Genesis 10:20
What does Genesis 10:20 mean?
A plain-English look at Genesis 10:20 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Genesis 10:20 means
This verse serves as a concluding summary for the Hamitic branch of Noah's descendants, reiterating that these are the sons of Ham, organized by their families, tongues, lands, and nations. This statement emphasizes the distinct identity and geographical dispersion of these peoples. It reinforces the chapter's pattern of providing a comprehensive account of each of Noah's sons before moving to the next. This acts as a clear textual marker, concluding one major section of the 'Table of Nations.'
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, in their nations.
KJV
King James Version · 1611These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, in their nations.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949All these, with their different families, languages, lands, and nations, are the offspring of Ham.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862These <FI>are<Fi> sons of Ham, by their families, by their tongues, in their lands, in their nations.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752These are the children of Cham in their kindreds and tongues, and generations, and lands, and nations.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, in their nations.
Context
This verse acts as a concluding summary for the entire Hamitic section, mirroring the summary given for Japheth. It provides a natural break point and reinforces the chapter's structured approach to categorizing nations. This allows the reader to process the extensive list of Ham's descendants before moving on to the final and particularly significant lineage of Shem.
v.19And the border of the Canaanite was from Sidon, as thou goest toward Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, unto Lasha.
v.20This passage
v.21And unto Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Genesis 10:6
And the sons of Ham: Cush, and Mizraim, and Put, and Canaan.
- Genesis 11:1
And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech.
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