TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
Complete Jewish Bible
Here is the genealogy of the sons of Noach — Shem, Ham and Yefet; sons were born to them after the flood.
Berean Standard Bible
This is the account of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who also had sons after the flood.
American Standard Version
Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, namely, of Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
World English Bible Messianic
Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Now these are the generations of the sonnes of Noah, Shem, Ham and Iapheth: vnto whom sonnes were borne after the flood.
Young's Literal Translation
And these are births of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and born to them are sons after the deluge.
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Commentary on Genesis 10 verses 1–5
1 ¶ Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Moses begins with Japheth's family, either because he was the eldest, or because his family lay remotest from Israel and had least concern with them at the time when Moses wrote, and therefore he mentions that race very briefly, hastening to give an account of the posterity of Ham, who were Israel's enemies and of Shem, who were Israel's ancestors; for it is the church that the scripture is designed to be the history of, and of the nations of the world only as they were some way or other related to Israel and interested in the affairs of Israel. Observe, 1. Notice is taken that the sons of Noah had sons born to them after the flood, to repair and rebuild the world of mankind which the flood had ruined. He that had killed now makes alive. 2. The posterity of Japheth were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles (Gen 10:5), which were solemnly, by lot, after a survey, divided among them, and probably this island of ours among the rest; all places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles (Jer 25:22), and this directs us to understand that promise (Isa 42:4), the isles shall wait for his law, of the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–5. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
CHRISTIAN INSTRUCTION 3.36.53
In the same book [of Genesis], when the generations of the sons of Noah are recalled to our minds, we read, “These are the children of Ham in their tribes according to their tongues, in their lands and nations.” Also, in enumerating the sons of Shem, it is said, “These are the children of Shem in their tribes according to their tongues, in their lands and nations.” And this is added in reference to all of them: “These are the tribes of the sons of Noah, according to their generations and according to their nations. From these were the islands of the nations scattered over the earth after the flood. And the whole earth was one tongue, and there was one speech for all.” And so, because this sentence was added: “And the earth was one tongue and there was one speech for all” (that is, one language for them all), it could be inferred that at that time, when human beings had been scattered according to the islands of the nations over the earth, there was one language common to all of them. Without a doubt, this contradicts the words used above, “according to their tribes and tongues.” For, each single tribe that had formed individual nations would not be said to have had its own tongue when there was a common one for all. So it is by way of recapitulation that there is added: “And the earth was one tongue, and there was one speech for all.” The narrative, without mentioning it, goes back to tell how it came about that the one language common to all men was broken up into many tongues. And immediately we are told about the building of the tower, when this punishment for their pride was inflicted upon them by the divine judgment. After this event they were scattered over the earth according to their languages.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
City of God 16.3
We must therefore introduce into this work an explanation of the generations of the three sons of Noah, insofar as that may illustrate the progress in time of the two cities. Scripture first mentions the youngest son, who is called Japheth, who had eight sons, and by two of these sons seven grandchildren, three by one son, four by the other; in all, fifteen descendants. Ham, Noah’s middle son, had four sons, and by one of them five grandsons, and by one of these two great-grandsons; in all, eleven. After enumerating these, Scripture returns to the first of the sons and says, “Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a giant on the earth.” He was a giant hunter against the Lord God; hence they