Japheth. [Heb. Yepheth, "beauty," or "let him make wide."]

Noah's eldest son (Gen 10:21), born in the 500th year of Noah (chs 5:32; 6:10). He was married at the time of the Flood (ch 7:7) but apparently had no children at that time (see 1 Pe 3:20). The only recorded incident concerning him tells of his and his brother Shem's effort to save the honour of their father, whom Ham treated with disrespect. For this, the two received special blessings. It was predicted of Japheth that his descendants would occupy wide territories, and that they would "dwell in the tents of Shem" (Gen 9:20-27). Japheth became the progenitor of the Japhethite races among whom were the Medes, Ionians, and several nations who in OT times lived in what is now Asia Minor and southern Russia (ch 10:2-5) -- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Dictionary.