Genesis 10

THis Chapter, though it may seem to some unprofitable as consisting almost wholly of Genealogies, yet has indeed great and manifold uses: 1. To show the true original of the several Nations, about which all other Authors write idlely, fabulously and falsly, and thereby to manifest the Providence of God in the Government of the World and Church, and the Truth and Authority of the Holy Scriptures. 2. To discover and distinguish from all other Nations, that People or Nation in which Gods Church was to be, and from which Christ was to come. 3. That Noahs Prophecy concerning his three Sons might be better understood, and the accomplishment of it made evident. 4. To explain divers prophetical predictions and other passages of Scripture, as will appear in the sequel. For the better understanding of this Chapter, compare with it, 1 Chron. 1 from ver. 4. to 24. And consider these three things. 1. In the search of these Genealogies we must avoid both carelessness for the reasons now mentioned, and excessive curiosity about every particular person here named, and the people sprung from him, which is neither necessary, nor profitable, nor indeed possible now to find out, by reason of the great changes of names through length of time, loss of antient Records, differences of Languages, extinction of Families, conquest and destruction of Nations, and other causes. It may suffice that divers of them and those the most eminent are evident and discernable at this day, as will appear in the progress, by which we may and ought to presume the Truth of the rest, whose Names are lost in the publick confusions of the World in former Ages, of whom I shall therefore be silent, and only speak of the principal persons and that briefly. 2. The same People which were originally seated in one place, did oft-times thift there places, or at least sent forth Colonies, and that sometimes into places far distant from their Brethren, as appears from the antient and famous expeditions mentioned in Sacred and Prophane story. So you must not wonder if you meet with the same People in divers Countries. 3. In general, the World was divided into three parts, whereof the more Eastern parts were allotted to Shem and his Issue, the more Southern parts to Ham, and the more Northern parts of it to Iapheth.

NOW these are the Generations of the Sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Iapheth: And unto them were Sons born after the Flood.

The Sons of Iapheth Whose portion was at first Asia the less, and afterwards by degrees all Europe and the Northern parts of Asia This is he so much celebrated among the Greeks by the name of Iapetus.: Gomer Whose Posterity are reckoned among the Northern People. Ezek. 38. 6. and were seated in the Northern parts of the lesser Asia, and afterwards about, and from him were called Goma... i, and by an easie change, Cimbri, or Cimmerii, and Magog The Father of the S... ythians, as may be gathered from Ezek. 38. 2, 3, 15. and 39. 3 6., and Madai Whose Posterity, wheresoever they were first placed, in Macedonia, or elsewhere, afterwards were fixed in M... dia, and were called Medes, and in the Hebrew by the Name of their Father Madai, as appears from 2 Kings 17. 6. Esa. 13. 17. Ier. 13. 17. and 25. 25. Dan. 5. 28. and 6. 8., and Iavan Of whom came the Grecians, who are called by themselves Iaones or Iones, and in Hebrew Ievanim, and their Countrey, Greece Iavan. Se... Esa. 66. 19. Ezek. 27. 13, 19. Dan. 8. 21. and 10. 21., and Tubal Of whom came the Iberi, anciently called Tho... eli, a People of Asia, near the Euxine Sea See Ezek. 27. 13. and 32. 6. and 38. 2, 3., and Meshech The Father of the Moschi, i. e. the Muscovites, or rather as others think, the Cappadocians, who were anciently called M... schini, and Moschi, and their chief City Mara... a., and Tiras The Father of the Thracians: Amongst whom is a River and Haven called Athyras, and who Worshipped their God Mars, under the Name of Th... ras..

And the Sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz Whose Seed posse... ed Pontus and Bithynia and the Neighbouring parts, from whom they to... k the Names of th... Lake and Haven called As... ius, and the Sea called Aren... s or Euxinus., and Riphath called Diphath. 1 Chron. 1. 6. The Letters Daleth and R... h being oft... nterchanged, as we shall see in other instances. His Posterity dwelled in or near Pontus and Bit... ynia, where Mela and Pliny and Solinus place the Riph... i, or Riphaces, and the Paphlagonians, who were antiently called Piphataei., and Togarmah Whose Posterity are joyned with Gomers. See Ezek. 27. 14. and 38. 6. and were, as some think, the Phrygians and Galatians, and of them the Ga... ls and Germans Or, as others, the Armenians, and of them the Turks..

