Peleg

The son of Eber and father of Reu (Genesis 10:25; 11:16–19; 1 Chronicles 1:19, 25; Luke 3:35). During his lifetime, the earth was divided (Peleg means “division” or “watercourse”). It is unclear what this division refers to. Suggestions include:

The spread of languages after the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9)

The spread of Noah’s descendants

The separation of the people of Arphaxad from Joktanide Arabs (Genesis 10:24–29)

The division of land by canals (the term is used in this way in Job 29:6; 38:25; Isaiah 30:25; 32:2)

The name's origin is usually traced to the city of Phalga, north of the junction of the Euphrates and Khabur rivers.

See also Ancestry of Jesus Christ.