Early Families of the Earth

By Edward J. Brandt

1. ADAM—“… first man of all men” (Moses 1:34):, known as Michael (D&C 107:54) and the (See also Dan. 7:9) (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 157). “the Priesthood was first given to Adam; he Section 4, sub-heading 8 obtained the First Presidency … receiving his Presidency and authority from the Lord …” (Teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section 4, sub-headings 6 and 30, pp. 157, 169.) Genesis 5:3–5; Moses 6:10–12, 67; Abraham 1:3; D&C 84:16; 1 Chronicles 1:1; Luke 3:38.

2. EVE—Genesis 3:20 [Gen. 3:20]; Moses 4:26; Moses 5:1–2.

3. SETH (Sheth)—Ordained at 69 by Adam (D&C 107:44). Genesis 4:26; 5:6–11 [Gen. 4:26; Gen. 5:6–11]; Moses 6:3, 13–18; 1 Chronicles 1:1 [1 Chr. 1:1]; Luke 3:38.

4. ENOS (Enosh)—Ordained by Adam at 134 (D&C 107:44). Genesis 4:26; 5:6–11 [Gen. 4:26; Gen. 5:6–11]; Moses 6:3, 13–18; 1 Chronicles 1:1 [1 Chr. 1:1]; Luke 3:38.

5. CAINAN (Kenan)—Ordained at 87 by Adam (D&C 107:45). Genesis 5:9–14 [Gen. 5:9–14]; Moses 6:17–19; 1 Chronicles 1:2 [1 Chr. 1:2]; Luke 3:37. Cainan should not be confused with Canaan, the son of Ham.)

6. MAHALALEEL (Maleleel)—Ordained at 496 by Adam (D&C 107:46). Genesis 5:12–17 [Gen. 5:12–17]; Moses 6:19–20; 1 Chronicles 1:2 [1 Chr. 1:2]; Luke 3:37.

7. JARED (Jered)—Ordained at 200 by Adam (D&C 107:47). Genesis 5:15–20 [Gen. 5:15–20]; Moses 6:20–24; 1 Chronicles 1:2 [1 Chr. 1:2]; Luke 3:37.

8. ENOCH (Henoch)—Ordained at 25 by Adam (D&C 107:48–49). Genesis 5:18–24 [Gen. 5:18–24]; Moses 6:21, 25; Moses 7:68–69; Moses 8:1; 1 Chronicles 1:3 [1 Chr. 1:3]; Luke 3:37. He and his city were translated and taken into heaven. (This Enoch should not be confused with Enoch, the son of Cain.)

9. METHUSELAH (Mathusala)—Ordained at 100 by Adam (D&C 107:50). Genesis 5:21–27 [Gen. 5:21–27]; Moses 8:2–7; 1 Chronicles 1:3 [1 Chr. 1:3]; Luke 3:37.

10. LAMECH—Ordained at 32 by Seth (D&C 107:51). Genesis 5:25–31 [Gen. 5:25–31]; Moses 8:5–11; 1 Chronicles 1:3 [1 Chr. 1:3]; Luke 3:36.

11. NOAH (Noe)—Ordained at 10 by Methuselah (D&C 107:52). Genesis 5:28–32 [Gen. 5:28–32]; Moses 8:8–30; 1 Chronicles 1:4 [1 Chr. 1:4]; Luke 3:36.

12. SHEM (Sem)—Father of the Semitic people. Genesis 5:32; 10:21;11:10 [Gen. 5:32; Gen. 10:21; Gen. 11:10]; Moses 8:12, 27; 1 Chronicles 1:4 [1 Chr. 1:4]; Luke 3:36.

13. ARPHAXAD—Genesis 10:22; 11:10–13 [Gen. 10:22; Gen. 11:10–13]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17]; Luke 3:36.

14. SALAH (Shelah or Sala)—Genesis 10:24; 11:12–15 [Gen. 10:24; Gen. 11:12–15]; 1 Chronicles 1:18 [1 Chr. 1:18]; Luke 3:35.

