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Genesis 10-11
Common English Bible
Genesis 10-11
Common English Bible
Noah’s descendants
10 These are the descendants of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, to whom children were born after the flood. 2 Japheth’s sons: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 Gomer’s sons: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 Javan’s sons: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.[a] 5 From these the island-nations were divided into their own countries, each according to their languages and their clans within their nations.
6 Ham’s sons: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 Cush’s sons: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. Raamah’s sons: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod, the first great warrior on earth. 9 The Lord saw him as a great hunter, and so it is said, “Like Nimrod, whom the Lord saw as a great hunter.” 10 The most important cities in his kingdom were Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 11 Asshur left that land and built Nineveh, Rehoboth City, Calah, 12 and Resen, the great city between Nineveh and Calah. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim,[b] from which the Philistines came.
15 Canaan fathered Sidon his oldest son, and Heth, 16 the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. After this the Canaanite clans were dispersed. 19 The Canaanite boundary extends from Sidon by way of Gerar to Gaza and by way of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim to Lasha. 20 These are Ham’s sons according to their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.
21 Children were also born to Shem the father of all Eber’s children and Japheth’s older brother.
22 Shem’s sons: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 Aram’s sons: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: The first was named Peleg,[c] because during his lifetime the earth was divided. His brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All of these were Joktan’s sons. 30 Their settlements extended from Mesha by way of Sephar, the eastern mountains. 31 These are Shem’s sons according to their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.
32 These are the clans of Noah’s sons according to their generations and their nations. From them the earth’s nations branched out after the flood.
Origin of languages and cultures
11 All people[d] on the earth had one language and the same words. 2 When they traveled east,[e] they found a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them hard.” They used bricks for stones and asphalt for mortar. 4 They said, “Come, let’s build for ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves so that we won’t be dispersed over all the earth.”
5 Then the Lord came down to see the city and the tower that the humans built. 6 And the Lord said, “There is now one people and they all have one language. This is what they have begun to do, and now all that they plan to do will be possible for them. 7 Come, let’s go down and mix up their language there so they won’t understand each other’s language.” 8 Then the Lord dispersed them from there over all of the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore, it is named Babel, because there the Lord mixed up[f] the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord dispersed them over all the earth.
Shem’s descendants
10 These are Shem’s descendants.
When Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arpachshad, two years after the flood. 11 After Arpachshad was born, Shem lived 500 years; he had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arpachshad was 35 years old, he became the father of Shelah. 13 After Shelah was born, Arpachshad lived 403 years; he had other sons and daughters.
14 When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber. 15 After Eber was born, Shelah lived 403 years; he had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber was 34 years old, he became the father of Peleg. 17 After Peleg was born, Eber lived 430 years; he had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg was 30 years old, he became the father of Reu. 19 After Reu was born, Peleg lived 209 years; he had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug. 21 After Serug was born, Reu lived 207 years; he had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug was 30 years old, he became the father of Nahor. 23 After Nahor was born, Serug lived 200 years; he had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor was 29 years old, he became the father of Terah. 25 After Terah was born, Nahor lived 119 years; he had other sons and daughters.
26 When Terah was 70 years old, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
27 These are Terah’s descendants. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot. 28 Haran died while with his father Terah in his native land,[g] in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Abram and Nahor both married; Abram’s wife was Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was Milcah the daughter of Haran, father of both Milcah and Iscah. 30 Sarai was unable to have children. 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (son of Haran), and his son Abram’s wife, Sarai his daughter-in-law. They left Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan, and arriving at Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran.
Footnotes
- Genesis 10:4 LXX, Sam, 1 Chron 1:7; MT Dodanim
- Genesis 10:14 Or Casluhim, from which the Philistines set out, and Caphtorim
- Genesis 10:25 Or separation
- Genesis 11:1 Heb lacks people.
- Genesis 11:2 Or from the east
- Genesis 11:9 Heb balal, wordplay on Babel
- Genesis 11:28 Or birthplace
Genesis 10-11
New International Version
Genesis 10-11
New International Version
The Table of Nations
10 This is the account(A) of Shem, Ham and Japheth,(B) Noah’s sons,(C) who themselves had sons after the flood.
The Japhethites(D)
2 The sons[a] of Japheth:
Gomer,(E) Magog,(F) Madai, Javan,(G) Tubal,(H) Meshek(I) and Tiras.
3 The sons of Gomer:
Ashkenaz,(J) Riphath and Togarmah.(K)
4 The sons of Javan:
Elishah,(L) Tarshish,(M) the Kittites(N) and the Rodanites.[b] 5 (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.)(O)
The Hamites(P)
6 The sons of Ham:
Cush,(Q) Egypt, Put(R) and Canaan.(S)
7 The sons of Cush:
Seba,(T) Havilah,(U) Sabtah, Raamah(V) and Sabteka.
The sons of Raamah:
8 Cush was the father[c] of Nimrod,(Y) who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty(Z) hunter(AA) before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon,(AB) Uruk,(AC) Akkad and Kalneh,(AD) in[d] Shinar.[e](AE) 11 From that land he went to Assyria,(AF) where he built Nineveh,(AG) Rehoboth Ir,[f] Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah—which is the great city.
