IV. NOAS SÖNERS FORTSATTA HISTORIA 10:1-11:9

10 (A) Detta är Noas söners fortsatta historia, Sems, Hams och Jafets.[a] Åt dem föddes söner efter floden.

Jafets söner var Gomer[b], Magog[c], Madaj[d], Javan[e], Tubal[f], Meshek[g] och Tiras[h]. Gomers söner var Ashkenas[i], Rifat[j] och Togarma[k]. Javans söner var Elisha[l] och Tarshish[m], kitteerna[n] och dodaneerna[o]. Från dessa har folken i hedningarnas kustområden spritt ut sig i sina länder, alla med sitt språk i sina stammar och folk.

Hams söner var Kush[p], Misrajim[q], Put[r] och Kanaan[s]. Söner till Kush var Seba[t], Havila[u], Sabta[v], Raama[w] och Sabteka[x]. Raamas söner var Saba[y] och Dedan[z].

Kush blev far till Nimrod[aa], som var den förste som fick stor makt på jorden. Han var en väldig jägare inför Herren. Därför brukar man säga: ”En väldig jägare inför Herren som Nimrod.” 10 Hans rike hade sin början i Babel, Erek, Akkad och Kalne i Shinars land[ab]. 11 Från det landet drog han sedan ut till Assyrien och byggde Nineve, Rehobot-Ir, Kela 12 (B) och Resen mellan Nineve och Kela. Detta är den stora staden.

13 Misrajim blev far till ludeerna[ac], anameerna[ad], lehabeerna[ae], naftuheerna[af], 14 patroseerna[ag], kasluheerna[ah], den stam som filisteerna härstammar från, och kaftoreerna[ai].

15 Kanaan blev far till Sidon[aj], som var hans förstfödde, och Het[ak], 16 vidare jebusiterna[al], amoreerna[am], girgasheerna[an], 17 hiveerna[ao], arkeerna[ap], sineerna[aq], 18 arvadeerna[ar], semareerna[as] och hamateerna[at]. Senare utbredde sig kananeernas släkter ytterligare 19 så att deras område sträckte sig från Sidon mot Gerar ända till Gaza och mot Sodom, Gomorra, Adma och Sebojim[au] ända till Lasha.

20 Detta var Hams söner efter deras stammar och språk i deras länder och bland deras folk.

21 Söner föddes också åt Sem, Jafets äldre bror, och han blev stamfar till alla Eber[av]s söner.

22 Sems söner var Elam[aw], Assur[ax], Arpakshad[ay], Lud[az] och Aram[ba].

23 Arams söner var Us[bb], Hul, Geter och Mash.

24 (C) Arpakshad blev far till Shela och Shela blev far till Eber.

25 (D) Men åt Eber föddes två söner. Den ene hette Peleg[bc], för under hans tid blev jorden uppdelad. Hans bror hette Joktan[bd].

26 Joktan blev far till Almodad, Shelef, Hasarmavet, Jera, 27 Hadoram, Usal, Dikla, 28 Obal, Abimael, Saba, 29 Ofir[be], Havila och Jobab. Alla dessa var Joktans söner. 30 De hade sina boplatser från Mesha mot Sefar, mot bergsområdet i öster.

31 Detta var Sems söner efter deras stammar och språk i deras länder och efter deras folk.

32 (E) Detta var Noas söners stammar efter deras släktled i deras folk. Från dem har folken utbrett sig på jorden efter floden.

