THE OLD TESTAMENT - BOOK OF GENESIS _ ESV _10:1__11:9 The Descendants of Noah's Sons. The next main section of Genesis outlines developments after the flood, focusing on how humanity becomes divided into different nations.
10:1__32 _The Clans, Languages, Lands, and Nations. This entire passage sets out, largely in the form of lists, how the descendants of Noah's three sons populate different regions of the earth. Additional details of special interest are occasionally added. This genealogical-geographical passage is describing a process that covered a long time, as family clans migrated to particular regions. The ancestor after whom the clan or tribe is named may not have lived in the region that later bears his name. Each of the three main parts of this section concludes with a reference to clans, languages, and nations (verses 5, 20, 31).
10:1 _THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF. This distinctive formula marks the start of a new section in (GENESIS 2:4).
10:2__5 _Japheth's descendants are listed first. FROM THESE THE COASTLAND PEOPLES SPREAD (verse 5). This is the only additional remark that is made concerning them; it associates Japheth's descendants with the coastal regions and islands of the Mediterranean Sea.
10:6__20 _Ham's descendants receive considerably more attention than those of Jepheth and Shem. Among them figure many of Israel's enemies, such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Philistines, and various Canaanite groups. Ham's immediate sons are CUSH, EGYPT, PUT CANAAN (verse 6). Cush and Put are the regions to the south and west of Egypt, respectively. CUSH FATHERED NIMROD (verse 8). This association may seem unusual given that Cush is linked geographically with Africa, and Nimrod with Mesopotamia. Nimrod is of particular interest for several reasons. He is linked to the great cities of Babel (See BABYLON 11:9) and Nineveh in Assyria, whose inhabitants at a later stage would descend in destructive power on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.The military might of the Assyrians and Babylonians may account for the related observations that Nimrod was a might man (warrior) and a MIGHTY HUNTER (108, 9). These descriptions, one of which is linked with irony to the expression BEFORE THE LORD (10:9), are probably to be viewed negatively. Nimrod's aggression as a person runs totally counter to what God had intended when at creation he commissioned humanity to be his vice-regents or representatives. BABEL . . . IN THE LAND OF SHINAR (verse 10). These details link Nimrod with the Tower of Babel episode (See 11:2, 9). Nimrod's kingdom is the antithesis of what God desired THE GREAT CITY (10:12). These probably denotes a region that included both Nineveh and Calah (See JONAH 3:3). The detailed list of Canaan's descendants includes cities that play a significant role in later episodes in Genesis. The specific mention of SODOM and GOMMORRAH (GENESIS 10:19) provides a possible link between the actions of Ham in 9:22 and of the men of Sodom in 19:4__8. The designation "Canaanite" is sometimes used to cover all the different groups mentioned in 10:15__19 (28:1).
10:21__32 __These verses list the descendants of Shem. These are the people with whom Israelites felt the most affinity, for Abraham was decended from Shem. Insofar as they can be identified, many of these are Arabian tribes or kingdoms. From the outset, Shem's great-grandson EBER is selected for special attention (verse 21), being mentioned even before Shem's own sons are named (verse 22). The designation "Hebrew" (Hb ibri: see 14:13) is derived from "Eber" (Hebrew 'eber). By way of underlining his importance, readers are informed that he called one of his sons PELEG (which may be taken to mean "divison"), for in his days the earth was divided (10:25). This is probably an allusion to the Tower of Babel incident (11:1__9). The line of Shem's descendants from Arpachshad to Peleg is repeated with additional information in 11:11__19.
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