Gênesis 10
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 10
Stedman points out that "Heth is the father of the Hittite nation. The Hittites were once regarded by archaeologists as a biblical blunder. Archaeologists said the Bible was absolutely wrong when it mentioned the Hittites, for there was no such people. But since that time, Hittite relics have been discovered in abundance, and scholars are now well aware of the great civilization that flourished under the Hittites. The Hebrew form of this word, Hittite, is Khettai and from this comes the word Cathay, which many of you will recognize as an ancient name for China. Certain of the Hittites migrated eastward and settled in China. Also, another name in this list, the Sinites, is linked with China. It derives from a presumed son of Canaan whose name was Sin. The Sinites migrated eastward until they came into Western China, where they founded the ancient Empire of China and gave their name to the land. There is a direct connection between the word China and the word Sinim, the biblical name for China. They pushed eastward and toward the north over the land bridge into Alaska. The Sinites are the people who settled the Americas in prehistoric days and became the ancestors of the Eskimos and Indians who, to this very day, betray their Mongoloid ancestry." (God's Funnel) Gotquestions.org - The Bible’s truth claims concerning world history have also been substantiated. Skeptics used to criticize the Bible for its mention of the Hittite people (e.g., 2 Kings 7:6). The lack of any archaeological evidence to support the existence of a Hittite culture was often cited as a rebuttal against Scripture. In 1876, however, archaeologists discovered evidence of the Hittite nation, and by the early 20th century the vastness of the Hittite nation and its influence in the ancient world was common knowledge. Gotquestions.org - Though rather obscure in the scope of world history, the Hittite nation played an important role in the history of the Old Testament, and has since helped verify the accuracy of the Bible. For many years, archaeologists and historians knew nothing of the Hittites, and critics of the Bible treated the Hittites as proof of the “mythology” contained in the Bible. The critics reasoned that, since they had no archaeological evidence of a Hittite civilization, it must never have existed, and the Bible must perforce be wrong. However, many archaeological discoveries, beginning in 1876, have since proved that the Hittites were a powerful people in the 15th and 16th centuries B.C. Armstrong Institute - The Hittite civilization is mentioned often in the Bible. Scripture describes Abraham burying his wife in land purchased from Hittite merchants. The Hittites were allied with the king of Israel in fending off the Syrian Empire. Yet until the 20th century, no evidence of the Hittite civilization had been uncovered. Historians said it probably never existed, and even if it did, it couldn’t have been a very strong regional power. In 1906, however, an immense, sprawling fortified city found in modern-day Turkey was confirmed to have been the Hittite capital, Hattusha (SEE MULTIPLE PICTURES). A royal library of around 10,000 tablets helped prove to archaeologists that these people were indeed the people of the land of Hatti, the kingdom of Kheta in the Egyptian texts, and the Hittites of the Bible. This massive empire controlled what became modern-day Turkey, and its power and influence expanded as far south as Syria and around parts of northern Canaan, just as described in the Bible. The Bible is unique in facing its critics. There is no book in all of history like it. Josh McDowell in Evidence that Demands a Verdict - page 22 (borrow) writes about the Hittites - The "assured results of higher criticism" said there were no Hittites (a people found at that time only in the Old Testament); there are no other records of them. They must be myth. Well, wrong again. As the result of archaeology, there are now hundreds of references overlapping more than 1200 years of Hittite civilization. Earl Radmacher, president of Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, quoting Nelson Glueck (pronounced Glek), former president of the Jewish Theological Seminary in the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati and one of the three greatest archaeologists, says: "I listened to him [Glueck] when he was at Temple Emmanuel in Dallas, and he got rather red in the face and said, 'I've been accused of teaching the verbal, plenary inspiration of the scripture. I want it to be understood that I have never taught this. All I have ever said is that in all of my archaeological investigation I have never found one artifact of antiquity that contradicts any statement of the Word of God.' " The Bible is unique in facing its critics. There is no book in all of history like it. A person looking for truth would certainly consider a book that has the above qualifications. (ED: I WOULD ADD THE BIBLE IS SO TRUE THAT IT IS NOT SO MUCH THAT ARCHAEOLOGY PROVES THE BIBLE IS TRUE, BUT THAT THE BIBLE PROVES THE ARCHAEOLOGY TO BE TRUE!) QUESTION - Who were the Canaanites? ANSWER - The Canaanites were a group of ancient people who lived in the land of Canaan on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Canaan is described in the Bible as extending from Lebanon toward the Brook of Egypt in the south and the Jordan River Valley in the east. In the Bible, notably in Genesis 10 and Numbers 34, this was called the “land of Canaan” and occupies the same area that is occupied by modern Lebanon and Israel, plus parts of Jordan and Syria. The Canaanites are mentioned over 150 times in the Bible. They were a wicked, idolatrous people descended from Noah’s grandson Canaan, who was a son of Ham (Genesis 9:18). Canaan was cursed because of his and his father’s sin against Noah (Genesis 9:20–25). In some passages, Canaanites specifically refers to the people of the lowlands and plains of Canaan (Joshua 11:3); in other passages, Canaanites is used more broadly to refer to all the inhabitants of the land, including the Hivites, Girgashites, Jebusites, Amorites, Hittites, and Perizzites (see Judges 1:9–10). The land of Canaan was the land God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants (Genesis 12:7). The Canaanites are described in the Bible as a large and fierce people, not easily defeated, so the Israelites would need divine help to come against them, defeat them, and take their land away. God promised Moses and Joshua that help (Joshua 1:3). After the Exodus, when the Lord told Moses to invade Canaan, Moses sent a group of spies into the land of Canaan to see what the people were like. The spies came back with a report that was both encouraging and daunting. The fruit of the land was huge—it took two men to carry back one cluster of grapes (Numbers 13:23)—and the land was bountiful in many other ways. However, the Canaanites were strong, and the cities were large and fortified. Also, the Israelite spies had seen what they described as Nephilim and the descendants of Anak there (Numbers 13:28, 33)—next to these fierce people, the Israelites saw themselves as “grasshoppers” (verse 33). In the end, the Israelites were so afraid of the Canaanites that they refused to go into the land God had promised to them. Only Joshua and Caleb were confident that God would help them defeat the Canaanites. Because of their unwillingness to trust God, that generation of Israelites was denied entry into Canaan (Numbers 14:30-35). After Moses’ death, Joshua was called by God to lead the people of Israel through the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. The first city they came to was Jericho, a strong-walled city of the Canaanites. Joshua believed God and told the people that God would drive the Canaanites out of the land so that Israel could take the land of Canaan (Joshua 3:10). The fall of Jericho was a supernatural event, as God overthrew that city (Joshua 6). This victory was a sign to the people of Israel and to the people of Canaan that God had given the land of Canaan to the Israelites. Despite a long campaign against the inhabitants of Canaan, there remained several pockets of Canaanites in Israel after the land had been divided among the twelve tribes (Judges 1:27–36). Some of the Canaanites who remained in Israel were pressed into forced labor, but many strongholds remained in the land. The partial obedience of Israel, resulting in these Canaanite citadels, caused much trouble throughout the time of the Judges. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Who were the Zidonians in the Bible? ANSWER - Zidon, also called Sidon, was the capital city of Phoenicia, located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea approximately 20 miles south of its sister city, Tyre. Today, Zidon is called Saida (or Sayda) and remains a port city in Lebanon. Tyre and Sidon (Zidon) are often mentioned together in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament (Isaiah 23; Jeremiah 27:3; 47:4; Matthew 11:22; 15:21). Although Tyre appears to have been the more prominent city, the term Zidonians was sometimes used to refer to all Phoenicians (Joshua 13:6; Judges 18:7). The city of Zidon or Sidon is thought to have been founded by Canaan’s son Sidon (Genesis 10:15); at any rate, Sidon’s descendants settled in that area, and the city of Zidon is quite ancient. Zidon was well-known as a center of commerce and for its artisans. Solomon made arrangements with King Hiram of Tyre to procure lumber for the building of the temple, saying, “Give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians” (1 Kings 5:6; cf. 1 Chronicles 22:4). The Zidonians were also renowned as men of the sea and capable sailors (see 1 Kings 9:27 and Ezekiel 27:8). The land containing the city of Zidon was given to the tribe of Asher as their inheritance from the Lord (Joshua 19:24–31). Zidon was thus a part of Canaan that the Israelites were commanded to overthrow, but they did not (Judges 1:31–32). Soon, the Zidonians were oppressing the Israelites in the Promised Land (see Judges 10:12). The ancient Zidonians were wicked idolators. Their god was Baal, and their goddess was Ashtoreth (1 Kings 11:33), and because Israel failed to completely cast the Zidonians out of the land God gave them, the idol worship continued and became a problem for the Israelites. King Solomon unwisely married Zidonians (1 Kings 11:1), and his reign was corrupted by Zidonian idolatry (1 Kings 11:5). Later, the infamous King Ahab of Israel married Jezebel, a daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians (1 Kings 16:31). Soon, Baal worship was rampant in Israel. Although the Bible does not give us many details about Zidon, other historical documents tell us that Zidon seems to have flourished during the Persian domination, even surpassing Tyre in prominence. However, around 351 BC, Zidon’s King Tennes betrayed the city to the king of the Persians, Ochus. When the Zidonians realized destruction was imminent, they shut themselves and their families into their own homes and set fire to them. It is thought that forty thousand Zidonians died in those fires. Eventually, Zidon emerged from the ashes and once again began to flourish. Zidon appears to have been the northernmost city to which Christ traveled during His time on earth (Matthew 15:21). On Paul’s voyage to Rome as a prisoner, the ship made a stop at Zidon, where Paul had friends (Acts 27:3). Jesus mentioned Zidon in reference to its reputation of wickedness. Jesus pronounced woe on unrepentant Jewish cities in which He’d done most of His miracles, saying that, had He done those works in Tyre and Zidon, the people there would have repented. Judgment would be more bearable for the wicked towns of Tyre and Zidon, who did not know Christ, than for the people who rejected Jesus outright (Matthew 11:20–24; Luke 10:12–16). Many Old Testament prophecies record God’s pronouncement of judgment on Tyre and Zidon (Isaiah 23; Jeremiah 25; 27; 47; Ezekiel 26—28; Joel 3; Amos 1:9–10; Zechariah 9:1–4). God’s judgment is righteous (Psalm 9:4; 50:6). Even though God is the Judge, He brings redemption for those who repent and put their faith in Him. The prophet Elijah was fed by a widow woman in the area of Zidon (1 Kings 17:9), a fact that Jesus points out to the Jews in Nazareth (Luke 4:26). Inhabitants of Zidon were some of the early followers of Jesus (Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17), and Jesus interacted with a Canaanite woman from the region of Zidon, healing her daughter and commending her faith (Matthew 15:21–28). Sinners were drawn to Jesus then, and they are still drawn to Him by the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit today (John 6:44; 16:8–11). Though God’s righteous judgment is coming (Romans 1:18–32; 2 Peter 3:8–10), God’s offer of salvation through Jesus Christ is still available to all (John 3:16–18; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21). GotQuestions.org Genesis 10:16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite Jebusite - Jdg 1:21 2Sa 24:18 Zec 9:7 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Joshua 15:63+ Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day. Judges 1:21+ But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. Click to enlarge and make more legible And the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite -- Jebusites lived in Jerusalem when Israel conquered Canaan. Later Jebusite was associated with city of David and with Jerusalem. Genesis 10:17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite Hivite - Ge 34:2 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Click to enlarge and make more legible and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite
Gênesis 10
Stedman - Shem was the father of the children of Eber. Actually, Eber was a great-grandson of Shem, but from Eber comes the word Hebrew. Abraham, who was really the founder of the Hebrew nation, was six generations beyond Eber. Yet Eber is of such note that Abraham is identified as an Eberite, or Hebrew (Genesis 14:13). Elam, the next son of Shem, is associated with Southern Mesopotamia. Archaeologists have now found that the earliest inhabitants of this area were Semites, not Hamites, as they once thought. Asshur is the one who gave his name to Assyria. The genealogy closes with Eber's two sons, Peleg and Joktan. The tribes listed as from Joktan are all associated with Arabia. The boundaries of Mesha and Sephar given here are both within the Arabian Peninsula. Our main interest, however, centers on Peleg and this cryptic comment made about him, "in his days the earth was divided." What do you think that means? Peleg in Hebrew, means "Division," but in Greek it means "Sea." We get our present English word archipelago from this: archi-pelagos, the first sea. The Greeks called the Aegean Sea "The Archipelago," the first sea, drawing the name from this man, Peleg. Shem is put last of the sons of Noah because God is narrowing the flow of sacred history down to the Semitic races. Shem is the neck of the funnel. God is restricting the stream of humanity that he will deal with personally and directly down to one family group, the family of Shem. In Chapter 11, Verse 10 on to the end of the chapter, he takes this up again and narrows it still further to one man, Abraham. From there it begins to broaden out again to take in Abraham and all his descendants, both physical and spiritual. The rest of the Bible is all about the children of Abraham, physically and spiritually. Here we have then one of the most important links in understanding the Bible. Why does God do this? He has been accused of showing favoritism in picking the people of Israel for his link with humanity. But it is not that. God is no respecter of persons, as we are told. He does this because it is necessary in view of the limitations of our minds, not of his. No one man can grasp the whole widespread, varied, world of mankind. We cannot do so even today. At election time we take polls to determine what people are thinking, because we cannot grasp or assimilate in any way what the entire mass of a people are thinking. We must take polls, samples. God is doing this with Israel. Israel becomes the sample nation, the sample people. Through the rest of the Bible, whatever is true of Israel is true of everyone; their story is our story -- your story and my story. Their stubborn rebellion is the same rebellion that we display, and their spiritual blessing under God is the same kind that we can expect if we open ourselves to respond to the grace of God. One fact comes drumming through all this otherwise dry genealogy: that is that God is seeking somehow to break through into our hearts and wills. He presses upon us in great historic sweeps and in the minor incidents that happen to each of us. The great question we must raise in a service like this is: Are you listening? Are you getting the message God wants you to get? He writes it large upon the landscape of history, and also he writes it small in the incidents of your daily life. But in every case it is the same truth pressing through to us. God is essential to us. We cannot live without God. You cannot fulfill yourself, you cannot find yourself without him. He loves you, is seeking you, wants you, and is drawing you to himself. Forever this finds its confirmation in all of life around us. (God's Funnel) Related Resources: Who was Japheth in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Who was Ham in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Who was Shem in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org What is the biblical account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth? | GotQuestions.org Who were the sons of Noah, and what happened to them and their descendants? | GotQuestions.org Who are Semites? | GotQuestions.org Genesis 10:22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. children - Ge 9:26 1Ch 1:17-27 Elam - Ge 14:1-9 2Ki 15:19 Job 1:17 Isa 11:11 21:2 22:6 Jer 25:25 Jer 49:34-39 Ac 2:9 Arphaxad - Heb. Arpachshad Lud - Isa 66:19 Aram - Nu 23:7 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries FIVE SONS OF SHEM The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram - These are the 5 sons who are named. Ge 11:11 adds "and he had other sons and daughters." Elam was one of the most ancient nations, originally established by a son of Shem (Gen 10:22, Jer 49:35). At the time of Jeremiah, in spite of its long and eminent history, it had been subjugated by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians. Eventually, however, with its capital Susa (or Shushan), it would become the key section of what would expand into the great empire of Persia. Then the combined empire of Media and Persia would finally conquer Babylon itself. Genesis 10:23 The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash. Uz - Job 1:1 Jer 25:20 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash (- Aram is given only brief mention but the focus then shift to Arphaxad who would be the ancestor of Abraham and ultimately would be the son of Shem from whose line the Messiah would come.
