וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת בְּנֵי־נֹ֔חַ שֵׁ֖ם חָ֣ם וָיָ֑פֶת וַיִּוָּלְד֥וּ לָהֶ֛ם בָּנִ֖ים אַחַ֥ר הַמַּבּֽוּל׃

This is the legacy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Yefet; sons were born to them after the flood. It stands to reason that they had children beforehand as well, but the majority of their sons were born after the flood.

בְּנֵ֣י יֶ֔פֶת גֹּ֣מֶר וּמָג֔וֹג וּמָדַ֖י וְיָוָ֣ן וְתֻבָ֑ל וּמֶ֖שֶׁךְ וְתִירָֽס׃

The sons of Yefet were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Yavan, Tuval, Meshekh, and Tiras. One can do no more than speculate about these names and the ones listed below. For example, the identification of Magog is unclear, despite the fact that he is also mentioned elsewhere: “Direct your attention to Gog, of the land of Magog.” In some cases, the name of the father of a nation is preserved in the name of its country. For example, the locations of Madai, or Medea, and Yavan, Greece, are known. In contrast, Tuval, Meshekh, and Tiras have not been identified. It has been suggested that Tiras is Persia.

וּבְנֵ֖י גֹּ֑מֶר אַשְׁכֲּנַ֥ז וְרִיפַ֖ת וְתֹגַרְמָֽה׃

The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Rifat, and Togarma. In later generations, Ashkenaz was identified, linguistically, with Germany, and Togarma with Turkey, but here too there is no certainty.

וּבְנֵ֥י יָוָ֖ן אֱלִישָׁ֣ה וְתַרְשִׁ֑ישׁ כִּתִּ֖ים וְדֹדָנִֽים׃

And the sons of Yavan were Elisha, which is reminiscent of the ancient name of Greece, Hellas; Tarshish, which should perhaps be identified with Tartessos, a city and state on the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula; Kitim, who were possibly succeeded by the Romans; and Dodanim.

מֵ֠אֵלֶּה נִפְרְד֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ בְּאַרְצֹתָ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לִלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם בְּגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

From these the island nations were divided into their lands, each after its language, after its families, in their nations. These are all nations that developed from the descendants of Yefet. These peoples apparently spoke different languages, as there was no territorial continuity between them. They spread over various islands and multiplied there, with each nation going to a different place, as the entire earth was open before them.

וּבְנֵ֖י חָ֑ם כּ֥וּשׁ וּמִצְרַ֖יִם וּפ֥וּט וּכְנָֽעַן׃

The sons of Ham were Kush, Mitzrayim, Put, and Canaan.

וּבְנֵ֣י כ֔וּשׁ סְבָא֙ וַֽחֲוִילָ֔ה וְסַבְתָּ֥ה וְרַעְמָ֖ה וְסַבְתְּכָ֑א וּבְנֵ֥י רַעְמָ֖ה שְׁבָ֥א וּדְדָֽן׃

The sons of Kush were Seva, Havila, Savta, Raama, and Savtekha; and the sons of Raama were Sheva and Dedan. These are apparently all places in eastern Africa.

וְכ֖וּשׁ יָלַ֣ד אֶת־נִמְרֹ֑ד ה֣וּא הֵחֵ֔ל לִֽהְי֥וֹת גִּבֹּ֖ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Among his other children, Kush begot Nimrod. Since he was such an extraordinary figure, Nimrod is mentioned by himself, not in connection with any particular nation. He began to be a mighty one on the earth. Nimrod was a king who left his mark on the memory of future generations. Several rabbinic legends identify him with Amrafel and other characters. However, the biblical text itself provides comparatively little detail about his life.

הֽוּא־הָיָ֥ה גִבֹּֽר־צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה עַל־כֵּן֙ יֵֽאָמַ֔ר כְּנִמְרֹ֛ד גִּבּ֥וֹר צַ֖יִד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; Nimrod was considered a hero not only in his immediate surroundings, but also on a global scale. Therefore it is said over the course of the generations, as a kind of popular folk saying: Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord. When people speak of an outstanding hunter, a great hero, or a mighty king, they compare him to Nimrod.

וַתְּהִ֨י רֵאשִׁ֤ית מַמְלַכְתּוֹ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶ֖רֶךְ וְאַכַּ֣ד וְכַלְנֵ֑ה בְּאֶ֖רֶץ שִׁנְעָֽר׃

The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erekh, Akad, and Kalne, in the land of Shinar. These are cities and regions in Mesopotamia.

