Verse Lens · Context pointer
Genesis 10:2 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 2. 2The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Role in This Section
Japheth's first branch names seven sons associated in the chapter's ancient geography mainly with northern and western peoples.
Read It With
- Genesis 10:1–32
Read verses 2–5 together. Verse 2 gives the first generation, verses 3–4 branch through Gomer and Javan, and verse 5 explains coastlands, languages, families, and nations.
Why It Needs Context
The individual names do not explain their own locations or modern identities. The branch summary in verse 5 supplies their role in the table.
Read Genesis 10:2–5 together
Why these verses belong together: Japheth's sons and grandsons lead to the first families-language-land-nation summary.
Verse 2. 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
Verse 3. 3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
Verse 4. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Verse 5. 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 10:1–32 — The Families of the Nations Spread Across the EarthSources used for this context pointer
How certain is this explanation? strong
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, genealogy, embedded notices, repeated summaries, and transition to Babel.
Exact location: Genesis 10:1–32 in the pinned standardized 1769 KJV corpus
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Generations, families, tongues, lands, nations, Nimrod clauses, Asshur syntax, elder wording, and Peleg's division.
Exact location: Genesis 10:1–32 forms, lemmas, syntax, names, and verse structure in Gen.xml
Open source ↗