Gênesis 10
Stedman - This division of the chapter (Genesis 10:1-5), centering on Japheth, is the shortest, yet to us in many ways it is the most important, because it is to this family of mankind that most of us belong. We are Japhethites and we find this of intense interest, although the Scripture spends the least time with it. Those who study races and peoples are known as ethnologists, and one of the tools of ethnology is to trace the persistence of names through history. Some of these place names and names of individuals persist for a long time through the course of human events, and form a kind of peg or nail upon which we can hang certain important movements in history and by which we can trace certain developments. We can do this with many of the names in this passage. Letters may be transposed, endings added, prefixes taken away or added, but there is a basic root which persists for years and even centuries of the time, and these give us a way of tracing the spread of the peoples of earth. The family of Japheth is essentially what we call the Aryans. Hitler made much of the Aryan race, claiming that the Germans were pure Aryans and the rest were mongrels. Of course, the Jews were of a completely different family. He was right about that, for the Jews are Semitic (from Shem) while the Aryans are from Japheth. But where Hitler made his mistake (and where many people today make a mistake) is to fail to differentiate between differences which exist between people and a supposed superiority. Because people are different is no sign that they are inferior or superior. This is one of the basic things we need to understand in studying the peoples of the earth. Early in the history of the world, the Japhethites, or Aryans, split into two groups. One group settled in India and the other group in Europe. Together they form what is known as the "Indo-European" family of nations. Any ethnographer is familiar with these divisions, but they are the same basic stock. The next time you visit India you should realize that you are visiting your cousins in the same basic family. The interesting thing is that both of these divisions, the Indian and the European, trace their ancestry back to Japheth. This is not from the Bible, but from history: The Greeks say that their ancestor was a man named Japetos, and you can see in that the resemblance to Japheth. They regarded him as not only the father of their race, but the father of all humanity. The Indians, on the other hand, have an account of the flood similar in many respects to the Biblical account. The name of their hero is not Noah, but Satyaurata, and he had three sons. The name of the oldest was Iyapeti (you can see Japheth in that, very easily), and the other two were Sharma, and C'harma (Shem and Ham). The interesting thing about the Indian account is that C'harma was cursed by his father because he laughed at him when he got drunk, a certain echo of the story we have in Genesis. You see from this how this chapter is embedded in history. The Word of God is dealing with realistic matters when it traces these divisions....Ray Stedman - From this word, Gomer, by a process of elision and transposition of letters, there came the word, Gaul, or Gaelic. These are the people, interestingly enough, to whom the New Testament Epistle to the Galatians is written. The Galatians were Gauls. Most of us have a Gaelic or Celtic (or Keltic) ancestry, and the Gauls and Celts (or Kelts) were descendants of Gomer. They migrated to the north and settled in Spain, France and in Britain. From these Gauls come most of the early families of Western Europe and, consequently, of the Americas as well. The oldest son of Gomer was Ashkenaz. He and his descendants first settled around the Black Sea and then moved north into a land which is called Ascenia, and which later became known as the Islands of Scandia, which we now know as Scandinavia. You can trace a direct link between Ashkenaz and Scandinavia. Another of the sons of Gomer was Riphath. Although we do not know too much about Riphath, we do know that he located in Central Europe, and some scholars feel that the word, Europe, itself comes from this name, Riphath. Another son is Togarmah. This name is easily traced. He was the ancestor of the present-day Turks and Armenians, who also migrated northward into Southern Germany. Certain scholars have felt that the word, Germany, derives from the word, Togarmah. If you drop the first syllable you have the basic root of Germany..... Two others of the sons of Japheth were Madai and Javan. These are easily recognizable in history: The Madai became the Medes, of the famous Medes and Persian Empire. Javan is unquestionably the ancestor of the Greeks. His name, Javan, is still found in Greece in the form of Ionia. The Ionic Sea and Ionian Peninsula all derive from this word Javan. His sons were Elishah, from which we get the Greek word, Helles (the Greeks are still called Hellenes), and Tarshish, whom most scholars associate with Spain; Kittim, which is the Island of Cyprus; and Dodanim, who settled around the Black Sea, and still finds a modern parallel in the word, the Dardanelles. These can all be traced by the geographical titles and place names they left behind.(God's Funnel) Walton - Genesis 10:2–5. Japhethites. Although not all of the descendants of Japheth are tied to contiguous regions, they could all be defined from an Israelite perspective as coming from across the sea (NIV: “maritime peoples” in v. 5). A Babylonian world map from the seventh or eighth century illustrates the geographical worldview that there were many peoples considered on the outskirts of civilization beyond the sea. Many named here can be identified with sections or peoples in Asia Minor (Magog, Tubal, Meshek, Tyras, Togarmah) or the Ionian islands (Dodanim), as well as Cyprus (Elisha and Kittim). There are also several that seem, based on Assyrian and Babylonian records, to originate in the area to the east of the Black Sea and in the Iranian plateau— Cimmerians (Gomer), Scythians (Ashkenaz), Medes (Madai), Paphlagonians (Riphat). Tarshish presents the most problems, since it has generally been identified with Spain and that takes it out of the geographic sphere of the others. However, the theme of Greek or Indo-European peoples for these “nations” would make a tie to Sardinia or perhaps Carthage possible.(IVP Background Commentary - OT - page 41) Gomer - Gomer identifies one man, a group of his descendants, a future nation and one woman. Gomer's descendants are usually identified as the Cimmerians. Cimmerians, according to Greek and Assyrian historical sources, were forced out of the Ukraine (along the north shore of the Black Sea) by the Scythians in the eighth century B.C. They penetrated the areas east of the Black Sea south to the kingdom of Urartu. They then went west into Asia Minor. They were in constant conflict with Assyria, living on the fringe of the empire. The Assyrian king, Sargon II, was killed by the Cimmerians in the region of Tabal in Asia Minor in 705 B.C. Succeeding Assyrian kings held the Cimmerians at bay. After the fall of Assyria, they were defeated by a Lydian (a local Asia Minor region) force which stopped renewed aggression. Through intermarriage, the people disappeared in the sixth century B.C. Gomer will be one of the tribes which will fall in the eschatological battle pitting Yahweh against Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:6). The tribes of this passage are all located in Asia Minor. Many writers have tried to identify the Ezekiel reference with the ancient "Germani," the predecessors of the modern Germans. Most philologists, however, agree this reference is consistent with those of 1 Chronicles, speaking of the descendants of the son of Japtheth. Therefore the reference here is to the "Kimmerians" or the "Cimmerians." (Complete Biblical Library) Easton's Bible Dictionary - GOMER - The eldest son of Japheth, and father of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah (Gen. 10:2, 3), whose descendants formed the principal branch of the population of South-eastern Europe. He is generally regarded as the ancestor of the Celtae and the Cimmerii, who in early times settled to the north of the Black Sea, and gave their name to the Crimea, the ancient Chersonesus Taurica. Traces of their presence are found in the names Cimmerian Bosphorus, Cimmerian Isthmus, etc. In the seventh century B.C. they were driven out of their original seat by the Scythians, and overran western Asia Minor, whence