say, “Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon, Erech, Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Assur, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah: this was a great city.” Now this Cush, father of the giant Nimrod, is the first-named among the sons of Ham, to whom five sons and two grandsons are ascribed. But he either begat this giant after his grandsons were born or, which is more credible, Scripture speaks of him separately on account of his eminence, for mention is also made of his kingdom, which began with that magnificent city Babylon, and the other places, whether cities or districts, mentioned along with it. But what is recorded of the land of Shinar, which belonged to Nimrod’s kingdom—that Assur went forth from it and built Nineveh and the other cities mentioned with it—happened long after. But he takes occasion to speak of it here on account of the grandeur of the Assyrian kingdom, which was wonderfully extended by Ninus son of Belus, and founder of the great city Nineveh, which was named after him, Nineveh, from Ninus. But Assur, father of the Assyrians, was not one of the sons of Ham, Noah’s son, but is found among the sons of Shem, his eldest son. Whence it appears that among Shem’s offspring there arose men who afterwards took possession of that giant’s kingdom, and advancing from it, founded other cities, the first of which was called Nineveh, from Ninus. From him Scripture returns to Ham’s other son, Mizraim. His sons are enumerated, not as seven individuals but as seven nations. And from the sixth, as if from the sixth son, the race called the Philistines are said to have sprung, so that there are in all eight. Then it returns again to Canaan, in whose person Ham was cursed, and his eleven sons are named. Then the territories they occupied, and some of the cities, are named. And thus, if we count sons and grandsons, there are thirty-one of Ham’s descendants registered.It remains to mention the sons of Shem, Noah’s eldest son, for to him this genealogical narrative gradually ascends from the youngest. But in the commencement of the record of Shem’s sons there is an obscurity that calls for explanation, since it is closely connected with the object of our investigation. For we read, “Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, were children born.” This is the order of the words: And to Shem was born Eber, even to himself, that is, to Shem himself was born Eber, and Shem is the father of all his children. We are intended to understand that Shem is the patriarch of all his posterity who were to be mentioned, whether sons, grandsons, great-grandsons or descendants at any distance. For Shem did not beget Eber, who was indeed in the fifth generation from him. For Shem begat, among other sons, Arpachshad; Arpachshad begat Cainan, Cainan begat Salah, Salah begat Eber. And it was with good reason that he was named first among Shem’s offspring, taking precedence even of his sons, though only a grandchild of the fifth generation. For from him, as tradition says, the Hebrews derived their name, though the other etymology that derives the name from Abraham (as if Abrahews) may possibly be correct. But there can be little doubt that the former is the right etymology and that they were called after Eber, Heberews, and then, dropping a letter, Hebrews; and so was their language called Hebrew, which was spoken by none but the people of Israel among whom was the city of God mysteriously prefigured in all the people and truly present in the saints. Six of Shem’s sons then are first named, then four grandsons born to one of these sons; then it mentions another son of Shem, who begat a grandson; and his son, again, or Shem’s great-grandson, was Eber. And Eber begat two sons and called the one Peleg, which means “dividing.” Scripture subjoins the reason of this name, saying, “for in his days was the earth divided.” What this means will afterwards appear. Eber’s other son gave birth to twelve sons; consequently all Shem’s descendants are twenty-seven. The total number of the progeny of the three sons of Noah is seventy-three, fifteen by Japheth, thirty-one by Ham, twenty-seven by Shem. Then Scripture adds, “These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.” And so of the whole number “These are the families of the sons of Noah after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the isles of the nations dispersed through the earth after the flood.” From which we gather that the seventy-three (or rather, as I shall presently show, seventy-two) were not individuals but nations. For in a former passage, when the sons of Japheth were enumerated, it is said in conclusion, “By these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands, every one after his language, in their tribes and in their nations.”
