Genesis 10:13

• the Ludites were Lydian tribes located west of the Nile delta.

• The identity of the Anamites is unclear. They might have been Egyptians near Cyrene, west of Egypt.

• the Lehabites were probably a Libyan tribe.

• the Naphtuhites lived in northern Egypt.

• the Pathrusites lived in southern Egypt.

• the Casluhites might have lived in an Egyptian area also known as "Cyrenaica."

• the Caphtorites were Cretans (see Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7).

• the Philistines from Crete were warriors and traders who traveled by ship from Crete to settle in southwest Canaan. They lived there during the time when the Israelites left Egypt and in later periods (Exodus 13:17; Amos 9:7). During the early years of Israel's kings, the Philistines were one of Israel's strongest enemies (see 1–2 Samuel).

• This section explains where the ancient Near Eastern nations came from. Ham was at the center (10:6–20)while the descendants of Japheth and Shem spread out to the surrounding regions of Greece, Crete, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Madai, the Arabian peninsula, and northeast Africa.

  The list is selective in focusing on nations important to Israel. The 70 names (seven times ten) indicate completeness (see 46:27; Deuteronomy 32:8). These names represent the whole world, which Abraham's descendants would later bless (Genesis 18:18).

• Although Shem is mentioned first in 10:1, he is addressed last in the Table because of his connection to Abram (10:21–31; 11:10–32; 12:1). Although God established the boundaries of all nations (see Deuteronomy 32:8; Amos 9:7; Acts 17:26), Israel was his special creation (a small group of 70 people; Genesis 46:27). God called them to be a blessing to a world of 70 nations (see 12:3).

The fifth account (10:1) in Genesis (see study note on 2:4) unites the Table of Nations (10:2–32) and the Babel story (11:1–9) around the theme of scattering the nations (10:5, 18; 11:4, 8–9). The Table of Nations appears before the Babel story, but the Babel event explains how the nations and languages in that list came to exist.

By placing these events in this order, Genesis connects the filling of the earth with the blessing God gave to Noah and his sons (see 9:1 and study note). It shows that the growth of the nations comes from God’s blessing.

This order also prepares for Abram’s call (12:1–3). Abram’s call shows God’s answer to the problem seen at Babel (11:1–9), where humans were separated from God. Through Abram, God begins to restore that relationship.