they were afterwards expelled. They subsequently reappear in the times of the Romans as the Cimbri of the north and west of Europe, whence they crossed to the British Isles, where their descendants are still found in the Gaels and Cymry. Thus the whole Celtic race may be regarded as descended from Gomer. Magog - (Meaning varies in several sources - "overtopping," "covering" "land of Gog", "region of Gog) - the second of the "sons" of Japheth (Gen. 10:2; 1 Chr. 1:5). In Ezekiel (Ezek 38:2; 39:6) it is the name of a nation, probably some Scythian or Tartar tribe descended from Japheth. They are described as skilled horsemen, and expert in the use of the bow. In the Apocalypse of John, Gog and Magog represent all the heathen opponents of Messiah (Rev 20:8), and in this sense these names frequently recur in Jewish apocalyptic literature. Madai (middle land) the third "son" of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), the name by which the Medes are known on the Assyrian monuments. Javan - The fourth "son" of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), whose descendants settled in Greece, i.e., Ionia, which bears the name of Javan in Hebrew. Alexander the Great is called the "king of Javan" (rendered "Grecia," Dan. 8:21; 10:20; comp. 11:2; Zech. 9:13). This word was universally used by the nations of the East as the generic name of the Greek race. Tubal - son of Japheth, Gen. 10:2; 1 Chr. 1:5. Descendants of, become a nation, Isa. 66:19; Ezek. 27:13; 32:26; 38:2, 3; 39:1. Meshech -drawing out, the sixth son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), the founder of a tribe (1 Chr. 1:5; Ezek. 27:13; 38:2,3). They were in all probability the Moschi, a people inhabiting the Moschian Mountains, between the Black and the Caspian Seas. In Ps. 120:5 the name occurs as simply a synonym for foreigners or barbarians. "During the ascendency of the Babylonians and Persians in Western Asia, the Moschi were subdued; but it seems probable that a large number of them crossed the Caucasus range and spread over the northern steppes, mingling with the Scythians. There they became known as Muscovs, and gave that name to the Russian nation and its ancient capital by which they are still generally known throughout the East" Tiras A son of Japheth (Gen 10:2 (P); 1 Ch 1:5). Not mentioned elsewhere; this name was almost unanimously taken by the ancient commentators (so Josephus, Ant, I, vi, 1) to be the same as that of the Thracians (Thrakes) living in the area of the river Tiras. Genesis 10:3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries THE THREE SONS OF GOMER The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. Ashkenaz is son of Gomer son of Japheth son of Noah and name of a people of the northern shore of the Black Sea. Riphath is the son of Gomer son of Japheth son of Noah. Togarmah is son of Gomer, grandson of Japheth, and great grandson of Noah. The Jewish Targums say that Germany was derived from Togarmah. Henry
Gênesis 10
Stedman - From this word, Gomer, by a process of elision and transposition of letters, there came the word, Gaul, or Gaelic. These are the people, interestingly enough, to whom the New Testament Epistle to the Galatians is written. The Galatians were Gauls. Most of us have a Gaelic or Celtic (or Keltic) ancestry, and the Gauls and Celts (or Kelts) were descendants of Gomer. They migrated to the north and settled in Spain, France and in Britain. From these Gauls come most of the early families of Western Europe and, consequently, of the Americas as well. The oldest son of Gomer was Ashkenaz. He and his descendants first settled around the Black Sea and then moved north into a land which is called Ascenia, and which later became known as the Islands of Scandia, which we now know as Scandinavia. You can trace a direct link between Ashkenaz and Scandinavia. Another of the sons of Gomer was Riphath. Although we do not know too much about Riphath, we do know that he located in Central Europe, and some scholars feel that the word, Europe, itself comes from this name, Riphath. Another son is Togarmah. This name is easily traced. He was the ancestor of the present-day Turks and Armenians, who also migrated northward into Southern Germany. Certain scholars have felt that the word, Germany, derives from the word, Togarmah. If you drop the first syllable you have the basic root of Germany. (God's Funnel) KJV Bible Commentary - online - page 86- Ge 10:2-5 . The sons of Japheth: Gomer is usually identified with the Cimmerians of Greek mythology (cf. Ezek 38:6) and the progenitor of the Indo-European family of nations; Magog, originated in “the uttermost parts of the north” (Ezek 38:2, Eze 38:6; Ezek 39:1-2), presumably in the vicinity of the Black Sea in the fifteenth century B.C.; Madai, the name used on Assyrian inscriptions for Media, was located west of the Caspian Sea in the ninth century B.C.; Tubal and Meshech, well known from the prophecies of Ezekiel (cf. Ezek 27:13; Ezek 32:26; Ezek 38:2; Ezek 39:1), are both located in eastern Anatolia, the Muski in northern Mesopotamia; Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians of northern Greece, or perhaps the Etruscans of Italy. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz was located southeast of Lake Urmia in the time of Esarhaddon; Rip hath (1Cr 1:6) and his descendants lived by the Rhebas river, according to Josephus; Togarmah was mentioned in Ezekiel 27:14 with Javan, Tubal, and Meshech as well as in Ezekiel 38:6 with Gomer and was generally identified with the western part of Armenia, possibly near Carchemish. Gomer - the eldest son of Japheth and grandson of Noah; the progenitor of the early Cimmerians and other branches of the Celtic family. The eldest son of Japheth, and father of Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah (Gen. 10:2, 3), whose descendants formed the principal branch of the population of South-eastern Europe. He is generally regarded as the ancestor of the Celtae and the Cimmerii, who in early times settled to the north of the Black Sea, and gave their name to the Crimea, the ancient Chersonesus Taurica. Traces of their presence are found in the names Cimmerian Bosphorus, Cimmerian Isthmus, etc. In the seventh century B.C. they were driven out of their original seat by the Scythians, and overran western Asia Minor, whence they were afterwards expelled. They subsequently reappear in the times of the Romans as the Cimbri of the north and west of Europe, whence they crossed to the British Isles, where their descendants are still found in the Gaels and Cymry. Thus the whole Celtic race may be regarded as descended from Gomer. ISBE adds - GOMER (1) - go'-mer (gomer): Given in Gen 10:2 f; 1 Ch 1:5 f as a son of Japheth. The name evidently designates the people called Gimirra by the Assyrians, Kimmerians by the Greeks. They were a barbaric horde of Aryans who in the 7th century BC left their abode in what is now Southern Russia and poured. through the Caucasus into Western Asia, causing serious trouble to the Assyrians and other nations. One division moved eastward toward Media, another westward, where they conquered Cappadocia and made it their special abode. They fought also in other parts of Asia Minor, conquering some portions. The Armenian name for Cappadocia, Gamir, has come from this people. In Ezek 38:6 Gomer is mentioned as one of the northern nations. Genesis 10:4 The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. Kittim - Nu 24:24 Isa 23:1,12 Da 11:30 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries THE FOUR SONS OF JAVAN The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim Ross - Javan is the general word for the Hellenic race, used throughout the Old Testament for the Ionians who dwelt in western Asia Minor. KJV Bible Commentary - online - page 87- The sons of Javan: Elishah probably became the inhabitants of Sicily and Sardinia (cf. Ezek 27:7); Tarshish is known as “afar off” (cf. Ps 72:10; Isa 66:19), and sites have ranged from the island of Rhodes to western Anatolia and Sardinia, Kittim is usually identified with Kition, the capital of Cyprus (cf. Isa 23:1, Isa 23:12); Dodanim (Rodanim) as in 1 Chronicles 1:7 and the Septuagint of Ge 10:4 (the letters “r” and “d” in Hebrew were often confused at different times). If “Rodanim” is correct, then Rhodes is the place. ELISHAH [ISBE]- e-li'-sha ('elishah, "God saves"; Elisa, Eleisai): Mentioned in Gen 10:4 as the eldest son of Javan, and in Ezek 27:7 as the source from which the Tyrians obtained their