The Tables of Nations

These are the families of Shem, Ham, and Japeth, who were the three sons of Noah; for sons were born to them after the flood.

The Japhethites

The sons of Japheth were:
 Gomer, Magg, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Tiras.

The sons of Gomer:
 Ashkenaz, Riphath, Togarmah.

The sons of Javan:
 Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, Dodanim.

Their descendants became the maritime nations in various lands, each with a separate language.

The Hamites

The sons of Ham were:
 Cush, Mizraim, Put, Canaan.

The sons of Cush were:
 Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, Sabteca.  

The sons of Raamah were:
 Sheba, Dedan.

One of the descendants of Cush was Nimrod, who became the first of the kings. He was a mighty hunter, blessed of God, and his name became proverbial. People would speak of someone as being "like Nimrod--a mighty hunter, blessed of God." The heart of his empire included Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. From there he extended his reign to Assyria. He built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen (which is located between Nineveh and Calah), the main city of the empire.

Mizraim was the ancestor of the people inhabiting these areas:

Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines), and Caphtorim.

Canaan's oldest son was Sidon, and he was also the father of Heth; from Canaan descended these nations:

Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, Hamathites.

Eventually the descendants of Canaan spread from Sidon all the way to Gerar, in the Gaza strip; and to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, near Lasha.

These, then, were the descendants of Ham, spread abroad in many lands and nations, with many languages.

The Semites

Eber descended from Shem, the oldest brother of Japheth. Here is a list of Shem's other descendants:
 Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram.

Aram's sons were:
 Uz, Hul, Gether, Mash.

Arpachshad's son was Shelah, and Shelah's son was Eber.

Two sons were born to Eber:
 Peleg (meaning "Division," for during his lifetime the people of the world were separated and dispersed), and Joktan (Peleg's brother).

 Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abima-el, Sheba, Ophir, Havi-lah, Jobab.

These descendants of Joktan lived all the way from Mesha to the eastern hills of Sephar.

These, then, were the descendants of Shem, classified according to their political groupings, languages, and geographical locations.

All of the men listed above descended from Noah, through many generations, living in the various nations that developed after the flood.

The Tower of Babel »

TEXT SOURCE: (Genesis 10:1-32) The Children's Living Bible, ©1970 Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton Illinois 60187
TITLE SOURCE: The New Student Bible, ©1992 Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids Michigan 49530