Genesis Chapter 10
"God of All Nations"
Context:
This Chapter of Genesis is known as the “Table of Nations”, because it contains the genealogical tables of Noah;s descendants, and the nations that came from them. From the first chapter of Genesis until now, nothing is said about Israelites, Jews, or Hebrews. The God of the Torah is the God of the world. Seventy nations in all are outlined in this chapter; 14 from Japheth, 30 from Ham, and 26 from Shem.
Chief People:
- Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons
Choice Verses:
GENESIS 10:1
This is the account of Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah's sons, who themselves had sons after the flood.
- This verse introduces what is sometimes called the table of nations. These three sons of Noah will plant the seeds for all humanity.
GENESIS 10:2
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshek and Tiras.
- Japheth had seven sons, and their descendants mostly settled to the north of the where the nation of Israel would eventually reside. While the Old Testament prophets sometimes mentioned them, they will not feature greatly in biblical events.
GENESIS 10:3
The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah.
- The previous verse listed Japheth's seven sons. This verse lists three sons of Japheth's son, Gomer. The descendants of these three sons became three tribes who settled to the north of the Promised Land. These people appear to be the Cimmerians, also known as the Scythians.
GENESIS 10:4
The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittites and the Rodanites.
- This verse lists the sons of Japheth's son Javan. These four sons are apparently connected to the peoples who would later become the Greeks. Although little is said in the Bible about these people, some Prophecies do mention them in (Ezekiel 27). Greeks would become profoundly influential and would even conquer the territories of Israel under Alexander the Great.
GENESIS 10:5
From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.
- Obviously, Maritime people tell us the spread out by both sea and land. This is also the first reference that as they spread out new languages appeared, based on clans, territories, and nations.
GENESIS 10:6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan.
- These peoples and nations will become integral to Israel's story and they are familiar names to this day.
GENESIS 10:7
The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteka. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan.
- This verse combines the set of sons, and a set of a sons sons. This verse expands on the nations which originated from Ham's son Cush.
GENESIS 10:8
Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth.
- Initially, we're told that Nimrod was the first on earth to become a "mighty man" or "champion," indicating that he was a powerful and renowned ruler. Interestingly, in many English-speaking countries, the term "nimrod" is used to imply that a person is stupid, slow-witted, or incompetent.
GENESIS 10:9
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD
- The prior verse said he was a “mighty warrior”, and here he is a “mighty hunter”. Before the LORD could simply mean that in his time he was famous for his skills in hinting, which transferred to war. I have to wonder if he was just a gifted bowsman.
GENESIS 10:10
The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar.
- We now go from warrior and hunter, to an important and powerful leader. He built a series of kingdoms for himself. Beginning in the land known as Shinar, Nimrod established his kingdom with Babel (or Babylon), Erech, Accad, and Calneh. The city of Babel will become the focal point of the next chapter as the events around the building of the Tower of Babel unfolds.
GENESIS 10:11
From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah
- Nimrod further expands his kingdom in this verse, of which we will hear about in later verses. Later in Scripture, Nineveh and the Assyrians will become famous for their might, cruelty, and wickedness. God will send the prophet Jonah to take a message of salvation to the people of Nineveh (Jonah 3); Jonah will resist. The ruins of Nineveh remain to this day, near the modern city of Mosul in Iraq.
GENESIS 10:12
and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah--which is the great city.
- Resen, mentioned in this verse, is the final of Nimrod's cities to be mentioned. In the future, Nimrod's descendants will become some of Israel's greatest enemies.
GENESIS 10:13
Egypt was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites
- The pattern of this chapter continues to before Nimrod, and it continues with the Table of Nations.
GENESIS 10:14
Pathrusites, Kasluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.
- This is just a continuation of the sons of Egypt. Following the Tower of Babel (or Babylon), the descendants of Egypt generally settled in and around the lands that make up what would become known as the great nation of Egypt. Israel's relationship with Egypt would be long and complicated. Early on, they would be kind and supportive to the people of Israel (Genesis 50:1–14), but this would soon turn into subjection and slavery (Exodus 1:1–14). As we all well know, Israel today has had a long lasting conflict with the Palestines, one has to wonder if it's not the same Philistines referred to here.
GENESIS 10:15
Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites
- Canaan, and his descendants would be the peoples who occupied the Promised Land before the nation of Israel arrived to claim it under the direct orders of God (Exodus 3:17). The evil of these Canaanite nations would become so severe that Israel was used as God's instrument of judgment against them (Deuteronomy 9:3–6). Canaan's firstborn son was Sidon. The city of Sidon (Judges 1:31) (Acts 27:3) is one of the oldest in the region of Canaan.
GENESIS 10:16
Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites
- This verse continues a list of the sons of Canaan. The Jebusites settled in what would later become the city of Jerusalem (Judges 1:21) (1 Chronicles 11:4).
GENESIS 10:17
Hivites, Arkites, Sinites
- More sons of Canaan; he was a busy guy!
