Genesis10
King James Version · Public Domain
1Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
6And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan.
7And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
8And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.
10And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
12And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
13And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
14And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came the Philistines,) and Caphtorim.
15And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
16And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite,
17And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
18And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
19And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboiim, even unto Lasha.
20These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
21Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
23And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
24And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
25And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
26And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
27And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
28And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
29And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
30And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
31These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 10.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The sons of Noah, of Japheth, of Ham. (1–7). Nimrod the first monarch. (8–14). The descendants of Canaan, The sons of Shem. (15–32).
vv1-7
This chapter shows concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them was the whole earth overspread. No nation but that of the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come. The lists of names of fathers and sons were preserved of the Jews alone, for the sake of the Messiah. Many learned men, however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations of the earth descended from each of the sons of Noah To the posterity of Japheth were allotted the isles of the gentiles; probably, the island of Britain among the rest. All places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles, Jer 25:22. That promise, Isa 42:4, The isles shall wait for his law, speaks of the conversion of the gentiles to the faith of Christ.
vv8-14
Nimrod was a great man in his day; he began to be mighty in the earth, Those before him were content to be upon the same level with their neighbours, and though every man bare rule in his own house, yet no man pretended any further. Nimrod was resolved to lord it over his neighbours. The spirit of the giants before the flood, who became mighty men, and men of renown, Ge 6:4, revived in him. Nimrod was a great hunter. Hunting then was the method of preventing the hurtful increase of wild beasts. This required great courage and address, and thus gave an opportunity for Nimrod to command others, and gradually attached a number of men to one leader. From such a beginning, it is likely, that Nimrod began to rule, and to force others to submit. He invaded his neighbours' rights and properties, and persecuted innocent men; endeavouring to make all his own by force and violence. He carried on his oppressions and violence in defiance of God himself. Nimrod was a great ruler. Some way or other, by arts or arms, he got into power, and so founded a monarchy, which was the terror of the mighty, and bid fair to rule all the world. Nimrod was a great builder. Observe in Nimrod the nature of ambition. It is boundless; much would have more, and still cries, Give, give. It is restless; Nimrod, when he had four cities under his command, could not be content till he had four more. It is expensive; Nimrod will rather be at the charge of rearing cities, than not have the honour of ruling them. It is daring, and will stick at nothing. Nimrod's name signifies rebellion; tyrants to men are rebels to God. The days are coming, when conquerors will no longer be spoken of with praise, as in man's partial histories, but be branded with infamy, as in the impartial records of the Bible.
vv15-32
The posterity of Canaan were numerous, rich, and pleasantly seated; yet Canaan was under a Divine curse, and not a curse causeless. Those that are under the curse of God, may, perhaps, thrive and prosper in this world; for we cannot know love or hatred, the blessing or the curse, by what is before us, but by what is within us. The curse of God always works really, and always terribly. Perhaps it is a secret curse, a curse to the soul, and does not work so that others can see it; or a slow curse, and does not work soon; but sinners are reserved by it for a day of wrath Canaan here has a better land than either Shem or Japheth, and yet they have a better lot, for they inherit the blessing. Abram and his seed, God's covenant people, descended from Eber, and from him were called Hebrews. How much better it is to be like Eber, the father of a family of saints and honest men, than the father of a family of hunters after power, worldly wealth, or vanities. Goodness is true greatness.
Key Words
אֵלֶּה: these or those
תּוֹלְדָה: (plural only) descent, i.e. family; (figuratively) history
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
נֹחַ: Noach, the patriarch of the flood
שֵׁם: Shem, a son of Noah (often includ. his posterity)
חָם: Cham, a son of Noah; also (as a patronymic) his descendants or their country
יֶפֶת: Jepheth, a son of Noah; also his posterity
יָלַד: to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
מַבּוּל: a deluge
Cross References
Genesis 10Direct parallel genealogical register detailing the descendants of Japheth.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel genealogical register detailing the descendants of Ham.
Direct parallel genealogy in Chronicles tracing the descendants of Shem down to Abraham.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct parallel text recording Cush begetting Nimrod, who began to be mighty.
The direct post-flood lineage tracing Shem to Abram, expanding on this list.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic reference to Gomer and Togarmah as northern nations.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Ezekiel's trade list identifies Tarshish, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Togarmah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the historical event of division of tongues and dispersion of nations.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Poetically identifies Egypt as 'the land of Ham' based on Ham's descendant Mizraim.
Supported by JFB
Noah's blessing on Shem, explaining his special prominence as the father of Eber.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Refers to the Most High dividing to the nations their inheritance, reflecting Peleg's days.
Supported by JFB
Prophetic use of 'isles'/coastlands beyond the sea to depict Gentile nations.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Messianic promise that 'the isles' (Japheth's descendants) will wait for His law.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the spirit of the pre-flood tyrants/giants ('mighty men').
Supported by Matthew Henry
Identifies the location of Nimrod's kingdom in Shinar.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God set boundaries of the nations, matching the borders of Canaan.
Supported by JFB
Traces the exact years and lineage from Arphaxad to Salah and Eber.
Supported by JFB
Paul states God made of one blood all nations and determined their preappointed times and boundaries.
Supported by JFB
Chronicles the birth of Peleg to Eber in the formal line of Shem.
Supported by JFB
Traces the genealogy of Jesus back through Peleg, Heber, and Salah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Jonah's commission to Nineveh, confirming its status as a great city.
Details Caphtorim as the source from whom the Philistines came.
Lists Canaanite tribes whose territory was promised to Abraham's seed.
Job lived in the land of Uz, named after Shem's grandson Uz.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Mentions the gold-rich land of Havilah, linked to Joktan's son Havilah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Ophir, associated with Joktan's son, is famous for its gold trade during Solomon's reign.
Supported by Matthew Poole