Genesis 10
Summary for Gen 10:1-11:9: 10:1–11:9 a The fifth account (10:1 b) in Genesis (see study note on 2:4) unites the Table of Nations (10:2-32 c) and the Babel story (11:1-9 d) around the theme of scattering the nations (10:5 e, 18 f; 11:4 g, 8-9 h). The Table of Nations precedes the Babel story even though the Babel incident caused the geopolitical situation reflected in the Table of Nations. By reversing the order, Genesis links the repopulation of the earth with the blessing conferred upon Noah and his sons (see 9:1 i and study note) and shows that Abram’s call (12:1-3 j) was God’s solution to the problem of human estrangement from God as reflected in the Babel story (11:1-9 k). 10:1 l Many children were born ... after the great flood: This fulfilled the renewed creation mandate (9:1 m, 9 n; cp. 1:28 o).Summary for Gen 10:2-32: 10:2-32 p This section describes the ancestral origin of the nations of the ancient Near East. Ham was at the center (10:6-20 q), while the descendants of Japheth and Shem spread out to the surrounding regions of Greece, Crete, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Madai, the Arabian peninsula, and northeast Africa. The list selectively highlights nations relevant to Israel. The total of seventy (seven times ten) names indicates completeness (see 46:27 r; Deut 32:8 s) and symbolizes the totality of the world, which would later be blessed by the descendants of Abraham (Gen 18:18 t).
• Although Shem is mentioned first in 10:1 u, he is addressed last in the Table because of his connection to Abram (10:21-31 v; 11:10-32 w; 12:1 x). Although God established the boundaries of all nations (see Deut 32:8 y; Amos 9:7 z; Acts 17:26 aa), Israel was his special creation—a microcosm of seventy people (Gen 46:27 ab) called to be a blessing to a world of seventy nations (see 12:3 ac). 10:2 ad The seven sons of Japheth settled in the region of Anatolia (the western plateau lands of Turkey) and spoke Indo-European languages.
• Gomer was the ancestor of the later Cimmerians who lived north of the Black Sea.
• Magog was probably the ancestor of those who settled in the region of Lydia (see Ezek 38:2 ae).
• The descendants of Madai were the later Medes of northwest Iran (see 2 Kgs 17:6 af; Jer 51:11 ag; Dan 5:28 ah).
• The descendants of Javan were the later Ionian Greeks.
• The descendants of Tubal and Meshech were sometimes allies in battle (Ezek 38:2 ai). Both were possibly from the coastal regions of Anatolia (see Ezek 27:13 aj).
• The descendants of Tiras possibly became the Thracians that lived near the Aegean Sea.
10:3 ak The descendants of Gomer came from near the Upper Euphrates region north of the Black Sea (cp. Ezek 38:1-9 al).
• The descendants of Ashkenaz were the later Scythians who inhabited the region between the Black and Caspian Seas.
• Riphath is near Carchemish.
• The descendants of Togarmah are associated with Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu in modern Armenia (see Ezek 38:6 am).
10:4 an Elishah is probably Cyprus.
• Tarshish is possibly southwest Spain (see study note on Jon 1:3).
• The Kittim were inhabitants of southern Cyprus.
• The Rodanim were inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, later a territory of Greece.
10:5 ao seafaring peoples ... various lands: They settled around the Mediterranean and on various islands.
• language: This occurred after the Tower of Babel episode (11:1-9 ap; see study note on 10:1–11:9).
10:6 aq The peoples descended from Ham’s four sons (Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Canaanites) were Israel’s most hostile neighbors.
• Cush was possibly in Ethiopia or ancient Nubia (northern Sudan).
• Mizraim was the ancient name for Egypt (50:11 ar).
• Put was in Libya.
• Canaan encompassed southern Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine west of the Jordan River. In Moses’ time, Egypt and Canaan were provinces of the same empire. Ham’s descendants were excluded from the blessing of Shem’s line (9:20-28 as).
10:7 at The sons of Cush and Raamah together total seven.
• Seba was in northern Africa (see Isa 43:3 au; 45:14 av).
• Havilah was in southwest Arabia.
• Sabtah was in southern Arabia, in ancient Hadramaut, near the Persian Gulf.
