Genesis 10:30 kjv

And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.

Genesis 10:30 nkjv

And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east.

Genesis 10:30 niv

The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.

Genesis 10:30 esv

The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east.

Genesis 10:30 nlt

The territory they occupied extended from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern mountains.

Genesis 10 verses

Genesis 10 30 Meaning

This verse delineates the geographical extent of the dwelling places of Joktan's descendants, a branch of the Semitic family, locating them primarily in the southern Arabian Peninsula. It specifies their territory stretching from a western point, "Mesha," to an eastern or southeastern landmark, "Sephar," identified as a "mountain of the east," thus defining their tribal boundaries within the ancient world. This indicates an established, settled population with defined geographical limits shortly after the biblical Flood, illustrating God's sovereignty over the nations' dwelling places.

Genesis 10 30 Context

Genesis chapter 10, often called the "Table of Nations," provides a comprehensive account of how the earth was repopulated by Noah's three sons—Japheth, Ham, and Shem—following the Great Flood. This chapter is crucial for understanding the biblical worldview on the origin of diverse peoples and languages, demonstrating a common ancestry while acknowledging distinct family lines and their geographical spread. It serves as a bridge between the post-Flood universal history and the more focused narrative that begins with Abraham in chapter 12.

Verse 30 specifically details the territory of the Joktanite clans, a significant branch of Shem's lineage, parallel to the line of Peleg and Eber which leads directly to Abraham (Gen 11). This verse, like others in Chapter 10, does not merely list names but establishes geographical boundaries for these early human societies. The mention of Mesha and Sephar precisely describes a well-defined territory, emphasizing their establishment as settled populations in specific regions of the world, rather than nomadic tribes. This particular detail connects the biblical account to the historical ethnography of the ancient Near East, identifying the Arabian Peninsula as the homeland of these Semitic peoples. This also predates the significant event of the Tower of Babel in chapter 11, implying an initial ordered distribution before the later linguistic confusion.

Genesis 10 30 Word analysis

• And their dwelling (וַיְהִי מוֹשָׁבָם, vayehī moshāvām):

  • וַיְהִי (vayehī): A common Hebrew temporal phrase, "and it was," or "and their dwelling was." It functions to introduce a new development or state of affairs.
  • מוֹשָׁבָם (moshāvām): Derived from the root יָשַׁב (yashab), meaning "to sit, dwell, settle." The noun form, moshāv, signifies a settled habitation, a place of dwelling, or a seat. The suffix -ām makes it "their dwelling." This term denotes a permanent settlement rather than a transient encampment. Its use underscores the establishment of distinct geographical regions for these people groups as God spread them across the earth. It implies a degree of order and permanence in their allocation.

• from Mesha (מִמֵּשָׁא, mimMēshā’):

  • מִן (min): Preposition meaning "from" or "out of."
  • מֵשָׁא (Mēshā’): The name of a geographical locality. Its precise location remains a subject of scholarly debate, but it is generally associated with a place in southwestern Arabia, possibly along the Red Sea coast or near the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This likely indicates the western or southwestern extent of their habitation. Some suggestions connect it with ancient Mocha or a place associated with the spice routes.

• as you go toward Sephar (בֹּאֲכָה סְפָרָה, bo’akhāh Sephārh):

  • בֹּאֲכָה (bo’akhāh): A unique and infrequent construct participle form meaning "as one goes toward," "unto," or "to the point of arrival." It signifies directionality and extent, indicating the limit or boundary of the region. This phrase conveys a trajectory from Mesha to Sephar.
  • סְפָרָה (Sephārh): The name of another geographical locality, here specified with the directional suffix -āh. This place is widely identified by scholars with the ancient city of Zafar (also spelled Dhofar) in modern Yemen or Oman, particularly the historical capital of the Himyarite kingdom in southern Arabia. This would mark the eastern or southeastern limit of the Joktanite territory, confirming their primary habitation within the Arabian Peninsula. Sephar was known as a center for the incense trade, particularly frankincense.

• the mountain of the east (הַר הַקֶּדֶם, har haQQedem):

  • הַר (har): The common Hebrew word for "mountain," or "hill country." It indicates a prominent geographical feature.
  • הַקֶּדֶם (haQQedem): The definite article "the" (הַ) with קֶּדֶם (qedem). Qedem literally means "front" or "prior time," hence "east" (the direction from which the sun rises and thus 'ahead' of one in ancient thought) or "ancient." In this context, it functions geographically to specify "the east" as a cardinal direction. The phrase "mountain of the east" further clarifies the location of Sephar, emphasizing it as an eastward mountainous region or landmark that forms a natural boundary. The term qedem itself can sometimes evoke ancient origins or primal direction in other biblical contexts, but here it appears to be purely descriptive of the geographic orientation of Sephar relative to Mesha.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And their dwelling was from Mesha...the mountain of the east": This phrase functions as a concise territorial descriptor. It shows the detailed knowledge and historical concern of the author of Genesis concerning the actual spread and settlement patterns of early humanity. It delineates a substantial region from west to east/southeast across the Arabian peninsula. This particular identification connects the genealogical Table of Nations directly to specific and known (or historically traceable) regions, thereby grounding the biblical account in geographical reality. The specific landmarks define the range of "Joktan Arabia."

Genesis 10 30 Bonus section

• The detail in Genesis 10:30, alongside other specific geographical mentions in the chapter, is an argument for the historicity and not just theological purpose of the Table of Nations. While not a precise map for modern cartographers, it reflects a coherent ancient understanding of the world's population distribution from the perspective of the Levant.
• The emphasis on "Sephar, the mountain of the east," ties into an ongoing biblical theme where the "east" often carries symbolic or significant connotations, from the Garden of Eden being in the east (Gen 2:8) to the land of Nod being east of Eden (Gen 4:16). Here, it seems primarily geographical, solidifying the furthest known eastward boundary of Joktan's descendants.
• Joktan's sons' names (Gen 10:26-29) themselves are often linked to place names in ancient Arabia (e.g., Hazarmaveth with Hadhramaut, Havilah with an Arabian region), reinforcing the Arabian focus of verse 30. This extensive family, including the sons mentioned in the preceding verses, laid the foundation for the diverse peoples and kingdoms known from ancient South Arabian history, including their rich trade networks.

Genesis 10 30 Commentary

Genesis 10:30 is a precise geographical anchor within the sweeping "Table of Nations." It serves as an internal testimony to the author's meticulous record-keeping and a profound theological statement. Firstly, it details the established settlement of Joktan's descendants across the southern Arabian Peninsula. The locations "Mesha" and "Sephar" might not be unequivocally identified by modern archaeology, but consistent scholarly consensus places them within a geographical spread from the Red Sea region eastward across Yemen, highlighting the Himyarite or Sabaean kingdoms' ancient roots. This shows that the post-Flood repopulation involved specific peoples settling in defined, rather than random, territories.

Secondly, this verse implicitly communicates divine ordering. The text doesn't suggest accidental wandering but rather the formation of distinct dwelling places. When coupled with Acts 17:26, which states God determined "their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwelling places," Genesis 10:30 illustrates this divine sovereignty in action. God sovereignly orchestrates the dispersion and settlement of nations, ensuring a distribution across the earth as per His command to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Gen 9:1, 7). This ordered spread also contrasts with polytheistic accounts of human origins, asserting a unified humanity diverging from a common ancestor, meticulously chronicled according to family and geographical lines. The verse is part of Genesis 10's grand narrative depicting humanity's global distribution, which providentially sets the stage for the calling of Abraham from a specific place, a subsequent development in God's redemptive plan.