10 1 The increase of mankind by Noah and his sons. 10 The beginning of cities, countries, and nations.

Now these are the [a]generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham and Japheth: unto whom sons were born after the flood.

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, and Magog, and [b]Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

And the sons of Gomer, Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

Also the sons of Javan, Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

Of these were the [c]isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands, every man after his tongue, and after their families in their nations.

¶ Moreover, the sons of Ham were [d]Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan.

And the sons of Cush, Seba and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: also the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

And Cush begat Nimrod, who began to be [e]mighty in the earth.

He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Wherefore it is said, [f]As Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.

10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of [g]Shinar.

11 Out of that land came Assyria, and built Nineveh, and the [h]city Rehoboth, and Calah:

12 Resen also between Nineveh and Calah: this is a great city.

13 And Mizraim begat [i]Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim.

14 Pathrusim also, and Casluhim (out of whom came the Philistines) and [j]Caphtorims.

15 Also Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

16 And Jebusi, and Emori, and Girgashi,

17 And Hivi, and Arki, and Sini,

18 And Arvadi, and Zemari, and Hamathi: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

19 Then the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar until Gaza, and as thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboiim, even unto Lasha.

20 These are the sons of Ham according to their families, according to their tongues in their countries, and in their nations.

21 ¶ Unto [k]Shem also the father of all the sons of [l]Eber, and elder brother of Japheth were children born.

22 (A)The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

23 And the sons of Aram, Uz and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

24 Also Arphaxad begat Salah, and Salah begat Eber.

25 Unto Eber also were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg: for in his days was the earth [m]divided: and his brother’s name was Joktan.

26 Then Joktan begat 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 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest up to Sephar, a mount of the East.

31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their tongues in their countries and nations.

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations among their people: and [n]out of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:1 These generations are here recited, partly to declare the marvelous increase in so small a time, and also to set forth their great forgetfulness of God’s grace towards their fathers.
  2. Genesis 10:2 Of Madai and Javan came the Medes, and Greeks.
  3. Genesis 10:5 The Jews so call all countries which are separated from them by sea, as Greece, Italy, etc, which were given to the children of Japheth, of whom came the Gentiles.
  4. Genesis 10:6 Of Cush and Mizraim came the Ethiopians and Egyptians.
  5. Genesis 10:8 Meaning, a cruel oppressor and tyrant.
  6. Genesis 10:9 His tyranny came into a proverb as hated both of God and man: for he passed not to commit cruelty even in God’s presence.
  7. Genesis 10:10 For there was another city in Egypt, called also Babel.
  8. Genesis 10:11 Or, the streets of the city.
  9. Genesis 10:13 Of Lud came the Lydians.
  10. Genesis 10:14 Or, the Cappadocians.
  11. Genesis 10:21 In his stock the Church was preserved: therefore Moses leaveth off speaking of Japheth and Ham, and entreateth of Shem more at large.
  12. Genesis 10:21 Of whom came the Hebrews or Jews.
  13. Genesis 10:25 This division came by the diversity of languages, as appeareth, Gen. 11:9.
  14. Genesis 10:32 Or, of these came divers nations.

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)

The sons[a] of Japheth:

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

The sons of Gomer:

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

The sons of Javan:

Elishah,(L) Tarshish,(M) the Kittites(N) and the Rodanites.[b] (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)

The sons of Ham:

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

The sons of Cush:

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

The sons of Raamah:

Sheba(W) and Dedan.(X)

Cush was the father[c] of Nimrod,(Y) who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 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.