The Meaning of Genesis 10:18 Explained

Genesis 10:18

KJV: And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

YLT: and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite; and afterwards have the families of the Canaanite been scattered.

Darby: and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. And afterwards the families of the Canaanites spread themselves abroad.

ASV: and the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanite spread abroad.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the Arvadite,  and the Zemarite,  and the Hamathite:  and afterward  were the families  of the Canaanites  spread abroad. 

What does Genesis 10:18 Mean?

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 10:18 mean?

and the Arvadite the Zemarite the Hamathite and afterward were dispersed the families of the Canaanite
וְאֶת־ הָֽאַרְוָדִ֥י הַצְּמָרִ֖י הַֽחֲמָתִ֑י וְאַחַ֣ר נָפֹ֔צוּ מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת הַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי

הָֽאַרְוָדִ֥י  the  Arvadite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְוָדִי  
Sense: the descendants of Arvad, a son of Canaan.
הַצְּמָרִ֖י  the  Zemarite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צְמָרִי  
Sense: one of the Hamite tribes descended from Canaan and inhabitants of an unknown Canaanite city.
הַֽחֲמָתִ֑י  the  Hamathite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲמָתִי  
Sense: one of the families descended from Canaan.
וְאַחַ֣ר  and  afterward 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
נָפֹ֔צוּ  were  dispersed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: פּוּץ 
Sense: to scatter, be dispersed, be scattered.
מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת  the  families 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
הַֽכְּנַעֲנִֽי  of  the  Canaanite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כִּנְעָן 
Sense: descendant of inhabitant of Canaan n.