Genesis 10:21-32

The Semites

21 And sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; ^[a] Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.

22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. ^[b]

24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, ^[c] and Shelah was the father of Eber.

25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, ^[d] because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan.

26 And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.

30 Their territory extended from Mesha to Sephar, in the eastern hill country.

31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.

32 All these are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their generations and nations. From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.

Genesis 10:21-32 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 10

This chapter gives an account of the posterity of the three sons of Noah, by whom the world was peopled after the flood, Ge 10:1 of the posterity of Japheth, Ge 10:2-5 of the posterity of Ham, Ge 10:6-20 and of the posterity of Shem, Ge 10:21-32.

Footnotes

• [a] Or Shem, whose older brother was Japheth
• [b] Hebrew; LXX and 1 Chronicles 1:17 Meshech
• [c] Hebrew; LXX (see also Luke 3:35–36) And Arphaxad was the father of Cainan, and Cainan was the father of Shelah,
• [d] Peleg means division.