Interesting Facts

• A city was built and named after ‘Adataneses.
• The building of this city occurred because Japheth became envious of his brother Ham.

Genealogy

• ‘Adataneses was the wife of Japheth, one of the three sons of Noah.

Historical Context

The mention of ‘Adataneses arises in the period following the flood, during the initial repopulation and division among Noah’s sons. Specifically, it occurs after Ham, displeased by Noah’s curse on his son Canaan, separated from his father and built a city named after his wife, Ne’elatama’uk. This act of establishing familial settlements seems to have prompted Japheth to do the same, highlighting a dynamic of sibling rivalry and the early stages of territorial division. This period precedes the construction of the Tower of Babel and the subsequent confusion of languages and dispersal of mankind. The actions of Noah’s sons during this time reflect the beginnings of distinct familial and potentially cultural identities in the post-diluvian world.

Narrative

The personal narrative of ‘Adataneses is not directly presented in the sources. Her significance in the text is primarily through her connection to Japheth, as a city was named in her honor. This act of naming suggests a certain level of importance or affection within her marriage to Japheth. The context of Japheth building this city due to envy of Ham’s similar act reveals a competitive element among Noah’s sons in the early post-flood era. While ‘Adataneses has no direct actions or dialogues attributed to her, the naming of a settlement after her marks her presence within the historical record as the namesake of one of the initial cities built by Noah’s descendants, signifying the dawn of settled life and the establishment of distinct familial territories.