purple dyes. On the ground of this latter statement attempts have been made to identify it with Southern Italy or the north of Africa. Josephus (Ant., I, vi, 1) identified Elisha with the Aeolians. The Targum on Ezekiel gives "the province of Italy." Other suggestions include Hellas, Ells, and Alsa; the last named is a kingdom mentioned in the Tell el-Amarna Letters, but its precise location is unknown. It is impossible as yet to claim certainty for any of these conjectures. A. C. Grant Tarshish [EBD] a Sanscrit or Aryan word, meaning "the sea coast." (1.) One of the "sons" of Javan (Gen. 10:4; 1 Chr. 1:7). (2.) The name of a place which first comes into notice in the days of Solomon. The question as to the locality of Tarshish has given rise to not a little discussion. Some think there was a Tarshish in the East, on the Indian coast, seeing that "ships of Tarshish" sailed from Eziongeber, on the Red Sea (1 Kings 9:26; 22:48; 2 Chr. 9:21). Some, again, argue that Carthage was the place so named. There can be little doubt, however, that this is the name of a Phoenician port in Spain, between the two mouths of the Guadalquivir (the name given to the river by the Arabs, and meaning "the great wady" or water-course). It was founded by a Carthaginian colony, and was the farthest western harbour of Tyrian sailors. It was to this port Jonah's ship was about to sail from Joppa. It has well been styled "the Peru of Tyrian adventure;" it abounded in gold and silver mines. It appears that this name also is used without reference to any locality. "Ships of Tarshish" is an expression sometimes denoting simply ships intended for a long voyage (Isa. 23:1, 14), ships of a large size (sea-going ships), whatever might be the port to which they sailed. Solomon's ships were so styled (1 Kings 10:22; 22:49). Kittim - son of Javan son of Japheth son of Noah; an island country located off the east coast of Cilicia in the Mediterranean, the island of Cyprus Dodanim son of Javan son of Japheth son of Noah Genesis 10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. BGT Genesis 10:5 ἐκ τούτων ἀφωρίσθησαν νῆσοι τῶν ἐθνῶν ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν ἕκαστος κατὰ γλῶσσαν ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν αὐτῶν LXE Genesis 10:5 From these were the islands of the Gentiles divided in their land, each according to his tongue, in their tribes and in their nations. KJV 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. NET Genesis 10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations. CSB Genesis 10:5 The coastland peoples spread out into their lands. These are Japheth's sons by their clans, in their nations. Each group had its own language. ESV Genesis 10:5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations. NIV Genesis 10:5 (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.) NLT Genesis 10:5 Their descendants became the seafaring peoples that spread out to various lands, each identified by its own language, clan, and national identity. NRS Genesis 10:5 From these the coastland peoples spread. These are the descendants of Japheth in their lands, with their own language, by their families, in their nations. NJB Genesis 10:5 From these came the dispersal to the islands of the nations. These were Japheth's sons, in their respective countries, each with its own language, by clan and nation. NAB Genesis 10:5 These are the descendants of Japheth, and from them sprang the maritime nations, in their respective lands-- each with its own language-- by their clans within their nations. YLT Genesis 10:5 By these have the isles of the nations been parted in their lands, each by his tongue, by their families, in their nations. GWN Genesis 10:5 From these descendants the people of the coastlands spread into their own countries. Each nation had its own language and families. the coastlands - Ge 10:25 Ps 72:10 Isa 24:15 40:15 41:5 42:4,10 49:1 51:5 59:18 Isa 60:9 Jer 2:10 25:22 Zep 2:11 after his - Ge 10:20 11:1-9 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries SEPARATION OF PEOPLES INTO THEIR LANDS From these the coastlands of the nations (goyim; Lxx = ethnos) were separated (parad; Lxx = aphorizo) into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations KJV Bible Commentary - online - page 87- “Verse Ge 10:5 is quite important because it seems to imply that the events of Ge 11:1-9 occurred before the ‘Gentiles’ occupied the coastlands, an implication confirmed by the language of verses Ge 10:25 and Ge 10:32. Apparently the judgment at the Tower of Babel occurred during the life of Peleg” (Davis, p. 140). Griffith Thomas: This early reference to “the nations” is very significant and shows that amid all the Jewish exclusiveness the Old Testament never loses sight of the great fact of universality and God’s purposes for all the world.
Gênesis 10
Stedman - Next is the family of Ham, which is the family gifted with technical proficiency. Because of the great adaptability of these people to primitive conditions, the Hamites became the great pioneers of mankind. All the early civilizations were Hamitic: the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Mayans, the Aztecs, the Sumerians. These were the people most able to adapt themselves to the conditions they found wherever they settled. We owe a great deal to the Hamitic nations. Later on, these lands were occupied by Japhetic nations, and at the present day the entire Western hemisphere is peopled by Japhetic rather than Hamitic nations, though it was once the other way around. The four sons of Ham are relatively easy to trace in history: Cush is associated with the peoples of Southern Arabia and Ethiopia. Ethiopians still trace their ancestry back to Cush. Egypt is self explanatory. Egypt (or Mizraim in Hebrew, an ancient name for Egypt) became the father of the Egyptian Empire, settling in the Nile Valley. Put is associated with Lybia, on the west of Egypt, in North Africa. Canaan centered largely in and around Palestine, though the Canaanites later became much more widespread, as this account tells us further on.(God's Funnel) KJV Bible Commentary - online - page 87- Ge 10:6-20 .And the sons of Ham: Cush, Ethiopia (Isa 45:14; Jer 13:23); Mizraim, the ordinary Hebrew name for Egypt, Phut, the Libyans of North Africa; and Canaan, the Canaanite people occupying the land of Phoenicia. These people spoke Semitic languages, not like Ham; so the basis of relation is geographical, not linguistical, i.e., language does not always indicate race. The sons of Cush: Seba and Havilah are associated with the inhabitants of Arabia; Sabtah is near the western shore of the Persian Gulf. It has been identified as Shabwat, ancient Hadhramaut. Raamah was perhaps located on the Persian Gulf in Oman; Sabtechah was also on the Persian Gulf; Sheba was the principal city of Arabia (I Kgs 10:1); and Dedan was located either on the Persian Gulf or bordering Edom (Ezek 25:13; Eze 27:20). Mizraim (04714) מִצְרַיִם (miṣrayim) Egypt. (NOTE - MIZRAIM IS USED IN OVER 600 VERSES IN THE BIBLE). The Hebrew word is of uncertain derivation but is related to the Akkadian name Miṣr (Muṣur) and the Arabic name Miṣr for Egypt. In form, the Hebrew name for Egypt is in the dual, indicating her two basic constituent divisions: Upper Egypt (Southern Egypt) and Lower Egypt (the Delta area). The reason for the equation of upper with south and lower with north is because of the northward flow of the Nile. The Egyptians themselves referred to their land as twy "two lands" or Kemi "Black Land," this latter being a reference to the lush, irrigated soil that ran along the sides of the Nile. The name "Egypt," from Greek, possibly goes back to the Egyptian phrase Hi-ku-Ptah, the "House of the Spirit of (the god) Ptah," an ancient designation for Memphis (biblical Noph). Briefly, Egyptian history may be conveniently divided into and highlighted by the following important periods: (1) The Old Kingdom Pyramid Age/third-sixth Dynasties (2700-2200 b.c.); (2) The Middle Kingdom, especially the twelfth Dynasty (2000-1800 b.c.); (3) The New Kingdom or Empire Age, eighteenth-twentieth Dynasties (1570-1090 b.c.); (4) The Ethiopian period, especially the twenty-fifth Dynasty (715-663 b.c.); (5) Saitic/twenty-sixth Dynasty (633-525 b.c.); (7) Dynasty of the Ptolemies (306-30 b.c.). Generally speaking, ancient Egypt's history follows an undulating line of development. Times of innovation, greatness, expansion are followed by times of regression, retrenchment, the rise of centrifugal movements