But nations are expressly mentioned among the sons of Ham, as I showed above. “Mizraim begat those who are called Ludim; and so also of the other seven nations.” And after enumerating all of them it concludes, “These are the sons of Ham, in their families, according to their languages, in their territories, and in their nations.” The reason, then, why the children of several of them are not mentioned is that they belonged by birth to other nations and did not themselves become nations. Why else is it that though eight sons are reckoned to Japheth, the sons of only two of these are mentioned; and though four are reckoned to Ham, only three are spoken of as having sons; and though six are reckoned to Shem, the descendants of only two of these are traced? Did the rest remain childless? We cannot suppose so; but they did not produce nations so great as to warrant their being mentioned but were absorbed in the nations to which they belonged by birth.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron)
These are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and sons were born to them after the flood. The sons of Japheth: Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. The series of Noah’s offspring begins with his youngest son and is completed in the eldest, which is a familiar expression in the holy scriptures, mystically signifying that the lesser people of the nations would be preferred in faith over the greater people of the Jews when Christ came in the flesh. The sons of the sons of Noah who are mentioned are believed to have been progenitors of various nations who divided the world among them in such a way that Shem, the firstborn, inherited Asia, and Ham, the second, Africa, and Japheth, the last, Europe; yet because Asia is much larger in extent of land than Europe or Libya, the offspring of Ham and Japheth would also hold some portion in Asia. Thus, seven sons were born to Japheth who took possession of the land in Asia from the mountains of Amanus and Taurus in Syria, Cilicia’s mountains, up to the river Tanais. In Europe, up to Gadira, they left names for places and nations, many of which later changed names, while others remained as they were. Therefore, Gomer are the Galatians, Magog the Scythians, Madai the Medes, Javan the Ionians, who are also Greeks, from whom the Ionian Sea is named, Tubal the Iberians, who are also the Spanish named from the river Ebro, from whom the Celtiberians come, although some suspect them to be Italians; Meshech are the Cappadocians, where a city among them is still called Mazaca today, also called Caesarea by Augustus Caesar. Meanwhile, the seventy interpreters believe Capturim to be the Cappadocians, Tiras the Thracians, whose name has not changed much.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 10:1 serves as the crucial introductory statement to the "Table of Nations," a comprehensive genealogical record detailing the descendants of Noah's three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth. This verse immediately follows the flood narrative, establishing the foundational premise that all post-diluvian humanity originated from this single family, thereby emphasizing God's faithfulness in preserving a remnant and initiating the repopulation of the earth in accordance with His divine command.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Genesis 10:1 immediately follows the account of the global flood and God's covenant with Noah and his family in Genesis 6, Genesis 7, Genesis 8, Genesis 9. It marks a significant structural transition, introducing a new "toledot" section, a key literary device in Genesis (e.g., Genesis 2:4, Genesis 5:1). This verse sets the stage for the detailed "Table of Nations" in Genesis 10, which meticulously traces the lineage of humanity from Noah's sons, demonstrating the fulfillment of God's command to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). It functions as a bridge between the universal judgment of the flood and the subsequent dispersion and formation of diverse peoples.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, genealogies were not merely lists of names but served vital socio-cultural functions. They established identity, land rights, tribal affiliations, and historical legitimacy. For the Israelites, understanding their origins within the broader context of humanity was crucial for their self-understanding as God's chosen people. This "Table of Nations" is unique in ancient literature for its comprehensive scope, tracing all known peoples back to a common ancestor, Noah. This stands in contrast to other ancient origin myths that often depicted disparate origins for different peoples. The post-flood world was envisioned as a blank slate, with Noah's family as the sole progenitors of a new human civilization, emphasizing the radical nature of the divine judgment and the fresh start offered by God.
Key Themes: This verse introduces and reinforces several profound themes woven throughout Genesis. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Providence, demonstrating God's meticulous oversight in preserving humanity and guiding its repopulation after the cataclysmic flood, ensuring His redemptive plan continues. Secondly, the theme of Humanity's Unity and Common Origin is powerfully established; all peoples, regardless of their later dispersion and cultural diversity, are shown to share a single ancestral root in Noah's family, a concept foundational to biblical anthropology and later echoed in the New Testament (e.g., Acts 17:26). Thirdly, it underscores the theme of Covenant Fulfillment, as the repopulation directly follows God's command and blessing to Noah in Genesis 9:1-7, indicating God's faithfulness to His word even after judgment.