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.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV
Read the commentary What this chapter means, the background behind it, and why it still matters

Every verse here opens — tap a number for what that one means.

1This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who also had sons after the flood.

2The sons of Japheth:

3The sons of Gomer:

4And the sons of Javan:

5From these, the maritime peoples separated into their territories, according to their languages, by clans within their nations.

6The sons of Ham:

7The sons of Cush:

8Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth.

9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; so it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

10His kingdom began in Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

11From that land he went forth into Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah,

12and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.

13Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites,

14the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.

15And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,

16the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites,

17the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites,

18the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

19and the borders of Canaan extended from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

20These are the sons of Ham according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.

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

22The sons of Shem:

23The sons of Aram:

24Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.

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

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

27Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

28Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

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

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

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

32All 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.

Commentary

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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