and the cycle repeats. It is difficult, almost impossible, to pinpoint common denominators in Egyptian religion throughout almost three millennia of development. The gamut runs from a rampant polytheism to a solar "monotheism." Their religion never earmarked to everybody's satisfaction a supreme God. Was it Atum or Re or Horus or Amon-Re? No one would deny, however, that one characteristic of Egypt's religion was the emphasis on life after death. And yet this preoccupation with death was not a morbid one. Mortuary texts are inevitably gay and optimistic. The Egyptian concept of the afterlife is also an intensely materialistic one. The next life simply continues this one. This is why, for example, the body was mummified because corporeal existence was the only existence acceptable to the Egyptian. In the OT it is the patriarchs who first have relationships with Egypt (Abraham, Genesis 12). This would correspond roughly with the twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom. The Joseph story is obviously set in an Egyptian background, even to the extent of the cycle itself being in the form of a short story in simple prose (an Egyptian creation). However, from the time of Moses on, the Bible generally casts the land of Egypt in a very negative position. It is the oppressor of God's people, refusing to give Israel her liberation. It is the prophets particularly who inveigh against Israel leaning upon Egypt. "Leave her alone; she is under judgment and will topple" is their council. And yet for all this denunciation of Egypt two passages in the OT about her are extremely interesting. One, the saintly Judean king Josiah died because he did not listen to the word of God from the Pharaoh Necho (2 Chron. 35:20ff.). Two, Isaiah 19:16ff. anticipates the conversion of Egypt (and Assyria) to the Lord, "blessed be my people Egypt" (Isaiah 19:25). Traditional foes will be reconciled under God's blessings. Bibliography: Gardiner, A., Egypt of the Pharaohs, New York: Oxford University, 1966. Wilson, J., The Culture of Ancient Egypt, University of Chicago, 1956. Steindorff, G. and Seele, K. C. When Egypt Ruled the East, University of Chicago, 1942. (Author - Victor Hamilton in the TWOT - online) Related Resource: What is the significance of Egypt (Mizraim) in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Walton - Genesis 10:6–20. Hamites. The common theme in the genealogy of the Hamites is their close geographical, political and economic importance to the people of Israel. These nations serve as major rivals and literally surround Israel (Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Syro-Palestine). Most important here is the political placement of groups within the Egyptian sphere (Cush, Put, Mizraim and his descendants) and the Canaanite sphere (various peoples like the Jebusites and Hivites), and, interestingly, several are classified ethnically as Semitic peoples (Canaanites, Phoenicians, Amorites). The list is also marked by brief narratives (Nimrod and Canaan) which break up the stereotypical genealogical framework and tie in areas (Babylon, Nineveh, Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah) which will be significant in later periods of Israelite history. (IVP Background Commentary - OT - page 41) QUESTION - What is the significance of Cush in the Bible? ANSWER The land of Cush refers to a land south of Israel and is translated as “Ethiopia” in some Bible versions. Cush derives its name from Cush, a son of Ham, son of Noah (Genesis 10:7). The country of Cush is mentioned throughout the Old Testament, and Cushites regularly interacted with Israelites. Cush is first mentioned in Genesis: “The name of the second river [flowing out of Eden] is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush” (Genesis 2:13). Although some believe that, in this passage, Cush could be a reference to Mesopotamia, other biblical scholars believe that it is more consistent to identify it as a general term for the African lands south of Egypt. The King James Version and Contemporary English Version translate the name of the land as “Ethiopia” in Genesis 2:13. Cush is depicted as a powerful nation in the Bible. While Sennacherib was laying siege to Jerusalem, he felt threatened by Tirhakah, king of Cush, who had been marching to meet the Assyrians in battle, which is why Sennacherib attempted to discourage the Israelites (2 Kings 19:9–10; Isaiah 37:9). Later, Judah’s King Asa and his army marched out to fight Zerah the Cushite, who is described as having “marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah” (2 Chronicles 14:9). Asa entrusted the battle to the Lord, and by the strength of God the Cushites were defeated (2 Chronicles 14:10–14). Isaiah also mentions Cush, describing it as a “powerful and oppressive nation” (Isaiah 18:1–2, NASB). Not only did Cush possess military might, but it was also a land of wealth known for its precious stones. Job mentions the topaz of Cush as being very valuable (Job 28:19). The Lord pronounced judgment upon Cush in the prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel. Since the Egyptians were related to the Cushites, according to the lineage of Ham, Cush is usually mentioned alongside the judgments of Egypt (Genesis 10:6). In Isaiah, God denounces the Israelites who trusted in Cush or Egypt to save them from the Assyrians (Isaiah 20:5). God’s judgment against Cush is also seen in Ezekiel’s prophecies, which mention how Cush’s wealth and power would be taken away (Ezekiel 30:4–5, 9). Although several Bible translations substitute the English word Ethiopia for Cush, the nation of Cush was not equivalent to modern Ethiopia. The Cush of the Bible often does seem to refer to a region in Africa (Ezekiel 30:4–6); at other times, it seems to refer to Arabia—in Habakkuk 3:7, Cush is linked to Midian, a land closer to the Red Sea. The reason for the obscurity could well be that the Cushites migrated to various areas. The Cushites were dark-skinned (Jeremiah 13:23). A couple Cushites are mentioned in the Bible. Moses married a Cushite woman (Numbers 12:1). And it was a Cushite who brought news of Absalom’s death to King David (2 Samuel 18:20–21, 31–32). Significantly, Cush is also a nation that received the gospel and will be involved in the millennial kingdom. The evangelist Philip gave the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch, who would have been referred to as a Cushite in Hebrew, and the eunuch was one of the first converts of Ethiopia to Christianity (Acts 8:26–39). He undoubtedly took the gospel back to his land, where he had great influence as a royal official to Queen Candace (Acts 8:27). During the millennial reign of Christ, Jesus will receive honor from Cush/Ethiopia: “From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers, my scattered people, will bring me offerings” (Zephaniah 3:10). - GotQuestions.org See also - Who were the Cushites? | GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Who was Ham in the Bible? ANSWER - Ham was one of the three sons of Noah. Ham and his wife, along with the rest of Noah’s family, were saved from the great flood God sent to judge the earth, which had grown increasingly wicked. Once the flood waters had receded, God commanded Noah’s family, specifically his sons and their wives, to multiply and repopulate the earth. Ham himself became the father of the Canaanites, the Babylonians, the Phoenicians, the Cushites, and the Egyptians (Genesis 10:6–20). Ham was involved in a sordid family incident. As Noah’s family worked to reestablish civilization after the flood, Noah became “a man of the soil” and grew a vineyard (Genesis 9:20). One day, he became drunk after imbibing some of the wine he had produced. Ham entered Noah’s tent and found his father there, passed out and naked. Ham told his brothers of their father’s condition, and Shem and Japheth walked backward into the tent, their faces turned respectfully away, and covered their father with a garment (Ge 9:22–23). When Noah awoke, he realized “what his youngest son had done to him” (Ge 9:24). Noah blessed Shem and Japheth for their action, but he omitted Ham from the blessing. In addition, Noah cursed Ham and Ham’s son, Canaan, who it seems had also been involved in the matter somehow (Ge 9:25). The exact reason for Noah’s curse on Ham and Canaan is unknown, because the Bible does not give any detail as to Ham’s specific actions in the tent. The curse may have been due to an inaction on Ham’s part—that is, Ham did not afford Noah the same respect