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.

Genesis 9:25-29

A.    Genesis 9:25 – And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

1.     So why is Noah cursing Canaan for the actions of Ham? 

2.     Seems like an awful harsh penalty for simply looking upon his father’s nakedness, what pleasure could Ham have possibly derived from looking at the naked body of a 600 year old man?

3.     So not lets look into the meaning of the “nakedness of his father”

·       Leviticus 18:7-8 – The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness

·       Leviticus 20:11 – And the man that lieth with his father’s wife hath uncovered his father’s nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

·       Deuteronomy 27:20 – ‘Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt.’ And all the people shall say ‘Amen.’

·       It seems realistic that Ham by seeing his fathers nakedness is a way of saying had an incestuous relationship with Noah’s wife (and likely his mother)

·       The reason that Noah cursed Canaan instead of Ham himself could possibly be that Canaan’s birth was the result of this sinful act and also provides a reason why Ham is referred to as “the father of Canaan” in this passage ignoring Ham’s other children or the children of Shem and Japheth entirely.

4.     Could be how Noah “knew what his younger son had done unto him” by seeing that his wife was pregnant

·       The curse was most likely pronounced at Canaan’s birth rather than at the time of the act.

·       Could also be the reason Noah had no more children

5.     Was this an attempt by Ham to usurp the authority of Noah?  Historically, this is one method employed by a rival to take the throne of a sitting king, he goes into the concubines.  i.e. Absalom unto David’s, Adonijah’s attempts at Abishag

6.     Many similarities between this passage and the passage of Lot and his daughters in Genesis 19

B.    Genesis 9:26 – And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

1.     Lord God - - יהוה Yĕhovah

2.     Shem is the ancestor of the promised seed

3.     The Israelites (who are Semetic peoples are descendents of Shem) invaded and captured the land of the Canaanites under Joshua.

C.    Genesis 9:27 – God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

1.     God - אלהים 'elohiym

2.     Canaan is a servant to both Shem and Japheth

3.     Noah doesn’t specifically address Ham who had 4 other sons besides Canaan.

4.     Noah curses Canaan, one of Ham’s sons without mentioning a blessing or a cursing upon Ham himself. 

·       Could we possibly take from this that after his sin against Noah, Ham left the camp in shame with his wife.

·       Noah’s wife is left behind pregnant with Canaan.

·       Possibly Noah raised him as an “adopted” son making Shem and Japheth his brethren instead of his uncles.

·       Thus Ham is not present to receive a blessing or a cursing and is therefore omitted by Noah, basically disowned and forgotten.

D.    Genesis 9:28 – And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

E.     Genesis 9:29 – And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

Genesis 9:5-24

E.    Genesis 9:5 – And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.

1.     God demands an account to be given for a human’s life being lost:

·       Caused by a beast

·       Caused by another human

·       Caused by a relative

2.     No indication here as to how the account is to be given.

3.     According to Luther, the phrase “at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man” is the institution of government and is a divine institution

F.    Genesis 9:6 – Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

1.     No man has the right to take the life of another man by his own devices.  It is only when a man is acting under the ordination of God’s commandments does he have the power to inflict death upon another man.

2.     God here is comparing the act of unauthorized destruction of a human life to the destruction of the image of God since man is made in the image of God.

3.     Capital punishment is hereby ordained as God is authorizing the execution of murderers, man is authorized to exact this punishment

4.     Arguments against capital punishment are arguments against the divine judgment of God and undermines the structure which He established for the government of mankind

5.     Details of how this is accomplished are left to mankind

G.    Genesis 9:7 – And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

1.     Counterpoint to verse 6 in that not only are you to not kill another human you are to multiply and bring forth more humans. 

2.     A continuous commandment throughout the ages

H.    Genesis 9:8 – And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,

1.     God - אלהים 'elohiym, since God is about to make this overarching covenant with all His living creatures this is ascribed to God in His capacity as the Universal Creator rather than the specific covenant God - יהוה Yĕhovah, whose name appears to be evoked with respect to the seed line of the Messiah.

