Genesis 10

1 These be the generations of the sons of Noe; Shem, Ham, and Japheth (These be the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth). And sons were born to them after the great flood.

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

3 Forsooth the sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 Forsooth the sons of Javan were Elishah, and Tarshish, (and) Kittim, and Dodanim;

5 of these sons the isles of the heathen men were parted in their countries, each by his language, and families, in his nations. (from these sons the heathen on the islands separated into their own countries, with their own languages, and families, and nations.)

6 Soothly the sons of Ham were Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

7 Forsooth the sons of Cush were Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah. The sons of Raamah were Sheba, and Dedan.

8 Forsooth Cush begat Nimrod; (and) he began to be mighty in [the] earth,

9 and he was a strong hunter, or oppressor, of men before the Lord; of him a proverb went out, (saying,) As Nimrod, a strong hunter before the Lord. (and he was a strong hunter before the Lord; and a proverb went out about him, saying, Be ye like Nimrod, a strong hunter before the Lord.)

10 Soothly the beginning of his realm was Babylon, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

11 Asshur went out of that land, and builded Nineveh, and [the] streets of the city, and Calah, (And he went out of that land to Assyria, and he built the cities of Nineveh, and Rehoboth Ir, and Calah,)

12 and Resen betwixt Nineveh and Calah; this is a great city.

13 And soothly Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, (And Mizraim begat the Lydians, and Anamites, and Lehabites, and Naphtuhites,)

14 and Pathrusim, and Casluhim; of which the Philistines and Caphtorim came forth. (and Pathrusites, and Casluhites, and the Caphtorites, from whom came forth the Philistines.)

15 Forsooth Canaan engendered Sidon, his first engendered son, (and) Heth, (And Canaan begat Sidon, his first-born son, and the Hittites,)

16 and Jebusites, and Amorites, Girgashites,

17 (and) Hivites, and Arkites, (and) Sinites,

18 and Arvadites, (and) Zemarites, and Hamathites; and [the] peoples of (the) Canaanites were sown abroad by these men.

19 And the terms of Canaan were made to men coming from Sidon to Gerar, till to Gaza (And Canaan's borders went from Sidon to Gerar, and unto Gaza), (and then) till thou enter into Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboiim, till to Lasha.

20 These were the sons of Ham, in their kindreds, and languages, and generations, and lands, and folks (and nations).

21 Also of Shem were born the fathers of all the sons of Eber, and Japheth was the more, or elder, brother (of Shem) [and Shem was the elder brother of Japheth]. (And of Shem were born the fathers of all the sons of Eber, and Shem was the elder brother of Japheth.)

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

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

24 And soothly Arphaxad begat Salah, of whom Eber was born.

25 And two sons were born to Eber, the name to the one son was Peleg, for the land was parted in his days (for the peoples of the world were divided in his time); and the name of his brother was Joktan.

26 And that Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, (and) Jerah,

27 and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

28 and Obal, and Abimael, (and) Sheba,

29 and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan.

30 And the habitation of them was made from Mesha, as men goeth till to Sephar, an hill of the east. (And they lived in the hill country of the east, from Mesha unto Sephar.)

31 These be the sons of Shem, by kindreds, and languages, and countries, in their folks (and nations).

32 These be the families of Noe, by their peoples, and nations; [the] folks in [the] earth were parted of these after the great flood. (These be the families of Noah, by their peoples, and their nations; all the nations on the earth came from these three men/came from these people 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.

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.