בראשית, פרק י׳, פסוק א׳

As the floodwaters recede, humanity begins its journey anew. The detailed record of Noah's descendants serves as much more than a simple family tree; it lays the foundation for understanding how all nations came to be. This account is designed to uproot ancient pagan beliefs which claimed that different peoples sprouted from the earth or were born from various gods. Instead, it establishes a single truth: all of humanity, in all its diversity, originates from one pair of parents and one God [שד״ל, קאסוטו]. Through this process, Divine providence actively guides the dispersion of nations across the globe [קאסוטו].

The family terms used in this history, such as father, son, and child, are not limited to biological offspring. They are used metaphorically to describe the branching out of nations, the development of languages, and the founding of cities and tribes [שד״ל, רלב״ג, קאסוטו]. In total, exactly seventy descendants are listed, representing the seventy nations and seventy languages of the world. This number reflects a precise divine order. It parallels the seventy members of Jacob's family who later went down to Egypt, teaching that God established the borders of the world's nations in direct alignment with the destiny of the people of Israel, who were chosen from among them all [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה, קאסוטו].

Although Japheth was the oldest brother, the sons are listed in a specific order: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Shem is mentioned first because of his spiritual greatness and righteousness, and because Abraham and the other holy patriarchs would eventually descend from him [מלבי״ם, רלב״ג, צאינה וראינה]. Conceptually, the three brothers represent three distinct archetypes of human existence. Ham symbolizes a focus on material life and the pursuit of physical desires. Japheth represents social life, beauty, morality, and honor. Shem embodies the intellectual life, the pursuit of wisdom, and a deep spiritual connection [אברבנאל]. Together, these three figures stand as the founding generation of a completely new world [קאסוטו].

There are different perspectives regarding the birth of their children after the flood. The primary approach among commentators is that Noah's sons had no children at all before the flood. God prevented them from having children in the old, corrupt world as an act of kindness, ensuring their offspring would not perish in the disaster and avoiding the need to save too many people in the ark [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך, תולדות יצחק, ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, this timing highlights that Noah's sons did not engage in marital relations or bring children into the world while confined within the ark [רד״ק]. On the other hand, some suggest that they did have children earlier, but their primary descendants or additional sons were born only after the waters had settled [העמק דבר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Regardless of the exact timing, the emphasis on the post-flood era points to a profound shift. While the fathers grew up in the old world, their children were born into an entirely new historical reality [רש״ר הירש]. Through this unbroken chain of generations, the tradition of the world's creation and the story of the flood were passed down from the First Man, through Noah and Shem, all the way to Abraham, who ultimately spread this knowledge throughout the world [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה].