Genesis 10:31 kjv
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
Genesis 10:31 nkjv
These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.
Genesis 10:31 niv
These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
Genesis 10:31 esv
These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations.
Genesis 10:31 nlt
These were the descendants of Shem, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.
Genesis 10 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 10:5 | These are the descendants of Japheth in their lands, with their own languages, by their clans and their nations. | Similar concluding formula for Japheth. |
| Gen 10:20 | These are the sons of Ham, according to their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. | Similar concluding formula for Ham. |
| Gen 10:32 | These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. | Concluding summary for the whole Table of Nations. |
| Gen 11:7-9 | ...Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. | Explains the origin of language diversity. |
| Deut 32:8 | When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. | God's sovereign hand in nation separation. |
| Acts 17:26 | And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. | God's design in national boundaries and times. |
| Ps 22:27 | All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. | Future worship by all global family groups. |
| Ps 67:4 | Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations on earth. | God's sovereignty and guidance over nations. |
| Ps 96:3 | Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. | Command to declare God's glory to all nations. |
| Isa 2:2 | ...all the nations will stream to it. | Future convergence of nations to God's mountain. |
| Isa 49:6 | ...I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. | Israel's calling as light to nations. |
| Zech 8:23 | In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the robe of a Jew... saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” | Future attraction of Gentiles (from all languages) to God. |
| Mal 1:11 | For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations... | God's future glory among all nations. |
| Matt 28:19 | Go therefore and make disciples of all nations... | Commission to evangelize all nations. |
| Mk 13:10 | And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. | The necessity of global evangelism. |
| Lk 24:47 | and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. | Repentance and forgiveness offered to all nations. |
| Acts 2:4-6 | And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" ...how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? | Pentecost reversing Babel's language division for the Gospel. |
| Rom 15:9 | ...so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” | Gentile inclusion in praising God. |
| Rev 5:9 | And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you...for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” | Redemption for people from every national group. |
| Rev 7:9 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb... | Heavenly worship includes all diverse peoples. |
| Gen 12:3 | I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. | The Abrahamic covenant's global scope, including all family groups. |
Genesis 10 verses
Genesis 10 31 Meaning
Genesis 10:31 serves as a concluding summary for the genealogical list of Shem's descendants, delineating how these peoples are categorized. It emphasizes that the family lines tracing back to Shem were dispersed and organized into distinct groups based on four fundamental identifiers: their specific family units or clans, their unique languages, the particular geographical territories they settled in, and their collective identities as separate nations or ethnic groups. This verse underscores the divinely ordered diversity and segmentation of humanity following the events of the Flood and Babel.
Genesis 10 31 Context
Genesis chapter 10, often called the "Table of Nations," provides a comprehensive ethnological and geographical survey of humanity as it diversified and spread across the earth after the Great Flood. It categorizes all known peoples as descendants of Noah's three sons: Japheth, Ham, and Shem. Verse 31 specifically serves as a concluding formula for the section dealing with the descendants of Shem (Genesis 10:21-30). These concluding summaries (also found in Gen 10:5 for Japheth and Gen 10:20 for Ham) highlight the orderly diversification of humanity, detailing the primary categories by which these distinct groups were recognized. The subsequent chapter, Genesis 11, the account of the Tower of Babel, provides the crucial theological explanation for why these divisions by language and territory occurred, reinforcing the divine hand in scattering the nations.
Genesis 10 31 Word analysis
- These: Refers to the descendants of Shem explicitly listed in the preceding verses (Genesis 10:21-30). It points back to a specific genealogy.
- are the sons of Shem: Hebrew: בְּנֵֽי־שֵׁ֥ם (bənê-šēm). This phrase establishes the lineage as originating from Shem, indicating their shared ancestry. In the biblical worldview, lineage (sons of) defines identity and connection.
- according to their families: Hebrew: לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם (ləmišpəḥōṯām). The word "mishpachah" refers to a family unit, a clan, or a subdivision within a larger tribe. This indicates organization into specific social units based on kinship, which was foundational to ancient societal structures and identities. It highlights a common identifier for how these peoples related to one another beyond their immediate nuclear families.
- according to their languages: Hebrew: לִלְשֹֽׁנֹתָ֑ם (lilsḥōnoṯām). The word "lashon" means "tongue" or "language." This is a profound marker of identity, especially significant in light of the event at Babel (Gen 11), where God actively confused languages to scatter humanity. Language served as a natural barrier and identifier of distinct groups. This categorization directly reflects divine action in the post-Flood world.
- in their lands: Hebrew: בְּאַרְצֹתָֽם (bə'arṣōṯām). The word "eretz" means "land," "earth," or "country." This indicates geographical settlement and distinct territories assigned or claimed by these family groups. It reflects the physical manifestation of their dispersal and boundaries.
- according to their nations: Hebrew: בְּגֹויֵהֶֽם (bəgōyêhem). The word "goy" (plural "goyim") means "nation," "people," or "ethnic group." While often translated as "Gentiles" in later contexts, here it signifies a distinct ethno-political or cultural group. This category is the broadest of the four, encompassing families, languages, and lands, and defines them as sovereign or distinct peoples on the world stage.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "These are the sons of Shem": This phrase succinctly identifies the specific branch of Noah's descendants being summarized, providing clarity and transition from the detailed genealogy to its concluding statement.
- "according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations": This formula is key to Genesis 10. It is a recurring summary statement (also in Gen 10:5 and 10:20) that outlines the four primary criteria by which the diversified humanity was categorized. It shows a divine order in the spread of humanity, even in its divisions. It also foreshadows God's dealing with distinct "nations" throughout biblical history and their eventual reunion in the worship of the Messiah. These criteria demonstrate the reality of social, linguistic, territorial, and national distinctiveness after the scattering from Babel, yet all ultimately rooted in common ancestry from Noah.
Genesis 10 31 Bonus section
The consistent use of this four-fold classification (families, languages, lands, nations) throughout Genesis 10 is not arbitrary. It suggests a normative framework for how the original audience, the ancient Israelites, understood their world and the various peoples within it. This divinely established diversity underscores that distinct cultural and linguistic identities are part of God's design, rather than being mere human inventions or accidents. This concept stands in contrast to any pre-Babel human ambition for a unified, possibly rebellious, global empire. Furthermore, this foundation in Genesis 10 becomes crucial for understanding God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12, where He promises to bless "all the families of the earth" through Abraham's descendants, showing God's ultimate intention to redeem and gather all these diversified "nations." The "Table of Nations" therefore serves as a vital theological and geographical backdrop against which the drama of redemption unfolds, confirming that God's plan extends to all the varied segments of humanity that emerged from Noah.
Genesis 10 31 Commentary
Genesis 10:31 provides a concise theological summary, not merely an ethnographical one. It acts as the closing statement for the detailed genealogy of Shem's descendants within the Table of Nations. This concluding formula, identical to those used for Japheth and Ham, is pivotal in conveying the divine order and purpose in the post-Flood dispersal of humanity. It emphasizes that human diversification occurred along structured lines—kinship (families), communication (languages), geography (lands), and national identity (nations). These distinctions, particularly language, are profoundly linked to God's intervention at Babel, where the scattering was divinely orchestrated. Thus, the verse highlights God's sovereign hand in establishing the unique identities and boundaries of distinct people groups across the earth, while also implicitly setting the stage for His subsequent redemptive plan that would ultimately gather people from every one of these diverse groups unto Himself. The order is not chaos, but purposeful segmentation that ultimately serves a larger divine narrative, where difference eventually leads to unity in worship.