1246、这些人是指由希伯的宗族组成的如此多的民族，这一点从他们那个时代的生活状况清楚看出来。如前所述（1238:2节），在上古时代，各民族分为单独的宗族，宗教又分为家庭。一个民族承认一个祖先，并以他命名。当一个父亲的儿子繁衍增多时，他们又以同样的方式组成家庭、宗族和民族，依此类推；约坍的这些儿子也是如此。这一点从雅各的儿子清楚看出来，后来当他们增多时，就组成各个支派；每个支派承认雅各的一个儿子为其祖先，并以他命名；然而，他们都是雅各的后裔，并被称为雅各。同样，这些民族是希伯的后裔，被称为希伯来人。
New Century Edition
Cooper(2008,2013)
[NCE]1246. The fact that these were individual nations formed from the clans of Eber can be seen from conditions at that period. In earliest times, as previously noted [1238:2], people lived as nations divided into clans and as clans divided into households, and each nation acknowledged one father, for whom it was named. When the children of one father multiplied, they likewise formed households, clans, and nations; and so on.
These people, the offspring of Joktan, lived a similar way, as can be seen from the children of Jacob. When they eventually multiplied, they formed tribes, each of which claimed one of Jacob's sons as the father for whom it was named. Yet all of them taken together came from Jacob and were called Jacob. By the same token, all these nations came from Eber and were called Hebrews.
Potts(1905-1910) 1246
1246. That these were so many nations, of the families of Eber, may be seen from the state in which they lived at that period. In the most ancient time, as has been said before, nations were distinguished into families, and these into households. Each nation acknowledged one father, from whom it was named. As they were multiplied, the sons of the one father in like manner constituted households, families, and nations; and so on. So it was with these sons of Joktan, as we may see it was with the sons of Jacob, who afterwards when multiplied constituted tribes, each one of which acknowledged one of the sons of Jacob, from whom it was named, as its father; and yet all taken together were from Jacob, and were called Jacob. Just so these nations were from Eber, and were called Hebrews.
Elliott(1983-1999) 1246
1246. That these were just so many nations consisting of the families of Eber becomes clear from their condition at that time. As stated already, in most ancient times nations lived distinguished into separate families, and families into houses. Each nation recognized one father from whom it took its name. When the sons of one father multiplied they in a similar way constituted houses, families, and nations, and so on; as did those who were the sons of Joktan. This becomes clear from the sons of Jacob who at a later time when they multiplied constituted tribes, each one of which recognized as its father, and took its name from, one of the sons of Jacob. But taken all together they were descended from Jacob, and were called Jacob. In the same way these nations were descended from Eber and were called the Hebrews.
Latin(1748-1756) 1246
1246. Quod hae fuerint totidem gentes ex familiis Eberi, constare potest ex statu in quo fuerunt illo tempore; antiquissimo tempore vixerunt, ut prius dictum, gentes distinctae in familias, et hae in domos; unaquaevis gens agnoscebat unum patrem a quo nominabatur; filii unius patris, cum multiplicabantur, similiter constituebant domos, familias et gentes, et sic porro: hi qui filii Joktanis fuerunt, similiter; sicut constare potest a filiis Jacobi qui postea, cum multiplicati, constituebant tribus, quarum unaquaevis agnoscebat pro patre, a quo nominabatur, unum ex filiis Jacobi; sed usque omnes simul sumpti ex Jacobo, et vocati Jacob; ita hae gentes ex Ebero, et vocati sunt Hebraei.