1216. 'According to their families' means according to their habits and customs, 'according to their tongues' means according to their individual beliefs, 'in their lands' means in general as regards such beliefs, and 'in their nations' in general as regards such habits and customs. This becomes clear from the meaning in the Word of each of these, namely family, tongue, land, and nation, for which see what has been stated above at verse 5.

In Deuteronomy 33:2, this means that the Lord made even the Natural in Himself Divine in order that this also might be a source of light, that is, of intelligence and wisdom. (Arcana Coelestia 4240)