Fathers

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What the Fathers say

Genesis 10:4

Western Saints

Jerome

The sons of Javan were Elisha and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. From them were divided the islands of the nations in their lands, each according to its language, its kindred, and its people. From the Ionians, that is, the Greeks, were born the Aeolians, who are called Aeolians: hence the fifth language of Greece is called Aeolian, which they call 'the fifth dialect.' Josephus considers Tarshish to be Cilicia, stating that the letter θ was mistakenly corrupted by later generations into τ: hence their metropolis is called the …

Hebrew Questions on Genesis ↗

Bede

"The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From the Ionians, that is, the Greeks, are born the Elishah, who are called Elishites, hence also the fifth language of Greece is called Aeolic, which they call 'penten dialecton.' Josephus assumes Tharsis to be Cilicia, saying that the letter 'h' has been corruptly omitted in 'Thar' by later generations; hence also their metropolis city is called Tarsus, glorious in the apostle Paul's time. …

Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron) ↗