Genesis 10:1-32 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Genesis 10. The Table of Nations. From P and J. To P we may assign Genesis 10:1-7; Genesis 10:20; Genesis 10:31 f. The rest belongs to J, for the most part to its secondary stratum, with some elements from R. The genealogy, as was customary among the Semites, expresses national rather than individual relationships. The true character of the lists may be seen quite clearly from many of the names, which are names of countries (e.g. Cush, Mizraim, Ophir), or cities (e.g. Tarshish, Zidon), or peoples (e.g. Ludim). It is an attempt to explain the origin of the various nations, before the author proceeds to the special ancestry of Israel. It is of great importance for the Hebrew view of other peoples, alike in its extent and its limitations, and for the degrees of affinity which they believed to subsist between them. It raises problems too intricate for discussion in our space. It need hardly be said that the various races of mankind now existing cannot be traced back to a single ancestor at a period so near to us as the date to which the OT assigns Noah; nor indeed do peoples originate in the way here described.

Genesis 10:5. Insert, These are the sons of Japheth before in their lands (cf. Genesis 10:20; Genesis 10:31).

Genesis 10:8-10. The name Nimrod has not been discovered in the cuneiform inscriptions, and the identifications proposed are most uncertain. That he was a mighty one in the earth is explained by Genesis 10:10, which should follow Genesis 10:8; he was a king who founded a large empire. In Genesis 10:9 his fame is explained in another way. He was a hero of the chase, and a popular proverb is quoted, in which he figures in this character. He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh, i.e. (probably) in Yahweh's estimation.

Genesis 10:14. The Philistines came from Caphtor, i.e. Crete (Amos 9:7 *, Jeremiah 47:4; cf. Deuteronomy 2:23); the parenthesis would, therefore, be in place at the end of the verse.

Related Commentaries of Genesis 10:1

Genesis 10:1-32

1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.a

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

6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

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

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

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

10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel,b and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

15 And Canaan begat Sidonc his firstborn, and Heth,

16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

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

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

20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad,e and Lud, and Aram.

23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

24 And Arphaxad begat Salah;f and Salah begat Eber.

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

26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.

30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.

31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

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.