations to Yafet, 32 to Cham, and 27 to Shem, totalling 74. However, Shem, Arpachshad, Shelach and Ever were too righteous to be counted among the second column giving the countries or places with which the various "nations" are associatedgeneral, leaving thetotal again at 70.
==Identifications==
Attempts were made by the Rabbis to identify those nations which were not known to the average reader. The Targumim to Genesis 10 and I Chron. i., both the Palestinian and the Babylonian Talmuds, and various midrashim, interpret many of the names of the Biblical nations in the light of their geographicaland ethnological knowledge. The links below list the rabbinical identifications according to Samuel Krauss, the second column giving the countries or places with which the various "nations" are associated.
The sons of Shem were not identified by the Rabbis because they were known, and of the Canaanite nations only the following places are given: Arthasia (city in Phenicia); Gebalene (in Idumea); Acra (in the Lebanon); Aradno (in Phenicia); Emesa (in Syria); Epiphania (in Syria); Callirhoe (to the east of the Dead Sea); Sidon; Tripoli (Phenicia); Cyprus.
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