Old Testament · Law

Genesis 10

The Table of Nations

Seventy nations branching from three sons. The human family spreads across the earth — and the story is about to narrow.

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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 Phut, 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 Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

15And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

16And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

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 Zeboim, 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.

Understand This

Genesis 10, explained

What Genesis 10 is saying

The Table of Nations catalogues the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, mapping out seventy nations that populate the post-flood world. The genealogy describes not just biological descent but also political, linguistic, and geographical distributions. Nimrod is highlighted as a mighty hunter and the founder of Babel, Nineveh, and other significant cities.

The background behind it

This genealogical table is unique in the ancient world for its comprehensive attempt to account for the origin of all known peoples. The seventy nations became symbolically significant in Jewish tradition, representing the totality of humanity. Nimrod's association with Babel and Assyrian cities connects this chapter to later geopolitical narratives in Israel's history.

Themes running underneath

The universal scope of the Table of Nations affirms that all humanity shares a common origin under God's sovereignty. The spread of nations fulfills the creation mandate to fill the earth, yet the mention of Babel foreshadows the coming disruption. Unity and diversity are both part of God's design.

Why it still matters

Every nation and people group traces back to the same source, grounding human equality in theological reality. This genealogy challenges tribalism by rooting all of humanity in one family.

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Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.