• Raamah was in southwest Arabia near Najran.
• Sabteca was in ancient Samudake near the Persian Gulf.
• Sheba was a kingdom in southwest Arabia with commercial colonies (see 1 Kgs 10:1-29 aw).
• Dedan was in northern Arabia.
Summary for Gen 10:8-12: 10:8-12 ax Special attention is given to the early history of Babylonia and Assyria, the Mesopotamian empires that would conquer and exile Israel and Judah.
10:9 ay Nimrod attained great fame by conquest and terror; his empire extended from Babylonia in the south to Assyria in the north (10:10-12 az).
• the greatest hunter in the world: Assyrian monarchs glorified their own power, often depicting themselves as valiant hunter-conquerors.
Summary for Gen 10:10-12: 10:10-12 ba Babylonia is the area surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates in southern Mesopotamia. This kingdom eventually reached into northern Mesopotamia (Assyria).
• Of the cities mentioned, Babylon is most important because of its role in building the Tower of Babel (see 11:4 bb and study note).
• Erech was ancient Uruk and is now Warka in southern Iraq (see Ezra 4:9-10 bc).
• Akkad was the ancient Agade north of Babylon, home of the famous ruler Sargon (2370–2295 BC).
• The location of Calneh is uncertain, though it is presumably one of Nimrod’s cities located north of Aram-naharaim in southern Mesopotamia (cp. Amos 6:2 bd).
• building ... Nineveh: Like Cain, Nimrod built cities (see Gen 4:17 be and comments). Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the east bank of the Tigris River in northern Iraq.
• Rehoboth-ir was a daughter-city of Nineveh or was located nearby.
• Calah is modern Tell Nimrud, south of Nineveh.
• Resen is possibly modern Selamiyeh, northwest of Tell Nimrud.
Summary for Gen 10:13-14: 10:13-14 bf The Ludites were Lydian tribes west of the Nile delta.
• The identity of the Anamites is uncertain. They were possibly Egyptians near Cyrene, west of Egypt.
• The Lehabites were possibly a Libyan tribe.
• The Naphtuhites inhabited northern Egypt.
• The Pathrusites inhabited southern Egypt.
• The Casluhites possibly inhabited an Egyptian district also known as Cyrenaica.
• The Caphtorites were Cretans (see Jer 47:4 bg; Amos 9:7 bh).
• The Philistines from Crete were sea people who lived intermittently in southwest Canaan during the period of the Exodus and later (Exod 13:17 bi; Amos 9:7 bj). They were among Israel’s most troublesome enemies during the early monarchy (see 1–2 Samuel).
Summary for Gen 10:15-18: 10:15-18 bk Sidon settled in Phoenicia, north of Canaan.
• Hittites: The Hittites in Genesis were a coalition of cities within Canaan (see 26:34-35 bl; 27:46 bm; Ezek 16:3 bn). They were probably not the same as the Hittites of Anatolia (Asia Minor), whose empire was one of the great empires of antiquity during the patriarchal period.
• The Jebusites were ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem (Josh 15:63 bo; Judg 19:10-11 bp; 2 Sam 5:6-9 bq).
• The Amorites lived throughout the mountains of Palestine in Canaan (see Gen 15:16 br; 48:22 bs; Num 13:29 bt; Deut 3:8 bu; Josh 10:5 bv; Judg 1:35 bw; 10:8 bx; Ezek 16:3 by).
• Little is known of the Girgashites, a Canaanite tribe (Gen 15:21 bz; Deut 7:1 ca; Josh 3:10 cb).
• The Hivites were an uncircumcised Canaanite tribe (Gen 34:2 cc, 13-24 cd; Josh 9:1 ce, 7 cf; 11:3 cg; Judg 3:3 ch; 2 Sam 24:7 ci).
• The Arkites resided in Tell ’Arqa in Lebanon.
• The Sinites formed a city-state and inhabited Phoenicia.
• The Arvadites inhabited Ruad in northern Phoenicia, near the El Kebir River. They were known for shipping (cp. Ezek 27:8 cj).
• The Zemarites inhabited Sumur (modern Sumra), north of Arka on the Phoenician coast.
