Tyndale Open Study NotesGenesis 10

The fifth account (10:1) in Genesis (see study note on 2:4) unites the Table of Nations (10:2–32) and the Babel story (11:1–9) around the theme of scattering the nations (10:5, 18; 11:4, 8–9). The Table of Nations appears before the Babel story, but the Babel event explains how the nations and languages in that list came to exist.

By placing these events in this order, Genesis connects the filling of the earth with the blessing God gave to Noah and his sons (see 9:1 and study note). It shows that the growth of the nations comes from God’s blessing.

This order also prepares for Abram’s call (12:1–3). Abram’s call shows God’s answer to the problem seen at Babel (11:1–9), where humans were separated from God. Through Abram, God begins to restore that relationship.

who also had sons after the flood: This fulfilled the renewed command of creation to populate the earth (9:1, 9; compare 1:28).

• This section explains where the ancient Near Eastern nations came from. Ham was at the center (10:6–20)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 is selective in focusing on nations important to Israel. The 70 names (seven times ten) indicate completeness (see 46:27; Deuteronomy 32:8). These names represent the whole world, which Abraham's descendants would later bless (Genesis 18:18).

• Although Shem is mentioned first in 10:1, he is addressed last in the Table because of his connection to Abram (10:21–31; 11:10–32; 12:1). Although God established the boundaries of all nations (see Deuteronomy 32:8; Amos 9:7; Acts 17:26), Israel was his special creation (a small group of 70 people; Genesis 46:27). God called them to be a blessing to a world of 70 nations (see 12:3).

• 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 Cimmerians, who lived north of the Black Sea.

• Magog probably was the ancestor of those who settled in Lydia (see Ezekiel 38:2).

• The descendants of Madai became the Medes of northwest Iran (see 2 Kings 17:6; Jeremiah 51:11; Daniel 5:28).

• The descendants of Javan were the Ionian Greeks.

• The descendants of Tubal and Meshech were sometimes allies in battle (Ezekiel 38:2). They probably came from Anatolia's coastal regions (see Ezekiel 27:13).

• The descendants of Tiras possibly became the Thracians living near the Aegean Sea.

• The descendants of Gomer came from the area near the upper Euphrates, north of the Black Sea (see Ezekiel 38:1–9).

• The descendants of Ashkenaz were the Scythians, who lived between the Black and Caspian Seas.

• Riphath is near Carchemish.

• The descendants of Togarmah are associated with Til-garimmu. This is the capital of Kammanu in what is now Armenia (see Ezekiel 38:6).

• Elishah is probably Cyprus.

• Tarshish might be southwest Spain (see study note on Jonah 1:3).

• The Kittites lived in southern Cyprus.

• The Rodanites lived on the island of Rhodes, which later became part of Greece.

• maritime peoples … into their territories: These were seafaring people who settled around the Mediterranean Sea and on different islands.

• languages: This happened after the tower of Babel story (11:1–9; see study note on 10:1–11:9).

• The peoples descended from Ham’s four sons (Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, Canaanites) were Israel’s most hostile neighbors.

• Cush might have been in Ethiopia or ancient Nubia (northern Sudan).

• Mizraim was the old name for Egypt (50:11).

• Put was in Libya.

• Canaan included southern Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine west of the Jordan River. In the time of Moses, Egypt and Canaan were part of the same empire. Ham's descendants did not receive the blessing given to Shem's family line (9:20–28).

• The sons of Cush and Raamah add up to seven in total.

• Seba was in northern Africa (see Isaiah 43:3; 45:14).

• 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 trading colonies (see 1 Kings 10:1–29).

• Dedan was in northern Arabia.

The text gives special attention to the early history of Babylonia and Assyria. These Mesopotamian empires (kingdoms from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) later conquered and exiled (forced to leave their land) Israel and Judah.

• Nimrod became famous through conquest and fear. His empire reached from Babylonia in the south to Assyria in the north (10:10–12).

• a mighty hunter before the LORD: Assyrian kings often praised their own power, showing themselves as brave hunter-conquerors.

• His kingdom: This is the region around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in southern Mesopotamia. This kingdom eventually expanded into northern Mesopotamia (Assyria).

• Babylon is the most important city because it played a key role in the story of the tower of Babel (see 11:4 and study note).

• Erech, known as ancient Uruk, is now Warka in southern Iraq (see Ezra 4:9–10).

• Accad, once called Agade, is north of Babylon and was home to the famous ruler Sargon (2370–2295 BC).

• The location of Calneh is uncertain. But it is probably one of Nimrod’s cities north of Aram-naharaim in southern Mesopotamia (compare Amos 6:2).

• built … Nineveh: Like Cain, Nimrod built cities (see Genesis 4:17 and comments). Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the east bank of the Tigris River in northern Iraq.

• Rehoboth-Ir was either a nearby city or a daughter-city of Nineveh.

• Calah is modern Tell Nimrud, south of Nineveh.

• Resen is possibly modern Selamiyeh, northwest of Tell Nimrud.

• the Ludites were Lydian tribes located west of the Nile delta.

• The identity of the Anamites is unclear. They might have been Egyptians near Cyrene, west of Egypt.

• the Lehabites were probably a Libyan tribe.

• the Naphtuhites lived in northern Egypt.

• the Pathrusites lived in southern Egypt.

• the Casluhites might have lived in an Egyptian area also known as "Cyrenaica."

• the Caphtorites were Cretans (see Jeremiah 47:4; Amos 9:7).

• the Philistines from Crete were warriors and traders who traveled by ship from Crete to settle in southwest Canaan. They lived there during the time when the Israelites left Egypt and in later periods (Exodus 13:17; Amos 9:7). During the early years of Israel's kings, the Philistines were one of Israel's strongest enemies (see 1–2 Samuel).

