20 These are the sons H1121 of Ham, H2526 after their families, H4940 after their tongues, H3956 in their countries, H776 and in their nations. H1471
And the sons H1121 of Ham; H2526 Cush, H3568 and Mizraim, H4714 and Phut, H6316 and Canaan. H3667
And the whole earth H776 was of one H259 language, H8193 and of one H259 speech. H1697 And it came to pass, as they journeyed H5265 from the east, H6924 that they found H4672 a plain H1237 in the land H776 of Shinar; H8152 and they dwelt H3427 there. And they said H559 one H376 to another, H7453 Go to, H3051 let us make H3835 brick, H3843 and burn H8313 them throughly. H8316 And they had brick H3843 for stone, H68 and slime H2564 had H1961 they for morter. H2563 And they said, H559 Go to, H3051 let us build H1129 us a city H5892 and a tower, H4026 whose top H7218 may reach unto heaven; H8064 and let us make H6213 us a name, H8034 lest we be scattered abroad H6327 upon the face H6440 of the whole earth. H776 And the LORD H3068 came down H3381 to see H7200 the city H5892 and the tower, H4026 which the children H1121 of men H120 builded. H1129 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Behold, the people H5971 is one, H259 and they have all one H259 language; H8193 and this they begin H2490 to do: H6213 and now nothing H3808 H3605 will be restrained H1219 from them, which they have imagined H2161 to do. H6213 Go to, H3051 let us go down, H3381 and there confound H1101 their language, H8193 that H834 they may not understand H8085 one H376 another's H7453 speech. H8193 So the LORD H3068 scattered them abroad H6327 from thence H8033 upon the face H6440 of all the earth: H776 and they left off H2308 to build H1129 the city. H5892 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
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.