• The Hamathites founded what is now Hama on the Orontes River, the northern boundary of Canaan (see Num 34:8 ck; Josh 13:5 cl; 2 Sam 8:9-10 cm; 1 Kgs 8:65 cn; 2 Kgs 14:25-28 co).
10:19 cp The territory of Canaan is specifically marked off because it would be taken from its inhabitants and given to Israel (see 15:18 cq; Num 34:2-12 cr; Ezek 47:15-20 cs; 48:1-28 ct).
• An ancient north-south seacoast highway (the Via Maris) extended from Sidon ... to Gerar, connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia.
• Modern Gaza is 11 miles northwest of Gerar.
• Sodom and Gomorrah were cities on the border of the land southeast of the Dead Sea.
• Admah and Zeboiim are mentioned 15 times in connection with Sodom and Gomorrah (14:2 cu, 8 cv; Deut 29:23 cw; see Hos 11:8 cx). All four cities were destroyed by God to cleanse the land (see Gen 19 cy).
• Lasha was possibly in the northern region of the Dead Sea.
10:21 cz Shem, the older brother of Japheth, was the father of the Semitic peoples. The descendants listed represent countries east of Israel (modern Iraq, Iran, and Syria). The narrator lists these locations within Mesopotamia since Abram, the father of Israel, originated from this area (see 11:27-32 da).
• Eber receives special attention because of his connection with Abram (see study note on 10:24).
10:22 db The descendants of Elam lived in the region of modern southwestern Iran (see 14:1 dc, 9 dd; Ezra 4:9 de; Isa 11:11 df).
• The descendants of Asshur were later Assyrians who lived under Nimrod’s jurisdiction (see Gen 10:11 dg). Sumerians descended from Ham were ousted by Mesopotamian Semites.
• Arphaxad possibly settled northeast of Nineveh; his descendants are further described in 11:12-26 dh.
• Lud was near the Tigris River; its people were related to the Lydians (see 10:13 di).
• Aram was a kingdom of tribes that lived in the Mesopotamian plains.
10:23 dj The patriarchs later interacted with the descendants of Aram (see 25:20 dk; 31:20 dl; Deut 26:5 dm).
• Uz was the chief Aramean tribe, possibly located northeast of the Jordan; it was Job’s home (see Job 1:1 dn; see also Lam 4:21 do).
• Hul is unknown. He possibly founded Armenia.
• Gether is unknown; he was possibly the founder of the Syrians.
• Mash might be associated with Mount Masus in northern Mesopotamia or with a part of the Lebanon Mountains.
10:24 dp Shelah is unknown, but may be short for Methushelah (cp. 38:5 dq, 11 dr).
• Eber was the ancestor of Abram the Hebrew (11:10-26 ds); his name is at the root of the term “Hebrew” (see 14:13 dt; 39:14 du; 40:15 dv; 41:12 dw; Exod 2:11 dx; 3:18 dy).
10:25 dz Peleg means division, anticipating the separation of people into language groups after Babel (11:1-9 ea). Peleg’s line led to Abram (see 11:16-26 eb).
• Joktan was the ancestor of the southern Arabian tribes. The Ishmaelite tribes were in northern Arabia (see 25:13-16 ec).
Summary for Gen 10:26-32: 10:26-32 ed There were fourteen sons of Shem by Eber through Joktan. The placement of the Babel story between the lines of Joktan and Peleg ties Joktan to the judgment of the Babel story (11:1-9 ee) and ties Peleg to Abram (11:27–12:1 ef).
Summary for Gen 10:26-29: 10:26-29 eg Almodad was an ancestor, region, or tribe in modern Yemen.
• Sheleph was a tribe of Yemen.
• Hazarmaveth was related to Hadramaut in southern Arabia.
• Jerah is unknown, but was possibly associated with Mount Barach.
• Hadoram was an Arabian tribe.
• Uzal was Sana’a, an old capital of Yemen in pre-Islamic times.
• Diklah was a southern Arabian oasis in Mina.
• Obal was between Hodeida and Sana’a in southwest Arabia.
• Abimael was a Sabaean.
