Genesis 10: Noah's Descendants

Here is a direct side-by-side comparison of the Masoretic Text with the LXX. I have concluded that the LXX is much to be preferred over the Masoretic Text, a position from which the Eastern Orthodox Church never deviated. Perhaps, if you take the time to read my comparisons and other articles, you will arrive at the same conclusion.

The Septuagint version I am using is the Lexham English Septuagint 2nd Edition, which is available in print or as part of Logos Bible Software. Occasionally I also use the Brenton translation of the LXX for insight into difficult passages.

If you want to know more, click on the following links.

Masoretic Text	Septuagint	Significance
1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood. Genesis 10:1 (NKJV)	1 These now are the generations of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, Japheth; and sons were born to them after the flood. Genesis 10:1 (LES2)	Everyone on earth traces back to Noah and his sons.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. Genesis 10:2–5 (NKJV)	2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Elishah and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. 3 And the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Thorgama. 4 And the sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim, Rodanim. 5 The islands of the nations were marked off from these on their land, each according to their tongue in their tribes and their nations. Genesis 10:2–5 (LES2)	The LXX adds Elishah to the sons of Japheth. Gomer’s son Ashekenaz is said by some to be related to modern Ashkenazi Jews. Although interesting, it is unproved.
6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city). 13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim). Genesis 10:6–14 (NKJV)	6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Egypt, Put and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Sheba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first to be a giant on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord God; because of this they will say, “As Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom became Babylon and Erech and Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went out to Assyria and built Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth and Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; this is the great city. 13 And Egypt fathered the Lydians and the Nephthalim and the Anemim and the Lehabim 14 and the Pathrusim and the Casluhim, from whom the Philistines came, and the Cretans. Genesis 10:6–14 (LES2)	This passage identifies the descendants of Ham, from whom great evil sprang. The LXX correctly identifies Mizraim with Egypt. In verse 7, Nimrod is first mentioned. The MT says he was a mighty hunter, but the LXX says he was a giant, probably indicating he was descended from a fallen angel. He founded what eventually became Babylon and built the city of Nineveh, both of which are still identified with great evil. The Philistines, those perennial enemies of Israel, also came from Ham, as did the proverbial liars of Crete. (Titus 1:12)
15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; 16 the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; 17 the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; 18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations. Genesis 10:15–20 (NKJV)	15 Canaan fathered Sidon, his firstborn, and the Hittite 16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite. After this the tribes of the Canaanites were scattered around. 19 And the boundaries of the Canaanites were from Sidon until one comes to Gerar and Gaza, until one comes to Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Dasa. 20 These are the sons of Ham, in their tribes according to their tongues in their territories and in their nations. Genesis 10:15–20 (LES2)	Canaan was cursed by Noah after his father, Ham, exposed his naked drunken state. Most of Israel’s enemies, which had to be defeated in the land named after Canaan, descended from this man.
21 And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arphaxad begot Salah, and Salah begot Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations. Genesis 10:21–31 (NKJV)	21 And to Shem were born children, even to him, the father of all the sons of Eber, the brother of Japheth the great. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Assyria and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. 23 And the sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Meshech. 24 And Arpachshad fathered Kenan, and Kenan fathered Shelah. Shelah fathered Eber. 25 And to Eber was brought forth two sons: the name of the first was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother was Joktan. 26 Joktan brought forth Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 28 and Abimael and Sheba 29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab. All these are the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Massa until coming to Ophir, a mountain of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem in their tribes according to their tongues in their territories and in their nations. Genesis 10:21–31 (LES2)	Shem is part of the Messianic line. (Genesis 9:26, Luke 3:36) Some of the nations that eventually were enemies of Israel (Elam and Assyria, for example) came from Shem. Verse 25 is interesting because it speaks of the dividing of the earth in Peleg’s days. The only division mentioned is what happened after Babel, which is the topic of the next chapter of Genesis.
32 These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. Genesis 10:32 (NKJV)	32 These are the tribes of the sons of Noah according to their generations, according to their nations. From these the islands of the nations were scattered about on the earth after the flood. Genesis 10:32 (LES2)	The MT and LXX essentially agree in this verse.