Footnotes

  1. 10:1 Sem … Ham … Jafet   De tre huvudgrupperna omfattar folk åt öster mot Mellanöstern och Asien, söder-väster mot Afrika och Medelhavet respektive norr och nordväst mot Europa.
  2. 10:2 Gomer   Troligen kimmerierna norr och öster om Svarta havet. Omnämnd i Hes 38:6.
  3. 10:2 Magog   Enligt Josefus ett skytiskt folk norr om Svarta havet. Se Hes 38:2f, Upp 20:8.
  4. 10:2 Madaj   Mederna, ett iranskt folk som senare blev en stormakt (Est 1:3, Jes 13:17f).
  5. 10:2 Javan   Grekland, särskilt Jonien på nuvarande Turkiets västkust. Se Jes 66:19, Dan 8:21.
  6. 10:2 Tubal   Riket Tabal låg i östra nuvarande Turkiet. Se Jes 66:19, Hes 38:2.
  7. 10:2 Meshek   Grannfolk till Tubal som ofta nämns tillsammans. Kallades Mushki av assyrierna och Moschoi av grekerna. Se Hes 27:13, 32:26 och Ps 120:5.
  8. 10:2 Tiras   Kan ha bott vid Svarta havets sydvästkust. Kopplingar har föreslagits till trakerna i nuvarande Bulgarien, Troja och etruskerna som vandrade västerut till Norditalien.
  9. 10:3 Ashkenas   Skytiskt folk i nuvarande Ukraina (Jer 51:27). Anses ofta vara förfader till de skandinaviska folken.
  10. 10:3 Rifat   Obekant folk som enligt Josefus bodde längs nuvarande Turkiets nordkust.
  11. 10:3 Togarma   Kanske staden Tegarama vid Gürün i centrala Turkiet, omnämnd i assyriska källor. Se Hes 27:14, 38:6.
  12. 10:4 Elisha   Kustområde i Medelhavet, kanske på Cypern. Se Hes 27:7. Omnämnt i ugaritiska källor som Alashiya.
  13. 10:4 Tarshish   Kustområde i västra Medelhavet, senare berömt för sina handelsförbindelser (1 Kung 10:22, Hes 27:12). Har identifierats med spanska Tartessos, tunisiska Kartago eller Sardinien.
  14. 10:4 kitteerna   Identifieras med Cypern, kanske staden Kition på öns sydostkust (4 Mos 24:24, Dan 11:30, Jes 23:1, Hes 27:6).
  15. 10:4 dodaneerna   Möjligen sjöfararriket Danuna (i dag Adana) i Medelhavets nordöstra hörn. Andra handskrifter: ”rodaneerna” (ön Rhodos, jfr 1 Krön 1:7).
  16. 10:6 Kush   Nubien söder om Egypten i nuvarande Sudan, ett mäktigt rike (t ex 1 Kung 19:9).
  17. 10:6 Misrajim   Det hebreiska namnet för Egypten.
  18. 10:6 Put   Troligen Libyen, ofta beskrivet som ett krigarfolk (Jer 46:9, Hes 27:10, 30:5, 38:5).
  19. 10:6 Kanaan   Folk som bodde i nuvarande Israel, Libanon och Syrien.
  20. 10:7 Seba   Förknippades av Josefus med Meroe i nuvarande Sudan (jfr Jes 43:3, 45:14).
  21. 10:7 Havila   Betyder ”sand”, troligen nordvästra Saudiarabien (jfr 2:11, 25:18, 1 Sam 15:7).
  22. 10:7 Sabta   Kanske Sabota i Hadhramaut, östra nuvarande Jemen.
  23. 10:7 Raama   Kanske Ragma nära Saba i Jemen (jfr Hes 27:22).
  24. 10:7 Sabteka   Kan inte placeras med säkerhet, kanske längs arabiska halvöns västkust.
  25. 10:7 Saba   Nuvarande Jemen, ett mäktigt handelsrike (1 Kung 10, Job 6:19, Ps 72:10, Jes 60:6).
  26. 10:7 Dedan   Nordvästra Saudiarabien (Jes 21:13, Jer 25:23, Hes 27:15).
  27. 10:8 Nimrod   betyder ”vi gör uppror”. Gestalten som beskrivs har likheter med kung Sargon på 2200-talet f Kr men bör ha levt långt tidigare.
  28. 10:10 Shinars land   Sumerernas land vid Eufrat och Tigris.
  29. 10:13 ludeerna   Osäker identifikation. Kanske i Libyen väster om Egypten (Jer 46:9) snarare än lydierna i nuvarande Turkiet (vers 22).
  30. 10:13 anameerna   Osäker identifikation. Möjligen nordvästra Egypten (enligt Targum Jonatan).
  31. 10:13 lehabeerna   Kanske libyerna väster om Egypten (2 Krön 12:3, 16:8, Nah 3:9, Apg 2:10).
  32. 10:13 naftuheerna   Osäker identifikation. Möjligen nordöstra Egypten (enligt Targum Jonatan).
  33. 10:14 patroseerna   Södra Egypten (Jer 44:1, Hes 29:14).
  34. 10:14 kasluheerna   Osäker identifikation. Möjligen sjöfolket Sikal eller Tjeker i östra Medelhavet.
  35. 10:14 kaftoreerna   Folk på Kreta (5 Mos 2:23, Jer 47:4, Amos 9:7).
  36. 10:15 Sidon   Handelsfolk vid Libanons kust (Jes 23:2f, Hes 28:21f, Matt 11:21, 15:21).
  37. 10:15 Het   Hetiterna blev en stormakt i nuvarande Turkiet ca 1600-1300 f Kr. Mindre grupper med samma namn bodde i Kanaans land (23:3f, 26:34, 2 Mos 3:8).
  38. 10:16 jebusiterna   Jerusalems urinvånare (Jos 15:63, Dom 19:10f, 2 Sam 5:6f, 24:16f).
  39. 10:16 amoreerna   Folkgrupp i Syrien och Kanaans land (14:13, 15:16, Amos 2:9). Deras språk var besläktat med hebreiskan.
  40. 10:16 girgasheerna   Obekant folk i Kanaans land (15:21), omnämnt i ugaritiska texter.
  41. 10:17 hiveerna   Folk i Kanaans land och norrut (34:2, Jos 11:3, 19, Dom 3:3).
  42. 10:17 arkeerna   Staden Arqa ligger i norra Libanon och är omnämnd i de egyptiska Amarnabreven.
  43. 10:17 sineerna   Enligt ugaritiska texter ett grannfolk till arkeerna (men se Jes 49:12).
  44. 10:18 arvadeerna   Ön Arvad ligger strax norr om Libanon (se Hes 27:8, 11).
  45. 10:18 semareerna   Staden Sumur, omnämnd i Amarnabreven, låg strax söder om Arvad.
  46. 10:18 hamateerna   Staden Hamat (i dag Hama i västra Syrien) bildade ett rike strax norr om israeliternas land (1 Kung 8:65, 14:25f).
  47. 10:19 Adma och Sebojim   Grannstäder till Sodom och Gomorra vid Döda havet (jfr 14:2).
  48. 10:21 Eber   Betyder ”gå över” (t ex en flod). Namnet har gett upphov till ordet ”hebré” (14:13).
  49. 10:22 Elam   Folk öster om Mesopotamien i västra nuvarande Iran (14:1, Jer 49:34f, Apg 2:9).
  50. 10:22 Assur   Assyrien i norra Mesopotamien som blev en stormakt (se 2 Kung 15-19, Jona, Nahum).
  51. 10:22 Arpakshad   Möjligen Babel (enligt Josefus), möjligen staden Arrapcha under nuvarande Kirkuk, ca 30 mil norr om Babel.
  52. 10:22 Lud   Kanske lydierna i västra nuvarande Turkiet (jfr Apg 16:14).
  53. 10:22 Aram   Folk i norra Syrien, nära besläktat med israeliterna (25:40, 5 Mos 26:5), längre fram en rivaliserande stormakt (2 Sam 8, 10, 1 Kung 20, 22, 2 Kung 5-9).
  54. 10:23 Us   Detta Us förknippas med Syrien (22:21), kanske inte identiskt med Jobs hemland Us nära Edom (Job 1:1, Klag 4:21).
  55. 10:25 Peleg   Betyder ”delning” (jfr 11:8). Hans ättlingar beskrivs i 11:18f.
  56. 10:25 Joktan   Anfader till stammar i södra delen av arabiska halvön (vers 26-30).
  57. 10:29 Ofir   Område med dåtidens finaste guld (1 Kung 9:28, 22:49, Jes 13:12).