and courtesy Shem and Japheth had shown him. Some speculate that Ham actively violated his father somehow, and rabbinic tradition states that Ham castrated Noah. Whatever happened, Noah was greatly displeased and cursed Ham’s and his line through Canaan: “Cursed be Canaan! / The lowest of slaves / will he be to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). The Bible does not relate exactly how Ham’s son Canaan served Japheth and Shem. Much later, however, Canaan’s line did indeed experience enslavement at the hands of Shem’s descendants. The Canaanites were destroyed or subjugated by Israel (who are Shemites) during the conquest of the Promised Land.GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Why did Noah curse Canaan instead of Ham? SEE VIDEO (See also article by Arthur Custance) ANSWER - The unbiblical idea that Noah cursed Ham, and thereby all of Ham’s descendants, was used to justify the African slave trade, and is still used by some today to justify racism, prejudice, and discrimination against people of color. Let it be clearly said. Noah did not curse Ham. Noah did not curse all of Ham’s descendants. Rather, Noah only cursed Canaan, one of Ham’s sons, and through Canaan, all of Canaan’s descendants. Why and to what end? Please continue reading. What is abundantly clear, however, is that this account in Genesis 9 regarding Noah, Ham, and Canaan does not, in any way, support slavery or racism in any form. After the flood, “God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth’” (Genesis 9:1). The men and their wives, under God’s blessing, began to do just that. Sometime later, Scripture relates an unhappy episode in Noah’s life involving Noah and his three sons. In the fallout of that incident, Noah’s grandson Canaan is said to be “cursed” (Genesis 9:25). It all started when Noah planted a vineyard and used the grapes to make wine. He drank the wine, became drunk, and shamefully lay naked in his tent (Genesis 9:20–21). Noah’s youngest son Ham, identified as “the father of Canaan” in verse 22, saw his father’s condition and the fact that Noah was naked in his tent. Rather than keep the matter quiet or attempt to help his father, Ham told his two brothers the salacious news (Genesis 9:22). Ham’s response to his father’s sin shows somewhat of Ham’s character and disrespect for his father. Shem and Japheth acted more nobly. They “took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked” (Genesis 9:23). Later, Noah sobered up. He made some inquiries and “found out what his youngest son had done to him” (Genesis 9:24). This wording suggests that Ham did more than just see Noah’s nakedness. He did something, but just what is unknown. It’s useless to speculate. In any case, upon hearing the facts, Noah said something surprising: “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers” (Genesis 9:25). He also praised the Lord at that time and pronounced a patriarchal, prophetic blessing on Shem and Japheth (verses 26–27). Twice more in that blessing, Noah declared that Canaan would be a slave to Shem and Japheth. Of note is the fact that Noah did not curse Ham. The curse is pronounced on Canaan, Ham’s son, but nowhere does Noah directly curse Ham. It is significant, though, that the other two of Noah’s sons receive a blessing, but Ham does not. That omission resulted in the patriarchal blessing passing Ham by. This was no doubt intentional, given Ham’s behavior. So, why did Noah curse Canaan when it was clearly Ham who acted inappropriately? Several theories have been put forward: • There is an ellipsis in the text. When Genesis 9 speaks of Canaan, it is really “the father of Canaan” that is meant—the words the father of being understood. This theory relies on an insupportable assumption about the text. • Canaan and Ham were both involved in the sin against Noah. This means that Canaan was present when Ham observed Noah’s nakedness. This theory adds to Scripture, however; the text never mentions Canaan’s whereabouts, but it does specify that it was Ham, Noah’s youngest son, who “had done [something] to him” (Genesis 9:24). • Ham had been blessed by God (Genesis 9:1), and Noah refused to curse someone whom the Lord had blessed. In the same way, the prophet Balaam could not curse the Israelites. God had told Balaam, “You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed” (Numbers 22:12; cf. Numbers 23:20). So, Noah pronounces a curse on some of Ham’s descendants. Ham’s sin against his father brought a punishment through his son. Not all of Ham’s descendants were cursed; only those through Canaan. It’s possible that Canaan was chosen to bear the imprecation because he was already showing evidence that he shared his father’s character. • The “curse” on Canaan is more of a prophecy. Noah learned of Ham’s sin and gave him the bad news that one line of his posterity would suffer. As a prophet of God, Noah foresaw that the Canaanites, in their wickedness, would deserve their fate (see Leviticus 18 for a list of future Canaanite sins). Ham’s punishment was to lack a fatherly blessing and to know that he was the ancestor of a doomed people group. In Genesis 10, the descendants of Canaan are listed. They include the Sidonians, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 10:15–19). Noah’s curse/prophecy came true during the time of Joshua. The Canaanites, descendants of Ham, were conquered by the Israelites, descendants of Shem. True to God’s Word, some of the Canaanites became slaves (Joshua 9:27; 17:12–13). The inclusion of this sordid incident in the life of Noah is interesting. Out of all that Noah did after the flood, why is this episode the only one recorded? The answer lies in the events surrounding the writing of Genesis. Moses, the author of Genesis, was leading the Israelites toward the land of Canaan to take possession of it. The story of how Canaan came to be cursed was one justification of the conquest. God had pronounced doom upon these people long ago, and it was time for that prophecy to be fulfilled. GotQuestions.org Related Resource: What is the origin of the different races? See also article by Arthur Custance Genesis 10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. Seba - Ps 72:10 Havilah - Ge 2:11 Sheba - 1Ki 10:1 Eze 27:22 Dedan - Isa 21:13 Eze 27:15 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Click to enlarge and make more legible THE FIVE SONS OF CUSH The sons of Cush (see chart above-top right) were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan - Sheba and Dedan were evidently well known Arabians in the days of Abraham, since two of his grandsons through Keturah were named after them (Genesis 25:3). Genesis 10:8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. BGT Genesis 10:8 Χους δὲ ἐγέννησεν τὸν Νεβρωδ οὗτος ἤρξατο εἶναι γίγας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς LXE Genesis 10:8 And Chus begot Nebrod: he began to be a giant upon the earth. KJV Genesis 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. NET Genesis 10:8 Cush was the father of Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. CSB Genesis 10:8 Cush fathered Nimrod, who was the first powerful man on earth. ESV Genesis 10:8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. NIV Genesis 10:8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. NLT Genesis 10:8 Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth. NRS Genesis 10:8 Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior. NJB Genesis 10:8 Cush fathered Nimrod who was the first potentate on earth. NAB Genesis 10:8 Cush became the father of Nimrod, who was the first potentate on earth. Nimrod - Mic 5:6 Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Nimrod by David Scott, 1832 THE BIRTH OF MIGHTY NIMROD Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one (gibbor) on the earth - Note that Genesis 10:8-12 functions like a "parenthesis" to focus on the life of one man, Nimrod. Cush had 6 sons but this son receives "top billing." Nimrod receives special notoriety because of the fact that the nations he founded (Assyria and Babylon) would play a crucial role in the future chastening of the nation of Israel. Assyria would defeat the northern 10 tribes of Israel and take them into exile in 722 BC. Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, would defeat the Southern Kingdom of Judah and take them into exile in Babylon for 70 years in 586 BC. Nimrod had a leadership role at the Tower of Babel. Some say his name means “We shall rebel” or "let us revolt" (although other sources say it means "the valiant"). Stigers writes that Nimrod "established a thoroughly autocratic, imperialistic, despotic system of tyrannical government (of a kind described in Isa 13, Isa 14), back of which stands Satan in all his rage against God” (A Commentary on Genesis). Henry