• Sheba was in southern Arabia (see 10:7 eh).
• Ophir was a region of southern Arabia between Sheba and Havilah; it was a source of gold (Isa 13:12 ei).
• Havilah: See 10:7 ej.
• Jobab was possibly Jobebitai in southern Arabia.
10:30 ek Mesha was a region in northern Arabia, south of Hadramaut.
• Sephar is identified with Isfar, south of Hadramaut in Yemen.
Genesis 11:1-9
Summary for Gen 11:1-9: 11:1-9 el The story of the unfinished tower carries forward themes of language and solidarity from the Table of Nations (ch 10 em). The builders’ desire for autonomy recalls the rebellion in Eden (ch 3 en) and establishes the need for Abram’s redemptive faith in the midst of international disorder (ch 12 eo). The scattering of the nations anticipates the warning to Israel that idolatry would result in their being scattered and their cities devastated (see Lev 26:33 ep; Num 10:35 eq; Deut 4:27 er; 28:64 es; 30:3 et). Chronologically, the story is a flashback that explains the rise of the nations during Peleg’s time (see Gen 10:25 eu). 11:1 ev At one time: The events described in 11:1-9 ew led to the scattering of nations that is reflected in the genealogies of 10:2-30 ex. The reversal of order has a theological purpose (see study note on 10:1–11:9).11:2 ey migrated to the east: See study note on 3:24.
• Babylonia was located in southern Mesopotamia, the region of Nimrod’s later empire and city-building campaign (see 10:10 ez; Isa 11:11 fa; Dan 1:2 fb; Zech 5:11 fc).
11:3 fd Stone was plentiful in Canaan; in Mesopotamia, stone was scarce and brick technology was developed.
• Tar was made from bitumen, a natural, cement-like, waterproof asphalt (see 6:14 fe; Exod 2:3 ff).
11:4 fg Far from the original garden (2:15 fh), the first cities of Genesis represent arrogance (4:17 fi), tyranny (10:8-12 fj), and wickedness (18:20-21 fk). The city on the Babylonian plain was a magnet for human pride and idolatry.
• a tower that reaches into the sky: This was probably a temple-tower (a ziggurat). Common in ancient Babylonian urban culture, ziggurats were regarded as sacred mountains by which deities descended to earth (Jacob’s dream in 28:12 fl possibly reflects this idea).
• This will make us famous (literally let us make a name for ourselves): The tower builders sought fame through idolatrous ambition. God promised to give Abram a famous name because of his humble obedience (12:2 fm).
11:5 fn came down: The tower was a human attempt to ascend to God’s realm (see Deut 26:15 fo; Pss 2:4 fp; 103:19 fq; 115:16 fr). The folly of that attempt was exposed by God’s “coming down” to see their feeble efforts.
11:6 fs If left unchecked, the tower builders’ solidarity and ambition would allow human wickedness to flourish in unimaginable ways.
11:7 ft Come, let’s go down: God addresses his angelic court (see 1:26 fu; 3:22 fv; and study notes).
• won’t be able to understand each other: Their inability to communicate would curtail their unified sinful ambition. The God-honoring unity of language on the day of Pentecost was a symbolic reversal of the Babel dispersion (Acts 2:5-13 fw; see Zeph 3:9 fx).
11:8 fy the Lord scattered them: Similarly, Adam and Eve’s punishment for grasping at autonomy and Cain’s punishment for murder involved banishment and dispersion (3:23 fz; 4:12 ga, 14 gb; 9:19 gc; 10:5 gd, 25 ge, 32 gf).
11:9 gg Babel: The Babylonians viewed their city as the residence or gateway of the gods. The pun that concludes this account accurately reveals Babylon’s spiritual confusion. Babylon achieved prominence under Nimrod (10:10 gh) and in later biblical history (see 2 Kgs 25:1-30 gi). Its role as an epicenter of arrogance and idolatry make it a fitting image for the anti-God forces associated with the end of time (e.g., Rev 14:8 gj; 16:19 gk; 18:2 gl).
• The tower builders had centralized to ascend into God’s realm (Gen 11:3-4 gm). God descended and scattered them all over the world to frustrate their idolatrous ambition.
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