10 Detta är Sems, Hams och Jafets ättlingar. De tre var Noas söner, och de fick söner efter översvämningen.

Jafets söner hette: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Mesek och Tiras.

Gomers söner hette: Askenas, Rifat och Togarma.

Javans söner hette: Elisa, Tarsis, Kittim och Dodanim.

Deras ättlingar blev sjöfartsfolk i olika länder, och de hade alla sina skilda språk.

Hams söner hette: Kus, Misraim, Put och Kanaan.

Kus söner hette: Seba, Havila, Sabta, Raema och Sabteka. Raemas söner hette: Saba och Dedan.

En av Kus ättlingar hette Nimrod. Han blev den förste kungen.

Han var en väldig jägare, välsignad av Gud, och hans namn blev ett ordspråk. Folk brukade säga: En väldig jägare, välsignad av Gud - som Nimrod.

10 Kärnan i hans rike omfattade Babel, Erek, Ackad och Kalne, i Sinears land.

11-12 Därifrån utsträckte han sitt välde till Assyrien. Han byggde Nineve, Rehabot-Ir, Kela och Resen (som är beläget mellan Nineve och Kela), huvudstaden i riket.

13-14 Misraim blev stamfar till följande folk: lydierna, anameerna, lehabeerna, naftaleerna, patroseerna, kasluheerna, som filisteerna härstammar ifrån, och kaftoreerna.

15-19 Kanaans äldste son hette Sidon, och han var också stamfar till hetiterna, jebuseerna, amoreerna, girgaseerna, hiveerna, arkeerna, sineerna, arvadeerna, semareerna och hamateerna.Slutligen spred sig Kanaans ättlingar från Sidon och hela vägen till Gerar i Gasaremsan och till Sodom, Gomorra, Adma och Seboim nära Lesa.

20 Dessa, som alla var Hams ättlingar, spred sig till många länder och folk med många olika språk.

21 Eber härstammade från Sem, Jafets äldste bror.

22 Här följer en förteckning över Sems andra ättlingar: Elam, Assur, Arpaksad, Lud och Aram.

23 Arams söner hette: Us, Hul, Geter och Mas.

24 Arpaksads son hette Sela, och Selas son hette Eber.

25 Eber fick två söner: Peleg (som betyder: 'delning

26-30 Joktan var far till: Almodad, Selef, Hasarmavet, Jera, Hadoram, Usal, Dikla, Obal, Abimael, Saba, Ofir, Havila och Jobab.Joktans ättlingar bodde utefter hela vägen från Mesa till Sefars berg i öster.

31 Dessa var alltså Sems ättlingar, grupperade efter folktillhörighet, språk och geografisk spridning.

32 Alla som omnämnts härstammade från Noa, och de bodde i de olika länder som uppstod efter översvämningen.

The Table of Nations

10 This is the account[a] of Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.[b] Sons[c] were born[d] to them after the flood.

The sons of Japheth[e] were Gomer,[f] Magog,[g] Madai,[h] Javan,[i] Tubal,[j] Meshech,[k] and Tiras.[l] The sons of Gomer were[m] Ashkenaz,[n] Riphath,[o] and Togarmah.[p] The sons of Javan were Elishah,[q] Tarshish,[r] the Kittim,[s] and the Dodanim.[t] 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.

The sons of Ham were Cush,[u] Mizraim,[v] Put,[w] and Canaan.[x] The sons of Cush were Seba,[y] Havilah,[z] Sabtah,[aa] Raamah,[ab] and Sabteca.[ac] The sons of Raamah were Sheba[ad] and Dedan.[ae]

Cush was the father of[af] Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter[ag] before the Lord.[ah] (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10 The primary regions[ai] of his kingdom were Babel,[aj] Erech,[ak] Akkad,[al] and Calneh[am] in the land of Shinar.[an] 11 From that land he went[ao] to Assyria,[ap] where he built Nineveh,[aq] Rehoboth Ir,[ar] Calah,[as] 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.[at]

