This chapter is called “The Table of Nations” by some teachers because it describes the families of the sons of Noah and how by them “were the nations divided in the earth after the flood” (v.32). However, in the middle of the lists of names there are some interesting details. Be sure to look for them.

What Does It Say?

1. “Now these are the generations of the sons of __________, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and unto them were sons born after the _________.”
2. By these were the isles of the ___________ divided in their lands.
3. The sons of Ham were Cush, __________, Phut, and ____________.
4. Out of the land of Shinar went forth __________ and built Nineveh.
5. Shem is called the father of all the children of _________.

What Does It Mean?

1. The beginning of the kingdom of Nimrod was called Babel (v.8-10). Babel is also called Babylon. Look up Babylon in a Bible concordance. Who are some of the significant people in the Bible connected with Babylon? What else can you tell about the people and nation of Babylon?
2. Compare Genesis 10:21Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
   See All... with Genesis 9:22-24 [22] And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. [23] And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. [24] And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
   See All.... Now, by comparing these verses, tell what the probably birth order was of the three sons of Noah; that is, who was the firstborn, the second born, and the last born. This demonstrates how we learn from scripture by comparing verses with each other.
3. One of the sons of Eber was Peleg (v.25). He was called Peleg, which means division, “for in his days the earth was divided.” Some say this division refers to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9 [1] And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. [2] And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. [3] And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. [4] And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. [5] And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. [6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [7] Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. [8] So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. [9] Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
   See All...). Others say it refers to the dividing of the continents into their present positions (having been all one huge continent in the beginning). Which of these do you think is more likely to be the truth? Please give your reasons.

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. Nimrod and his kingdom of Babel are described in Genesis 10:8-10 [8] And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. [9] He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. [10] And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
   See All.... In Genesis 11:1-9 [1] And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. [2] And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. [3] And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. [4] And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. [5] And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. [6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [7] Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. [8] So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. [9] Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
   See All..., we see the kingdom of Babel as a kingdom that is disobedient to God and tries to reach up to God by their own efforts. In other words, Babylon is consistently bad in scripture. Yet, verse 9 of our chapter states that Nimrod “was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” If Nimrod founded an evil kingdom, we can assume that he was not a godly man. What then does it mean that he was a mighty hunter “before the Lord?” How can something come up before the Lord even when it is not good? Are there ways to get God’s attention that are not good? Give some examples. Consider Genesis 18:20-21 [20] And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; [21] I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
   See All...; Genesis 19:13For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
   See All...; Isaiah 3:9The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.
   See All....
2. By the sons of Noah “were the nations divided in the earth after the flood” (v.32). Modern thinking encourages man to do away with the nations and create a one-world government (much as the kingdom of Babel will try in Genesis 11). However, God seems to prefer man to be divided into different nations. Carefully read Deuteronomy 32:8When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
   See All... and Acts 17:26-27 [26] And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; [27] That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
   See All.... Why does God divide mankind into nations? What are some good things that come out of national differences? What evil comes from destroying all national boundaries (Genesis 11:1-9 [1] And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. [2] And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. [3] And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. [4] And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. [5] And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. [6] And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. [7] Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. [8] So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. [9] Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
   See All... will help on this)?