Havilah

Havilah is a name that appears in the Hebrew Bible as both a geographic region and a person. In Genesis 10, Havilah is listed as one of Joktan’s sons, placing the name in the genealogies that trace the descendants of Noah. The land of Havilah and the person share the same name in different textual contexts, and the name also appears in later biblical genealogies.

The land of Havilah is described in Genesis 2:11–12 as a region where gold is found, along with bdellium and the onyx stone. This brief description presents Havilah as a source of valuable resources. The exact geography of this land remains uncertain, and scholars have proposed various identifications, typically placing it in the southern Arabian Peninsula and neighboring areas, though no consensus exists.

In biblical scholarship, Havilah as a son of Joktan is part of the broader Table of Nations. The association of the land with Joktan’s line has led to attempts to locate Havilah within ancient Arabia, the Persian Gulf region, or other sites, but the text provides no definitive coordinates. The name continues to figure in discussions of biblical geography and ancient trade networks for gold and precious stones.