God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
God shall enlarge Japheth. The blessing bestowed upon Japheth is conveyed in the form of a paronomasia, suggested by his name х Yepet (H3315) which comes from paatah (H6601), to enlarge, extend]. But lest the enlargement promised should be supposed limited to temporal possessions, it is added, "and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem." DeWette renders the words: 'in the tents of renown,' since the word sheem (H8034) is used to signify in Genesis 6:4; but the context requires it to be taken here as a proper name.
Some read: 'and He,' i:e., God shall dwell in the tents of Shem - i:e., by his Shechinah; referring to the spiritual blessings to be conferred on the Israelites as a branch of the family of Shem. But the majority of intepreters consider Japheth as the subject of the verb "shall dwell," pointing to a vast increase in his posterity and possessions. Accordingly, his descendants have been the most active and enterprising, spread over the best and latest portion of the world-all Europe and a considerable part of Asia.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem a prophecy being fulfilled at the present day as in India British He shall dwell in the tents of Shem - a prophecy being fulfilled at the present day, as in India, British government is established, and the Anglo-Saxons being in the ascendant from Europe to India, from India over the American continent. What a wonderful prophecy in a few verses! (Isaiah 46:10; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19.)