GENESIS 10:18
Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered
- Verse 18 lists the final three groups stemming from Canaan, each of which became a city-state in the north. Arvad is a small island city off the coast of Syria, also known as Ruad Island. The Zemarites lived in the city of Sumur, which may have been just south of Arvad. Hamath is in west central Syria today, called Hama. The people of that city served Israel's kings David (2 Samuel 8:9–10) and Solomon (2 Chronicles 8:4).
GENESIS 10:19
and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, as far as Lasha.
- The description of this territory will become important later in Israel's history. Israel will move into it, conquer its peoples, and take possession of the land and its cities. Some of the Canaanite clans listed in the previous verses will be wiped out; others will become servants to God's people Israel. This is partly due to the curse Noah levied against Canaan, son of Ham.
GENESIS 10:20
These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
- This verse wraps up the section describing the lines of Noah's son Ham. Ham's sin against Noah resulted in a curse (Genesis 9:20–25). However, Ham's descendants would become an important people group in the region. The lesson here is that although one may achieve some level of success, eventually it ends.
GENESIS 10:21
Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.
- Once again the mention of Shem is combined with Japheth. Through the Eberites (Eber), eventually, Shem's line will lead to Abraham (Abram).
GENESIS 10:22
The sons of Shem: Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram.
- This verse lists the sons of Noah's son Shem. Shem's descendants Elam and Asshur will found significant people groups, well known historically and deeply involved in the history of Israel. Shem's line through his son Arpachshad is the one that leads to Abraham (Abram) and Israel. This makes Shem the ancestor of figures such as King David and Jesus Christ.
GENESIS 10:23
The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshek.
- This verse lists the sons of Shem's son Aram. Little is known about the groups that came from these men. The only noteworthy name given here is that of Uz, which is the same as the native land of Job (Job 1:1)
GENESIS 10:24
Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber.
- This verse continues the genealogy of Noah's son Shem. Shem's line leads through Arpachshad to Shelah to Eber and eventually to Abraham and the Israelites.
GENESIS 10:25
Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan.
- This passage also makes an interesting comment about one of Shem's descendants, Peleg. Peleg's name apparently comes from an ancient word meaning "to divide." The division of the earth in Peleg's mentioned here may refer to the division and dispersal of humanity that will happen after the events surrounding the tower of Babel, possibly a patriarchal division of the world. Perhaps the kingdom of Eber being divided between his two sons Peleg and Joktan, but this is just me speculating. Scholars suggest that Eber's other son Joktan will become the father of Arab peoples.
GENESIS 10:26
Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah.
- Joktan. In total, 13 sons are listed. The names of several of these sons became associated with well-known areas in the larger region of the Middle East. Jerah in Hebrew can mean "new moon."
GENESIS 10:27
Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah,
- This verse continues the genealogy of Joktan, with Shem his great-great-grandfather (son of Noah).
GENESIS 10:28
Obal, Abimael, Sheba
- Obal is believed to have settled in southwest Arabia, present-day Yemen. Abimael was probably the father or founder of an Arabian tribe called Maal, perhaps located in Northern Saudi Arabia. Modern historians identify Sheba in the South Arabian kingdom of Saba in present-day Yemen and Ethiopia.
GENESIS 10:29
Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
GENESIS 10:30
The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
- This verse describes the geographical territory occupied by the various groups of people descended from Joktan. Although we are uncertain exactly where this is, it’s believed to be the Middle East.
GENESIS 10:31
These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
- This verse serves to formally conclude the genealogy of Shem and his descendants. This entire chapter has been devoted to explaining the origins of the Middle East's various nations.
GENESIS 10:32
These are the clans of Noah's sons, according to their lines of descent, within their nations.
- This verse serves as a formal conclusion to chapter 10's table of nations. From these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood. With Noah, mankind continued. With the 70 different tribes mentioned in this chapter, they expanded even more to spread out everywhere on earth.
Crucial Words
- Nimrod - A foolish or inept person; doofus; A person regarded as stupid, foolish, awkward. It comes from the Hebrew verb marad, meaning “rebel.” The Bible calls Nimrod “a mighty hunter before the Lord.”, which doesn't exactly match above definition.
Cross Reference
- (Jonah 2:9) “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
- (Exodus 3:17) “And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.”
- (Deuteronomy 9:4–5) “After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
- (Judges 1:31) “Nor did Asher drive out those living in Akko or Sidon or Ahlab or Akzib or Helbah or Aphek or Rehob.”
- (Acts 27:3) “The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.”
- (Judges 1:21) “The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.”
- (1 Chronicles 11:4) “David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there”
- (2 Samuel 8:9–10) “When Tou king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.”
- (2 Chronicles 8:4) “He also built up Tadmor in the desert and all the store cities he had built in Hamath.”
- (Job 1:1) “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”
Questions:
- Genesis 10:5 Why new languages?
- Genesis 10:9 Why is Nimrod referred to as a mighty warrior, and hunter?
- Genesis 10:14 Are the Philistines in this verse the same people as the Palestines we know today?
- Genesis 10:18 Why did the clans scatter, what is meant by this?
- Genesis 10:25 What is meant when this verse says Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided?
- Genesis 10:30 Where is Mesha located today?