Genesis Chapter 10

I.                The Sons of Noah (Genesis 10:1)

A.    Genesis 10:1 – Now these are THE GENERATIONS OF THE SONS OF NOAH, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

1.     More evidence that the children were born to them subsequent to the flood as the verse clearly states “born after the flood”

II.              The Generations of Japheth, the Eldest Son (Genesis 10:2-5)

A.    Genesis 10:2 – The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

B.     Genesis 10:3 – And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

C.    Genesis 10:4 – And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

D.    Genesis 10:5 – By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

a.      Japheth had 7 sons and 14 total named are listed.

·       Gomer - גמר Gomer, “complete”

o      Ashkenaz - אשכנז 'Ashkĕnaz, a man as sprinkled: fire as scattered

o      Riphath - ריפת Riyphath, “spoken”

o      Togarmah - תגרמה Towgarmah, "thou wilt break her"

·       Javan - יון Yavan, “wine”

o      Elishah - אלישה 'Eliyshah, "God of the coming (one)"

o      Tarshish - תרשיש Tarshiysh, "yellow jasper"

o      Kittim – כתים Kittiy , "bruisers"  Numbers 24:24

o      Dodanim – דדנים Dodaniym, "leaders" 1 Chronicles 1:7

b.     Why are the sons of Magog, Madai, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras left out?

·       Magog – מגוג Magowg, "land of Gog",  Ezekiel 38:2,6

·       Madai – מדי Maday, "middle land"

·       Tubal - תבל Tuwbal, "thou shall be brought"

·       Meshech - משך Meshek, "drawing out"

·       Tiras - תירס Tiyrac, "desire"

III.            The Generations of Ham, the Middle Son (Genesis 10:6-20)

A.    Genesis 10:6 – And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

B.     Genesis 10:7 – And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

C.    Genesis 10:8 – And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

1.     Nimrod - נמרד Nimrowd, rebellion, founder of kingdom of Babylon

2.     Mighty One - גבור gibbowr, strong, mighty

a.      This is the same term used to describe the Nephilim in Genesis chapter 6 meaning heroes or men of renown.

b.     Apparently Nimrod was developing this sort of mythical reputation.

3.     Who was Nimrod?

a.      Antiquities of the Jews by Josephus Book 1, Chapter 4 – Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God.  He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah, -a bold man, and of great strength of hand.  He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it was through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness.  He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, - seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence upon his power.

·       It appears from the writings of Josephus that Nimrod was somewhat of a tyrant and the methods he employed to extend his power are still put in practice today. 

·       How many millions of people worldwide place their trust in government rather than God.  Government has effectively replaced God as provider and seeks more and more to be dependent upon it.  Is it the Will of God for us to be dependent upon government?  It takes tremendous faith today to place trust in our Heavenly Father.

·       Nimrod may not even be the actual name, but more of a derisive title (similar to how its used today)

b.     The Sumerian clay tablets depict a character that is very similar to the biblical description of Nimrod.  Gilgamesh was a tyrant of a ruler who engaged in sinful behavior described in the Epic of Gilgamesh.  The Babylonians, Assyrians, Hittites and Palestinian tablets have been found with references to Gilgamesh.  Mythical or not Gilgamesh was a widely published figure Ancient near East literature.

·       Epic of Gilgamesh – Gilgamesh is said to be 2/3 god and 1/3 man.  Many of the acts of Gilgamesh are similar to those described by Josephus.  There is a flood story that is similar to that of Genesis, but skewed to reflect the Sumerian polytheistic religion.

D.    Genesis 10:9 – He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

1.     There seems to be a lot lost in translation here, why would hunting in and of itself be anything of such great significance as to be mentioned as “before the Lord”?

2.     In their Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 1,  Keil and Delitzsch write: 

·       Nimrod as a mighty hunter founded a powerful kingdom; and the founding of this kingdom is shown by the verb with consecutive to have been the consequence or result of his strength in hunting, so that hunting was intimately connected with the establishing of the kingdom. Hence, if the expression ‘a mighty hunter’ relates primarily to hunting in the literal sense, we must add to the literal meaning the figurative signification of a ‘hunter of men’ (a trapper of men by stratagem and force); Nimrod the hunter became a tyrant, a powerful hunter of men. (Keil and Delitzsch 1975)  http://www.audiowebman.org/start/books/k-d/01-gen/kd-genesis-10.htm

E.     Genesis 10:10 – And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

1.     In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the city that Gilgamesh rules over is Uruk, very similar sounding to Erech

2.     Shinar is thought to be Sumer or Sumerian

F.     Genesis 10:11 – Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

1.     Who is Asshur? See v. 22  Asshur is a proper masculine noun (אשור 'Ashshuwr) with etymology to the verb meaning to go straight, walk, go on, advance, make progress.  In this context it is likely that the word was not meant to be used as a proper noun as the King James indicates, but rather as a verb and should read “From that land he (Nimrod) went forth…” as indicated by most modern versions.

