Descendants of Noah

1These are the records of the generations (descendants) of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and the sons born to them after the flood:

2the sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras; 3the sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah; 4the sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5From these, [the people of] the coastlands of the nations were separated and spread into their lands, every one [a]according to his own language, according to their constituent groups (families), and into their nations:

6the sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim [from whom descended the Egyptians], Put, and Canaan; 7the sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan. 8Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10The beginning of his kingdom was [b]Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar [in Babylonia]. 11From that land Nimrod went to Assyria, and built Nineveh, and Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah, 12and [Nimrod built] Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; all these [combined to form] the great city [Nineveh]. 13Mizraim [the ancestor of the Egyptians] became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim 14and Pathrusim and Casluhim--from whom came the Philistines--and Caphtorim.

15Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth 16and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. 19The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as one goes to Gerar, as far as Gaza; and as one goes to [c]Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20These are the descendants of Ham according to their constituent groups, according to their languages, by their lands, and by their nations.

21Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber [including the Hebrews], the [d]older brother of Japheth, children were born. 22The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud and Aram; 23the sons of Aram [ancestor of the Syrians]: Uz, Hul, Gether and [e]Mash. 24Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. 25Two sons were born to Eber; the name of one was Peleg (division), for [the inhabitants of] the earth were divided in his days; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27and Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28and [f]Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29and Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30Now their territory extended from Mesha as one goes toward Sephar, to the hill country of the east. 31These are Shem’s descendants according to their constituent groups (families), according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations.

32These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their descendants, by their nations; and from these [people] the nations were separated and spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

[a] 5 Here and in vv 20 and 31, references are made to the different languages, in anticipation of God’s judgment of Babel (11:7-9), which resulted in a proliferation of languages.
[b] 10 Or Babylon.
[c] 19 The fact that Genesis mentions the four cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim as still standing testifies to the antiquity of this account. These cities of the plain were completely destroyed in Abraham’s time (Gen 19:27-29; Deut 29:23).
[d] 21 Or the brother of Japheth the elder.
[e] 23 Also known as Meshech (1 Chr 1:17).
[f] 28 Also known as Ebal (1 Chr 1:22).