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Genesis 10
New English Translation

The Table of Nations

10 This is the account[a] of Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.[b] Sons[c] were born[d] to them after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth[e] were Gomer,[f] Magog,[g] Madai,[h] Javan,[i] Tubal,[j] Meshech,[k] and Tiras.[l] 3 The sons of Gomer were[m] Ashkenaz,[n] Riphath,[o] and Togarmah.[p] 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah,[q] Tarshish,[r] the Kittim,[s] and the Dodanim.[t] 5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.

6 The sons of Ham were Cush,[u] Mizraim,[v] Put,[w] and Canaan.[x] 7 The sons of Cush were Seba,[y] Havilah,[z] Sabtah,[aa] Raamah,[ab] and Sabteca.[ac] The sons of Raamah were Sheba[ad] and Dedan.[ae]

8 Cush was the father of[af] Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter[ag] before the Lord.[ah] (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10 The primary regions[ai] of his kingdom were Babel,[aj] Erech,[ak] Akkad,[al] and Calneh[am] in the land of Shinar.[an] 11 From that land he went[ao] to Assyria,[ap] where he built Nineveh,[aq] Rehoboth Ir,[ar] Calah,[as] 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.[at]

13 Mizraim[au] was the father of[av] the Ludites,[aw] Anamites,[ax] Lehabites,[ay] Naphtuhites,[az] 14 Pathrusites,[ba] Casluhites[bb] (from whom the Philistines came),[bc] and Caphtorites.[bd]

15 Canaan was the father of[be] Sidon his firstborn,[bf] Heth,[bg] 16 the Jebusites,[bh] Amorites,[bi] Girgashites,[bj] 17 Hivites,[bk] Arkites,[bl] Sinites,[bm] 18 Arvadites,[bn] Zemarites,[bo] and Hamathites.[bp] Eventually the families of the Canaanites were scattered 19 and the borders of Canaan extended[bq] from Sidon all the way to[br] Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to[bs] Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboyim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.

21 And sons were also born[bt] to Shem (the older brother of Japheth),[bu] the father of all the sons of Eber.

22 The sons of Shem were Elam,[bv] Asshur,[bw] Arphaxad,[bx] Lud,[by] and Aram.[bz] 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.[ca] 24 Arphaxad was the father of[cb] Shelah,[cc] and Shelah was the father of Eber.[cd] 25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his days the earth was divided,[ce] and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan was the father of[cf] Almodad,[cg] Sheleph,[ch] Hazarmaveth,[ci] Jerah,[cj] 27 Hadoram, Uzal,[ck] Diklah,[cl] 28 Obal,[cm] Abimael,[cn] Sheba,[co] 29 Ophir,[cp] Havilah,[cq] and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 30 Their dwelling place was from Mesha all the way to[cr] Sephar in the eastern hills. 31 These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations.