2.     Targum Pseudo-Jonathan Genesis 10:8-12 – Kush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty sinner and rebel on earth before the Lord.  He was a mighty rebel before the Lord.  Therefore it is said: “From the day the world was created there has not been a mighty hunter and rebel like Nimrod before the Lord.”  The beginning of his kingdom was Babylon the Great, Edessa, Nisbis, and Ctesiphon, in the land of Pontus.  From that land Nimrod went forth and ruled over Assyria, because he did not wish to participate in the scheme of the generation of the Division.  So he left those four cities.  Therefore the Lord gave him another place and he built four other cities, Nineveh, Streets-of-the-City, Hadiath, and Talsar, which is built between Ninevah and Hadiath: that is the great city.

G.    Genesis 10:12 – And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great city.

H.    Genesis 10:13 – And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

I.      Genesis 10:14 – And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

1.     Philistim – פלשתי Pĕlishtiy, Philistine, “immigrants”,  an inhabitant of Philistia; descendants of Mizraim who immigrated from Caphtor (Crete?) to the western seacoast of Canaan

J.      Genesis 10:15 – And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

1.     Sidon – צידון Tsiydown, “hunting”, ancient Phoenician city, on Mediterranean coast north of Tyre

2.     Heth – חת Cheth, "terror", a son of Canaan and the progenitor of the Hittites

K.    Genesis 10:16 – And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

1.     Jebusite – יבוסי Yĕbuwciy, "descendants of Jebus", the early name for Jerusalem

2.     Amorite – אמרי 'Emoriy, "a sayer", one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan, dispossessed by the Israelite incursion from Egypt

L.     Genesis 10:17 – And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

M.   Genesis 10:18 – And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

N.    Genesis 10:19 – And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

O.    Genesis 10:20 – These [are] the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, [and] in their nations.

1.     Ham had 4 sons and 30 total named descendents

a.      Ham

·       Cush - כוש Kuwsh, "black"

o      Seba - סבא Cĕba', "drink thou"

o      Havilah - חוילה Chaviylah, "circle"

o      Sabtah - סבתא Cabta', "striking"

o      Raamah - רעמה Ra`mah, "horse's mane"

§       Sheba - שבא Shĕba', "seven" or "an oath"

§       Dedan - דדן Dĕdan, "low country"

o      Sabtecha - סבתכא Cabtĕka', "striking"

o      Nimrod - נמרד Nimrowd, rebellion

·       Mizraim - מצרים Mitsrayim , Egypt = "land of the Copts"  Is. 19:6, 37:25

o      Ludim - לודיי Luwdiy, "to the firebrands: travailings"

o      Anamim - ענמים `Anamim, "affliction of the waters"

o      Lehabim - להבים Lĕhabiym, "flames"

o      Naphtuhim - נפתחים Naphtuchiym, "openings"

o      Pathrusin - פתרסי Pathruciy, "region of the south"

o      Casluhim (Philistim) - כסלחים Kacluchiym, "fortified"

o      Caphtorim - כפתרי Kaphtoriy, "a crown"

·       Phut - פוט Puwt, "a bow"

·       Canaan (11 Offspring) כנען Kĕna`an, "lowland"

o      Sidon - צידון Tsiydown, "hunting"

o      Heth - חת Cheth, "terror",

o      Jebusite - יבוסי Yĕbuwciy, "descendants of Jebus”

o      Amorite - אמרי 'Emoriy, "a sayer”

o      Girgasite - גרגשי Girgashiy, "dwelling on a clayey soil"

o      Hivite - חוי Chivviy, "villagers"

o      Arkite - ערקי `Arqiy, "gnawing"

o      Sinite - סיני Ciynay, Sin "thorn" or "clay"

o      Arvadite - ארודי 'Arvadiy, "I shall break loose"

o      Zemarite - צמרי Tsĕmariy, "double woolens"

o      Hamathite - חמתי Chamathiy, "fortress"