13 Mizraim[au] was the father of[av] the Ludites,[aw] Anamites,[ax] Lehabites,[ay] Naphtuhites,[az] 14 Pathrusites,[ba] Casluhites[bb] (from whom the Philistines came),[bc] and Caphtorites.[bd]

15 Canaan was the father of[be] Sidon his firstborn,[bf] Heth,[bg] 16 the Jebusites,[bh] Amorites,[bi] Girgashites,[bj] 17 Hivites,[bk] Arkites,[bl] Sinites,[bm] 18 Arvadites,[bn] Zemarites,[bo] and Hamathites.[bp] Eventually the families of the Canaanites were scattered 19 and the borders of Canaan extended[bq] from Sidon all the way to[br] Gerar as far as Gaza, and all the way to[bs] Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboyim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.

21 And sons were also born[bt] to Shem (the older brother of Japheth),[bu] the father of all the sons of Eber.

22 The sons of Shem were Elam,[bv] Asshur,[bw] Arphaxad,[bx] Lud,[by] and Aram.[bz] 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.[ca] 24 Arphaxad was the father of[cb] Shelah,[cc] and Shelah was the father of Eber.[cd] 25 Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg because in his days the earth was divided,[ce] and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan was the father of[cf] Almodad,[cg] Sheleph,[ch] Hazarmaveth,[ci] Jerah,[cj] 27 Hadoram, Uzal,[ck] Diklah,[cl] 28 Obal,[cm] Abimael,[cn] Sheba,[co] 29 Ophir,[cp] Havilah,[cq] and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. 30 Their dwelling place was from Mesha all the way to[cr] Sephar in the eastern hills. 31 These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations.

