470. 'The book of the generations' is a record of those who belonged to the Most Ancient Church. This is quite clear from what follows, for from here down to Eber in Chapter 11 the names used nowhere mean actual persons but real things. In most ancient times the human race was divided into houses, families, and nations. A house consisted of husband and wife together with their children, and also other members of their family who were the servants. A family consisted of a number of such houses, many or few, who dwell in close proximity to one another, but not together. A nation consisted of a number of families, many or few.