And the Sons of Iavan: Elisha The Father of the Grecians properly so called, who have preserved his Name and remembrance in the Cities, Elis, and Elissus, in a tract of ground called Ellas, and in the Elysia... Fields. And from these came the Aeolians, a People of the lesser Asia. where many of the Grecian Colonies were seated., and Tarshish The Father of the Cilicians, from whom their Chief City Tarsus, in Hebrew Tar... hish, took its Name. See Ezek. 27. 12. Ion. 1. 13. Acts 22. 3. and from whom the whole Mediterranean Sea is called Tarshi... h, because the Cilicians were in a great degree Masters of that Sea., Kittim Or, Chitti..., The Father of the Macedonians, and Italians too, as may be gathered from hence, because both their Countries are called by the Name of Chittim; Macedonia, 1 Mac... 1. 1. and 8. 5. and Italy, Num. 24. 24. Dan. 11. 30. See also Isa. 23. 1. Ier. 2. 10. Besides that there are other evidences in prophane Writers that the Italians came from the Grecians., and Dodanim Called also Rhoda... im, 1 Chron. 1. 6. See Riphath in the former verse. His Posterity is uncertain. Most probably he was seated near his Brethren in some part of Greece. And the seem to have Worshipped him under the Name of Iupiter Dodon... eus, whose famous Oracle was in the City Dodona..

By these were the Isles Not Isles properly so called: For why should they, having their choice, forsake the Continent for Islands and thereby cut off themselves from their Brethren? And where had they Ships to Transport them? But the word Isles here and elsewhere signifies all those Countries that had the Sea between them and Iudaea, as it does Isa. 11. 10, 11. and 4.... 15. Ier. 2. 10. and 25. 22. Ezek. 27. 3. Z... pha. 2. 11. And Isles are here put for the inhabitants, as the words Earth and Land are commonly used. of the Gentiles divided This division of the World among them being a work of great weight, was doubtless managed with great Care and Consultation, and the advice of their Heads and Governours, and above all by the wise and special Providence of God, which at this time did particularly determine the bounds of their several Habitations, as it is Recorded, Acts 17. 26. in their Lands: Every one after his tongue (i. e.) According to their several Languages, into which they were divided at Babel. By which it appears that this division, though mentioned before was not executed till after the confusion of Languages at Babel., after their Families Here observe the Wise and Gracious Providence of God mixed with this judgment, that God distributed the Languages according to the difference of Families and Nations, that each several Nation and all the Families or branches of that Nation should have one and the same Language, whereby, both union and love were preserved among themselves, and the several Nations were distinguished one from another: Which was very fit and necessary for many reasons; as that the Church of God, which was confined to the Hebrew Nation, might neither be mixed with nor infected by the Idolatrous Nations, and that it might be evident to the World, that the Messias was Born of the Seed of Abraham according to Gods promise, &c., in their Nations.

And the Sons of Ham Whose Posterity were disposed into the parts South from Babel both in Asia, and Africa. See 1 Chron. 4. 40. Psal. 105. 27.: Cush The Father both of the Aethiopians and the Arabians: Who, as it seems, sent forth a Colony from themselves more Eastward, even near to India. See Gen. 2. 13. 2 Kings 19. 9. Iob 28. 19. Ier. 13. 23. and 46. 9. and Mizraim The Father of the Aeygptians, who are generally known in Scripture by that Name., and Phut Of whom sprung the Librans, among whom is the River Put, and the Moors. See Ier. 46. 9. Ezek. 27. 10. and 30. 5. Nahum 3. 9., and Canaan The cursed Parent of that accursed race of the Canaanites well known in Scripture, Gen. 10. 25..

And the Sons of Cush: Sheba Or, Seba, or Saba, whose Seed were the Sabeans in Arabia the Desart; See Psal. 72. 10. Isa. 43. 3. and, as some think, the Abyssines in Africa., and Havilah The Father of the Inhabitants of the Land of Havilah, mentioned Gen. 2. 11. a Land in the most Eastern part of Arabia, this being opposed to Sur, a Desart near Aegypt, as the two remotest bounds of Arabia, Gen. 23. 18. 1 Sam. 15. 7., Sabtah The Father of those People who were seated in the lower part of Arabia the happy, near the Persian Gulf, who also sent forth a Colony into Persia. For in those parts we meet with the Sabateni in Iosephus, the Stabaei, and Messabathi in Ptolomy and Pliny., and Raamah From whom descended another People dwelling in the same Arabia. See Ezek. 27. 22., and Sabtecha The Father of another People adjoyning to them.. And the Sons of Raamah; Sheba The Father either of that People which inhabited Aethiopia, who were known by that Name. See 1 Kings 10. 1, 4. Ezek. 27. 22. Matth. 12. 42. Acts 8. 27. Or rather of another People in Arabia: So the several Sons of Cush are conveniently seated one near another. And those Aethiopians in Africa might be a Colony either of these, or rather, of the Posterity of the former Seba., and Dedan Of whose Posterity See Ezek. 27. 15. and 38. 13..

