Genesis 10

Genesis 10:1

G. The Table of Nations (Chap. 10)10:1-32 Shem, Ham, and Japheth became the fathers of the nations. Shem: The Semitic peoplesJews, Arabs, Babylonians, Assyrians, Arameans, Phoenicians. Ham: The Hamitic peoplesEthiopians, Egyptians, Canaanites, Philistines, possibly the African and Oriental peoples, though many scholars view the Orientals as Japhetic. Japheth: The Japhetic peoplesthe Medes, Greeks, Cypriots, etc. Probably the Caucasian people of Europe and of northern Asia. Many scholars would also include the Orientals here. The order in this chapter is the sons of Japheth (vv. 2-5), the sons of Ham (vv. 6-20), and the sons of Shem (vv. 21-31). The Spirit of God is going to center on Shem and his descendants during the rest of the OT. The different languages of verse 5 probably look forward to the time after the tower of Babel (Gen_11:1-9). Notice three references in this chapter to the division of the people. Verse 5 describes the division of the Japhetic tribes into their different areas. Verse 25 tells us that the division of the earth (at Babel) took place in the days of Peleg. Verse 32 serves as an introduction to the Tower of Babel in chapter 11, when the families of the sons of Noah were divided into different nations with different languages. Nimrod (vv. 8-10) means rebel. He appears as the first “mighty one on the earth” after the flood (v. 8) and as the first to establish a kingdom (v. 10). He built Babel (Babylon) in rebellion against God, and also Nineveh in Assyria , another inveterate enemy of God’s people. As already mentioned, verse 21 lists Shem as the older brother of Japheth. It is impossible to identify with certainty the places where the various people settled, but the following will prove helpful in later studies. Tarshish (v. 4)Spain Kittim (v. 4)Cyprus Cush (v. 6)Ethiopia Mizraim (v. 6)Egypt Put or Phut (v. 6)Libya Canaan (v. 6)Palestine Asshur (v. 11, KJV)Assyria Elam (v. 22)Persia Aram (v. 22)Syria and Mesopotamia