תּוֹגַרְמָה
Togarmah, a son of Gomer and his posterity
Definition
Togarmah is the name of a descendant of Noah through Japheth and Gomer, listed among the nations in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10:3, 1 Chronicles 1:6). It refers both to an individual and to the people group descended from him. In the prophetic books, Togarmah is identified as a distant northern nation, associated with trade in horses and war horses (Ezekiel 27:14) and as part of a future coalition of armies from the north (Ezekiel 38:6).
Biblical Usage
Togarmah is used four times in the Old Testament. In the historical genealogies (Genesis 10:3, 1 Chronicles 1:6), it functions as a personal name in the lineage of Noah's sons. In the prophetic book of Ezekiel, it is used as a national or ethnic designation for a people from the 'far north' or 'remote parts of the north,' noted for their trade in cavalry and as military allies in eschatological scenarios (Ezekiel 27:14, 38:6).
Etymology
The name 'Togarmah' (תּוֹגַרְמָה or תֹּגַרְמָה) is of uncertain, likely foreign derivation. Scholars often connect it with the ancient Anatolian region of Tegarama, mentioned in Hittite texts, or with Til-Garimmu, an Assyrian province. This suggests the biblical name refers to a real people or territory in eastern Anatolia or the Armenian highlands.
Semantic Range
Togarmah is theologically significant as part of the biblical worldview that traces all nations back to a common origin in Noah's family, emphasizing God's sovereignty over all peoples. Its appearance in Ezekiel's prophecies (Ezekiel 38:6) places it among the nations God will judge in the latter days, contributing to themes of divine judgment on international powers and the fulfillment of God's prophetic word concerning the nations.
For the original audience, Togarmah likely represented a known, distant people from the north, famous for breeding and trading horses—a valuable military commodity. Its inclusion in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) situated this foreign group within Israel's understanding of world geography and ethnic relationships, rooting them in shared human ancestry.
Gomer (Gômer, H1586) — Togarmah's father and the name of the broader people group from which Togarmah descended. Ashkenaz (ʼAshkenaz, H813) — Another son of Gomer, often associated with peoples from a similar northern region.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →