Who were the Goyim in early biblical history?
In early biblical history, the Goyim were the descendants of Japheth, Noah’s son. They were predominantly the Japhethites, identified as Caucasian or Indo-European peoples. Later, the term Goyim became equivalent to Gentile, meaning any non-Jew, but early on it specifically referred to Japheth’s line.
Les explains that after Noah came out of the ark with his three sons—Ham, Shem, and Japheth—Japheth is dealt with first because he becomes the progenitor of those the Bible calls the Goyim, a term later rendered as Gentile. Until later in history, the Goyim were predominantly the Japhethites, or what Genesis chapter 10 presents as the Caucasian people, often called Indo-Europeans today. Only later, even in the Bible, does Gentile come to mean anyone who is a non-Jew. Early on, therefore, the Goyim were specifically Japheth’s line. By contrast, Ham was the progenitor of the Canaanites, and out of Shem’s line came Terah.
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.