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread[cs] over the earth after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:1 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (ʾelleh toledot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1-11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
  2. Genesis 10:1 sn The sons are not listed in order by age. Japheth was oldest (10:21); Ham was youngest (9:24). Shem is listed first due to importance.
  3. Genesis 10:1 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
  4. Genesis 10:1 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bene) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10—Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10—Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
  5. Genesis 10:2 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.
  6. Genesis 10:2 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.
  7. Genesis 10:2 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.
  8. Genesis 10:2 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.
  9. Genesis 10:2 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.
  10. Genesis 10:2 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
  11. Genesis 10:2 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
  12. Genesis 10:2 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.
  13. Genesis 10:3 sn The descendants of Gomer were all northern tribes of the Upper Euphrates.
  14. Genesis 10:3 sn Ashkenaz was the ancestor of a northern branch of Indo-Germanic tribes, possibly Scythians. For discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 63.
  15. Genesis 10:3 sn The descendants of Riphath lived in a district north of the road from Haran to Carchemish.
  16. Genesis 10:3 sn Togarmah is also mentioned in Ezek 38:6, where it refers to Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu, which bordered Tabal in eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 26, n. 28.
  17. Genesis 10:4 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.
  18. Genesis 10:4 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.
  19. Genesis 10:4 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.
  20. Genesis 10:4 tc Most of the MT mss read “Dodanim” here, but 1 Chr 1:7 has “Rodanim,” perhaps referring to the island of Rhodes. But the Qere reading in 1 Chr 1:7 suggests “Dodanim.” Dodona is one of the most ancient and revered spots in ancient Greece.
  21. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Cush settled in Nubia (Ethiopia).
  22. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Mizraim settled in Upper and Lower Egypt.
  23. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Put settled in Libya.
  24. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Canaan lived in the region of Phoenicia (Palestine).
  25. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
  26. Genesis 10:7 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.
  27. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.
  28. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.
  29. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.
  30. Genesis 10:7 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.
  31. Genesis 10:7 sn The name Dedan is associated with ʿUla in northern Arabia.
  32. Genesis 10:8 tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.
  33. Genesis 10:9 tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).
  34. Genesis 10:9 tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yehvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”
  35. Genesis 10:10 tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.
  36. Genesis 10:10 tn Or “Babylon.”
  37. Genesis 10:10 sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.
  38. Genesis 10:10 sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.
  39. Genesis 10:10 tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).
  40. Genesis 10:10 sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.
  41. Genesis 10:11 tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.
  42. Genesis 10:11 tn Heb “Asshur.”
  43. Genesis 10:11 sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.
  44. Genesis 10:11 sn The name Rehoboth Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.
  45. Genesis 10:11 sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located 20 miles north of Nineveh.
  46. Genesis 10:12 tn Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”
  47. Genesis 10:13 sn Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt (cf. NRSV).
  48. Genesis 10:13 tn Heb “fathered.”
  49. Genesis 10:13 sn The Ludites were African tribes west of the Nile Delta.
  50. Genesis 10:13 sn The Anamites lived in North Africa, west of Egypt, near Cyrene.
  51. Genesis 10:13 sn The Lehabites are identified with the Libyans.
  52. Genesis 10:13 sn The Naphtuhites lived in Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region).
  53. Genesis 10:14 sn The Pathrusites are known in Egyptian as P-to-reshi; they resided in Upper Egypt.
  54. Genesis 10:14 sn The Casluhites lived in Crete and eventually settled east of the Egyptian Delta, between Egypt and Canaan.
  55. Genesis 10:14 tn Several commentators prefer to reverse the order of the words to put this clause after the next word, since the Philistines came from Crete (where the Caphtorites lived). But the table may suggest migration rather than lineage, and the Philistines, like the Israelites, came through the Nile Delta region of Egypt. For further discussion of the origin and migration of the Philistines, see D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 232.
  56. Genesis 10:14 sn The Caphtorites resided in Crete, but in Egyptian literature Caphtor refers to “the region beyond” the Mediterranean.
  57. Genesis 10:15 tn Heb “fathered.”
  58. Genesis 10:15 sn Sidon was the foremost city in Phoenicia; here Sidon may be the name of its founder.
  59. Genesis 10:15 tn Some see a reference to “Hittites” here (cf. NIV), but this seems unlikely. See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
  60. Genesis 10:16 sn The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem.
  61. Genesis 10:16 sn Here Amorites refers to smaller groups of Canaanite inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Palestine, rather than the large waves of Amurru, or western Semites, who migrated to the region.
  62. Genesis 10:16 sn The Girgashites are an otherwise unknown Canaanite tribe, though the name is possibly mentioned in Ugaritic texts (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 1:226).
  63. Genesis 10:17 sn The Hivites were Canaanite tribes of a Hurrian origin.
  64. Genesis 10:17 sn The Arkites lived in Arka, a city in Lebanon, north of Sidon.
  65. Genesis 10:17 sn The Sinites lived in Sin, another town in Lebanon.
  66. Genesis 10:18 sn The Arvadites lived in the city Arvad, located on an island near the mainland close to the river El Kebir.
  67. Genesis 10:18 sn The Zemarites lived in the town Sumur, north of Arka.
  68. Genesis 10:18 sn The Hamathites lived in Hamath on the Orontes River.
  69. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “were.”
  70. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “as you go.”
  71. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “as you go.”
  72. Genesis 10:21 tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”
  73. Genesis 10:21 tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun plus proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.
  74. Genesis 10:22 sn The Hebrew name Elam (עֵילָם, ʿelam) means “highland.” The Elamites were a non-Semitic people who lived east of Babylon.
  75. Genesis 10:22 sn Asshur is the name for the Assyrians. Asshur was the region in which Nimrod expanded his power (see v. 11, where the name is also mentioned). When names appear in both sections of a genealogical list, it probably means that there were both Hamites and Shemites living in that region in antiquity, especially if the name is a place name.
  76. Genesis 10:22 sn The descendants of Arphaxad may have lived northeast of Nineveh.
  77. Genesis 10:22 sn Lud may have been the ancestor of the Ludbu, who lived near the Tigris River.
  78. Genesis 10:22 sn Aram became the collective name of the northern tribes living in the steppes of Mesopotamia and speaking Aramaic dialects.
  79. Genesis 10:23 tc The MT reads “Mash”; the LXX and 1 Chr 1:17 read “Meshech.”sn Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Little is known about these descendants of Aram.
  80. Genesis 10:24 tn Heb “fathered.”
  81. Genesis 10:24 tc The MT reads “Arphaxad fathered Shelah”; the LXX reads “Arphaxad fathered Cainan, and Cainan fathered Sala [= Shelah].” The LXX reading also appears to lie behind Luke 3:35-36.
  82. Genesis 10:24 sn Genesis 11 traces the line of Shem through Eber (עֵבֶר, ʿever) to Abraham the “Hebrew” (עִבְרִי, ʿivri).
  83. Genesis 10:25 tn The expression “the earth was divided” may refer to dividing the land with canals, but more likely it anticipates the division of languages at Babel (Gen 11). The verb פָּלַג (palag, “separate, divide”) is used in Ps 55:9 for a division of languages.
  84. Genesis 10:26 tn Heb “fathered.”
  85. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Almodad combines the Arabic article al with modad (“friend”). Almodad was the ancestor of a South Arabian people.
  86. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Sheleph may be related to Shilph, a district of Yemen; Shalph is a Yemenite tribe.
  87. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Hazarmaveth should be equated with Hadramawt, located in Southern Arabia.
  88. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Jerah means “moon.”
  89. Genesis 10:27 sn Uzal was the name of the old capital of Yemen.
  90. Genesis 10:27 sn The name Diklah means “date-palm.”
  91. Genesis 10:28 sn Obal was a name used for several localities in Yemen.
  92. Genesis 10:28 sn The name Abimael is a genuine Sabean form which means “my father, truly, he is God.”
  93. Genesis 10:28 sn The descendants of Sheba lived in South Arabia, where the Joktanites were more powerful than the Hamites.
  94. Genesis 10:29 sn Ophir became the name of a territory in South Arabia. Many of the references to Ophir are connected with gold (e.g., 1 Kgs 9:28; 10:11; 22:48; 1 Chr 29:4; 2 Chr 8:18; 9:10; Job 22:24; 28:16; Ps 45:9; Isa 13:12).
  95. Genesis 10:29 sn Havilah is listed with Ham in v. 7.
  96. Genesis 10:30 tn Heb “as you go.”
  97. Genesis 10:32 tn Or “separated.”
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Genesis 10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Chapter 10