IV.            The Generations of Shem, the Youngest Son (Genesis 10:21-31)

A.    Genesis 10:21 – Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were [children] born.

1.     Eber - עבר `Eber - Eber or Heber = "the region beyond"

a.      Hebrew - עברי `Ibriy - Hebrew = "one from beyond"

2.     Father of all the children of Eber – no Hebrew word for grandfather only father, from verse 24 we can see that Eber was actually a ctually a great-grandfather to Eber

B.     Genesis 10:22 –The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

C.    Genesis 10:23 – And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

D.    Genesis 10:24 – And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

1.     Salah – שלח Shelach, “sprout”

2.     Eber - עבר `Eber, “the region beyond”

a.      Joshua 24:2-3 – And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, [even] Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.  And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.

b.     Joshua 24:14-15 – Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

·       Not the flood as in Noah’s flood but the other side of the Great River Euphrates; therefore, the name Hebrew is a name used by non-Israelites to describe the Israelites as “people from the region beyond the river” and is not a term Israelites used to describe themselves.

E.     Genesis 10:25 – And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one [was] Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name [was] Joktan.

1.     Peleg – פלג Peleg, proper masculine noun meaning division, or masculine noun meaning channel or canal (messianic seed line)

2.     Joktan – יקטן Yoqtan, Proper masculine noun meaning smallness, or to be small or insignificant

F.     Genesis 10:26 – And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

G.    Genesis 10:27 – And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

H.    Genesis 10:28 – And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

I.      Genesis 10:29 – And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these [were] the sons of Joktan.

J.      Genesis 10:30 – And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.

K.    Genesis 10:31 – These [are] the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

L.     Genesis 10:32 – These [are] the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

1.     Shem had 5 sons and 26 total named descendents (Bold = Messianic seedline)

a.      Shem - שם Shem, "name"

·       Elam - עילם `Eylam, "eternity"

·       Asshur - אשור 'Ashshuwr, Asshur or Assyria = "a step"

·       Arphaxad - ארפכשד 'Arpakshad, "I shall fail as the breast: he cursed the breast-bottle"

o      Salah - שלח Shelach, “sprout”

§       Eber - עבר `Eber, “the region beyond”

-        Peleg - פלג Peleg, “division”(picked up in 11:19)

-        Joktan - יקטן Yoqtan, “smallness” (13 Offspring)

                                                                                                                                                                            i.     Almodad - אלמודד 'Almowdad, "not measured"

                                                                                                                                                                          ii.     Sheleph - שלף shelaph, "a drawing forth"

                                                                                                                                                                        iii.     Hazarmaveth - חצרמות Chatsarmaveth, "village of death"

                                                                                                                                                                        iv.     Jerah - ירח Yerach, "new moon"

                                                                                                                                                                          v.     Hadoram - הדורם Hadowram, "noble honour"

                                                                                                                                                                        vi.     Uzal - אוזל 'Uwzal, "I shall be flooded"

                                                                                                                                                                      vii.     Diklah - דקלה Diqlah, "palm grove"

                                                                                                                                                                    viii.     Obal - עובל `Owbal, "stripped bare"

                                                                                                                                                                         ix.     Abimael - אבימאל 'Abiyma'el, "my father is El (God)"

                                                                                                                                                                           x.     Sheba - שבא Shĕba', "seven" or "an oath"

                                                                                                                                                                         xi.     Ophir - אופיר 'Owphiyr, "reducing to ashes"

                                                                                                                                                                       xii.     Havilah - חוילה Chaviylah, "circle"

                                                                                                                                                                     xiii.     Jobab - יובב Yowbab, "a desert"

·       Lud - לוד Luwd, "strife"

·       Aram - ארם 'Aram, "exalted"

o      Uz - עוץ `Uwts, "wooded"

o      Hul - חול Chuwl, "circle"

o      Mash - מש Mash, "drawn out"

o      Gether - גתר Gether, "fear"

2.     Japheth – 14 named descendents, Ham – 30 named descendents, & Shem – 26 named descendents = 70 total named descendents from the 3 sons of Noah.

a.      Deuteronomy 32:8 – When the MOST HIGH divided to the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the People According to the number of the children of Israel.

·       What is the meaning of this phrase: “He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel”?

·       Exodus 1:5 - And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt [already].

·       So before Israel was in existence the Lord separated 70 nations which is the number of the children of Israel that went into Egypt.