“Early Families of the Earth,” Ensign, Mar. 1973, 16
Early Families of the Earth
Note: Numbers 1 through 21 (except 2) represent the direct patriarchal and priesthood line.
1. ADAM—“… first man of all men” (Moses 1:34), known as Michael (D&C 107:54) and the “Ancient of Days” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 157). “The Priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency … receiving his Presidency and authority from the Lord. …” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 157, 169.) Gen. 5:3–5; Moses 3:7; Moses 6:10–12, 67; Abr. 1:3; D&C 84:16; 1 Chr. 1:1; Luke 3:38.
2. EVE—Gen. 3:20; Moses 4:26, Moses 5:1–2.
3. SETH (Sheth)—Ordained at 69 by Adam (D&C 107:44). Gen. 4:26; Gen. 5:6–11; Moses 6:3, 13–18; 1 Chr. 1:1; Luke 3:38.
4. ENOS (Enosh)—Ordained by Adam at 134 (D&C 107:44). Gen. 4:26; Gen. 5:6–11; Moses 6:3, 13–18; 1 Chr. 1:11; Luke 3:38.
5. CAINAN (Kenan)—Ordained at 87 by Adam (D&C 107:45). Gen. 5:9–14; Moses 6: 17–19; 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). Gen. 5:12–17; Moses 6: 19–20; 1 Chr. 1:2; Luke 3:37.
7. JARED (Jered)—Ordained at 200 by Adam (D&C 107:47). Gen. 5:15–20; Moses 6:20–24; 1 Chr. 1:2; Luke 3:37.
8. ENOCH (Henoch)—Ordained at 25 by Adam (D&C 107:48–49). Gen. 5:18–24; Moses 6:21, 25; Moses 7:68–69; Moses 8:1; 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). Gen. 5:21–27; Moses 8:2–7; 1 Chr. 1:3; Luke 3:37.
10. LAMECH—Ordained at 32 by Seth (D&C 107:51). Gen. 5:25–31; Moses 8:5–11; 1 Chr. 1:3; Luke 3:36.
11. NOAH (Noe)—Ordained at 10 by Methuselah (D&C 107:52). Gen. 5:28–32; Moses 8:8–30; 1 Chr. 1:4; Luke 3:36.
12. SHEM (Sem)—Father of the Semitic people. Gen. 5:32; Gen. 10:21; Gen. 11:10; Moses 8:12, 27; 1 Chr. 1:4; Luke 3:36.
13. ARPHAXAD—Gen. 10:22; Gen. 11:10–13; 1 Chr. 1:17; Luke 3:36.
14. SALAH (Shelah or Sala)—Gen. 10:24; Gen. 11:12–15; 1 Chr. 1:18; Luke 3:35.
15. EBER (Heber)—Gen. 10:24; Gen. 11:14–17; 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). Gen. 11:16–17; 1 Chr. 1:19; Luke 3:35.
17. REU (Ragau)—Gen. 11:18–21; 1 Chr. 1:25; Luke 3:35.
18. SERUG (Saruch)—Gen. 11:20–23; 1 Chr. 1:26; Luke 3:35.
19. NAHOR (Nachor)—Gen. 11:22–25; 1 Chr. 1:26; Luke 3:34.
20. TERAH (Thara)—Gen. 11:24–27; 1 Chr. 1:26; Luke 3:34.
21. ABRAHAM (Abram)—Gen. 11:26–27; 1 Chr. 1:27; Luke 3:34.
22. CAIN—Gen. 4:1; Moses 5:16.
23. ABEL—Gen. 4:2; Moses 5:17; Moses 6:2; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 58–59.
24. ENOCH—Gen. 4:17; Moses 5:42. (This Enoch should not be confused with the righteous Enoch, son of Jared.)
25. IRAD—Gen. 4:18; Moses 5:43.
26. MEHUJAEL—Gen. 4:18; Moses 5:43.
27. METHUSAEL—Gen. 4:18; Moses 5:43.
28. LAMECH—Gen. 4:18–19; Moses 5:43–44.
29. JABEL—Gen. 4:20; Moses 5:45.
30. JUBAL—Gen. 4:21; Moses 5:45.
31. TUBAL-CAIN—Gen. 4:22; Moses 5:46.
32. NAAMAH—Gen. 4:22; Moses 5:46.
33. HAM—Father of the Hamitic peoples. Gen. 5:32; Moses 8:12; 1 Chr. 1:4.
34. EGYPTUS—Abr. 1:21–23. This woman was the wife of Ham and a descendant of Cain.
35. CUSH—Gen. 10:6; 1 Chr. 1:8. Traditionally, Cush has been translated as “Ethiopia” in reference to his descendants.
36. MIZRAIM—Gen. 10:6; 1 Chr. 1:8. This is the Hebrew word for Egypt.
37. PHUT (Put)—Gen. 10:6; 1 Chr. 1:8.
38. CANAAN—Gen. 10:6; 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—Gen. 10:13–14; 1 Chr. 1:11–12.
41. PHILISTIM—Gen. 10:14; 1 Chr. 1:12. He was a descendant of Casluhim, son of Mizraim, from whom the Philistines came.
42. SIDON (Zidon)—Gen. 10:15, 19; 1 Chr. 1:13. (A great coastal city of the Phoenicians was also named Sidon.)
43. HETH—Gen. 10:15; 1 Chr. 1:13. The descendants of this man were known as Hittites.
44. DESCENDANTS OF CUSH—Gen. 10: 7–8; 1 Chr. 1:9–10.
45. NIMROD—Gen. 10:8–12; 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—Gen. 5:32; Gen. 10:1–2, 5; Moses 8:12, 27; 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—Gen. 10:2; 1 Chr. 1:5. 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—Gen. 10:3; 1 Chr. 1:6.
49. DESCENDANTS OF JAVAN—Gen. 10:4; 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—Gen. 10:16–18; 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—Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17. The southernmost part of the Tigris-Euphrates valley was also known by this name.
52. ASSHUR—Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17. The northern portion of the Tigris-Euphrates valley was also known as Asshur, meaning Assyria when translated.
53. LUD—Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17. The descendants of Lud are generally known as the Lydians.
54. ARAM—Gen. 10:22; 1 Chr. 1:17. This name is also translated as Syria.
55. DESCENDANTS OF ARAM—Gen. 10:23; 1 Chr. 1:17.
56. JOKTAN—Gen. 10:25–30; 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—Gen. 10: 26–29; 1 Chr. 1:20–23.
58. NAHOR—Gen. 11:26–27. Nahor’s grandfather was also named Nahor.
59. HARAN—Gen. 11:26–28; Abr. 2:1–2.