Genesis 10:1-16

Ge 10:1

Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

Now that Noah and his family left the ark Ham, Shem, and Japheth now began to repopulate the world.  Chapter 10 gives the names of the sons of Noah’s sons and Noah’s grandsons.  Keep in mind that at this time the earth was still one mass of land as it had not yet been divided.  So when we say islands or countries, that would be looking forward to the time when God finally divides the earth and creates all the countries of the world that we have today.

Ge 10:2

The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

Gomer was the father of the ancient Cimmerians who settled on the north shore of the Baltic sea.  He is also linked to Gaul which is in France, the Celts in Ireland, and to Germany.  Magog was the father of the Scythians.  Madai was the father of those who lived in Media.  Javan may be the father of the Ionian Greeks.  Tubal was the father of the Tabili who fought the Assyrians in 1100 B.C., they are connected with the city of Tobolsk which is the capital Asiatic Russia.  Meshech was the father of the Mosochi who lived between the Black and Caspian seas and from them came the capital of Russia which was and is Moscow.  Tiras was the father of a tribal family in Thracia.

Ge 10:3

And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

Ashkenaz was the eldest son of Gomer and is considered present day Germany.  Riphath is linked with Paphlagonia in northern Turkey.  It is believed that the Armenians descended from Togarmah when he settled in Tegaramah in southwestern Armenia.

Ge 10:4

And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

Elishah settled in Cyprus.  Tarshish is associated with Sardinia Tartessus in southern Spain near Gibraltar.  The descendants of Kittim were in Cyprus and the nearby coasts and islands and are called Chittim.  Dodanim was probably the father of the Dardanians of Troy.

Ge 10:5

By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

The descendants of Japheth were branched out throughout the isles and later there would be a European dispersion.  Here we see an anticipation of Chapter 11 when each particular country is going to have their own language after God confuses the languages at Babel.

Ge 10:6

And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

Now we attend to the sons of Ham.  Egypt is known as the land of Ham.  Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. (Psalm 105:23)  Cush is the father of the Ethiopians.  Mizraim is also a father of the Egyptians.  And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abel-mizraim, which is beyond Jordan. (Genesis 50:11)  Phut became the father of the Libyans.  Canaan became the father of the Canaanites and dwelled where Israel and Jordan are located today.

Ge 10:7

And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

Seba was the father of the tribes which settled in Northwest Arabia.  Havilah was the father of those who settled in central or south Arabia.  Sabtah settled in south Arabia.  Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.  Sabtecha dwelt on the east side of the Persian gulf which would be modern day Iran.  Then we have the sons of Raamah.  Sheba dwelt in southwest Arabia which is modern day Yemen.  Dedan was in Arabia near Edom.

Ge 10:8

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

Cush begat Nimrod.  The name “Nimrod” means “rebellion or let us rebel.”  He became a mighty leader but was in rebellion against God.  It was Nimrod that had founded Babylon.  After his death he was deified and worshipped as Merodach or Marduk which became the chief deity of ancient Babylon. 

Ge 10:9

He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

Nimrod became a mighty hunter before the LORD but “before the LORD” did not mean he was a great hunter as a servant to the LORD but it meant that he was in opposition to the LORD.  He hunted some of the most fierce beasts and showed great physical valor in hunting and set the technique for others to hunt.  It has been said that he also hunted men, not for sport, but to cause them to be in opposition to the LORD.  He became a tyrannical ruler over men.

Ge 10:10

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Then Nimrod had started a kingdom over which he had ruled.  The main city was Babel which was the capital and referred to as Babylon.  Erech was about 100 miles (161 km) southeast of Babylon.  Accad was north of Babylon and Calneh was near Kish.  Shinar was the alluvial plain of Babylonia.  Alluvial means deposits made by running water, washed away from one place and deposited in another.

Ge 10:11

Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

Asshur was a son of Shem who had settled about 200 miles (322 km) north of Babylon.  Asshur built Nineveh which was later attacked by Nimrod and then annexed it onto his own kingdom.  Eventually this would become Assyria.  The city of Nineveh was named after Ninus who was the son of Nimrod.  Rehoboth was a suburb of Nineveh.  Calah was about 20 miles (32 km) south of Nineveh.

Ge 10:12

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

Resen was a suburb of Nineveh and was a complex of towns which became the great city of Nineveh.

Ge 10:13

And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

Ludim probably settled in Libya and their bowmen were hired by the armies of Egypt and Tyre.  Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield; and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow. (Jeremiah 46:9)  The Anamim, Lehabim, and Naphtuhim were tribes which bordered Egypt.

Ge 10:14

And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

Pathrusim settled in Pathros between Egypt and Cush (modern Sudan).  Casluhim became ancestors of the Philistines.  Caphtorim settled on Crete and the surrounding islands.  The Philistines eventually migrated to Philistia from Caphtor.  Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir? (Amos 9:7)   

Ge 10:15

And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

Sidon still exists today as it was the chief city of the Sidonians.  Heth was the ancestor of the Hittites which were thought to be a non-existent group for many years until an archaeologist unearthed evidence of their existence at the beginning of the twentieth Century.  The Hittite empire lasted about 500 years from 1700-1200 B.C. and they were also known as the “Hethites.”

Ge 10:16

And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,