Babel

Noah’s offspring

Linguistic and Cultural Division: Some scholars and traditions interpret this division as the splitting of human languages and cultures at the Tower of Babel.

Since the account of the Tower of Babel follows the genealogies that include Peleg, some believe that "the division of the earth" refers to this linguistic and cultural fragmentation.

The first interpretation aligns most closely with the subsequent biblical narrative and the traditional Jewish and Christian interpretations, seeing this division primarily in terms of the social and linguistic fragmentation at Babel.

[1] Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.[2] The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.[3] And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.[4] And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.[5] By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.[6] And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.[7] And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.[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.[11] Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,[12] And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.[13] And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,[14] And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.[15] And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,[16] And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,[17] And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,[18] And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.[19] And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.[20] These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.[21] Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.[22] The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.[23] And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.[24] And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.[25] And 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.[26] And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazar-maveth, and Jerah,[27] And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,[28] And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,[29] And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.[30] And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.[31] These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.[32] These 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.