Moses begins with Japhet's family, either because he was the eldest,
or because that lay remotest from Israel, and had least concern with
them, at that time when Moses wrote; and therefore he mentions that
race very briefly; hastening to give account of the posterity of Ham,
who were Israel's enemie... [ Continue Reading ]
The posterity of Japheth were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles,
which were solemnly, by lot, after a survey, divided among them, and
probably this island of ours among the rest. All places beyond the
sea, from Judea, are called isles, Jeremiah 25:22, and this directs us
to understand that promi... [ Continue Reading ]
Began to be mighty on the earth — That is, whereas those that went
before him were content to stand upon the same level with their
neighbours, Nimrod could not rest in this parity, but he would top his
neighbours, and lord over them. The same spirit that the giants before
the flood were acted by, Ge... [ Continue Reading ]
Nimrod was a mighty hunter — This he began with, and for this became
famous to a proverb. Some think he did good with his hunting, served
his country by ridding it of wild beasts, and so insinuated himself
into the affections of his neighbours, and got to be their prince. And
perhaps, under pretence... [ Continue Reading ]
The beginning of his kingdom was Babel — Some way or other, he got
into power: and so laid the foundations of a monarchy which was
afterwards a head of gold. It doth not appear that he had any right to
rule by birth; but either his fitness for government recommended him,
or by power and policy he gr... [ Continue Reading ]
The account of the posterity of Canaan, and the land they possessed is
more particular than of any other in this chapter, because these were
the nations that were to be subdued before Israel, and their land was
to become Immanuel's land. And by this account, it appears that the
posterity of Canaan w... [ Continue Reading ]
Two things especially are observable in this account of the posterity
of Shem. The description of Shem, Genesis 10:21, we have not only his
name, Shem, which signifies a name; but two titles to distinguish him
by.
He was the father of all the children of Eber. Eber was his great
grandson, but why sh... [ Continue Reading ]