exegetical · Gen 10:6–20 · ✓ Approved

The sons of Ham, and Canaan’s land

Says Ham’s sons are Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan (10:6). Mitsrayim is the ordinary Hebrew name of Egypt, and kena'an is the land later promised to Israel. Cush’s sons and Raamah’s are named (10:7); Havilah and Sheba also appear under Joktan (10:28–29), and Lud under Mizraim and under Shem (10:13, 22). Mizraim fathered peoples, among them the Casluhim, “from where the Philistines went out,” and the Caphtorim (10:13–14; the BSB places the clause after the Casluhites). Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth (the BSB has the Hittites); afterward the Canaanite clans were scattered, and the border ran from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and on to Lasha (10:15–19). Verse 20 closes with the four-part formula.

Implies Egypt and Canaan are placed among the nations God made from Noah’s family before Israel exists. The list is not a ranking of races. Canaan, a son of Ham, lives in the land of Canaan (10:15–19); Cush, Mizraim and Canaan are peoples and lands, not skin colors. All nations come from one family (10:32), and every human bears God’s image (9:6). Using this chapter with 9:25 to rank races or to justify slavery and segregation is historically documented, and it is rejected.

Uncertain The doubled names may be one people traced two ways, two peoples, or a migration. Put is linked with Libya or with Punt. The Philistine clause may have stood after the Caphtorim (Amos 9:7; Jer 47:4). Caphtor is often identified with Crete. No lean is taken.

Claims

SaysHam’s sons are Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan; Mizraim fathered peoples, among them the Philistines' clause after the Casluhim; Canaan fathered Sidon and Heth, and his clans were scattered within a border from Sidon to Gaza and Lasha.
ImpliesEgypt and Canaan are placed among the nations God made from Noah’s family before Israel exists; the list is not racial; using this chapter with 9:25 to rank races or to justify slavery and segregation is historically documented and is rejected.
UncertainThe doubled names, Put’s identification, the placement of the Philistine clause, and Caphtor as Crete remain open; no lean is taken.

Citations

BSB public domain Gen 10:1–32
OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 10:1–32 (WLC/OSHB), cantillation removed
LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 10:1–32, vol. 1, pp. 15–17 (oldtestamentingr01swetuoft, viewer leaves n46–n48); checked against the printed page (scan)
Josephus (Whiston) public domain Ant. 1.6 (Whiston, 1817, vol. 1), pp. 22–25 (n31–n34); checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased
Augustine, City of God (NPNF1 vol. 2) public domain Civ. 16.3–11 (trans. Dods, NPNF¹ 2), pp. 311–318 (n334–n341); checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased
Driver, Genesis (Westminster) public domain Driver, The Book of Genesis (Westminster, 4th ed.), pp. 112–120 (n213–n221), 123–124 (n224–n225), 128–131 (n229–n232); checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased
Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain Keil, Pentateuch vol. 1 (Clark, Martin trans., 1868), p. 161 (n164), on Gen 10:8–9, p. 165 (n168), and on the number of the nations, p. 172 (n175); checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased

Sources Bible Scholarship & Tool CC BY 4.0 BSB public domain OSHB CC BY 4.0 LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Josephus (Whiston) public domain Augustine, City of God (NPNF1 vol. 2) public domain Driver, Genesis (Westminster) public domain Keil–Delitzsch, Pentateuch 1 public domain

Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

2026-11-11

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