And Cush begat Nimrod Whom he placeth last of all his Sons, because he was to say more of him.: he began to be a mighty one in the Earth.

He was a mighty Hunter First of Beasts, and by that occasion of men. For when men were few and lived dispersedly, and wild Beasts abounded, and most of all in those parts, by Hunting and Destroying of those Beasts, he got much reputation and favour with men, who thereby were secured in their dwellings. In confidence hereof, and having this occasion to gather great Companies of the youngest and strongest men together to himself, by their help he established a Tyranny and Absolute Power over Men, ensnaring, hunting after, and destroying like Beasts, all those men who opposed his dominion. Tyrants and Persecutors are oft in Scripture called Fowlers and Hunters, as Psal. 91. 3. Ier. 16. 16. Lament. 3. 52. and 4. 18. before the LORD An aggravation of his crime, that it was done in Gods presence, impudently and in contempt both of God, who had so lately manifested his derestation of this sin by the destruction of the World, amongst other Sins, for this very sin of violence, Gen. 6. 13. and of his great Grand-Father Noah then living and Preaching, who probably did admonish him of the wickedness and danger of this practise. Thus he showed that he neither feared God nor reverenced Man, if they withstood him in his usurpation of Dominion.: Wherefore it is said It became a Proverb, when any man was haughty and cruel and tyrannical and that joyned with impudence and obstinacy, That he was another Nimrod., Even as Nimrod the mighty Hunter before the LORD.

And the beginning of his Kingdom (i. e.) Either his Chief and Royal City: Or the place where his dominion began, and from whence it was extended to other parts. was Babel Which being not built till the confusion of Languages, Chap. 11. 4. shows that this though here mentioned upon occasion of the Genealogy, was not executed till afterward: it being very usual in Scripture to neglect the order of time in historical relations., and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh Called Calno, Isa. 10. 9. and Canne, Ezek. 27. 23. and as it is here, Caln... h, Amos 6. 2. Where it is mentioned amongst the eminent Cities., in the Land of Shinar (i. e.) In Mesopotamia. This clause belongs to all the Cities here named; and is added for distinction sake, because there is a Babylon in the Land of Aegypt, and there might be other Cities of the same Name with the rest in other Countries..

Out of that Land went forth Asshur A man so called, either 1. Asshur the Son of Sem, who forsook the Land, either being forced by or weary of Nimrods Tyranny and Impiety, and erected another Kingdom. But it is not probable either that Moses would here relate an exploit of a man whose birth is not mentioned till ver. 22. or that one single Son of Shem would be here disorderly placed among the Sons of Ham. Or 2. Another Asshur of Hams race. But it seems most likely that Asshur is the Name of a Place or Countrey, even of Assyria, which in the Hebrew is called Asshur; and that the words should be thus rendred, he, i. e. Nimrod went forth, out of his own Land to Asshur, to War against it and adde it to his Empire: For to go forth is commonly ascribed to those that go to War or to Battle, as Iud. 2. 15. and 11. 3. 2 Sam. 11. 3. Psal. 60. 12. and the particle to is here understood, as it is 2 Sam. 6. 10. and 10. 2. compared with 1 Chron. 13. 13. and 19. 2., and built Nineveh A famous and vast City near the River Tigris, but so ruined by time, that the Learned are not agreed about the place where it was scituate., and the City Rehoboth Of whi... Genesis 36. 37. 1 Chron. 1. 48., and Calah.

And Resen, between Nineveh and Calah: The same Either 1. Nineveh, which is called a great City, Ionah 3. 3. and 4. 11. and indeed was so, being 60 miles in compass. Thus it is a trajection, and the relative is referred to the remoter noun as sometimes is done, though this seems to be a little forced. Or 2. Resen; so the meaning is, though this City be much inferiour to Nineveh, yet this also, if compared with most others, is a great City. is a great City.