Table of the Nations.[a] 1 These are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, to whom children were born after the flood.

2 (A)The descendants of Japheth: Gomer,[b] Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras.(B) 3 The descendants of Gomer: Ashkenaz,[c] Diphath and Togarmah. 4 The descendants of Javan: Elishah,[d] Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim. 5 From these branched out the maritime nations.

These are the descendants of Japheth by their lands, each with its own language, according to their clans, by their nations.

6 The descendants of Ham: Cush,[e] Mizraim, Put and Canaan. 7 The descendants of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush[f] became the father of Nimrod, who was the first to become a mighty warrior on earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter in the eyes of the Lord; hence the saying, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter in the eyes of the Lord.” 10 His kingdom originated in Babylon, Erech and Accad, all of them in the land of Shinar.[g] 11 From that land he went forth to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir[h] and Calah, 12 as well as Resen, between Nineveh and Calah,[i] the latter being the principal city.

13 (C)Mizraim became the father of the Ludim, the Anamim, the Lehabim, the Naphtuhim, 14 the Pathrusim,[j] the Casluhim, and the Caphtorim from whom the Philistines came.

15 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and of Heth;[k] 16 also of the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward, the clans of the Canaanites spread out, 19 so that the Canaanite borders extended from Sidon all the way to Gerar, near Gaza, and all the way to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, near Lasha.

20 These are the descendants of Ham, according to their clans, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations.

21 To Shem also, Japheth’s oldest brother and the ancestor of all the children of Eber,[l] children were born. 22 (D)The descendants of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram. 23 The descendants of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash.

24 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 To Eber two sons were born: the name of the first was Peleg, for in his time the world was divided;[m] and the name of his brother was Joktan.

26 Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan. 30 Their settlements extended all the way from Mesha to Sephar, the eastern hill country.

31 These are the descendants of Shem, according to their clans, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations.

