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 Genesis 10:24, 11:10, 11; Luke 3:36, Arphaxad signifies science or memory knowledges from charity, as he was one of the three principal sons of Shem. There was an interior church with these nations. (Arcana Coelestia 1223, 1227)

(Odkazy: Arcana Coelestia 1235)