מִן־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַהִ֖וא יָצָ֣א אַשּׁ֑וּר וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ אֶת־נִ֣ינְוֵ֔ה וְאֶת־רְחֹבֹ֥ת עִ֖יר וְאֶת־כָּֽלַח׃

From that land around Mesopotamia Ashur emerged. Ashur is mentioned below as one of the sons of Shem. This verse might mean that Ashur withdrew from the tyrannous domain of Nimrod, the mighty hunter who descended from Ham, and went to build and develop cities. According to another explanation, it was Nimrod who went out to Ashur, and he built Nineveh, the largest city in the history of Ashur, the city of Rehovot, Kalah,

וְֽאֶת־רֶ֔סֶן בֵּ֥ין נִֽינְוֵ֖ה וּבֵ֣ין כָּ֑לַח הִ֖וא הָעִ֥יר הַגְּדֹלָֽה׃

and Resen between Nineveh and Kalah; that is the great city. Although one could infer otherwise from the verse, the great city is not Kalah but Nineveh, as indicated in other places. These cities were built by the Assyrians. Apparently Ashur went out toward the east, in the direction of the Tigris River, to the region of the future Assyrian empire.

וּמִצְרַ֡יִם יָלַ֞ד אֶת־לוּדִ֧ים וְאֶת־עֲנָמִ֛ים וְאֶת־לְהָבִ֖ים וְאֶת־נַפְתֻּחִֽים׃

Mitzrayim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehavim, Naftuhim,

וְֽאֶת־פַּתְרֻסִ֞ים וְאֶת־כַּסְלֻחִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָצְא֥וּ מִשָּׁ֛ם פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים וְאֶת־כַּפְתֹּרִֽים׃ (ס)

Patrusim, whose connection to Egypt can also be inferred from the Prophets, and Kasluhim, from which the Philistines emerged, and Kaftorim. Although the Philistines settled in Canaan, they were actually a foreign nation that arrived from overseas. They were part of the group of nations that scholars refer to as the Sea Peoples. Apparently, they came from the area of the Aegean Sea to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, as far as Egypt. Kaftor is probably the island of Crete, which the ancient Egyptians called Keftiu.

וּכְנַ֗עַן יָלַ֛ד אֶת־צִידֹ֥ן בְּכֹר֖וֹ וְאֶת־חֵֽת׃

Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Het, ho fathered one of the tribes living in the Land of Canaan when the people of Israel arrived there;

וְאֶת־הַיְבוּסִי֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣אֱמֹרִ֔י וְאֵ֖ת הַגִּרְגָּשִֽׁי׃

and the Yevusite, the Emorite, the Girgashite, also Canaanite tribes,

וְאֶת־הַֽחִוִּ֥י וְאֶת־הַֽעַרְקִ֖י וְאֶת־הַסִּינִֽי׃

and the Hivite, the Arkite, the Sinite,

וְאֶת־הָֽאַרְוָדִ֥י וְאֶת־הַצְּמָרִ֖י וְאֶת־הַֽחֲמָתִ֑י וְאַחַ֣ר נָפֹ֔צוּ מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת הַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי׃

the Arvadite, the Tzemarite, and the Hamatite, six Phoenician-Syrian city-states. And then the families of the Canaanite dispersed.

וַֽיְהִ֞י גְּב֤וּל הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙ מִצִּידֹ֔ן בֹּאֲכָ֥ה גְרָ֖רָה עַד־עַזָּ֑ה בֹּאֲכָ֞ה סְדֹ֧מָה וַעֲמֹרָ֛ה וְאַדְמָ֥ה וּצְבֹיִ֖ם עַד־לָֽשַׁע׃

The border of the Canaanite was from Sidon in the north, as you come on the way leading toward Gerar in the south, until Gaza; as you come toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Adma and Tzevoyim, until Lasha. The descendants of Ham populated a considerable part of the world in several different regions.

אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־חָ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹֽׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם בְּגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃ (ס)

These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, in their nations.