• Sidon settled in Phoenicia, north of Canaan.

• the Hittites: In Genesis, these were a group of cities in Canaan (see 26:34–35; 27:46; Ezekiel 16:3). They were probably different from the Hittites of Anatolia (Asia Minor). Their empire was a major power in the time of the biblical patriarchs.

• The Jebusites were ancient people living in Jerusalem (Joshua 15:63; Judges 19:10–11; 2 Samuel 5:6–9).

• The Amorites lived in the mountains of Palestine in Canaan (see Genesis 15:16; 48:22; Numbers 13:29; Deuteronomy 3:8; Joshua 10:5; Judges 1:35; 10:8; Ezekiel 16:3).

• Little is known about the Girgashites, a Canaanite tribe (Genesis 15:21; Deuteronomy 7:1; Joshua 3:10).

• The Hivites were a Canaanite people group who did not practice circumcision (Genesis 34:2, 13–24; Joshua 9:1, 7; 11:3; Judges 3:3; 2 Samuel 24:7).

• The Arkites lived in Tell ’Arqa in Lebanon.

• The Sinites formed a city-state in Phoenicia.

• The Arvadites lived in Ruad in northern Phoenicia, near the El Kebir River. They were known for shipping (compare Ezekiel 27:8).

• The Zemarites lived in Sumur (modern Sumra), north of Arka on the Phoenician coast.

• The Hamathites founded what is now Hama on the Orontes River, the northern border of Canaan (see Numbers 34:8; Joshua 13:5; 2 Samuel 8:9–10; 1 Kings 8:65; 2 Kings 14:25–28).

• God set apart the borders of Canaan to be taken from its people and given to Israel (see 15:18; Numbers 34:2–12; Ezekiel 47:15–20; 48:1–28).

• An ancient highway along the seacoast, the Via Maris, ran from Sidon toward Gerar, connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia.

• Modern Gaza is 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Gerar.

• Sodom and Gomorrah were cities on the southeastern border of the Dead Sea.

• Admah, and Zeboiim: The Bible mentions these cities 15 times in connection with Sodom and Gomorrah (14:2, 8; Deuteronomy 29:23; see Hosea 11:8). God destroyed all four cities to cleanse the land (see Genesis 19).

• Lasha was possibly in the northern area of the Dead Sea.

• Shem, the older brother of Japheth, was the ancestor of the Semitic peoples (people groups connected by language and culture in the ancient Near East) . The people listed here lived mainly to the east of Israel, in areas like modern Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

  The narrator focuses on places in Mesopotamia (the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers). This is important because Abram, the ancestor of Israel, came from this region (see 11:27–32).

• Eber receives special attention because he is an ancestor of Abram and is closely connected to the Hebrews (see study note on 10:24).

• The descendants of Elam lived in what is now southwestern Iran (see 14:1, 9; Ezra 4:9; Isaiah 11:11).

• The descendants of Asshur became the Assyrians, who lived under Nimrod's rule (see Genesis 10:11). Sumerians, who descended from Ham, were expelled by Mesopotamian Semites.

• Arphaxad may have settled northeast of Nineveh. There is more information about his descendants in 11:12–26.

• Lud was near the Tigris River. The people of Lud were related to the Lydians (see 10:13).

• Aram was a kingdom of tribes living in the Mesopotamian plains.

• The patriarchs later interacted with the descendants of Aram (see 25:20; 31:20; Deuteronomy 26:5).

• Uz was the main Aramean tribe, possibly northeast of the Jordan River. It was Job’s home (see Job 1:1; see also Lamentations 4:21).

• Hul is unknown. He might have founded Armenia.

• Gether is unknown. He might have founded the Syrians.

• Mash might have a connection to Mount Masus in northern Mesopotamia or to a part of the Lebanon Mountains.

• Shelah is not well-known, but it might be short for Methushelah (compare 38:5, 11).

• Eber was an ancestor of Abram the Hebrew (11:10–26). His name is the source of the word Hebrew (see 14:13; 39:14; 40:15; 41:12; Exodus 2:11; 3:18).

• Peleg means "division," which refers to the dividing of people into different language groups after the tower of Babel event (11:1–9). Peleg’s descendants included Abram (see 11:16–26).

• Joktan was the ancestor of the southern Arabian tribes. The Ishmaelite tribes lived in northern Arabia (see 25:13–16).

• Almodad was an ancestor, region, or tribe in what is now Yemen.

• Sheleph was a tribe in Yemen.

• Hazarmaveth had a link to Hadramaut in southern Arabia.

• Jerah is unknown but might have a connection to Mount Barach.

• Hadoram was an Arabian tribe.

• Uzal was Sana’a, an ancient capital of Yemen before Islam.

• Diklah was a southern Arabian oasis in Mina.

• Obal was between Hodeida and Sana’a in southwest Arabia.

• Abimael was a Sabaean. These were an ancient people of southern Arabia.

• Sheba was in southern Arabia (see 10:7).

• Ophir was a region in southern Arabia between Sheba and Havilah. It was famous for gold (Isaiah 13:12).

• Havilah: See 10:7.

• Jobab might have been Jobebitai in southern Arabia.

Shem had 14 sons through Eber and Joktan. The tower of Babel story connects Joktan to God's judgment there (11:1–9) and connects Peleg to Abram (11:27–12:1).

• Mesha was a region in northern Arabia, located south of Hadramaut.

• Sephar is the same as Isfar, which is south of Hadramaut in Yemen.