15. EBER (Heber)—Genesis 10:24; 11:14–17 [Gen. 10:24; Gen. 11:14–17]; 1 Chronicles 1:18 [1 Chr. 1:18]; Luke 3:35. Jewish tradition suggests that the name Hebrew is derived from the name Eber.

16. PELEG (Phalec)—“… in his days was the earth divided …” (Gen. 10:25; see also D&C 133:19–24). Genesis 11:16–17 [Gen. 11:16–17]; 1 Chronicles 1:19 [1 Chr. 1:19]; Luke 3:35.

17. REU (Ragau)—Genesis 11:18–21 [Gen. 11:18–21]; 1 Chronicles 1:25 [1 Chr. 1:25]; Luke 3:35.

18. SERUG (Saruch)—Genesis 11:20–23 [Gen. 11:20–23]; 1 Chronicles 1:26 [1 Chr. 1:26]; Luke 3:35.

19. NAHOR (Nachor)—Genesis 11:22–25 [Gen. 11:22–25]; 1 Chronicles 1:26 [1 Chr. 1:26]; Luke 3:34.

20. TERAH (Thara)—Genesis 11:24–27 [Gen. 11:24–27]; 1 Chronicles 1:26 [1 Chr. 1:26]; Luke 3:34.

21. ABRAHAM (Abram)—Genesis 11:26–27 [Gen. 11:26–27]; 1 Chronicles 1:27 [1 Chr. 1:27]; Luke 3:34.

22. CAIN—Genesis 4:1 [Gen. 4:1]; Moses 5:16.

23. ABEL—Genesis 4:2 [Gen. 4:2]; Moses 5:17; Moses 6:2; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section 2, sub-heading 14, pp. 58–59.

24. ENOCH—Genesis 4:17 [Gen. 4:17]; Moses 5:42 (This Enoch should not be confused with the righteous Enoch, son of Jared.)

25. IRAD—Genesis 4:18 [Gen. 4:18]; Moses 5:43.

26. MEHUAJAEL—Genesis 4:18 [Gen. 4:18]; Moses 5:43.

27. METHUSAEL—Genesis 4:18 [Gen. 4:18]; Moses 5:43.

28. LAMECH—Genesis 4:18–19 [Gen. 4:18–19]; Moses 5:43–44.

29. JABEL—Genesis 4:20 [Gen. 4:20]; Moses 5:45.

30. JUBAL—Genesis 4:21 [Gen. 4:21]; Moses 5:45.

31. TUBAL CAIN—Genesis 4:22 [Gen. 4:22]; Moses 5:46.

32. NAAMAH—Genesis 4:22 [Gen. 4:22]; Moses 5:46.

33. HAM—Father of the Hamitic peoples. Genesis 5:32 [Gen. 5:32]; Moses 8:12; 1 Chronicles 1:4 [1 Chr. 1:4].

34. EGYPTUS—Abr. 1:21–23. This woman was the wife of Ham and a descendant of Cain.

35. CUSH—Genesis 10:6 [Gen. 10:6]; 1 Chronicles 1:8 [1 Chr. 1:8]. Traditionally Cush has been translated as “Ethiopia” in reference to his descendants.

36. MIZRAIM—Genesis 10:6 [Gen. 10:6]; 1 Chronicles 1:8 [1 Chr. 1:8]. This is the Hebrew word for Egypt.

37. PHUT (Put)—Genesis 10:6 [Gen. 10:6]; 1 Chronicles 1:8 [1 Chr. 1:8].

38. CANAAN—Genesis 10:6 [Gen. 10:6]; 1 Chronicles 1:8 [1 Chr. 1:8]. The descendants of Canaan were called Canaanites, and the land where they dwelt was called Canaan.

