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'''Havilah''' (literally meaning "Stretch of Sand") is the name of various lands and/or people mentioned in the Bible. The first mention is in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 2:11 in relation to the [[Garden of Eden]]: ''"The name of the first [river] is the [[Pishon]]; it is the one that winds through the whole land of Havilah, where there is [[gold]]"''. Havilah is known for its abundance. In addition to gold, Havilah is reported as having [[bdellium]] (a [[resin]] similar to [[myrrh]] and produced by related plants) and [[onyx]] stone - [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 2:12.

In addition to the region described in Genesis 2, two individuals named Havilah are listed in the [[Table of Nations]] which lists the descendants of Noah, who are considered eponymous ancestors of nations. They are mentioned in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 10:7,29, 1 [[Books of Chronicles|Chronicles]] 1:9,23. One is the son of [[Biblical Cush|Cush]], the son of [[Ham (son of Noah)|Ham]]; the other, a son of [[Joktan]] and descendant of [[Shem]].<ref name = "Person(s) Havilah">{{cite book|url = http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2010:7,29,1%20Chronicles%201:9,23;&version=50;|publisher = Biblegateway|title = "Genesis 10:7,29 1 Chronicles 1:9,23"}}</ref> The former is listed with names associated with the region of the [[Gulf of Aden]] while the latter is listed with names associated with the Arabian desert. Such a land in the Arabian desert is mentioned in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 25:18, where it defines the border of the territory inhabited by the [[Ishmaelites]], and in 1 [[Books of Samuel|Samuel]] 15:7, which states that king [[Saul]] of Israel attacked the [[Amalekites]] who were living there<ref name = "Place Havilah">{{cite book|url = http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202:11,25:18,1%20Samuel%2015:7%20;&version=31;#en-NIV-677|publisher = Biblegateway|title = "Genesis 2:11,25:18, 1 Samuel 15:7"}}</ref>.

==References==
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[[Category:Torah places]]