The heading of the nations list
Says The chapter opens with the heading formula וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (ve’elleh toledot, “and these are the generations”) of בְּנֵי־נֹחַ (bene-noakh, “the sons of Noah”), שֵׁם חָם וָיָפֶת (shem kham vayafet). BSB renders toledot “account.” The verb וַיִּוָּלְדוּ (vayyivvaledu) is passive, “and there were born”: וַיִּוָּלְדוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים (“and sons were born to them”), where the BSB has “who also had sons.”
Says The verse ends אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל (’akhar hammabbul, “after the flood”). The lexicon gives mabbul as “flood in time of Noah” and cites this verse and 10:32, where the phrase returns to frame the list.
Implies All the nations named here come from Noah’s one family. The heading names only the three sons, and 10:32 closes: “From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.” This carries out the blessing to fill the earth (9:1) and the notice that the whole earth was peopled from these three (9:19).
Uncertain The list may be a family tree, a map of peoples, or a selective list with a theological aim. A family tree fits the “fathered” lines, but many names are peoples. A map fits the borders (10:19, 30), but not the family form. A selective aim fits the focus on Shem but leaves many names unexplained. The count is also open. The Hebrew lists seventy names, matching the later Jewish tradition of seventy nations. The Greek adds Elisa (10:2) and Kainam (10:24) but lacks Obal (10:28). No lean is taken here.
Claims
- SaysThe chapter opens with the heading formula וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (ve’elleh toledot, “and these are the generations”) of בְּנֵי־נֹחַ (bene-noakh, “the sons of Noah”), שֵׁם חָם וָיָפֶת (shem kham vayafet). BSB renders toledot “account.” The verb וַיִּוָּלְדוּ (vayyivvaledu) is passive, “and there were born”: וַיִּוָּלְדוּ לָהֶם בָּנִים (“and sons were born to them”), where the BSB has “who also had sons.”
- SaysThe verse ends אַחַר הַמַּבּוּל (’akhar hammabbul, “after the flood”). The lexicon gives mabbul as “flood in time of Noah” and cites this verse and 10:32, where the phrase returns to frame the list.
- ImpliesAll the nations named here come from Noah’s one family. The heading names only the three sons, and 10:32 closes: “From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.” This carries out the blessing to fill the earth (9:1) and the notice that the whole earth was peopled from these three (9:19).
- UncertainThe list may be a family tree, a map of peoples, or a selective list with a theological aim. A family tree fits the “fathered” lines, but many names are peoples. A map fits the borders (10:19, 30), but not the family form. A selective aim fits the focus on Shem but leaves many names unexplained. The count is also open. The Hebrew lists seventy names, matching the later Jewish tradition of seventy nations. The Greek adds Elisa (10:2) and Kainam (10:24) but lacks Obal (10:28). No lean is taken here.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 10:1 (WLC/OSHB; morph HNcfpc HC/VNw3mp HTd/Ncmsa)
- BSB public domain Gen 10:1, 32 (BSB)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 408 (leaf n431, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3205 “bear, bring forth, beget”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 550 (leaf n573, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3999 “flood in time of Noah”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- LXX (Swete) CC BY-SA 4.0 Gen 10:2, 24, 28, text and apparatus. LXX: Swete, vol. 1 (1901), p. 15 (leaf n46), p. 16 (leaf n47). Checked against the printed page (scan).
Quotations from LXX (Swete) are used under CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits
2026-11-11
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