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations, and from these the nations spread[cs] over the earth after the flood.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:1 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (ʾelleh toledot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1-11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
  2. Genesis 10:1 sn The sons are not listed in order by age. Japheth was oldest (10:21); Ham was youngest (9:24). Shem is listed first due to importance.
  3. Genesis 10:1 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
  4. Genesis 10:1 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bene) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10—Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10—Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
  5. Genesis 10:2 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.
  6. Genesis 10:2 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.
  7. Genesis 10:2 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.
  8. Genesis 10:2 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.
  9. Genesis 10:2 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.
  10. Genesis 10:2 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
  11. Genesis 10:2 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
  12. Genesis 10:2 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.
  13. Genesis 10:3 sn The descendants of Gomer were all northern tribes of the Upper Euphrates.
  14. Genesis 10:3 sn Ashkenaz was the ancestor of a northern branch of Indo-Germanic tribes, possibly Scythians. For discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 63.
  15. Genesis 10:3 sn The descendants of Riphath lived in a district north of the road from Haran to Carchemish.
  16. Genesis 10:3 sn Togarmah is also mentioned in Ezek 38:6, where it refers to Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu, which bordered Tabal in eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 26, n. 28.
  17. Genesis 10:4 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.
  18. Genesis 10:4 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.
  19. Genesis 10:4 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.
  20. Genesis 10:4 tc Most of the MT mss read “Dodanim” here, but 1 Chr 1:7 has “Rodanim,” perhaps referring to the island of Rhodes. But the Qere reading in 1 Chr 1:7 suggests “Dodanim.” Dodona is one of the most ancient and revered spots in ancient Greece.
  21. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Cush settled in Nubia (Ethiopia).
  22. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Mizraim settled in Upper and Lower Egypt.
  23. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Put settled in Libya.
  24. Genesis 10:6 sn The descendants of Canaan lived in the region of Phoenicia (Palestine).
  25. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
  26. Genesis 10:7 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.
  27. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.
  28. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.
  29. Genesis 10:7 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.
  30. Genesis 10:7 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.
  31. Genesis 10:7 sn The name Dedan is associated with ʿUla in northern Arabia.
  32. Genesis 10:8 tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.
  33. Genesis 10:9 tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).
  34. Genesis 10:9 tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yehvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”
  35. Genesis 10:10 tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.
  36. Genesis 10:10 tn Or “Babylon.”
  37. Genesis 10:10 sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.
  38. Genesis 10:10 sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.
  39. Genesis 10:10 tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).
  40. Genesis 10:10 sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.
  41. Genesis 10:11 tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.
  42. Genesis 10:11 tn Heb “Asshur.”
  43. Genesis 10:11 sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.
  44. Genesis 10:11 sn The name Rehoboth Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.
  45. Genesis 10:11 sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located 20 miles north of Nineveh.
  46. Genesis 10:12 tn Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”
  47. Genesis 10:13 sn Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt (cf. NRSV).
  48. Genesis 10:13 tn Heb “fathered.”
  49. Genesis 10:13 sn The Ludites were African tribes west of the Nile Delta.
  50. Genesis 10:13 sn The Anamites lived in North Africa, west of Egypt, near Cyrene.
  51. Genesis 10:13 sn The Lehabites are identified with the Libyans.
  52. Genesis 10:13 sn The Naphtuhites lived in Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region).
  53. Genesis 10:14 sn The Pathrusites are known in Egyptian as P-to-reshi; they resided in Upper Egypt.
  54. Genesis 10:14 sn The Casluhites lived in Crete and eventually settled east of the Egyptian Delta, between Egypt and Canaan.
