Original Word: תִּירָס
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Tiyrac
Pronunciation: tee-RAHS
Phonetic Spelling: (tee-rawce')
KJV: Tiras
NASB: Tiras
Word Origin: [probably of foreign derivation]

1. Tiras, a son of Japheth

Tiras, a son of Japheth

Probably of foreign derivation; Tiras, a son of Japheth -- Tiras.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a son of Japheth and his desc.
NASB Translation
Tiras (2).

תִּירָ֑ס proper name, of a territory and people 'son' of Japhet Genesis 10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5; Θειρας; identified by Mey^{Geschichte. d. Alt. i.260} Di Holz Gunk and others with Greek Τυρσηνοί, Egyptian Turuša, on coast of gean.

Name and Genealogical Placement

Tiras is listed among the seven sons of Japheth, the son of Noah (Genesis 10:2; 1 Chronicles 1:5). Within the inspired Table of Nations, he represents a distinct post-Flood people group who spread out “according to their families, with their languages, in their lands, by their nations” (Genesis 10:5).

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Genesis 10:2 – “The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.”
2. 1 Chronicles 1:5 – A repeat of the same genealogical listing.

Although brief, these mentions firmly situate Tiras in the biblical narrative as an historical progenitor.

Historical Identifications

Ancient Jewish and early Christian writers connected Tiras with various maritime or northern peoples:
• Josephus identified him with the Thracians.
• The Targum of Jonathan rendered the name as “Tirasians,” locating them along the Aegean seacoast.
• Greek historians spoke of the Tyrrhenians and Thracians, cultures sometimes traced back to a patriarchal figure comparable to Tiras.

Archaeological and linguistic studies have not reached unanimity, yet the convergence of extra-biblical testimony consistently links Tiras with seafaring or northern European regions, highlighting the dispersion pattern Scripture outlines.

Role in the Table of Nations

The Table of Nations (Genesis 10) demonstrates the orderly spread of humanity from a single family under God’s providence. Tiras:

1. Illustrates the fulfillment of God’s mandate to “fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1).
2. Serves as evidence that every ethnicity carries equal dignity in Adamic and Noahic descent (Acts 17:26).
3. Shows that God’s redemptive plan, later revealed in Christ, has always concerned every tribe and nation (Revelation 5:9).

Theological Significance

While Tiras is not attached to a specific prophecy or narrative beyond the genealogy, his inclusion underscores two doctrinal truths:

• Reliability of Scripture: Even “minor” names confirm the historical framework that grounds the gospel in real time and space.
• Universal scope of salvation history: Tiras reminds readers that the nations listed in Genesis ultimately find blessing in the Seed promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:8).

Ministry and Teaching Applications

1. Genealogies Matter: Preachers can highlight Tiras to show how God’s Word records and values every people group.
2. Apologetics: The correlation between biblical genealogies and broader ancient records can bolster confidence in biblical historicity.
3. Global Missions: Tiras’s place among the nations encourages believers to engage every culture with the gospel, recognizing their shared origin and need for Christ.

By tracing even a briefly mentioned figure like Tiras, students of Scripture perceive the coherent tapestry of God’s dealings with humanity—past, present, and future.

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