New Testament reading of Genesis 10
Says Acts 17:26 has, “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.” The wording answers to 10:1 and 10:32, one family and the nations separated on the earth, and it also answers to the boundaries named in Deut 32:8. Luke 3:35–36 runs the line the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah. Rev 20:8 speaks of deceiving the nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog. Magog is named among Japheth’s sons (10:2); Gog is not named in this chapter.
Implies The New Testament readings take the nations as coming from one man and as inhabiting the whole earth, and they take Shem’s line as a real genealogy leading on through Peleg and Eber.
Uncertain Whether Luke’s Cainan shows that Kainam stood in the original text of Genesis, or whether Luke follows the Greek text he used, is open, as in the textual note; no lean is taken. How the vision of Rev 20:8 uses the names is likewise open. No lean is taken. No claim is made here about the Greek wording of the New Testament verses.
Claims
- SaysActs 17:26 has every nation made from one man, to inhabit the earth, with appointed times and boundaries; Luke 3:35–36 runs Shem’s line through Cainan, Arphaxad, Shelah, Eber and Peleg; Rev 20:8 names Gog and Magog, of which Magog stands in 10:2 and Gog does not.
- ImpliesThe New Testament readings take the nations as coming from one man and Shem’s line as a real genealogy.
- UncertainWhether Luke’s Cainan shows that Kainam stood in the original text, or whether Luke follows the Greek he used, is open; how Rev 20:8 uses the names is open; no lean is taken; no claim is made about the Greek wording of the New Testament verses.
Citations
- BSB public domain Acts 17:26; Luke 3:35–36; Rev 20:8
2026-11-11
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