And Mizraim begat Ludim Of this and the following names here and ver. 14. observe two things, 1. They are not the Names of Persons, but of People or Nations; and the word Father is here understood, Ludim, for the Father of the People called Ludim, and so the rest. 2. That they are the several Nations dwelling in Africa, springing from the Aegyptians which as they multiplied, went further and further Westward and Southward from Aegypt., and Anamim, and Lehabim and Naphtuhim.

And Pathrusim The Inhabitants of Pathros, of which see Isa. 11. 11. Ier. 44. 1, 15. Ezek. 29. 14., and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim The meaning is, they came out of his Loyns or were his oft-spring, which might be true, though afterwards we find them seated amongst the off-spring of Canaan, having driven out the former Inhabitants, as was usual in those antient times. Object. The Philistins are elsewhere said to come from Caphtorim. See Ier. 47. 4. Answ. Therefore some make a trajection here, which is not unusual, and read the words thus, and Casluhim, and Caphtorim, out of whom came Philistim. But this seems forced, nor is it necessary. For the place may be thus read without any Parenthesis, and Casluhim, out of whom came the Philistim, and Caphtorim, which two latter were Brethren, both the Sons of Casluchim; and so might at first dwell together, whence their Names are promiscuously used, one for another, and the Caphtorims are said to dwell in Azzah, or Gaza, the known seat of the Philistins, Deut. 2. 23. Afterwards they might be divided first in their dwellings, then in their Affections, and War one against another, and the Caphtorims seem to have subdued and enslaved the Philistins and carryed them into their Countrey, whom therefore God is said to bring and deliver from Caphtor, Amos 9. 7. and the Caphtorims either then or afterward might be destroyed and extirpated by the hand of God or Men, whence the Philistines in after times are called the remnant of the Countrey of Caphtor, Ier. 27. 4.) and Caphtorim.

And Canaan begat Sidon his First-born The Father of the People, and builder of the City of Sidon, Ios. 11. 8. and 19. 28., and Heth Of whom came the Hittites, Ios. r. 4. and 9. 1, &c..

And the Iebusite Of this and the other People following, see Ios. 18. 22, 28. 2 Chron. 13. 4. Isa. 49. 12. Ezek. 27. 8, 11. Amos 6. 2, 14. &c,, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hemathite: And afterward were the Families of the Canaanites spread abroad Dispersed in the several quarters of the Land, who before they grew so numerous, dwelt together in the same place..

And the Border of the Canaanites was from Sidon (i. e.) The City and Countrey of Sidon, on the North-West., as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza On the South-West.. As thou goest unto Sodom and Gomorrha, and Admah, and Zeboim On the South and South-East., even unto Lasha On the North-East..

These are the Sons of Ham, after their Families, after their Tongues, in their Countreys, and in their Nations.

Unto Shem also the Father of all the Children of Eber (i. e.) Of the Hebrews, the only Church and People of God when Moses wrote, who are called Eber, Numb. 24. 24. as here, the Children of Heber. And he is here called the Father of them peculiarly, though he had other Children, because he was their Father not only by natural Generation, but also in respect of the Promise of God, which was conveyed to them through Shems hands, and of that Faith and Holiness, wherein he was their Predecessor and eminent pattern: Even as Ham, though he had other Sons, is specially called the Father of Canaan, Gen. 4. 22. Because his Fathers curse rested upon him, v. 25. Object. Eber had many other Children here Recorded, and therefore in that sense Shem was not the Father of all the Children of Eber. Answ. Though Eber had other Children, yet none are called in Scripture the Children of Eber, or which is all one, the Hebrews, but Abrahams Posterity; even as though Abraham had divers other Children, yet the Israelites are in many places peculiarly called the Children of Abraham. And the ungodly Jews when they degenerate from God and Godliness, God takes away their name and denyeth them to be Iews, Rom. 2. 28. and calls them Sodomites, Esa. 1. 10. And therefore no wonder, if Ioktan and his Posterity having, as it is probable, forsaken their Fathers God, and turned Idolaters, be here disowned as Bastards, and blotted out of the honourable Catalogue of the Children of Heber. See Rom. 9. 8., the Brother of Iapheth Iapheth alone is here mentioned as his Brother, and not Ham, because he was deservedly shut out from Shems blessing pronounced by Noah, and was accursed of God, whereas Iapheth was partaker with Shem both in the piety exercised towards their Father, and the blessing thereupon pronounced. The word Brother being often applied to persons alike in condition, disposition, or manners. See Gen. 49. 5. the Elder Though the words in Hebrew may seem ambiguous, yet other Texts make it probable that Iapheth was the Elder. For Noah began to beget Children in his five hundredth year, Gen. 5. 32. And Shem was not born till two years after the Flood, Gen. 11. 10. Therefore he was not the Eldest. And Ham is concluded not to be Eldest from Gen. 9. 24. Of which see the notes there, if so, Iapheth must be the Eldest. And Shem is generally named first, not because he was the First-born, but because he had the priviledges of the First-born, and was chief in Dignity and Authority in the Church of God., even to him were Children born.