  55. Genesis 10:14 tn Several commentators prefer to reverse the order of the words to put this clause after the next word, since the Philistines came from Crete (where the Caphtorites lived). But the table may suggest migration rather than lineage, and the Philistines, like the Israelites, came through the Nile Delta region of Egypt. For further discussion of the origin and migration of the Philistines, see D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 232.
  56. Genesis 10:14 sn The Caphtorites resided in Crete, but in Egyptian literature Caphtor refers to “the region beyond” the Mediterranean.
  57. Genesis 10:15 tn Heb “fathered.”
  58. Genesis 10:15 sn Sidon was the foremost city in Phoenicia; here Sidon may be the name of its founder.
  59. Genesis 10:15 tn Some see a reference to “Hittites” here (cf. NIV), but this seems unlikely. See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.
  60. Genesis 10:16 sn The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of ancient Jerusalem.
  61. Genesis 10:16 sn Here Amorites refers to smaller groups of Canaanite inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Palestine, rather than the large waves of Amurru, or western Semites, who migrated to the region.
  62. Genesis 10:16 sn The Girgashites are an otherwise unknown Canaanite tribe, though the name is possibly mentioned in Ugaritic texts (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 1:226).
  63. Genesis 10:17 sn The Hivites were Canaanite tribes of a Hurrian origin.
  64. Genesis 10:17 sn The Arkites lived in Arka, a city in Lebanon, north of Sidon.
  65. Genesis 10:17 sn The Sinites lived in Sin, another town in Lebanon.
  66. Genesis 10:18 sn The Arvadites lived in the city Arvad, located on an island near the mainland close to the river El Kebir.
  67. Genesis 10:18 sn The Zemarites lived in the town Sumur, north of Arka.
  68. Genesis 10:18 sn The Hamathites lived in Hamath on the Orontes River.
  69. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “were.”
  70. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “as you go.”
  71. Genesis 10:19 tn Heb “as you go.”
  72. Genesis 10:21 tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”
  73. Genesis 10:21 tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun plus proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.
  74. Genesis 10:22 sn The Hebrew name Elam (עֵילָם, ʿelam) means “highland.” The Elamites were a non-Semitic people who lived east of Babylon.
  75. Genesis 10:22 sn Asshur is the name for the Assyrians. Asshur was the region in which Nimrod expanded his power (see v. 11, where the name is also mentioned). When names appear in both sections of a genealogical list, it probably means that there were both Hamites and Shemites living in that region in antiquity, especially if the name is a place name.
  76. Genesis 10:22 sn The descendants of Arphaxad may have lived northeast of Nineveh.
  77. Genesis 10:22 sn Lud may have been the ancestor of the Ludbu, who lived near the Tigris River.
  78. Genesis 10:22 sn Aram became the collective name of the northern tribes living in the steppes of Mesopotamia and speaking Aramaic dialects.
  79. Genesis 10:23 tc The MT reads “Mash”; the LXX and 1 Chr 1:17 read “Meshech.”sn Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. Little is known about these descendants of Aram.
  80. Genesis 10:24 tn Heb “fathered.”
  81. Genesis 10:24 tc The MT reads “Arphaxad fathered Shelah”; the LXX reads “Arphaxad fathered Cainan, and Cainan fathered Sala [= Shelah].” The LXX reading also appears to lie behind Luke 3:35-36.
  82. Genesis 10:24 sn Genesis 11 traces the line of Shem through Eber (עֵבֶר, ʿever) to Abraham the “Hebrew” (עִבְרִי, ʿivri).
  83. Genesis 10:25 tn The expression “the earth was divided” may refer to dividing the land with canals, but more likely it anticipates the division of languages at Babel (Gen 11). The verb פָּלַג (palag, “separate, divide”) is used in Ps 55:9 for a division of languages.
  84. Genesis 10:26 tn Heb “fathered.”
  85. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Almodad combines the Arabic article al with modad (“friend”). Almodad was the ancestor of a South Arabian people.
  86. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Sheleph may be related to Shilph, a district of Yemen; Shalph is a Yemenite tribe.
  87. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Hazarmaveth should be equated with Hadramawt, located in Southern Arabia.
  88. Genesis 10:26 sn The name Jerah means “moon.”
  89. Genesis 10:27 sn Uzal was the name of the old capital of Yemen.
  90. Genesis 10:27 sn The name Diklah means “date-palm.”
  91. Genesis 10:28 sn Obal was a name used for several localities in Yemen.
  92. Genesis 10:28 sn The name Abimael is a genuine Sabean form which means “my father, truly, he is God.”
  93. Genesis 10:28 sn The descendants of Sheba lived in South Arabia, where the Joktanites were more powerful than the Hamites.
  94. Genesis 10:29 sn Ophir became the name of a territory in South Arabia. Many of the references to Ophir are connected with gold (e.g., 1 Kgs 9:28; 10:11; 22:48; 1 Chr 29:4; 2 Chr 8:18; 9:10; Job 22:24; 28:16; Ps 45:9; Isa 13:12).
  95. Genesis 10:29 sn Havilah is listed with Ham in v. 7.
  96. Genesis 10:30 tn Heb “as you go.”
  97. Genesis 10:32 tn Or “separated.”

