Genesis 10:1-11

The Table of Nations

1 These are the family records of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They also had sons after the deluge.

2 Japheth's sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

3 Gomer's sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 And Javan's sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.^[a]

5 The coastland peoples spread out into their lands. These are [Japheth's sons] by their clans, in their nations. Each [group] had its own language.

6 Ham's sons: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.

7 Cush's sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. And Raamah's sons: Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful man on earth.

9 He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord."

10 His kingdom started with Babylon, Erech,^[b] Accad,^[c] and Calneh,^[d] in the land of Shinar.^[e]

11 From that land he went to Assyria^[f] and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,

Genesis 10:1-11 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] Some Hb mss, Sam, LXX read Rodanim; 1 Ch 1:7
• [b] Or Uruk
• [c] Or Akkad
• [d] Or and all of them
• [e] Or in Babylonia
• [f] Mc 5:6