Jewish/Christian: Genesis 10:25 (Earth, America)

[Linus]

It reads: Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

What do you think the meaning of this passage is? What do you think that it means when it says the earth was divided? What do you think that this refers to? Your thoughts.

[Linus]

A thought just occurred to me. Could it have been during the time of the Tower of Babel when the languages were divided?

[jewscout]

hmmm not sure i'll have to look it up and see the context...

[Linus]

It is just a genealogy as far as I can tell. Amid this list of names of the families of Noah's sons is this passage. I thought it was interesting.

[Linus]

The only real meaning I can come up with is that this guy, Peleg, was alive during the time that the earth's languages were split up and spread around (the Tower of Babel). Is there any sort of Geological split that could have occured at this time?

[DirtyHarry]

Hey Linus, I have always heard the the "earth splitting" was literally just that. I don't know if you have ever heard of the Pangaea theory, the whole idea that earth was one gigantic slab of earth. This would also explain how Indians got to America and other people to other continents. It is a fact that the continental plates are drifting, so maybe this is what that passage is alluding to. If you want more info on Pangaea then just search it in Google

[Linus]

Thanks, DirtyHarry. I love your avatar, by the way. I have also considered the pangea theory as a possibility, I have it pretty much narrowed down to either that, or the tower of Babel. But as always I am open to suggestions.

Welcome to the forum by the way.

[t3gah]

Originally Posted by Linus

It reads: Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.

What do you think the meaning of this passage is? What do you think that it means when it says the earth was divided? What do you think that this refers to? Your thoughts.

earth = earth's population
was divided, genesis 11:9

Genesis 11:9
Therefore the name of it was called Babel, because Yahweh confused the language of all the earth, there. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth.


Is that text from the New World Translation?

[Linus]

Yeah i figured that was a possibility.

No, that text was from the New International version. I generally either use, New King James, New International, and New American Standard versions.

[t3gah]

Originally Posted by Linus

Yeah i figured that was a possibility.

No, that text was from the New International version. I generally either use, New King James, New International, and New American Standard versions.

Me too. What's amazing about the passage you posted is that it's exactly the same wording/punctuation that the NWT has.

I have a 1986 Thompson NIV and a whole bunch of other translations including a Tanakh which I highly recommend. It doesn't have the New Testament in it though. There's the B'rit Hadasah though if you want a complete "bible".