This will be a discussion on the daughters in law of Noah and who they were and most information on them comes from the Ge’ez Ethiopic text of Book of Jubilees. If you own that please have it handy.
Lets start with the wife of Yefet (Japheth) who according to Genesis is the oldest (Gen 10:21) and the name Yefet or Japheth means beautiful one from the Hebrew word Yofi meaning beauty.
Japheth’s wife was “Adataneses” and the name may have meant gift likely in the Ge’ez language.
And Japheth saw it, and became envious of his brother, and he too built for himself a city, and he called its name after the name of his wife ’Adâtanêsês.
Like all pre flood people she was said to have lived a very long time and she was a prophetess and a person of respect.
And behold these three cities are near Mount Lûbâr; Sêdêqêtêlĕbâb fronting the mountain on its east; and Na’êlâtamâ’ûk on the south; ’Adatanêsês towards the west.
He likewise built a city which he named for his wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of the sons of Noah who did not abandon him.
Sedeketelbab the wife of Shem (Shem meaning ,person of good reputation or literally name but good reputation in the broader sense)
Sedeketelebab means “righteous of heart”, here are some Paleo Hebrew accounts of her, these are extra Biblical and may not all be true but food for thought.
“The Book of 𐤉𐤅𐤁𐤋 (Yauabal) says his original 𐤀𐤔𐤄 (ashah)’s name was Sedeqetelebab; it is claimed that the name means “Righteousness of Heart”. However, there are claims that his 𐤀𐤔𐤄 (ashah)’s name was Ar’yel. She gave birth to his children named 𐤏𐤉𐤋𐤌 (Āyalam), 𐤀𐤔𐤇𐤅𐤓 (Ashakhauar), 𐤀𐤓𐤐𐤊𐤔𐤃 (Araphakashad), 𐤋𐤅𐤃 (Lauad), and 𐤀𐤓𐤌 (Aram).
The attribution of his 𐤀𐤔𐤄 (ashah)’s name Sedeqetelebab is based on the text stating “And Shem dwelt with his father Noah, and he built a city close to his father on the mountain, and he too called its name after the name of his wife Sedeqetelebab. And behold these three cities are near Mount Lubar; Sedeqetelebab fronting the mountain on its east; and Na’eltama’uk on the south; ‘Adatan’eses towards the west.” Since the Book of 𐤉𐤅𐤁𐤋 (Yauabal) says he named the territory after her then we have to assume her legitimate name is Sedeqetelebab.
Unlike the name Sedeqetelebab, 𐤀𐤓𐤉𐤀𐤋 (Arayaal) has an Ābarayat meaning, which is “Lioness of the Most High”. Since everyone spoke the same language prior to the Tower of Babel the name of his 𐤀𐤔𐤄 (ashah) should have some type of meaning in the language.
It is said that Ar’yel was raised in a remote forest village among people who worshipped false “gods”. She came to believe in 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 (Yahauah) / 𐤉𐤄𐤉𐤄 (Yahayah) after hearing 𐤍𐤅𐤇 (Nauakh) speak to her people. Longing to know more about the Creator, she soon joined 𐤍𐤅𐤇 (Nauakh)’s family in building the ark” (BTW I’m not super good with Phoenician/Paleo Hebrew script)
“And Shem dwelt with his father Noah, and he built a city close to his father on the mountain, and he too called its name after the name of his wife Sêdêqêtêlĕbâb.”
She also was a prophetess and lived a long time after the flood.
Na’elatama’uk, the wife of Cham/Ham the youngest son of Noah. I came up with nothing in research other than what is already said in Jubilees. Perhaps the difficult spelling did not help and no evidence from any source on the names meaning.
Also who was Naamah נַעֲמָה ?
Gen 4:-22 Lamech had two wives Adah and Zilah and Zilah who had two children a son Tuval Cain the inventor of metal tools and weapons. Zilah had a daughter Naamah נַעֲמָה (these are from the line of Kayin/Cain).
The name Naamah meand pleasant or delightful or pleasing.
First question is was Naamah the wife of Noah? This certainly not in the book of Genesis but is found in other places like the “Midrash Breshit Rabbah” 23:3
…”Tubal-Cain”: R. Yehoshua of Sakhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “This one sweetened (literally, spiced) Cain’s sin (some have the variant, ‘Cain’s work’) – Cain would kill, but he did not have with what to kill; but this one ‘forged every cutting instrument of copper and iron.’” And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Na’amah. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Na’amah was Noah’s wife. Why was she called Na’amah? Because all of her deeds were pleasant (ne’imim). The Rabbis said this is a different Na’amah. Why was she called Na’amah? Because she beat on a drum to draw people to idol worship”.
There appears to be an ancient oral tradition about Naamah being Noah’s wife and there is also a tradition of Naamah being evil and to make things more complicated there is ambiguity as to if they are the same Naamah. Look at the ambiguous language in the Midrash above. Was the Naamah of Noah the same who had an evil reputation.
Other Naamah’s are mentioned in the Bible but they all seem as other Naamah’s not the Gen 4:22 Naamah.
Here is a reference from the book of Jubilees from the Ethiopic cannon.
In the Book of Jubilees (160–150 BC), considered canon by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as well as Beta Israel, the names of the wives are given as: Emzara, wife of Noah; Sedeqetelebab, wife of Shem; Na’eltama’uk, wife of Ham; and Adataneses, wife of Japheth. It adds that the three sons each built a city named after their wives”.
Here is says Emzara was Noah’s wife.
Dead Sea Scrolls[edit]
In The Genesis Apocryphon, part of the Dead Sea Scrolls, Noah’s wife is named Emzara.
Here the DSS backs of the Emzara theory and Emzara seems to mean “mother of Sarai” or Sarah.
So what about the theory of Naamah being the first woman to sleep with angels as per Genesis 6:2. If you don’t know the story read Gen 6 ok ,so then question is was Naamah the original woman who had intercourse with angels or demons depending on whether the angels known as Watchers fell after they mated with humans or had already rebelled.
Here is the Zohar from book Breishit-parashat Breishit B:353
353. “Rabbi Chiya quotes, “And the sister of Tuval Cain was Na’amah” (Beresheet 4:22). Why do the scriptures mention her name, Na’amah (Eng. ‘pleasant’)? It is because people were seduced by her OVERWHELMING BEAUTY AND PLEASANTNESS, and even spirits and demons LUSTED AFTER HER. Rabbi Yitzchak said that the sons of Elohim, Aza, and Azael were seduced by her. BECAUSE OF THOSE SEDUCTIONS, SHE WAS NAMED NA’AMAH”
So the Bible is silent on this and it looks like the Midrash is the only thing saying Naamah was Noah’s wife.
Although we seem to be in some grey area’s here in my judgement based on everything I have researched that Naamah was not the wife of Noah. I believe Naamah got here reputation as Naamah for her delightful intoxicating beauty and seduced many men and may have been in involved in the sons of God and daughters of men incident. As far the reputation for being a female demon, we don’t know what happened to her after she died. There are theories on Naamah as a demon like Lilith but I do not know if this is really true.
If you have information on Na’elatama’uk please leave it in the comments, thank you and God Bless!
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