Question 1

Who are the children of Eber mentioned in this passage?

Accepted Answer

Eber appears here as an important figure in Shem’s family line. He has two sons, Peleg and Joktan. From Eber’s name the term “Hebrews” later comes, so he is linked with the people who will know and worship the true God. Peleg’s line will lead on toward Abraham, while Joktan has many sons who spread out mainly toward the east, in the regions later linked with Arabia. So the “children of Eber” are the families that come from these two sons, especially the line that will carry on God’s promises.

Question 2

What does it mean that in Peleg’s days the earth was divided?

Accepted Answer

The verse explains that Peleg was named this way “for in his days was the earth divided.” The name Peleg sounds like the word for “division.” This likely points to the time when God divided the earth’s peoples, either by arranging where each family should live or, more clearly, when the languages were split and the nations were scattered at Babel. The passage connects Peleg’s lifetime with this breaking apart of one united people into many different groups spread across the earth.

Question 3

Why is Shem called the father of all the children of Eber?

Accepted Answer

Shem is already known as one of Noah’s sons, but here he is given this special title to mark that the line of God’s promise will run through him, especially through Eber. From Eber come the Hebrews, the people later chosen to carry God’s covenant and from whom Abraham and his descendants will come. Calling Shem “the father of all the children of Eber” sets his family apart from the other lines and shows that God’s blessing is tied to this branch of Noah’s family, even when they seem small or unnoticed among the nations.

Question 4

Who is Joktan and why are his many sons listed?

Accepted Answer

Joktan is the younger son of Eber and brother of Peleg. The passage lists thirteen of his sons by name, such as Almodad, Sheba, and Ophir. This long list shows how wide his branch of the family became. Their dwelling is said to stretch from Mesha to Sephar in the eastern mountains, pointing to a broad region, often linked with areas around Arabia. By naming these sons, the text connects later peoples and lands back to this early family, showing how God’s command to fill the earth was carried out through real families and their movements.

Question 5

What does this passage teach about how the nations were formed?

Accepted Answer

:This section ends by saying that these are the families of the sons of Noah, in their nations, and that by them the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. It shows that the many peoples and languages in the world did not appear by chance but came from real ancestors, starting with Noah’s sons. As families grew, they formed clans, then nations, each with its own land and tongue. Behind this spread of peoples stands God’s quiet guiding hand, both in blessing certain lines and in dividing and spreading the nations across the earth.

Question 6

Why is Shem called the brother of Japheth but not of Ham here?

Accepted Answer

The wording points out that Shem is the brother of Japheth, even though that is already known. This draws attention to a special link between these two lines. Earlier, God had spoken blessing over both Shem and Japheth, saying that Japheth would in some way share in Shem’s blessing and dwell in his tents. Ham’s line, on the other hand, had come under a curse through Canaan. So the stress on Shem and Japheth as brothers hints at a future joining of their descendants, while Ham’s family stands apart because of earlier sin.

Question 7

What is the significance of listing Shem’s descendants in such detail?

Accepted Answer

The list may feel dry at first, but it has a clear purpose. It traces a straight line from Noah through Shem down to Eber, Peleg, and later generations, showing how God kept His promise through a particular family. While many of these names lead to nations that drifted from true worship, the blessing placed on this line was not erased. It lay hidden for a time until God called Abraham. The detailed list reminds readers that God works through families and generations, and that His plans carry on even when they take a long time to unfold.

Question 8

How does this genealogy relate to the story of the tower of Babel?

Accepted Answer

This passage talks about the earth being divided in Peleg’s days and ends by saying the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. The very next story tells how people tried to stay together and make a name for themselves by building a city and a tower, and how God confused their language and scattered them. So the genealogy gives the family lines and places that explain who was scattered, where they went, and how the different nations and tongues mentioned around Babel all came from one original family through Noah.

Question 9

How can this list of names help someone’s faith today?

Accepted Answer

Even though this is a list of names, it quietly shows that God works through history in a steady way. He did not forget His promise after the flood but carried it through Shem, Eber, and their children. When you read your own family story, you may see both faith and failure, just as here. Yet God can preserve His work through ordinary people and long stretches of time. This passage can help you trust that God knows your place in His story, even when you feel small, and that His plans reach beyond one lifetime.

Question 10

Why does the passage say the nations were divided after the flood?

Accepted Answer

The closing line sums up the whole section: the families of Noah’s sons, with their generations, formed the nations, and through them the earth was divided. After the flood, God wanted people to spread out and fill the earth. Instead of one proud, united group, there would be many peoples in many lands. This division is not only a judgment, linked with the later confusion of languages, but also part of God’s ordering of the world. It sets the stage for how He will later call one people out of many to carry His promises.

Genesis 10:21

¶ Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

The Table of Nations

The Semites

metadata.crossReferences

Genesis 10:21

¶ Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

share.title

share.allVerses

share.verseWithContext

share.currentVerse

The Table of Nations

The Semites

metadata.crossReferences