Map of the Origin of Nations and Races that were dispersed by God in Genesis 10

The big question of how all the nations and races began and what was the origin of all civilization can be answered in Genesis chapter 10. The Bible reveals that every race upon the earth originated with the three sons of Noah; Shem, Ham, and Japheth.Genesis 10 lists a total of 70 original founders of the nations of the world or racial groups. They are all divided into 3 primary classifications: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Although the subject of the classification of the nations and the origin of languages is highly controversial, ethnologists agree on one key point: that all of mankind can be divided into three basic groups.

Historical Background

Noah and the Flood

According to the Bible, around 4600 years ago the entire world was destroyed by a flood except for Noah and his family. The flood lasted 40 days and 40 nights and after 150 days Noah's Ark rested upon Mount Ararat. After 2 1/2 more months the tops of the mountains became visible, and 40 days later Noah sent a dove and a Raven. The dove returned, and seven days later Noah sent forth the dove once again and this time it returned with an olive leaf. After seven more days the Dove sent forth once again and it did not return. Noah finally served that the water had receded enough for him to venture forth. He had been in the ark for over a year, and after departing he built an altar and made a sacrifice. The Lord was pleased with Noah's offering and spoke to Noah saying that he would never again destroy the world by water, and the rainbow appeared as a sign of his promise to all of mankind.

For nearly 100 years Noah's family increased in numbers and prospered. They soon began to migrate according to God's promise to be fruitful and fill the earth.

The Tower of Babel

All of mankind at that time gathered in the Persian Gulf region at a place called Babel, and it was here that they followed a leader named Nimrod and built a tower to reach to heaven. It was here that they rebelled against God, and the Lord miraculously scattered them by changing their languages (confusion of tongues) and races in order to forcibly distribute them over the face of the year (Genesis 11:1-9).

Shem, Ham, and Japheth

The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham, and Japheth... these three sons of Noah represented the three great races of mankind. The  above map shows a table of God's dispersion of the nation's after they migrated from the Tower at Babel.

Shem (Asia)

Shem (Heb. "Name") was Noah's oldest son and part of Noah's family of eight who survived the great flood. Shem and his wife were childless before the flood, but after the flood Shem bore a son at 110 years of age. He was father to five sons who became the fathers of the five Semitic nations as shown below. Shem was actually the father of the nations of the ancient Near East including the Israelites and the Jewish religion, and therefore Judaism, Islam, and Christianity sprang from the line of Shem. The Semites were particularly known for their religious zeal.

The Five Semitic Nations:

1. Elam (The Persians) settled northeast of the Persian Gulf.

2. Asshur (The Assyrians) the Biblical name for Assyria, settled between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers.

3. Arphaxad (The Babylonians) settled in Chaldea.

4. Lud (The Lydians) settled in Asia Minor, but some of them sailed across the Mediterranean and settled in northern Africa.

5. Aram (The Syrians) the Biblical name for Syria, located north and east of Israel.

Ham (Africa)

Ham (Heb. "hot" or "Black") was Noah's second oldest son and part of the family of eight who survived the great flood. Ham and his wife bore 4 sons who became the fathers of the nations of Africa. Ham's fourth son Canaan was prophetically cursed because he gazed at his fathers nakedness while he was drunk. This curse would mean later that Canaan would lose his land to the Hebrews and would be subservient to the descendants of Shem. The Hamites were known for their physical endurance.

The Four Hamitic Nations:

1. Cush (The Ethiopians) settled in Ethiopia south of Egypt, also early in their history some of them migrated to an area north of the Persian Gulf (Gen. 10:8-10).

2. Mizraim (The Egyptians) the Bible name for Egypt, settled in northeastern Africa.

3. Phut (The Libyans) sometimes translated Libya, settled in northern Africa.

4. Canaan (The Canaanites) settled above Africa east of the Mediterranean (Later was given to the Hebrews).

Japheth (Europe)

Japheth (Heb. "God will Enlarge)") was Noah's third oldest son and part of the family of eight who survived the great flood. Japheth and Shem were both greatly blessed for respecting their father Noah. Noah's blessing on Japheth was far reaching for all of his descendants being the European (Caucasian) nations that were mentioned in Genesis 10. The Japhethites were known for their intellectual activity.

The Seven Japhetic Nations:

I. Gomer (The Cimmerians) settled north of the Black Sea, but afterwards his descendants probably occupied Germany, France, Spain and the British Isles.

2. Magog (The Scythians) lived north of the Caspian Sea.

3. Madai (The Medes) settled south of the Caspian Sea.

4. Javan (The Ionians or Greeks) Javan is the Hebrew name for Greeks, they settled in Greece.

5. Tubal (The Turks) lived south of the Black Sea.

6. Meshech (The Slavs) lived between the Black and Caspian Seas,

7. Tiras (The Etruscans) located west of the Black Sea.