The Meaning of Genesis 10:5 Explained

Genesis 10:5

KJV: By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

YLT: By these have the isles of the nations been parted in their lands, each by his tongue, by their families, in their nations.

Darby: From these came the distribution of the isles of the nations, according to their lands, every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

ASV: Of these were the isles of the nations divided in their lands, every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

By these were the isles  of the Gentiles  divided in  their lands;  every one  after his tongue,  after their families,  in their nations. 

What does Genesis 10:5 Mean?

Study Notes

isles
Lit. coasts. Settlement would naturally follow the coasts first.

Chapter Summary: Genesis 10

1  The generations of Noah
2  Japheth
6  Ham
8  Nimrod becomes the first monarch; the descendants of Canaan
21  The sons of Shem

What do the individual words in Genesis 10:5 mean?

From these were separated the maritime peoples into their lands everyone according to his language according to their families into their nations
מֵ֠אֵלֶּה נִפְרְד֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ בְּאַרְצֹתָ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ לִלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם בְּגוֹיֵהֶֽם

מֵ֠אֵלֶּה  From  these 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
נִפְרְד֞וּ  were  separated 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּרַד  
Sense: to separate, divide.
אִיֵּ֤י  the  maritime 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אִי  
Sense: coast, island, shore, region.
הַגּוֹיִם֙  peoples 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּאַרְצֹתָ֔ם  into  their  lands 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
אִ֖ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
לִלְשֹׁנ֑וֹ  according  to  his  language 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם  according  to  their  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
בְּגוֹיֵהֶֽם  into  their  nations 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.