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A List of Nations

10 Here is the story of Shem, Ham and Japheth. They were Noah’s sons. After the flood, they also had sons.

The Sons of Japheth

The sons of Japheth were

Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek and Tiras.

The sons of Gomer were

Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.

The sons of Javan were

Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites and the Rodanites. From these people came the families who lived near the Mediterranean Sea. Each tribe and nation then spread out into its own territory and had its own language.

The Sons of Ham

The sons of Ham were

Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan.

The sons of Cush were

Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteka.

The sons of Raamah were

Sheba and Dedan.

Cush was the father of Nimrod. Nimrod became a mighty hero on the earth. He was a mighty hunter in the Lord’s eyes. That’s why people sometimes compare others with Nimrod. They say, “They are like Nimrod, who was a mighty hunter in the Lord’s eyes.” 10 The first capital cities of Nimrod’s kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh. These cities were in the land of Babylon. 11 From that land he went to Assyria. There he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir and Calah. 12 He also built Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah. Nineveh is the most famous city.

13 Egypt was the father of

the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Kasluhites and Caphtorites. The Philistines came from the Kasluhites.

15 Canaan was the father of Sidon.

Sidon was his oldest son. Canaan was also the father of the Hittites, 16 Jebusites, Amorites and Girgashites. 17 And he was the father of the Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 18 Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.

Later the Canaanite tribes scattered. 19 The borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar all the way to Gaza. Then they continued toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim all the way to Lasha.

20 These are the sons of Ham. They are listed by their tribes and languages in their territories and nations.

The Sons of Shem

21 Sons were also born to Shem, Japheth’s younger brother. All the sons of Eber belonged to Shem’s family line.

22 The sons of Shem were

Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.

23 The sons of Aram were

Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshek.

24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah.

Shelah was the father of Eber.

25 Eber had two sons.

One was named Peleg. That’s because the earth was divided up in his time. His brother was named Joktan.

26 Joktan was the father of

Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. They were all sons of Joktan.

30 The area where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar. It was in the eastern hill country.

31 These are the sons of Shem. They are listed by their tribes and languages in their territories and nations.

32 These are the tribes of Noah’s sons. They are listed by their family lines within their nations. From them the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.

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.