The Table of Nations

10:1 This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. 10:2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 10:3 The sons of Gomer were Askenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 10:4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim, and the Dodanim. 10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations. 10:6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 10:8 Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10:10 The primary regions of his kingdom were Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 10:11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, 10:12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah. 10:13 Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 10:14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorites. 10:15 Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, Heth, 10:16 the Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 10:17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 10:18 Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. Eventually the families of the Canaanites were scattered 10:19 and the borders of Canaan extended from Sidon all the way to Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 10:20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations. 10:21 And sons were also born to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), the father of all the sons of Eber. 10:22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 10:23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 10:24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber. 10:25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. 10:26 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 10:27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 10:28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 10:29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 10:30 Their dwelling place was from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern hills. 10:31 These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations. 10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread over the earth after the flood.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Genesis 10 traces how Noah’s sons became many nations after the flood. It shows the spread of peoples, lands, and languages under God’s rule. It also keeps the line of promise moving through Shem and Eber.

This chapter is a structured record of the nations that came from Noah’s sons: Japheth, Ham, and Shem. It is not mainly a modern ethnic chart. It is a biblical map of the post-flood world.

The chapter repeats the ideas of families, languages, lands, and nations. This shows that humanity multiplied, but also became divided into distinct peoples. God is still over all of it.

The Ham line includes Canaan and Nimrod. Nimrod is described as a strong, mighty man and a builder of early centers of power such as Babel and Assyria. The text does not give a full judgment on him, but the setting warns the reader about human pride and empire.

The Canaan line matters because those peoples will later be important in Israel’s history and in the land promise to Abraham. The Shem line matters because it narrows the story toward Eber, and then toward Abram. The name Peleg remembers a division in the earth, which likely points to the scattering of the nations.

The chapter ends by saying that the nations spread over the earth after the flood. The flood did not end human history. It began a new stage in which God preserved humanity, ordered the nations, and kept his promise line alive.

• All nations after the flood came from Noah’s sons.
• God governs the spread of peoples, lands, and languages.
• The chapter is a theological genealogy, not a modern map of ethnicity.
• Nimrod is presented as a powerful figure tied to early kingdom building.
• The Canaan line is important for the later story of Israel and the land.
• The line of promise continues through Shem and Eber toward Abram.
• The name Peleg remembers a division of the earth.
• The flood preserved humanity, but sin and division still remain.

• Do not use this chapter to build racial hierarchies.
• Do not treat ancient nation names as direct labels for modern countries.
• Do not collapse the nations into the church.
• Do read genealogies as meaningful parts of Scripture.
• Remember that God rules over the nations and preserves his promise line.

Genesis 10 stands between the flood and the call of Abram. It shows the common family of the nations under the Noahic covenant, and it prepares for God’s covenant work through Abraham. The chapter also sets the stage for the land story by naming Canaan. In the wider Bible, the nations become the field where God’s blessing will reach through Abraham’s seed and, in the fullness of the canon, through the Messiah.

This chapter teaches that every nation is under God’s rule. It warns against pride, empire, and human boasting. It also reminds believers that the Bible cares about history, families, and places. We should read this chapter with reverence, and we should trust God’s purpose even when the world is divided.

• Lite Commentary
• In-depth Commentary