HAVILAH (n{nri, Gen. ii. ; LXX. EbtXd.r, Gen. x. 7, EfuNci. ; Gen. x. 29, EOELX.1). In the genealogy of nations (Gen. x.) Havilah is set down as a son of Cush (v. 7.) ; as a son of yoh tan (v. 29). Since in the other places where the word occurs it is always used to designate a coun try, we may doubt whether persons of this name ever existed ; the more so as other names of coun tries (Ophir, Mizraim, Canaan, Sidon), and the collective names of tribes (Kittim, Dodanim), are freely introduced into the genealogy, which is un doubtedly arranged with partial reference to geo graphical distribution, as well as direct descent (see Sheba, Dea'an, etc., and Kalisch, Genesis, p. 287): On this supposition it is not difficult to account for the fact that the people of Havilah appear as descendants both of the Hamites and of the Shemites. If they were originally of Semitic extraction (and on this point we have no data which could enable us to decide), we must suppose that by peaceful emigration or hostile invasion they overflowed into the territory occupied by IIamites, or adopted the name and habits of their neigh bours in consequence of commerce or intermar riage, and are therefore mentioned twice over in consequence of their local position in two distinct regions. It would depend on circumstances whe ther an invading or encroaching tribe gave its name to, or derived its name from, the tribe it dispossessed, so that whether Havilah was origi nally Cushite or Joktanite must be a matter of mere conjecture ;* but by admitting some such principle as the one mentioned, we remove from the book of Genesis a number of apparent perplexi ties (UR ; and Kalisch, Gen. p. 459). To regard the repetition of the name as due to carelessness or error is a method of explanation which does not deserve the name of criticism. [HAm.) Assuming then, that the districts indicated in Gen. x. 7. 29, were conterminous, if not in reality identical, we have to fix on their geographical position. Various derivations of the word have been suggested, but the most probable one, from 511r1, 'sand' (Bochart, Phaleg. ii. 29), is too vague to give us any assistance. Looking for preciser indications, we find in Gen. xxv. 18, that the
descendants of Ishmael dwelt front Havilah unto Shur that is before Egypt as thou goest towards Assyria ;' and in Sam. xv. 7 we read that Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to Shur that is over against Egypt.' With out entering into the question why the Amalekites are represented as possessing the country which formerly belonged to the Ishmaelites, it is clear that these verses fix the general position of Havilah as a country lying somewhere to the southwards and eastwards of Palestine. Further than this, the Cushite Havilah in Gen. x. 7 is mentioned in connection with Seba, Sabtah, and Raamah ; and the Joktanite Havilah (Gen. x. 29), in connection with Ophir, Jobab, etc. Now, as all these places lay on or between the Arabian and Persian Gulfs, we may infer, with tolerable certainty, that Ha vilah in both instances designates the same coun try, extending at least from the Persian to the Arabian Gulf, and on account of its vast extent easily divided into two distinct parts' (Kalisch. Gen., p. 93).
The only method of fixing mcre nearly the cen tres of these two divisions of Havilah, is to look for some trace of the name yet existing. But although Oriental names linger with great vitalityin the regions whence they have arisen, yet the frequent transfer ence of names, caused by trade or by political re volutions, renders such indication very uncertain (Von Bohlen, on Gen.x. 7). Weshall therefore con tent ourselves with mentioning that Strabo, quot ing Eratosthenes, places the XaOtoraot near the Nabathcei, north of the Arabian gulf (Strabo xvi. 4), and,„that Ptolemy (iv. 7) mentions the AOaXirat on the 'African coast near Bab-el-Mandeb, the modern Zeylah (cf. Plin. vi. 28 ; Gesen., nes. i. 452). Niebuhr also finds two Khawlans in Yemen, one a town between Sanaa and Mecca, the other a dis trict some miles to the south-east of Sanaa (Beschr. Arab. 270, 280 ; see further, Biischung, Era'beschr. v. i. 601; Michaelis, Spied. i. 189; 202 ; For ster, Geogr. of Arab. i. 40, 41, etc.) These names may very possibly be traces of the great Biblical country of Havilah.