10.1-32

Genesis

The importance of this chapter of the Bible cannot be overstated. The depth included is unmatched by any historical record of the origin and geographical distribution of mankind. Genesis Chapter 10 is quite literally the record of the dispersion of all peoples to all places. Before Chapter 11 begins the description of the events leading to the dispersion, the sons of the forefathers of all nations, Japeth (14 descendants named), Ham (30 descendants named), and Shem (26 descendants named), are listed and readily associated with nations that were formed in their name. They are too numerous to detail, but note that reference is twice made to the scattering that occurred at the Tower of Babel (vv18,25). The sons of Noah are not listed in order of their birth but in order of their theocratic importance.

CHAPTER 10

The Generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth

1 Now these are the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras.
3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah.
4 The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim.
5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his tongue, according to their families, into their nations.
6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.
7 The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
8 Now Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Yahweh.”
10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11 From that land he went out to Assyria and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah,
12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
13 Mizraim was the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim
14 and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines) and Caphtorim.
15 Canaan was the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth
16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite
17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite
18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were scattered.
19 The border of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their tongues, by their lands, by their nations.
21 Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth, children were born.
22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram.
23 The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash.
24 Arpachshad was the father of Shelah; and Shelah was the father of Eber.
25 Now two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.
26 And Joktan was the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah
27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah
28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba
29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.
30 Now their settlement extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east.
31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their tongues, by their lands, according to their nations.
32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.