13 Egypt was the father of
the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines(AH) came) and Caphtorites.(AI)
15 Canaan(AJ) was the father of
Sidon(AK) his firstborn,[g](AL) and of the Hittites,(AM) 16 Jebusites,(AN) Amorites,(AO) Girgashites,(AP) 17 Hivites,(AQ) Arkites, Sinites, 18 Arvadites,(AR) Zemarites and Hamathites.(AS)
Later the Canaanite(AT) clans scattered 19 and the borders of Canaan(AU) reached from Sidon(AV) toward Gerar(AW) as far as Gaza,(AX) and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim,(AY) as far as Lasha.
20 These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
The Semites(AZ)
21 Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was[h] Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.(BA)
22 The sons of Shem:
Elam,(BB) Ashur,(BC) Arphaxad,(BD) Lud and Aram.(BE)
23 The sons of Aram:
Uz,(BF) Hul, Gether and Meshek.[i]
24 Arphaxad was the father of[j] Shelah,
and Shelah the father of Eber.(BG)
25 Two sons were born to Eber:
One was named Peleg,[k] because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.
26 Joktan was the father of
Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal,(BH) Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,(BI) 29 Ophir,(BJ) Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
30 The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
31 These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
32 These are the clans of Noah’s sons,(BK) according to their lines of descent, within their nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth(BL) after the flood.
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language(BM) and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward,[l] they found a plain in Shinar[m](BN) and settled there.
3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks(BO) and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone,(BP) and tar(BQ) for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens,(BR) so that we may make a name(BS) for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered(BT) over the face of the whole earth.”(BU)
5 But the Lord came down(BV) to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language(BW) they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us(BX) go down(BY) and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”(BZ)
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth,(CA) and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel[n](CB)—because there the Lord confused the language(CC) of the whole world.(CD) From there the Lord scattered(CE) them over the face of the whole earth.
From Shem to Abram(CF)
10 This is the account(CG) of Shem’s family line.
Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father[o] of Arphaxad.(CH) 11 And after he became the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other sons and daughters.
12 When Arphaxad had lived 35 years, he became the father of Shelah.(CI) 13 And after he became the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.[p]
14 When Shelah had lived 30 years, he became the father of Eber.(CJ) 15 And after he became the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters.
16 When Eber had lived 34 years, he became the father of Peleg.(CK) 17 And after he became the father of Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters.
18 When Peleg had lived 30 years, he became the father of Reu.(CL) 19 And after he became the father of Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and had other sons and daughters.
20 When Reu had lived 32 years, he became the father of Serug.(CM) 21 And after he became the father of Serug, Reu lived 207 years and had other sons and daughters.
22 When Serug had lived 30 years, he became the father of Nahor.(CN) 23 And after he became the father of Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and had other sons and daughters.
24 When Nahor had lived 29 years, he became the father of Terah.(CO) 25 And after he became the father of Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and had other sons and daughters.
26 After Terah had lived 70 years, he became the father of Abram,(CP) Nahor(CQ) and Haran.(CR)
Abram’s Family
27 This is the account(CS) of Terah’s family line.
Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor(CT) and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot.(CU) 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans,(CV) in the land of his birth. 29 Abram and Nahor(CW) both married. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai,(CX) and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milkah;(CY) she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milkah and Iskah. 30 Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.(CZ)
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot(DA) son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law(DB) Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans(DC) to go to Canaan.(DD) But when they came to Harran,(DE) they settled there.
32 Terah(DF) lived 205 years, and he died in Harran.
Footnotes
- Genesis 10:2 Sons may mean descendants or successors or nations; also in verses 3, 4, 6, 7, 20-23, 29 and 31.
- Genesis 10:4 Some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text and Samaritan Pentateuch (see also Septuagint and 1 Chron. 1:7); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text Dodanites
- Genesis 10:8 Father may mean ancestor or predecessor or founder; also in verses 13, 15, 24 and 26.
- Genesis 10:10 Or Uruk and Akkad—all of them in
- Genesis 10:10 That is, Babylonia
- Genesis 10:11 Or Nineveh with its city squares
- Genesis 10:15 Or of the Sidonians, the foremost
- Genesis 10:21 Or Shem, the older brother of
- Genesis 10:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 1:17; Hebrew Mash.
- Genesis 10:24 Hebrew; Septuagint father of Cainan, and Cainan was the father of
- Genesis 10:25 Peleg means division.
- Genesis 11:2 Or from the east; or in the east
- Genesis 11:2 That is, Babylonia
- Genesis 11:9 That is, Babylon; Babel sounds like the Hebrew for confused.
- Genesis 11:10 Father may mean ancestor; also in verses 11-25.
- Genesis 11:13 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also Luke 3:35, 36 and note at Gen. 10:24) 35 years, he became the father of Cainan. 13 And after he became the father of Cainan, Arphaxad lived 430 years and had other sons and daughters, and then he died. When Cainan had lived 130 years, he became the father of Shelah. And after he became the father of Shelah, Cainan lived 330 years and had other sons and daughters
Common English Bible (CEB)
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