We move now to the generations of Noah’s sons. This chapter is loaded with names, but again I would advise a bit of reflection. More is here than meets the eye. As I mentioned in the introduction, ten divisions of generations are defined in Genesis—in this chapter, we find the fourth.

• Genesis 2:4 - The generations of the heavens and the earth

• Genesis 5:1 - The book of the generations of Adam

• Genesis 6:9 - The generations of Noah

• Genesis 10:1 - The generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth

Generations Listed (1-32)

In chapter 10, the “Table of Nations” is one of the most valuable documents found in any literature regarding the migration of nations. Nothing like this is found anywhere else. Here in Genesis 10, the rapid proliferation of humanity is briefly explained.  

The table will move from an explanation of the general history of nations to an explanation of the salvation-history of a nation.

First listed are the sons of Japheth, Japheth likely being Noah’s second-born, as the author worked from general history to salvation-history. In the list, one discovers seven of Japheth’s sons and seven of his grandsons. These descendants of Japheth settled in Asia Minor and Europe. It is likely that Japheth’s descendants also settled on the farther Asia continent (1-5).

The sons of Ham, likely Noah’s youngest of the three, are listed second. The author lists four of Ham's sons and 26 other descendants. In these verses, we discover that Ham’s descendants made civilizations of great and mighty hunters (8-10), and Ham’s descendants made up civilizations with highly-developed technological and engineering skills. The people of this civilization became great inventors and applied scientists. From Ham came some brilliant people. They not only settled in northern Africa and modern Turkey but also in Palestine (6-20).

The sons of Shem are finally listed, and Shem is identified as Japheth’s older brother. Five of Shem's sons are listed, along with 21 of his descendants. In Shem’s table of descendants, the author of Genesis lists out six generations and pauses to make the point that in the fifth generation, the generation of Peleg and Joktan, the earth was divided (25). This could have been one of two events: the parting of the continents, which before the flood had been one large land mass, or the dispersion of the people of Babel. The second is likely the best view (21-32).