Genesis 10
1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, out of whom came Philistim, and Caphtorim.
15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
19 And 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.
20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
25 And 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.
26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
32 These 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.
World Behind This Chapter
Explore the people, places, language, history, and material world connected to Genesis 10.
What is the “Table of Nations”?
Genesis 10 arranges peoples, lands, and political names within a genealogy descending from Noah’s sons. It works at once as a family tree and a geographic picture of the world known to the text.
Can the peoples in Genesis 10 be identified with modern nations?
Some ancient names can be associated with known regions or peoples, but direct one-to-one equations with modern ethnic or national identities are often misleading. Historical geography works best name by name.
Who is Nimrod?
Nimrod is described as a mighty figure and associated with several Mesopotamian cities, but no secure historical identification has won broad scholarly agreement. The text should be distinguished from later legends about him.
Why do languages appear in Genesis 10 before Babel?
Genesis 10 already describes peoples according to languages, lands, and families, while Genesis 11 narrates the Babel story. Their literary order raises important questions about how the primeval narratives have been arranged.
Sources to ExploreCurated research paths for this chapter 4
History & Daily Life1
- NoahWorld History Encyclopedia
Includes Noah's descendants and the list of nations as part of the post-flood world; useful broad historical context without duplicating the Genesis 9 Bible Odyssey Noah link.
Maps & Timeline1
- Table of NationsESV Global Study Bible
Specific map for Genesis 10 showing the Table of Nations, dated c. 2200 BC; useful visual resource for Shem, Ham, Japheth, and the spread of peoples.
Language & Literature1
- Genesis 10 NET Bible Translation NotesNET Bible
Translation and study notes for Genesis 10, including names, peoples, lands, clans, languages, and the repeated formula behind the Table of Nations.
Artifacts & Manuscripts1
- Babylonian Map of the WorldBritish Museum
Clay tablet showing a Babylonian map of the world with Babylon, the Euphrates, Assyria, Der, and surrounding waters; excellent artifact companion to Genesis 10's ancient-world geography.
WORTH A CLOSER LOOK
The wider ancient Near Eastern world
A regional map helps place Mesopotamia, Canaan, Anatolia, Egypt, and neighboring areas named or echoed in the Table of Nations. It is orientation, not a claim that every Genesis 10 name can be mapped with certainty.
View the map
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