Genesis 10

Ge 10:1-32.

GENEALOGIES.

1. sons of Noah--The historian has not arranged this catalogue

according to seniority of birth; for the account begins with the

descendants of Japheth, and the line of Ham is given before that of

Shem though he is expressly said to be the youngest or younger son of

Noah; and Shem was the elder brother of Japheth

(Ge 10:21),

the true rendering of that passage.

generations, &c.--the narrative of the settlement of nations

existing in the time of Moses, perhaps only the principal ones; for

though the list comprises the sons of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, all

their descendants are not enumerated. Those descendants, with one

or two exceptions, are described by names indicative of tribes and

nations and ending in the Hebrew im, or the English "-ite."

5. the isles of the Gentiles--a phrase by which the Hebrews

described all countries which were accessible by sea

(Isa 11:11; 20:6;

Jer 25:22).

Such in relation to them were the countries of Europe, the peninsula of

Lesser Asia, and the region lying on the east of the Euxine.

Accordingly, it was in these quarters the early descendants of Japheth

had their settlements.

6. sons of Ham--emigrated southward, and their settlements were:

Cush in Arabia, Canaan in the country known by his name, and Mizraim in

Egypt, Upper and Lower. It is generally thought that his father

accompanied him and personally superintended the formation of the

settlement, whence Egypt was called "the land of Ham"

[Ps 105:23, 27; 106:22].

8. Nimrod--mentioned as eclipsing all his family in renown. He

early distinguished himself by his daring and successful prowess in

hunting wild beasts. By those useful services he earned a title to

public gratitude; and, having established a permanent ascendancy over

the people, he founded the first kingdom in the world

[Ge 10:10].

10. the beginning of his kingdom--This kingdom, of course,

though then considered great, would be comparatively limited in extent,

and the towns but small forts.

11. Out of that land went forth Asshur--or, as the Margin

has it, "He [Nimrod] at the head of his army went forth into Assyria,"

that is, he pushed his conquests into that country.

and builded Nineveh--opposite the town of Mosul, on the Tigris,

and the other towns near it. This raid into Assyria was an invasion of

the territories of Shem, and hence the name "Nimrod," signifying

"rebel," is supposed to have been conferred on him from his daring

revolt against the divine distribution.

21. Unto Shem--The historian introduces him with marked

distinction as "the father of Eber," the ancestor of the Hebrews.

23. Aram--In the general division of the earth, the countries of

Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Syria, fell to his descendants.

24. Arphaxad--The settlement of his posterity was in the

extensive valley of Shinar, on the Tigris, towards the southern

extremity of Mesopotamia, including the country of Eden and the region

on the east side of the river.

25. Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided--After the

flood

(Ge 11:10-16)

the descendants of Noah settled at pleasure and enjoyed the produce of

the undivided soil. But according to divine instruction, made probably

through Eber, who seems to have been distinguished for piety or a

prophetic character, the earth was divided and his son's name, "Peleg,"

was given in memory of that event (see

De 32:8;

Ac 17:26).

32. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their

generations, in their nations, &c.--This division was made in the

most orderly manner; and the inspired historian evidently intimates

that the sons of Noah were ranged according to their nations, and every

nation ranked by its families, so that every nation had its assigned

territory, and in every nation the tribes, and in every tribe the

families, were located by themselves.