The Children of Shem; Elam Of whom came the Elamites or Persians. See Gen. 14. 9. Isa. 2. 21. Ier. 49. 34. Dan. 8. 2. Acts 2. 9., and Asshur The Father of the Assyrians. See ver. 11., and Arphaxad Of whom the Chaldeans, as many conceive, or, as others, the Inhabitants of that part of Assyria, from him called Arphaxitis, which Ptolomy corruptly calls Arrapachitis., and Lud The Father of the Lydians, a well known People in Asia the less., and Aram Of whom the Syrians, known by the Names of Aramites both in Sacred and other Authors. Compare with this Gen. 22. 21..

And the Children of Aram, Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

And Arphaxad begat Salah; And Salah begat Eber.

And unto Eber were born two Sons: And the Name of one was Peleg, for in his days Either 1. In the time of his Birth, whence he was so called. Or 2. Afterwards in the time of his Life: So his Father gave him this Name by the Spirit of Prophesie sore-seeing this great event and the time of it: This being no unusual thing in Scripture, as we shall hereafter see, to give Prophetical Names to Children. And thus there is a longer and more convenient space left for the Peopling of the World and ripening of things for the general dispersion and habitation of the Earth. was the Earth divided First in Language and then in Habitations., and his Brothers Name was Ioktan.

And Ioktan begat Almodad From him and the rest of Ioktans Sons here mentioned come, Either 1. The various Nations of Iedia, as most think. Or rather 2. The several People that live in the innermost parts of Arabia, who profess themselves the Posterity of I... tan, and have a City near Micca, called Iectan: And the H... merites, one sort of them, are deduced from him by divers Writers., and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Ierah,

And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,

And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba A different person from him ver. 7. and the Father of another People, having only the same name with him.,

And Ophir Either that in India, of which see 1 King. 9. 28. and 10. 11. and 22. 49. Or the other in Arabia, of which see Io... 22 24. and 28. 16. See also Psal. 45. 10. Isa. 13. 12., and Havilah A distinct person from him, ver. 7., and Io... ab: All these were the Sons of Ioktan.

And their dwelling was from Mesha as thou goest unto Sephar These places were either 1. In India, where there are places called by Ptolomy and Pli... y Maesae, and Saparum and Sabara. Or rather 2. In Arabia, where there was a noted Port called Musa and near it and Eastward from it a People called Sapharitae, and a Royal City called Saphar, from whence this famous and long Mountain does here receive its Name. If it be said, Arabia is not East but South from Iudaea, it may be answered, 1. That Arabia, as it is East in respect of Aegypt, where the Jews long dwelt, and part of it is so to Iudaea also, so it is not seldome in Scripture reckoned as a part of the East Country, as appears from Gen. 25. 6, 18. Iudg. 6. 3. 1 King. 4. 30. Iob 1. 3. Isa. 11. 14. Ier. 49. 28. And Tacitus describing Iudaea, says, it is bounded on the East by Arabia. 2. That this Mountain is said to be Easterly, not simply, but in respect of the City Mesa, on the East whereof Ptolomy placeth this Mountain, though he call it by another Name Climax; adde to this that Moses speaks of these places as known to the Jews, and therefore not so far distant from them as India, a place wholly unknown to them, and wherewith as yet they had no Communication. If it be further objected. That if these People had been so near and well known to the Jews, we should have had more mention of them in Stripture, I answer, there is mention of some of them, and for others, it is no wonder if by the following Wars among Nations, and mixtures and consusions of People, some of them were extirpated, and others lost their Names, though not their Beings, as oft hapned., a Mount of the East.

These are the Sons of Shem, after their Families, after their Tongues, in their Lands, after their Nations.

These are the Families of the Sons of Noah, after their Generations, in their Nations, and by these were the Nations divided in the Earth after the Flood.