Genesis 10

1 This is the account of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the three sons of Noah. Many children were born to them after the great flood.

2 The descendants of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

3 The descendants of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 The descendants of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.

5 Their descendants became the seafaring peoples that spread out to various lands, each identified by its own language, clan, and national identity.

6 The descendants of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

7 The descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

8 Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth.

9 Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.”

10 He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh.

11 From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah,

12 and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).

13 Mizraim was the ancestor of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites,

14 Pathrusites, Casluhites, and the Caphtorites, from whom the Philistines came.

15 Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,

16 Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites,

17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites,

18 Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites. The Canaanite clans eventually spread out,

19 and the territory of Canaan extended from Sidon in the north to Gerar and Gaza in the south, and east as far as Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, near Lasha.

20 These were the descendants of Ham, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.

21 Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber.

22 The descendants of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

23 The descendants of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.

24 Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber.

25 Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.

26 Joktan was the ancestor of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,

27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,

28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba,

29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan.

30 The territory they occupied extended from Mesha all the way to Sephar in the eastern mountains.

31 These were the descendants of Shem, identified by clan, language, territory, and national identity.

32 These are the clans that descended from Noah’s sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.

Genesis 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The sons of Noah, of Japheth, of Ham. (1-7) Nimrod the first monarch. (8-14) The descendants of Canaan, The sons of Shem. (15-32)

Verses 1-7 This chapter shows concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them was the whole earth overspread. No nation but that of the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come. The lists of names of fathers and sons were preserved of the Jews alone, for the sake of the Messiah. Many learned men, however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations of the earth descended from each of the sons of Noah To the posterity of Japheth were allotted the isles of the gentiles; probably, the island of Britain among the rest. All places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles, ( Jeremiah 25:22 ) . That promise, ( Isaiah 42:4 ) , The isles shall wait for his law, speaks of the conversion of the gentiles to the faith of Christ.

Verses 8-14 Nimrod was a great man in his day; he began to be mighty in the earth, Those before him were content to be upon the same level with their neighbours, and though every man bare rule in his own house, yet no man pretended any further. Nimrod was resolved to lord it over his neighbours. The spirit of the giants before the flood, who became mighty men, and men of renown, ( Genesis 6:4 ) , revived in him. Nimrod was a great hunter. Hunting then was the method of preventing the hurtful increase of wild beasts. This required great courage and address, and thus gave an opportunity for Nimrod to command others, and gradually attached a number of men to one leader. From such a beginning, it is likely, that Nimrod began to rule, and to force others to submit. He invaded his neighbours' rights and properties, and persecuted innocent men; endeavouring to make all his own by force and violence. He carried on his oppressions and violence in defiance of God himself. Nimrod was a great ruler. Some way or other, by arts or arms, he got into power, and so founded a monarchy, which was the terror of the mighty, and bid fair to rule all the world. Nimrod was a great builder. Observe in Nimrod the nature of ambition. It is boundless; much would have more, and still cries, Give, give. It is restless; Nimrod, when he had four cities under his command, could not be content till he had four more. It is expensive; Nimrod will rather be at the charge of rearing cities, than not have the honour of ruling them. It is daring, and will stick at nothing. Nimrod's name signifies rebellion; tyrants to men are rebels to God. The days are coming, when conquerors will no longer be spoken of with praise, as in man's partial histories, but be branded with infamy, as in the impartial records of the Bible.

Verses 15-32 The posterity of Canaan were numerous, rich, and pleasantly seated; yet Canaan was under a Divine curse, and not a curse causeless. Those that are under the curse of God, may, perhaps, thrive and prosper in this world; for we cannot know love or hatred, the blessing or the curse, by what is before us, but by what is within us. The curse of God always works really, and always terribly. Perhaps it is a secret curse, a curse to the soul, and does not work so that others can see it; or a slow curse, and does not work soon; but sinners are reserved by it for a day of wrath Canaan here has a better land than either Shem or Japheth, and yet they have a better lot, for they inherit the blessing. Abram and his seed, God's covenant people, descended from Eber, and from him were called Hebrews. How much better it is to be like Eber, the father of a family of saints and honest men, than the father of a family of hunters after power, worldly wealth, or vanities. Goodness is true greatness.

Footnotes

• [a]. As in some Hebrew manuscripts and Greek version (see also 1 Chr 1:7 ); most Hebrew manuscripts read Dodanim.
• [b]. Hebrew a great hunter before the ; also in 10:9b .
• [c]. Hebrew Shinar.
• [d]. Or From that land Assyria went out.
• [e]. Hebrew Casluhites, from whom the Philistines came, and Caphtorites. Compare Jer 47:4 ; Amos 9:7 .
• [f]. Hebrew ancestor of Heth.
• [g]. Or Shem, whose older brother was Japheth.
• [h]. Greek version reads Arphaxad was the father of Cainan, Cainan was the father of Shelah. Compare Luke 3:36 .

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 10

This chapter gives an account of the posterity of the three sons of Noah, by whom the world was peopled after the flood, Ge 10:1 of the posterity of Japheth, Ge 10:2-5 of the posterity of Ham, Ge 10:6-20 and of the posterity of Shem, Ge 10:21-32.