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Genesis 10:1 states, "¶ Now these [are] the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood." This concise verse serves as a pivotal gateway, transitioning from the universal judgment of the flood to the detailed account of humanity's repopulation and diversification.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Genesis 10:1 is the Toledot Formula, a recurring structural marker in Genesis (e.g., "These are the generations of Adam" in Genesis 5:1). This formula signals a new narrative unit focused on a particular lineage or historical development, providing a chronological and thematic framework for the book. The verse also employs Genealogy, a common ancient Near Eastern literary form, but here it is uniquely presented as a universal genealogy, tracing all known peoples back to a single family. This emphasizes the unity of humankind and the singular origin of all nations. Furthermore, the phrase "after the flood" functions as a Temporal Marker, clearly delineating two distinct epochs in human history—before and after the cataclysmic judgment—and highlighting the new beginning inaugurated through Noah's family.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 10:1 powerfully underscores God's unwavering faithfulness and His sovereign control over human history, even in the aftermath of severe judgment. By preserving Noah's family and immediately initiating the repopulation of the earth, God demonstrates His commitment to His creation and His redemptive plan. The verse sets the stage for the biblical understanding of a unified human race, all descended from a common ancestor, which has profound implications for human dignity, inter-ethnic relations, and the universality of sin and salvation. It highlights that even after humanity's profound failure leading to the flood, God's purpose to fill the earth with people who would know Him remained steadfast, now channeled through a new beginning.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 10:1 offers a profound reminder of our shared heritage and the inherent interconnectedness of all humanity. In a world frequently fractured by ethnic, national, and cultural divisions, this verse serves as a powerful theological anchor, affirming that every person, regardless of their background, stems from a single family line preserved by God's grace. This truth calls us to recognize the intrinsic dignity and value of every individual, fostering empathy, reconciliation, and a spirit of unity. It challenges us to look beyond superficial differences and embrace our common humanity, a diversity that is part of God's magnificent design for a richly populated earth. Moreover, it highlights God's enduring faithfulness to His promises, even amidst judgment, demonstrating His continuous work in the world and His unwavering commitment to His creation, inspiring hope and trust in His sovereign plan for our lives and for all nations.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "Table of Nations" mentioned in connection with this verse?
Answer: The "Table of Nations" refers to the comprehensive genealogical list found in Genesis chapter 10, which meticulously details the descendants of Noah's three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—and their subsequent dispersion into various nations and peoples across the earth. Genesis 10:1 serves as its direct introduction, setting the stage for this unique biblical record of global origins.
Why is genealogy so important in the book of Genesis?
Answer: Genealogies, often marked by the "toledot" formula (as seen in Genesis 10:1), are crucial structural and theological elements in Genesis. They provide a historical framework, demonstrating the continuity of God's unfolding plan, tracing the specific lineage through which His promises are fulfilled (especially the promise of a "seed" to Abraham), and establishing the origins of humanity and various nations. They underscore how God works through specific individuals and families to accomplish His overarching redemptive purposes, providing both historical grounding and theological direction.
Does this verse imply a global flood?
Answer: Yes, the phrase "after the flood" in Genesis 10:1 and the subsequent detailing of all nations descending solely from Noah's three sons strongly imply a global flood. The narrative's logic necessitates that all humanity perished in the flood, with only Noah's family surviving to repopulate the entire earth. If the flood were merely local, there would be no theological or practical need for all post-flood humanity to descend exclusively from Noah's family, as other populations would have survived elsewhere. The consistent biblical portrayal presents the flood as a universal judgment and Noah's family as the sole human survivors.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Genesis 10:1 does not explicitly name Christ, it lays crucial theological and historical groundwork for the unfolding of God's redemptive plan that ultimately culminates in Him. The repopulation of the earth through Noah's family ensures the continuation of the human lineage through which the promised "seed" (first hinted at in Genesis 3:15, and later specified through Abraham in Genesis 12:3) would eventually come. Noah, as the head of a new humanity following divine judgment and the recipient of a new covenant, can be seen as a type of Christ, who inaugurates a new creation and a new humanity, saved not through water but through His atoning sacrifice and resurrection (1 Peter 3:20-21). Furthermore, the profound truth that all nations stem from one family in Noah points powerfully to the ultimate unity found in Christ, where all ethnic and national divisions are transcended, and a new humanity, reconciled to God and united in Him, is formed (Colossians 3:11, Ephesians 2:14-16). He is the true "new beginning" for all who believe, ushering in a spiritual lineage far greater than any physical one (2 Corinthians 5:17).