The Time of Peleg
In this comparative study, doctrine is not in question; but historical fact and clarity are. It deals with the event that took place during the days of Peleg, a descendant of Shem. The versions compared are divided into four categories. They are as follows:
- A geological division;
- A demographic division;
- Either type, depending on interpretation; and
- Two different descriptions.
Versions Compared
- AB - Amplified Bible
- HBME - The Holy Bible in Modern English
- IB - Interlinear Bible
- IV - Inspired Version
- KJV - King James Version
- KTC - Knox Translation
- LB - Living Bible
- LXX - The Septuagint
- MNT - Moffatt New Translation
- NBV - New Berkeley Version
- NCV - New Century Version
- NJB - New Jerusalem Bible
- NJPS - New JPS Version
- SGAT - An American Translation (Smith-Goodspeed)
- TEV - Today's English Version
A Geological Division
HBME - ...; and to Heber were born two sons, the name of the first, Peleg; because in his days the Continent was split up; and his brother's name was Joktan.
Footnote: "Peleg" means "split" in Hebrew. "Joktan" means in the Hebrew "Lessened," probably referring to the "lessening" of the original continent by the "splitting" away of the American continents. See Prof. C. A. L. Totten's works upon this great geological convulsion. If we take a map of the two Americas, in Mercator's projection, and cut out the Atlantic, the indentations of the Eastern Americas and Western Europe and Africa fit into place. -- F. F.
...; and to Eber were born two sons. The name of the first Peleg, -- for in his days the earth was split in two. And the name of the other was Joktan.
Footnote: "Peleg" or "Phleg" or "Fleg" in Hebrew was "Split or slit off." This probably refers to the splitting off of the American Continents from Europe and Africa. "Yaktan." "Lessened." To commemorate the lessening of the primeval single mass of land. -- F. F.
A Demographic Division
AB - To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg [meaning division], because [the inhabitants of] the earth were divided up in his days, and his brother's name was Joktan.
To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, because in his days [the population of] the earth was divided [according to its languages], and his brother's name was Joktan.
LB - Two sons were born to Eber:
Peleg (meaning "Division," for during his lifetime the people of the world were
separated and dispersed), and Joktan (Peleg's brother).
Eber had two sons: Peleg (which means "Divided," for it was during his lifetime that the people of the earth were divided into different language groups), and Joktan.
MNT - Two sons were born to Eber, one called Peleg (Division) because the inhabitants of the earth were divided up in his day, and his brother called Joktan.
Two sons were born to Eber, one called Peleg (Division) because the inhabitants of the earth were divided up in his day, and his brother called Joktan.
TEV - Eber had two sons: one was named Peleg, because during his time the people of the world were divided; and the other was named Joktan.
Footnote: PELEG: This name sounds like the Hebrew word for "divide."
Eber had two sons; one was named Peleg, because during his time the people of the world were divided, and the other was named Joktan.
Footnote: PELEG: This name sounds like the Hebrew word for "divide."
Either Geological or Demographic
IB - And two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
And to Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
IV - ... And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one, Peleg, the other Joktan. And Peleg was a mighty man, for in his days was the earth divided.
[NOTE: This passage is recorded as Genesis 10: 15-16.]
And unto Eber was born two sons; the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
KJV - And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg; because in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
KTC - Heber had two sons; one was called Phaleg, Division, because in his time the territory was divided up, and his brother's name was Jectan.
..., who had two sons; one was called Phaleg, Division, because in his time the territory was divided up, and his brother's name was Jectan.
LXX - And to Heber were born two sons, the name of the one, Phaleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother, Jektan.
[Omitted.]
NBV - Eber had two sons, one was named Peleg, because in his day the earth was divided; and his brother was called Joktan.
..., who had two sons: one called Peleg, because it was during his days that the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
Footnote: [Peleg] -- "Division," probably referring to the confusion of languages at Babel [Gen. 11: 1-9].
NJPS - Two sons were born to Eber: the name of the first was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and the name of his brother was Joktan.
Two sons were born to Eber: the name of the one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and the name of his brother, Joktan.
SGAT - To Eber were born two sons, the name of the one being Peleg [division] (for in his time the world was divided), and the name of his brother Joktan.
And to Eber were born two sons, the name of the one was Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother was Joktan.
Two Different Descriptions
NCV - Eber was the father of two sons -- one named Peleg, because the earth was divided during his life, and the other was named Joktan.
Footnote: Peleg -- This name sounds like the Hebrew word for "divided."
Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg, because the people on the earth were divided into different languages during his life. Peleg's brother was named Joktan.
Footnote: Peleg -- This name sounds like the Hebrew word for "divided."
NJB - To Eber were born two sons: the first was called Peleg, because it was in his time that the earth was divided, and his brother was called Joktan.
To Eber were born two sons; the first was called Peleg, because it was in his time that the earth was divided into two districts, and his brother was called Joktan.
Other Sources
Antiquities of the Jews, by Josephus: (I. x. 4)
"Heber beget Joctan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg, among the Hebrews, signifies division."
Smith's Bible Dictionary: (page 496)
The following is an explanation for the name Peleg, which means division, or part. "The only incident connected with his history is the statement that 'in his days was the earth divided,' an event embodied in the meaning of his name -- 'division.' The reference is to a division of the family of Eber himself, the younger branch of which (the Joktanids) migrated into southern Arabia, while the elder remained in Mesopotamia."
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:
In the Hebrew and Chaldee Dictionary, word #776, 'erets, has the following definition: "the earth (at large, or partitively a land): -- X common, country, earth, field, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world."
