Now these [are] the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Ver. 1. _And unto them were sons born after the flood._] Great store of sons: else how could they so soon have peopled the whole earth? See here the virtue of that divine bened... [ Continue Reading ]
The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. Ver. 2. _The sons of Japheth._] Not all, but the chief men of renown, Ethnarchs: think the same of the other two sons of Noah: seventy-one of their posterity are here registered (fourteen of Japheth, thi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. Ver. 3. _Ashkenaz._] _Hinc Tuiscones_, or Duitschmen, say the Jews; making Ashkenaz the father of the Germans, as Gomer of the Cimbrians or Danes, and Meshec of the Muscovites. But of these things there is little certainty. See Breerwood's... [ Continue Reading ]
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. Ver. 4. _Elishah._] Whence the Eolians. _ Tarshish._] Whence the Cilicians, where Tarsus (Paul's country) was. _ Kittim._] Whence the Macedonians. Num 24:24 Dan 11:30 _ Dodanim._] Whence the Epirotes (Scanderberg's country), wher... [ Continue Reading ]
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. Ver. 5. _By these were the isles of the Gentiles._] That is, the countries of Europe and Asia the Less, inhabited by Japheth's posterity. Europe hath its name, in Gree... [ Continue Reading ]
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. Ver. 6. _Cush._] Ethiopians came of him. Psalms 7:1 _. title_ Wicked Saul, for his black deeds, is called Cush. _confer _ Jer 13:23 Amo 9:7 _ Mizraim._] From whom came the Egyptians. Turks and Arabians call Egypt Mesra, or Masra, at thi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. Ver. 7. _Seba._] Of whom seem to have come the Abassines in Africa, the only region there entirely possessed by Christians. Hence came the Queen of Sheba, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. Ver. 8. _Nimrod, he began to be a mighty one._] His name signifies a rebel: he was the chief Babel builder, and there began to be a mighty one. A giant, saith the Greek, - such another as Goliath was in his generation, 1Sa 17:51 where... [ Continue Reading ]
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. Ver. 9. _He was a mighty hunter._] Of men, whose lives he sacrificed to his lust, not of beasts for sacrifice to the Lord, as Aben-Ezra will have it, and takes occasion thereupon highly t... [ Continue Reading ]
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Ver. 10. _And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel._] But not the end of it. Ambition is boundless, rides without reins, builds itself on the ruins of others, and cares not to swim to its design,... [ Continue Reading ]
Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, Ver. 11. _Out of that land went forth Asshur._] Either because wickedness dwelt there, Zec 5:11 for Asshur was a son of Shem, and might have so much goodness in him; Gen 10:22 or else he was hunted thence by... [ Continue Reading ]
And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great city. Ver. 12. _The same is a great city._] As consisting of three cities, and having more people within the walls than are now in some one kingdom. See the greatness of this city set forth in the _Preacher's Travels_, p. 89. The greatest c... [ Continue Reading ]
And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, Ver. 13, 14, _Ludim and Anamim._] Aben-Ezra thinks that these were names of provinces, and that in every province there was a family; whence also the names are all plural.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. Ver. 14. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 10:13 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, Ver. 15. _Canaan begat Sidon._] Who built the city Sidon, in Phoenicia, near to Tyre, which afterwards contended with it for principality. It fell afterwards by lot to the tribe of Asher. Jos 19:28... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, Ver. 16-18. _These are those accursed nations._] Whose countries God afterwards gave to his people Israel, having "espied" it out of all lands for such a purpose. Eze 20:6... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, Ver 17. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 10:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. Ver. 18. _See Trapp on "_ Gen 10:16 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. Ver. 19. _And the border of the Canaanites._] Which was afterwards enlarged to the Israelites by the addition of two kingdoms beyond... [ Continue Reading ]
These [are] the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, [and] in their nations. Ver. 20. _These are the sons of Ham._] More in number, and more sweetly situated, than the posterity of either Shem or Japheth: thirty sons and nephews of cursed Ham are here recited... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were [children] born. Ver. 21. _Unto Shem also._] His issue is set down last, because to be most insisted on in the holy history.... [ Continue Reading ]
The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. Ver. 22. _Elam._] Father of the Persians, that warlike people, but worshippers of the sun. We read of a Persian ambassador, who, when he was among Christians, would have these words much in his mouth, _Soli Deo gloria_, cunnin... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. Ver. 23. _Uz._] Haply Job's country: for we can here but _hariolari in re dubia_, go by conjecture only.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. Ver. 24. _And Arphaxad._] Held to be the father of the Chaldees.... [ Continue Reading ]
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one [was] Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name [was] Joktan. Ver. 25. _Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided._] Eber, of whom came the Hebrews or Israelites, Exo 1:15 that he might have before his eyes a perpetual... [ Continue Reading ]
And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, Ver. 26. _Joktan begat Almodad, &c._] This man with his sons may seem to have seated in the East Indies; but, fallen from Heber's faith to heathenism, they are written in the dust: there is little mention of them in the Scriptures.... [ Continue Reading ]