The Son of Joktan and the Fountainhead of Arabian Aromatics
The tenth chapter of Genesis, the Table of Nations, is the inspired record of human dispersal after the Flood, establishing the familial and geographical roots of the peoples of the earth. Diklah is a name found within the prestigious lineage of Shem, representing one of the founding groups of the Arabian Peninsula. His sole mention in Scripture underscores the meticulous detail with which God ordained the habitation of the nations.
The Origin in the Line of Shem
Diklah was the son of Joktan, who was the son of Eber, placing him securely within the family line that would ultimately lead to Abraham and the covenant people. After the confusion of languages at Babel, Joktan’s family settled in the vast, arid lands of Arabia.
Diklah is listed fifth among Joktan’s thirteen sons:
“And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.” (Genesis 10:26-30, KJV)
The Meaning and Location
While the precise location of Diklah’s settlement is not definitively known, his name is highly suggestive of his influence. The Hebrew name Diklah ($diqlāh$) is widely believed to be related to the Aramaic word for a “palm tree” or a “date palm.”
This meaning is theologically and geographically significant:
- Aridity and Life: The palm tree in the ancient Near East was the quintessential symbol of a successful settlement—a source of food, shelter, and water in the dry, unforgiving desert. The name suggests that his lineage settled in regions conducive to sustaining life and commerce.
- Trade and Wealth: His brethren, such as Sheba and Ophir, are famous throughout Scripture for their incredible wealth, especially in gold, spices, and frankincense. This places Diklah’s region within the network of the ancient Spice Route, linking the far southern parts of Arabia with the Mediterranean world.
The Theological Significance
Diklah’s place in the Table of Nations is a powerful reminder of God’s sovereign control over the movements and borders of all humanity:
“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” (Acts 17:26, KJV)
Diklah and his brethren fulfilled this divine mandate, populating a vast region that would later become a major player in the economic and political history of the Old Testament. Though his life is unrecorded, his name confirms the biblical principle that the dispersal of all peoples, even to the most remote date-palm oases, was governed by the ultimate, unwavering plan of the Lord.