Genesis
Chapter 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.
2- The sons of Japheth; Gomer and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras
Gomer is the progenitor(parent) of the Celts according to Bullinger.
Madai is seen on Assyrian monuments from 840 B.C., and called Amada = the Kurdish tribes east of Assyria.
Javan is the Ionians of cuneiform inscriptions and the Tel-el-Amarna tablets; associated with Greece.
Tiras associated with the Thracians.
3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
4- And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, and Kittim, and Dodanim.
Kittim is associated with Cyprus.
Tarshish is probably Tarsus.
5- By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Isles are coast-lands.
These are the sons of Japheth. Verse 6 begins Ham and Shem is last. Shem’s is the line to be continued.
6- And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
Cush is associated with Ethiopia, south of Egypt.
Mizraim is associated with Egypt.
Canaan became a province of Egypt
7- And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah; ans Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan.
8- And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
According to Bullinger Nimrod is from “Marad,” to rebel. The Strong’s simply states his name and a son of Cush.
9- He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, “Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.”
This was a later proverb of semitic origin according to Bullinger.
10- And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Babel is Babylonia = the gate of the god. Note the lower case “g.”
Shinar is Babylonia.
11- Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Ninevah (and the city Rehoboth) and Calah.
This is saying Nimrod invaded Asshur. Ninevah became the competitor to Babylon for the capital of Assyria.
12- And Resen between Ninevah 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 Phillistim,) and Caphtorim.
The name Palestine comes from Phillistim.
15- And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth.
Sidon is the oldest Canaanite city.
Heth = the Hittites.
16- And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite.
The Jebusites founded the city, Jebus, which was renamed Jerusalem after David conquered it.
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; 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.
Here Shem comes last because his offspring will continue to be followed throughout the book. He was listed first twice before to note this importance.
22- The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
Elam = a mountainous region east of Babylonia.
23- And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
Uz is associated with the Chaldeans.
24- And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
From Eber comes the name Hebrews, which means the people coming from over the river euphrates or beyond from the flood.
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.
Divided for an inheritance.
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.