וּלְשֵׁ֥ם יֻלַּ֖ד גַּם־ה֑וּא אֲבִי֙ כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵ֔בֶר אֲחִ֖י יֶ֥פֶת הַגָּדֽוֹל׃

And to Shem, father of all the children of Ever, brother of Yefet, the eldest, children were also born. The verse is ambiguous, as it is unclear whether Shem is the older brother of Yefet, or vice versa. Contrary to the usual order in which the sons of Noah are presented: Shem, Ham, and Yefet, here the order is Yefet, Ham, and Shem. The reason is possibly because the book of Genesis and the rest of the Torah will focus on the descendants of Shem. Therefore, although Shem might not have been the youngest of Noah’s children, his family is presented last in order to connect it to the continuation of the story.

בְּנֵ֥י שֵׁ֖ם עֵילָ֣ם וְאַשּׁ֑וּר וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֖ד וְל֥וּד וַֽאֲרָֽם׃

The sons of Shem were Elam; Ashur; Arpakhshad, whom some consider the father of the Chaldeans, the Babylonians; and Lud. This name is related to Lydia, a region in Asia Minor, not the Ludim, mentioned above among the children of Mitzrayim. And the last son of Shem is Aram.

וּבְנֵ֖י אֲרָ֑ם ע֥וּץ וְח֖וּל וְגֶ֥תֶר וָמַֽשׁ׃

The sons of Aram were Utz, who appears in the book of Job and elsewhere, Hul, Geter, and Mash.

וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֖ד יָלַ֣ד אֶת־שָׁ֑לַח וְשֶׁ֖לַח יָלַ֥ד אֶת־עֵֽבֶר׃

And Arpakhshad begot Shela; and Shela begot Ever. This is the family line most significant for the continuation of the story from the children of Shem.

וּלְעֵ֥בֶר יֻלַּ֖ד שְׁנֵ֣י בָנִ֑ים שֵׁ֣ם הָֽאֶחָ֞ד פֶּ֗לֶג כִּ֤י בְיָמָיו֙ נִפְלְגָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ וְשֵׁ֥ם אָחִ֖יו יָקְטָֽן׃

And to Ever were born two sons; the name of the one was Peleg, as in his days the earth was divided [ niflega ], as will be explained at length in the next section; and the name of his brother was Yoktan.

וְיָקְטָ֣ן יָלַ֔ד אֶת־אַלְמוֹדָ֖ד וְאֶת־שָׁ֑לֶף וְאֶת־חֲצַרְמָ֖וֶת וְאֶת־יָֽרַח׃

Yoktan begot Almodad, Shelef, Hatzarmavet, Yerah,

וְאֶת־הֲדוֹרָ֥ם וְאֶת־אוּזָ֖ל וְאֶת־דִּקְלָֽה׃

Hadoram, Uzal, Dikla,

וְאֶת־עוֹבָ֥ל וְאֶת־אֲבִֽימָאֵ֖ל וְאֶת־שְׁבָֽא׃

Oval, Avimael, Sheva, also mentioned in other places in the Bible,

וְאֶת־אוֹפִ֥ר וְאֶת־חֲוִילָ֖ה וְאֶת־יוֹבָ֑ב כָּל־אֵ֖לֶּה בְּנֵ֥י יָקְטָֽן׃

Ofir, Havila, and Yovav; all these were sons of Yoktan.

וַֽיְהִ֥י מוֹשָׁבָ֖ם מִמֵּשָׁ֑א בֹּאֲכָ֥ה סְפָ֖רָה הַ֥ר הַקֶּֽדֶם׃

Their dwelling was from Mesha, as you come toward Sefar, the mountain of the east. These tribes settled in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־שֵׁ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם לְגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

These are the sons of Shem, as they gradually spread: After their families, clans and tribes; after their tongues, as each family developed a language of its own; in their lands, since afterward they spread out over a geographical expanse; and after their nations, for each became a nation in its own right.

אֵ֣לֶּה מִשְׁפְּחֹ֧ת בְּנֵי־נֹ֛חַ לְתוֹלְדֹתָ֖ם בְּגוֹיֵהֶ֑ם וּמֵאֵ֜לֶּה נִפְרְד֧וּ הַגּוֹיִ֛ם בָּאָ֖רֶץ אַחַ֥ר הַמַּבּֽוּל׃ (פ)

These are the families of the sons of Noah, in their legacy, in their nations; and from these the nations were dispersed on the earth after the flood, over the course of the generations.