And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
Read it in contextThe Semites
Start reading at Genesis 10:21 (Genesis 10:21 to Genesis 10:32).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
10:21Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
10:22The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
10:23And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
10:24And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
10:25And 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.
10:26And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
10:27And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
10:28And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
10:29And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
10:30And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
10:31These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
10:32These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional Jewish and Christian author of Genesis as part of the Pentateuch. Genesis itself does not explicitly identify its writer. Biblical references: John 5:46; Mark 12:26. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Genesis 10:1–10:32): The families descended from Noah's sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—are being catalogued. This is a record for readers, not an address to all those families gathered together. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel, the covenant people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were the first community for whom this account of their origins was preserved. An exact first circulation date or named recipient is not established. Biblical references: Genesis 12:1; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 35:10. book background
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? The Semites. Read Genesis 10:21 through Genesis 10:32 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The narrative moves from creation through the generations of the patriarchs to Joseph's death. Those stages are narrated; a modern calendar for them requires additional chronological assumptions. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The narrative ranges from the world of the opening chapters through Mesopotamia and Canaan to Egypt. The selected passage's own place names determine its local setting. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in The Semites (Genesis 10:21 to Genesis 10:32).
Start reading at Genesis 10:21. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? The later New Testament traces Jesus' genealogy through Abraham and connects the promise to Abraham with Christ. This is a canonical connection; it does not make every person or object in Genesis an explicit prediction of Jesus. See Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Read God's promises with their named recipients and the actions of those recipients. The family narratives encourage trust and obedience while also exposing deception and wrongdoing; narrative description alone does not authorize imitation. interpretation
Cited: Genesis 10:21, Genesis 10:32, Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)From early tradition
What Scripture saysThe book does not name its author. Elsewhere Scripture attributes the Law to Moses, and Jesus calls it the book of Moses. Exodus 17:14Joshua 8:31Mark 12:26John 5:46
Early traditionJewish tradition (Talmud, Baba Bathra 14b) and the early church assign the first five books to Moses.
What is debatedSome scholars propose several later sources behind the Pentateuch. A few notes appear to be written after Moses, such as the list of kings in Genesis 36:31.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Genesis 10
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThe opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThe opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Genesis
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Genesis introduces creation, the nations, and the ancestral family of Israel. It does not name a recipient or give a composition date. Read the promises to named people in their narrated settings before applying them to later readers.
Connection to the wholeThe opening establishes God as Creator, describes human rebellion and its consequences, and traces the nations before narrowing the account to Abram's family.
Connection to the wholeThe narrative concentrates on God's promises to Abraham, the birth of Isaac, and the continuation of the family through whom the earlier promise is carried forward.
Connection to the wholeFamily rivalry, journeys, marriages, and reconciliation develop the promised line while also recording the related family of Esau.
Connection to the wholeJoseph's experiences lead to the preservation of Jacob's family in Egypt. The book closes with confidence about a future return, preparing the setting of Exodus.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.