Genesis 10:25 - Printer Friendly

ESV: To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan.

NIV: Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

NASB: Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

CSB: Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, for during his days the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

NLT: Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means 'division'), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.

KJV: And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

NKJV: To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

This verse continues the genealogy of Noah's son Shem. Shem's great grandson Eber fathered two sons. Shem's line will continue through Peleg to Abraham and the Israelites.

This passage also makes an interesting comment about one of Shem's descendants, Peleg. Peleg's name apparently comes from an ancient word meaning "to divide." The division of the earth in Peleg's mentioned here likely refers to the division and dispersal of humanity that will happen after the events surrounding the tower of Babel. At that point, mankind will be dispersed over the earth, and their languages confused. Those events are described in chapter 11.

This side-long reference to Peleg is also useful for understanding ancient writing. This part of Genesis describes the descendants of Noah's sons, including their eventual geography. But chapter 11 will describe a moment when mankind is dispersed over the earth. This is due to the fact that Genesis, like many ancient records, is more concerned with themes than with chronology. In other words, the story of the Tower of Babel is not the point of this particular text, so it will be mentioned later.

Scholars suggest that Eber's other son Joktan will become the father of Arab peoples.

Genesis 10:21–32 details the descendants of Noah's son, Shem. Shem's brothers, Japheth and Ham, fathered the nations described in the earlier portion of this chapter. Shem's children would be especially blessed by God. Into Shem's line, Abraham (Abram) would be born, as would the nation of Israel, and eventually the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The context given here suggests that some of these descendants were born after the events of the Tower of Babel, explained in chapter 11.

Genesis 10 is sometimes called the table of nations. It describes, in three sections, the peoples that descended from Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Japheth's people settled mostly to the north of what would be Israel. Ham's people became great nations in the region of the Middle East, including the people that would settle in the Promised Land before Israel drove them out. Shem's line would lead to Abraham and the Israelites.

Genesis 9 described events that happened between God, Noah, and his three sons after the flood. Genesis 11 will tell the story of the Tower of Babel and the dispersal of the nations. Between them, Genesis 10 is a table of the nations that come from Japheth, Ham, and Shem after God divides and disperses humanity.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.