39. EGYPTUS—Abr. 1:23–26. This Egyptus was the daughter of Ham and Egyptus and the mother of the first Pharaoh in Egypt.

40. DESCENDANTS OF MIZRAIM—Genesis 10:13–14 [Gen. 10:13–14]; 1 Chronicles 1:11–12 [1 Chr. 1:11–12].

41. PHILISTIM—Genesis 10:14 [Gen. 10:14]; 1 Chronicles 1:12 [1 Chr. 1:12]. He was a descendant of Casluhim, son of Mizraim, from whom the Philistines came.

42. SIDON (Zidon)—Genesis 10:15, 19 [Gen. 10:15, 19]; 1 Chronicles 1:13 [1 Chr. 1:13]. (A great coastal city of the Phoenicians was also named Sidon).

43. HETH—Genesis 10:15 [Gen. 10:15]; 1 Chronicles 1:13 [1 Chr. 1:13]. The descendants of this man were known as Hittites.

44. DESCENDANTS OF CUSH—Genesis 10:7–8 [Gen. 10:7–8]; 1 Chronicles 1:9–10 [1 Chr. 1:9–10].

45. NIMROD—Genesis 10:8–12 [Gen. 10:8–12]; 1 Chronicles 1:10 [1 Chr. 1:10]. Nimrod was an empire builder in Babylonia, and Jewish tradition holds that he was the builder of the tower at Babel.

46. JAPHETH—Genesis 5:32; 10:1–2, 5 [Gen. 5:32; Gen. 10:1–2, 5]; Moses 8:12, 27; 1 Chronicles 1:4 [1 Chr. 1:4]. This man was generally regarded as the father of the Aryan or Indo-European peoples referred to scripturally as gentiles.

47. DESCENDANTS OF JAPHETH—Genesis 10:2 [Gen. 10:2]; 1 Chronicles 1:15 [1 Chr. 1:15]. Japheth’s son Madai is usually translated as Medes when referring to his descendants, and Japheth’s son Javan has the same name as the Hebrew word for Ionians or, generally speaking, the Greeks.

48. DESCENDANTS OF GOMER—Genesis 10:3 [Gen. 10:3]; 1 Chronicles 1:6 [1 Chr. 1:6].

49. DESCENDANTS OF JAVAN—Genesis 10:4 [Gen. 10:4]; 1 Chronicles 1:7 [1 Chr. 1:7]. The name of Javan’s son Kittim is also used to refer to the island of Cyprus and its inhabitants.

50. CANAANITES—Genesis 10:16–18 [Gen. 10:16–18]; 1 Chronicles 1:14–16 [1 Chr. 1:14–16]. This is the general name given to the peoples who were the descendants of Ham’s son Canaan.

51. ELAM—Genesis 10:22 [Gen. 10:22]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17]. The southernmost part of the Tigris-Euphrates valley was also known by this name.

52. ASSHUR—Genesis 10:22 [Gen. 10:22]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17]. The northern portion of the Tigris-Euphrates valley was also known as Asshur, meaning Assyria when translated.

53. LUD—Genesis 10:22 [Gen. 10:22]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17]. The descendants of Lud are generally known as the Lydians.

54. ARAM—Genesis 10:22 [Gen. 10:22]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17]. This name is also translated as Syria.

55. DESCENDANTS OF ARAM—Genesis 10:23 [Gen. 10:23]; 1 Chronicles 1:17 [1 Chr. 1:17].

56. JOKTAN—Genesis 10:25–30 [Gen. 10:25–30]; 1 Chronicles 1:19–23 [1 Chr. 1:19–23]. This man was the brother of Peleg and had an unusually large family that included thirteen sons.

57. DESCENDANTS OF JOKTAN—Genesis 10:26–29 [Gen. 10:26–29]; 1 Chronicles 1:20–23 [1 Chr. 1:20–23].

58. NAHOR—Genesis 11:26–28 [Gen. 11:26–27]. Nahor’s grandfather was also named Nahor.

59. HARAN—Genesis 11:26–28 [Gen. 11:26–27]; Abr. 2:1–2.