2.     Here again God speaking to Noah and his sons

I.     Genesis 9:9 – And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

1.     Whose covenant is it? God’s

2.     Established with Noah and all descendents or all human beings present (from this point in time) and future

J.     Genesis 9:10 – And with every living creature that [is] with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

1.     All creatures share in the benefit of this covenant

2.     This is the implementation of the covenant spoken in 6:18-20

3.     No negotiations, God dictates the covenant and that’s it effectively limiting His divine freedom to operate within the confines of this covenant.  Why would He do that? What does He gain from doing this?

4.     Another issue for those supporters of a local or regional flood as opposed to a universal…why would God only make a covenant with these humans and animals that have come forth from the ark while ignoring others who were of other “non-flooded” regions.

K.    Genesis 9:11 – And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

1.     Again, if the flood was a regional flood then God did not keep this covenant because there have been a multitude regional floods down through history resulting in much loss of life.

L.    Genesis 9:12 – And God said, This [is] the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that [is] with you, for perpetual generations:

1.     Unconditional promise, God expects us to believe His promises

M.       Genesis 9:13 – I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

1.     Is this the first visible rainbow?  If so there had to have been some significant structural changes post flood

2.     If rainbows have been visible prior to this then it would have been nothing special , effectively weakening the meaning of the sign.

3.     When do rainbows appear today? After the rain…Its like God speaks “Don’t worry, I remember what I said.”

N.      Genesis 9:14 – And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

1.     Is this seen by God or the inhabitants of the earth, there have been many rainstorms where a bow is not visible from the ground, but what about from above?

2.     Obviously there have been bows present, I’ve never met someone who ignored a rainbow, it has a way of getting your attention

O.    Genesis 9:15 – And I will remember my covenant, which [is] between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

1.     If  the purpose of this bow is to be a “reminder” to God then He is the intended audience.

P.     Genesis 9:16 – And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that [is] upon the earth.

1.     Here is the answer, God will look upon the bow, which symbolizes the terms of the covenant that He made with the inhabitants of the earth.

2.     Notice here this is an “everlasting covenant”, how is this so?

·       Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and Earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

·       This covenant will outlast the very subject matter within the covenant

Q.   Genesis 9:17 – And God said unto Noah, This [is] the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that [is] upon the earth.

1.     Token - אות 'owth (feminine noun) sign, signal, token, ensign, standard, miracle, proof (set a sign or gave him a pledge) this sounds remarkably like the word “oath” in today’s English…  The word is used 79 times in the KJV as follows: sign(s) 60, token(s) 14, ensign(s) 2, miracles 2, mark 1

2.     The same word is also used to describe the “mark” placed upon Cain, making it less likely that there was a physical mark upon Cain.

3.     Ezekiel 20:12 – Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.

·       Sign – אות 'owth

·       Notice that God says that the Sabbaths are MY Sabbaths, not the Jew’s Sabbath’s or the Israelites, but they belong to God.  He is referencing here the High Sabbath’s or feast days.

II.             Ham’s Transgression Against Noah (Genesis 9:18-29)

A.    Genesis 9:18 – And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham [is] the father of Canaan.

1.     Ham is the father of Canaan – why is this mentioned here? Ham had other children, why is Canaan singled out?

2.     Still a future event, Canaan was not present on the ark

B.    Genesis 9:19 – These [are] the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.

1.     Indicates that the descendents of these three overspread the entire earth. 

2.     Doesn’t necessarily say that everyone is a descendent of one of these three.  Example three brothers are born today their descendents could eventually overspread the whole earth, does that mean everyone on earth then would be exclusive to these three brothers? No, there are 7 billion other people on the planet today.

3.     This leaves the door open for those who support a regional flood

4.     By omission this indicates that Noah did not have any more sons

C.    Genesis 9:20 – And Noah began [to be] an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:

1.     Husbandman - איש 'iysh denotes a man of more noble quality (Gesenius’s Lexicon)

D.    Genesis 9:21 – And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.

1.     Here is where things get a little tricky

2.     Was it Noah alone who was drunk

3.     Was Noah alone uncovered?

E.     Genesis 9:22 – And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.

1.     Here again is special mention of Ham being the father of Canaan, why?

2.     What is “the nakedness of his father” mean?  See below…

F.     Genesis 9:23 – And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.

1.     The temptation of sin is removed

G.    Genesis 9:24 – And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.

1.     How would he know if it was merely gazing upon his naked body?  Indicates some sort of physical action was taken, something that would have left evidence behind

2.     When did he know? No specification of time could have been immediately or months later