5.1 Introduction

The toledoth of the sons of Noah (“Völkertafel”) contained in ch.10 may  be invaluable for ancient Near Eastern studies, but in our context a more intensive discussion is unnecessary. 

What is important for us is that it signals the fulfillment of the command  “be fruitful and multiply! “(1:28) and is at the same time the proof of the  blessing connected with it. On the other hand, in comparison with similar  texts from the environment of Israel, it is striking that here politically  dispassionate and without any religious exaggeration of the political  circumstances is described. Also this chapter is (like already Gen. 1) a  clear demythicization of the surely already known similar texts of the  heathen peoples of the surroundings. 

The brief remark “for in his days the earth separated” (10, 24 according  to Luther) is unclear. In any case, ארץ (äräz) can mean not only the earth, but also: the land, but also the tribal territories or also the arable  land.