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Stedman - If you drop the first consonant of Nimrod's name and take the others -- M, R, D -- you will have the basic root of the god of Babylon, whose name was Marduk, and whom most scholars identify with Nimrod. In the Babylonian religion, Nimrod (or Marduk) held a unique place. His wife was Semiramis. (Some of you who have been at Cairo have stayed at the Semiramis Hotel, which is named after her.) Marduk and Semiramis were the ancient god and goddess of Babylon. They had a son whom Semiramis claimed was virgin-born, and they founded the mother and child cult. This was the central character of the religion of ancient Babylon, the worship of a mother and child, supposedly virgin born. You can see in this a clever attempt on the part of Satan to anticipate the genuine virgin birth and thus to cast disrepute upon the story when the Lord Jesus would later be born into history. This has been the effect of it. This ancient Babylonian cult of the mother and child spread to other parts of the earth. You will find it in the Egyptian religion as Isis and Osiris. In Greece it is Venus and Adonis and in Hindu it is Ushas and Vishnu. The same cult prevails in various other localities. It appears in the Old Testament in Jeremiah, where the Israelites are warned against offering sacrifices to "the Queen of Heaven." This Queen of Heaven is Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod, the original mother of the mother and child cult. The cult has also crept into Christianity and forms the basis for the Mariolatry that has prevailed in Roman Catholic Church, where the Mother and Child are worshipped as joint redeemers. If you would like to read more on this, there is a book by Alexander Hislop, a very authoritative writer in this field, called The Two Babylons. I am sure you will find it of great interest if you desire to pursue this further. This idolatrous religion culminates at last in the Bible in the book of Revelation. You remember the "great harlot" that appears there whose name is "Mystery Babylon the Great," (Rev 17:5+) the originator of all the harlotries and false religions of earth. The essence of Babylonianism, as we understand from Scripture, is the attempt to gain earthly honor by means of religious authority. That is Babylonianism, and it has pervaded Christian churches, Hindu temples, Buddhist shrines, and Mohammedan mosques. Everywhere it is the element that marks falseness in religion, this attempt to gain earthly power and prestige by means of religious authority. That is Babylonianism. That is what Nimrod began and what God will ultimately destroy, as we read in the book of Revelation. (God's Funnel) QUESTION - What is the significance of the land of Shinar in the Bible? ANSWER - The land of Shinar is referenced eight times in the Old Testament (Genesis 10:10; 11:2; 14:1, 9; Joshua 7:21; Isaiah 11:11; Daniel 1:2; Zechariah 5:11), always in connection to the geographical location of Babylonia. In certain passages, some versions of the Bible translate the word for “Shinar” as “Babylonia” for clarity’s sake. Shinar is significant for these reasons: Shinar was the location of the Tower of Babel. Genesis 10:10 mentions that Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, built “Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar.” A plain in Shinar was the site chosen to construct the notorious Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1–4). As punishment for the people’s wickedness, God confused their language, and thus the land of Shinar earned the name of “Babel” or “Babylon” (Genesis 11:5–9). Babylon and Babylonia both derive their names from Babel, which means “confusion.” Shinar was ruled by a king that Abraham fought. During Abraham’s time, four kings, including Amraphel, king of Shinar, fought against the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and three other kings (Genesis 14:1–3, 8–9). After overpowering the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, the four kings plundered the cities, carrying away Lot and all he owned (Genesis 14:10–12). To save his nephew, Abraham and 318 of his men routed the raiding party, defeated the four kings, and recovered Lot, his family, and his possessions (Genesis 14:13–17). Shinar was associated with temptation. After taking Jericho, the Israelites failed in conquering Ai because of sin in the camp (Joshua 7:10–12). Achan had stolen devoted items from Jericho, which the Lord had specifically commanded against (Joshua 6:18–19). Included in the plundered items was a finely crafted, beautiful robe from Shinar (Joshua 7:21). Because of Achan’s sin, about thirty-six people lost their lives during the failed attempt at taking Ai (Joshua 7:4–5). After his sin was discovered, Achan and his family were stoned to death in accordance with God’s command (Joshua 7:24–26). Shinar was associated with Babylon’s wickedness. Zechariah the prophet recorded a vision of a basket with a lead cover. The angel guiding Zechariah identified the meaning of the basket: “This is the iniquity of the people throughout the land” (Zechariah 5:6). Then the angel raised the cover of lead, revealing to the prophet that there was a woman in the basket. The angel said, “‘This is wickedness,’ and he pushed her back into the basket and pushed the lead cover down over its mouth” (Zechariah 5:8). The basket with the woman was then carried through air to the land of Shinar where a temple would be built for it (verse 11). This strange vision pictures the suppression of wickedness and its banishment to Shinar/Babylon. In Shinar, the wickedness would eventually be freed and even worshiped (cf. Revelation 17). Shinar is associated with the wicked worship of false gods, and in the end times, Babylon the Great is the center of wickedness and demon worship (Revelation 18:2–3). Shinar was the location of Judah’s exile. When the nation of Judah was finally taken into exile to Babylonia, Nebuchadnezzar carried off the devoted things of the Lord’s temple and placed them in a temple to the god he worshipped (Daniel 1:1–2). Nebuchadnezzar probably placed the precious items into the temple of Marduk, also called Bel, which was the chief god of the Babylonians. Because of disobedience and idol worship, the Jews were exiled from their land to Shinar (2 Chronicles 36:15–21). Shinar is a place that will contain a faithful remnant of Israel. Isaiah 11 mentions the future millennial kingdom of the “Root of Jesse” who will “stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10). During His reign, Jesus will “recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea” (Isaiah 11:11, ESV). This promise assures us that God’s people will be regathered—even from Shinar—to worship the Lord in His future kingdom. Shinar is significant in its connection to the world’s historical rebellion against God: everything from the construction of the Tower of Babel to its association with idols, its mistreatment of Israel, and its future association with the Antichrist. Despite the many evils in the land of Shinar, God has preserved His people there. Believing Israelites in Shinar will participate in Jesus’ millennial kingdom in the future, demonstrating God’s grace and redemption.GotQuestions.org Related Resources: What happened at the Tower of Babel? | GotQuestions.org What is the significance of the Babylonian Empire in biblical history? | GotQuestions.org Genesis 10:11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, went forth into Assyria, Mic 5:6 Asshur - Nu 24:22,24 Ezr 4:2 Ps 83:8 Eze 27:23 32:22 Ho 14:3 Nineveh - 2Ki 19:36 Isa 37:37 Jon 1:2 3:1-10 Na 1:1 2:8 3:7 Zep 2:13, the city of, or, the streets of the city Genesis 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries Related Passages: Micah 5:6 They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, The land of Nimrod at its entrances; And He will deliver us from the Assyrian When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory. NIMROD BUILDS NINEVEH IN ASSYRIA From that land he (Nimrod) went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah - Nimrod did not let Babel stop him from pursuing his goal of building a city to make a name for himself! Indeed the other name of Calah is Nimrud!