32 These are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their origins and by their nations. From these the nations of the earth branched out after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. 10:1–32

    Verse 1 is the fourth of the Priestly formulas (2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 11:10) that structure Part I of Genesis; it introduces 10:2–11:9, the populating of the world and the building of the city. In a sense, chaps. 4–9 are concerned with the first of the two great commands given to the human race in 1:28, “Be fertile and multiply!” whereas chaps. 10–11 are concerned with the second command, “Fill the earth and subdue it!” (“Subdue it” refers to each nation’s taking the land assigned to it by God.) Gn 9:19 already noted that all nations are descended from the three sons of Noah; the same sentiment is repeated in 10:5, 18, 25, 32; 11:8. The presupposition of the chapter is that every nation has a land assigned to it by God (cf. Dt 32:8–9). The number of the nations is seventy (if one does not count Noah and his sons, and counts Sidon [vv. 15, 19] only once), which is a traditional biblical number (Jgs 8:30; Lk 10:1, 17). According to Gn 46:27 and Ex 1:5, Israel also numbered seventy persons, which shows that it in some sense represents the nations of the earth.

    This chapter classifies the various peoples known to the ancient Israelites; it is theologically important as stressing the basic family unity of all peoples on earth. It is sometimes called the Table of the Nations. The relationship between the various peoples is based on linguistic, geographic, or political grounds (v. 31). In general, the descendants of Japheth (vv. 2–5) are the peoples of the Indo-European languages to the north and west of Mesopotamia and Syria; the descendants of Ham (vv. 6–20) are the Hamitic-speaking peoples of northern Africa; and the descendants of Shem (vv. 21–31) are the Semitic-speaking peoples of Mesopotamia, Syria and Arabia. But there are many exceptions to this rule; the Semitic-speaking peoples of Canaan are considered descendants of Ham, because at one time they were subject to Hamitic Egypt (vv. 6, 15–19). This chapter is generally considered to be a composite from the Yahwist source (vv. 8–19, 21, 24–30) and the Priestly source (vv. 1–7, 20, 22–23, 31–32). Presumably that is why certain tribes of Arabia are listed under both Ham (v. 7) and Shem (vv. 26–28).

  2. 10:2 Gomer: the Cimmerians; Madai: the Medes; Javan: the Greeks.
  3. 10:3 Ashkenaz: an Indo-European people, which later became the medieval rabbinic name for Germany. It now designates one of the great divisions of Judaism, Eastern European Yiddish-speaking Jews.
  4. 10:4 Elishah: Cyprus; the Kittim: certain inhabitants of Cyprus; the Rodanim: the inhabitants of Rhodes.
  5. 10:6 Cush: biblical Ethiopia, modern Nubia. Mizraim: Lower (i.e., northern) Egypt; Put: either Punt in East Africa or Libya.
  6. 10:8 Cush: here seems to be Cossea, the country of the Kassites; see note on 2:10–14. Nimrod: possibly Tukulti-Ninurta I (thirteenth century B.C.), the first Assyrian conqueror of Babylonia and a famous city-builder at home.
  7. 10:10 Shinar: the land of ancient Babylonia, embracing Sumer and Akkad, present-day southern Iraq, mentioned also in 11:2; 14:1.
  8. 10:11 Rehoboth-Ir: lit., “wide-streets city,” was probably not the name of another city, but an epithet of Nineveh; cf. Jon 3:3.
  9. 10:12 Calah: Assyrian Kalhu, the capital of Assyria in the ninth century B.C.
  10. 10:14 The Pathrusim: the people of Upper (southern) Egypt; cf. Is 11:11; Jer 44:1; Ez 29:14; 30:13. Caphtorim: Crete; for Caphtor as the place of origin of the Philistines, cf. Dt 2:23; Am 9:7; Jer 47:4.
  11. 10:15 Heth: the biblical Hittites; see note on 23:3.
  12. 10:21 Eber: the eponymous ancestor of the Hebrews, that is, the one to whom they traced their name.
  13. 10:25 In the Hebrew text there is a play on the name Peleg and the word niplega, “was divided.”
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Genesis 10
New International Version

The Table of Nations

10 This is the account(A) of Shem, Ham and Japheth,(B) Noah’s sons,(C) who themselves had sons after the flood.

The Japhethites(D)

2 The sons[a] of Japheth:

Gomer,(E) Magog,(F) Madai, Javan,(G) Tubal,(H) Meshek(I) and Tiras.

