Gen 10:6-14 | TNotes | STEP | 10:6 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 ). • 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 ).

10:6 ^a 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 ^b).

• 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 ^c).
10:7 ^d The sons of Cush and Raamah together total seven.

• Seba was in northern Africa (see Isa 43:3 ^e; 45:14 ^f).

• 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 ^g).

• Dedan was in northern Arabia.
Summary for Gen 10:8-12: 10:8-12 ^h 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 ⁱ Nimrod attained great fame by conquest and terror; his empire extended from Babylonia in the south to Assyria in the north (10:10-12 ^j).

• 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 ^k 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 ^l and study note).

• Erech was ancient Uruk and is now Warka in southern Iraq (see Ezra 4:9-10 ^m).

• 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 ⁿ).

• building ... Nineveh: Like Cain, Nimrod built cities (see Gen 4:17 ^o 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 ^p 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 ^q; Amos 9:7 ^r).

• The Philistines from Crete were sea people who lived intermittently in southwest Canaan during the period of the Exodus and later (Exod 13:17 ^s; Amos 9:7 ^t). They were among Israel’s most troublesome enemies during the early monarchy (see 1–2 Samuel).