10 And the beginning H7225 of his kingdom H4467 was Babel, H894 and Erech, H751 and Accad, H390 and Calneh, H3641 in the land H776 of Shinar. H8152
Therefore is the name of it H8034 called H7121 Babel; H894 because the LORD H3068 did there confound H1101 the language H8193 of all the earth: H776 and from thence did H6327 the LORD H3068 scatter them abroad H6327 upon the face H6440 of all the earth. H776
Is not Calno H3641 as Carchemish? H3751 is not Hamath H2574 as Arpad? H774 is not Samaria H8111 as Damascus? H1834
And it shall come to pass in that day, H3117 that the Lord H136 shall set H3254 his hand H3027 again H3254 the second time H8145 to recover H7069 the remnant H7605 of his people, H5971 which shall be left, H7604 from Assyria, H804 and from Egypt, H4714 and from Pathros, H6624 and from Cush, H3568 and from Elam, H5867 and from Shinar, H8152 and from Hamath, H2574 and from the islands H339 of the sea. H3220
Go up H5927 against the land H776 of Merathaim, H4850 even against it, and against the inhabitants H3427 of Pekod: H6489 waste H2717 and utterly destroy H2763 after H310 them, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 and do H6213 according to all that I have commanded H6680 thee.
And the Lord H136 gave H5414 Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 into his hand, H3027 with part H7117 of the vessels H3627 of the house H1004 of God: H430 which he carried H935 into the land H776 of Shinar H8152 to the house H1004 of his god; H430 and he brought H935 the vessels H3627 into the treasure H214 house H1004 of his god. H430
Be in pain, H2342 and labour to bring forth, H1518 O daughter H1323 of Zion, H6726 like a woman in travail: H3205 for now shalt thou go forth H3318 out of the city, H7151 and thou shalt dwell H7931 in the field, H7704 and thou shalt go H935 even to Babylon; H894 there shalt thou be delivered; H5337 there the LORD H3068 shall redeem H1350 thee from the hand H3709 of thine enemies. H341
And they shall waste H7462 the land H776 of Assyria H804 with the sword, H2719 and the land H776 of Nimrod H5248 in the entrances H6607 thereof: thus shall he deliver H5337 us from the Assyrian, H804 when he cometh H935 into our land, H776 and when he treadeth H1869 within our borders. H1366
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 10
Commentary on Genesis 10 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 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.