3 The sons of Gomer:

Ashkenaz,(J) Riphath and Togarmah.(K)

4 The sons of Javan:

Elishah,(L) Tarshish,(M) the Kittites(N) and the Rodanites.[b] 5 (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.)(O)

The Hamites(P)

6 The sons of Ham:

Cush,(Q) Egypt, Put(R) and Canaan.(S)

7 The sons of Cush:

Seba,(T) Havilah,(U) Sabtah, Raamah(V) and Sabteka.

The sons of Raamah:

Sheba(W) and Dedan.(X)

8 Cush was the father[c] of Nimrod,(Y) who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty(Z) hunter(AA) before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon,(AB) Uruk,(AC) Akkad and Kalneh,(AD) in[d] Shinar.[e](AE) 11 From that land he went to Assyria,(AF) where he built Nineveh,(AG) Rehoboth Ir,[f] Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah—which is the great city.

13 Egypt was the father of

the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines(AH) came) and Caphtorites.(AI)

15 Canaan(AJ) was the father of

Sidon(AK) his firstborn,[g](AL) and of the Hittites,(AM) 16 Jebusites,(AN) Amorites,(AO) Girgashites,(AP) 17 Hivites,(AQ) Arkites, Sinites, 18 Arvadites,(AR) Zemarites and Hamathites.(AS)

Later the Canaanite(AT) clans scattered 19 and the borders of Canaan(AU) reached from Sidon(AV) toward Gerar(AW) as far as Gaza,(AX) and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim,(AY) as far as Lasha.

20 These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

The Semites(AZ)

21 Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was[h] Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.(BA)

22 The sons of Shem:

Elam,(BB) Ashur,(BC) Arphaxad,(BD) Lud and Aram.(BE)

23 The sons of Aram:

Uz,(BF) Hul, Gether and Meshek.[i]

24 Arphaxad was the father of[j] Shelah,

and Shelah the father of Eber.(BG)

25 Two sons were born to Eber:

One was named Peleg,[k] because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

26 Joktan was the father of

Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal,(BH) Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,(BI) 29 Ophir,(BJ) Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.

30 The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.

31 These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.

32 These are the clans of Noah’s sons,(BK) according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth(BL) after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:2 Sons may mean descendants or successors or nations; also in verses 3, 4, 6, 7, 20-23, 29 and 31.
  2. Genesis 10:4 Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Septuagint and 1 Chron. 1:7); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Dodanites
  3. Genesis 10:8 Father may mean ancestor or predecessor or founder; also in verses 13, 15, 24 and 26.
  4. Genesis 10:10 Or Uruk and Akkad—all of them in
  5. Genesis 10:10 That is, Babylonia
  6. Genesis 10:11 Or Nineveh with its city squares
  7. Genesis 10:15 Or of the Sidonians, the foremost
  8. Genesis 10:21 Or Shem, the older brother of
  9. Genesis 10:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 1:17; Hebrew Mash.
  10. Genesis 10:24 Hebrew; Septuagint father of Cainan, and Cainan was the father of
  11. Genesis 10:25 Peleg means division.
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Genesis 10
New King James Version

Nations Descended from Noah(A)

10 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (B)And sons were born to them after the flood.

2 (C)The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, [a]Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and [b]Dodanim. 5 From these (D)the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

6 (E)The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, [c]Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush begot (F)Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty (G)hunter (H)before the Lord; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 (I)And the beginning of his kingdom was (J)Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went (K)to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).

13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and Casluhim (L)(from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim).

15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and (M)Heth; 16 (N)the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; 17 the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; 18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. 19 (O)And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations.

21 And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, [d]the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The (P)sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, (Q)Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and [e]Mash. 24 [f]Arphaxad begot (R)Salah, and Salah begot Eber. 25 (S)To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was [g]Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 [h]Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.

32 (T)These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; (U)and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:3 Diphath, 1 Chr. 1:6
  2. Genesis 10:4 Sam. Rodanim and 1 Chr. 1:7
  3. Genesis 10:6 Or Phut
  4. Genesis 10:21 Or the older brother of Japheth
  5. Genesis 10:23 LXX Meshech and 1 Chr. 1:17
  6. Genesis 10:24 So with MT, Vg., Tg.; LXX Arphaxad begot Cainan, and Cainan begot Salah (cf. Luke 3:35, 36)
  7. Genesis 10:25 Lit. Division
  8. Genesis 10:28 Ebal, 1 Chr. 1:22
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