These [are] the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
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Commentary for Genesis 10:1
Genesis 10:1 serves as the opening verse of a chapter often referred to as the "Table of Nations," which provides an account of the descendants of Noah's three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This verse sets the stage for a detailed genealogy that follows, outlining the repopulation of the earth after the Great Flood, a catastrophic event described in earlier chapters of Genesis. The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern tradition of recording familial lineage to establish identity, land rights, and social structures.
The themes present in Genesis 10:1 include the restoration of humanity post-calamity and the beginnings of nations and ethnic diversity. It reflects the biblical concept of a fresh start for humanity through the lineage of Noah's family. The verse also hints at the divine command given to Noah and his sons to "be fruitful and multiply on the earth" (Genesis 9:7), emphasizing the importance of procreation and the filling of the earth with people.
In summarizing the text of Genesis 10:1, it is a verse that transitions the biblical narrative from the story of the flood to the establishment of the various peoples and nations that would come to inhabit the world. It underscores the unity of humanity through common ancestry while also laying the groundwork for understanding the origins of different ethnic and geopolitical groups in the biblical worldview. This genealogy would have been significant to the ancient Israelites as they sought to understand their place among the nations and to trace their own lineage back to Noah through Shem.
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Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H8435 There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: תּוֹלְדָה Transliteration: tôwlᵉdâh Pronunciation: to-led-aw' Description: or תֹּלְדָה; from יָלַד; (plural only) descent, i.e. family; (figuratively) history; birth, generations.
Strong's Number: H1121 There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בֵּן Transliteration: bên Pronunciation: bane Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
Strong's Number: H5146 There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: נֹחַ Transliteration: Nôach Pronunciation: no'-akh Description: the same as נוּחַ; rest; Noach, the patriarch of the flood; Noah.
Strong's Number: H8035 There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: שֵׁם Transliteration: Shêm Pronunciation: shame Description: the same as שֵׁם; name; Shem, a son of Noah (often includ. his posterity); Sem, Shem.
Strong's Number: H2526 There are 15 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: חָם Transliteration: Châm Pronunciation: khawm Description: the same as חָם; hot (from the tropical habitat); Cham, a son of Noah; also (as a patronymic) his descendants or their country; Ham.
Strong's Number: H3315 There are 11 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יֶפֶת Transliteration: Yepheth Pronunciation: yeh'-feth Description: from פָּתָה; expansion; Jepheth, a son of Noah; also his posterity; Japheth.
Strong's Number: H3205 There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יָלַד Transliteration: yâlad Pronunciation: yaw-lad' Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
Strong's Number: H310 There are 766 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אַחַר Transliteration: ʼachar Pronunciation: akh-ar' Description: from אָחַר; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses); after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, [phrase] out (over) live, [phrase] persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.
Strong's Number: H3999 There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מַבּוּל Transliteration: mabbûwl Pronunciation: mab-bool' Description: from יָבַל in the sense of flowing; a deluge; flood.