Genesis 10:1-11:26 The Table of Nations

Genesis 10 is a chapter we are apt to skip. The chapter includes genealogical lists of people we don’t know. They lived several thousand years ago, and they have names we find rather obscure. It seems much easier to glance quickly at the list and move on to chapter 11.

While this approach may tempt us, we should linger a little longer with this text. It plays a very important role in the unfolding of Genesis and indeed the rest of the Bible. This chapter also teaches us some critical truths about diversity.

In our day the word “diversity” has widespread use in our schools, communities and workplaces. It describes the fact that we differ from one another in terms of culture, race, gender and other demographic characteristics.

Oftentimes we focus so much on our diversity that we fail to consider the ways in which we are the same.

Genesis 10 teaches that we are all part of the same human family. Regardless of our skin color, language or geographic location, we all descend from Noah. In that sense some would argue that we are part of one race rather than many races.

How did we get to be so different if we are all part of the same human family?
Genesis 11-8 answers this question.

Originally, people spoke a common language (11:1). As they moved to the plain of Shinar, they decided to build a brick tower extending to the heavens, “Then they said, ‘Come, let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves. Otherwise, we will be scattered across the face of the entire earth” (11:4).

As the Lord watched this situation, He decided to confuse their language and scatter them throughout the world (11:5-7). At that point, they stopped building the city.

The city had the name Babel, a wordplay. In the Babylonian literature the word means “Gate of God.” In their pride the people were building a gateway to God. However, in Hebrew the word means “confusion.” God responded by confusing their language.


As believers we must remember that God has a plan to bless the entire world even though there is such great diversity among the world’s inhabitants. The Bible sets forth that plan and describes the relation of the nations to each other as well as to God Himself.

We must remember that God is no respecter of persons. He has provided Jesus Christ as the Savior for all who will put their trust in Him. Since God treats people equally, we should lovingly accept all people as well.

Our nation has a history of welcoming people from around the world. Between 1892 and 1945 alone l7 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island and entered America. Emma Lazarus’ inscription on the base of the Statue of Liberty describes our nation’s attitude: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…"

Today, thousands of illegal immigrants have come to this country. This situation has caused many people to mistreat all people from other nations. As believers we must see the world as God sees it. We cannot look down on other people because of their national origin. That does not mean that we have to tolerate illegal immigration; it merely means that we must not have the wrong attitude toward people based merely on skin color, language, culture, etc.

Although our culture often stresses the vast differences between people, we all come from one man, Noah. Whenever we are about to mistreat a foreigner or speak negatively about an immigrant, we should pause for a moment and reflect on the truth of Genesis 10.