Genesis10
New Living Translation
1This is the account of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the three sons of Noah. Many children were born to them after the great flood.
2The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.
3The descendants of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.
4The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.
5Their descendants became the seafaring peoples that spread out to various lands, each identified by its own language, clan, and national identity.
6The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.
7The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
8Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth.
9Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.”
10He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.
11From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,
12and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).
13Mizraim was the ancestor of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,
14Pathrusites, Casluhites, and the Caphtorites, from whom the Philistines came.
15Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,
16Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,
17Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,
18Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. The Canaanite clans eventually spread out,
19and the territory of Canaan extended from Sidon in the north to Gerar and Gaza in the south, and east as far as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, near Lasha.
20These were the descendants of Ham, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.
21Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber.
22The descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.
23The descendants of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.
24Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.
25Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.
26Joktan was the ancestor of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,
27Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
28Obal, Abimael, Sheba,
29Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan.
30The territory they occupied extended from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern mountains.
31These were the descendants of Shem, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.
32These are the clans that descended from Noah’s sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great 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