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)

The sons[a] of Japheth:

Gomer,(E) Magog,(F) Madai, Javan,(G) Tubal,(H) Meshek(I) and Tiras.

The sons of Gomer:

Ashkenaz,(J) Riphath and Togarmah.(K)

The sons of Javan:

Elishah,(L) Tarshish,(M) the Kittites(N) and the Rodanites.[b] (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)

The sons of Ham:

Cush,(Q) Egypt, Put(R) and Canaan.(S)

The sons of Cush:

Seba,(T) Havilah,(U) Sabtah, Raamah(V) and Sabteka.

The sons of Raamah:

Sheba(W) and Dedan.(X)

Cush was the father[c] of Nimrod,(Y) who became a mighty warrior on the earth. 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.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 10:2 Sons may mean descendants or successors or nations; also in verses 3, 4, 6, 7, 20-23, 29 and 31.
  2. 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
  3. Genesis 10:8 Father may mean ancestor or predecessor or founder; also in verses 13, 15, 24 and 26.
  4. Genesis 10:10 Or Uruk and Akkad—all of them in
  5. Genesis 10:10 That is, Babylonia
  6. Genesis 10:11 Or Nineveh with its city squares
  7. Genesis 10:15 Or of the Sidonians, the foremost
  8. Genesis 10:21 Or Shem, the older brother of
  9. Genesis 10:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 1:17; Hebrew Mash.
  10. Genesis 10:24 Hebrew; Septuagint father of Cainan, and Cainan was the father of
  11. Genesis 10:25 Peleg means division.