Genesi 10:24 Commento

This chapter shows more particularly what was said in general (Gen 9:19), concerning the three sons of Noah, that "of them was the whole earth overspread;" and the fruit of that blessing (Gen 9:1, Gen 9:7), "replenish the earth." Is is the only certain account extant of the origin of nations; and yet perhaps there is no nation but that of the Jews that can be confident from which of these seventy fountains (for so many there are here) it derives its streams. Through the want of early records, the mixtures of people, the revolutions of nations, and distance of time, the knowledge of the lineal descent of the present inhabitants of the earth is lost; nor were any genealogies preserved but those of the Jews, for the sake of the Messiah, only in this chapter we have a brief account, I. Of the posterity of Japheth (Gen 10:2-5). II. The posterity of Ham (Gen 10:6-20), and in this particular notice is taken of Nimrod (Gen 10:8-10). III. The posterity of Shem (Gen 10:21, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 10 This chapter gives an account of the posterity of the three sons of Noah, by whom the world was peopled after the flood, Gen 10:1 of the posterity of Japheth, Gen 10:2 of the posterity of Ham, Gen 10:6 and of the posterity of Shem, Gen 10:21.

And Arphaxad begat Salah,.... Or Shelach which signifies "a sending forth"; that is, of waters: it is part of the name of Methuselah, given him by his father, as prophetic of the flood, see Gen 5:21 and Arphaxad, who was born two years after the flood, gives this name to his first born, as commemorative of it: according to some, from him are the Susians (g); and in Susiana is found a city called Sele, by Ptolemy (h); but this seems not to be a sufficient proof: and Salah begat Eber; from whom, Josephus (i) says, the Jews were called Hebrews from the beginning; and which, perhaps, is as good a derivation of their name as can be given, and seems to be confirmed by Num 24:24 though some derive it from Abraham's passing over the rivers in his way from Chaldea into Syria; but be it so, why might not this name be given to Eber, as prophetic of that passage, or of the passage of his posterity over the Euphrates into Canaan, as well as Eber gave to his son Peleg his name, as a prediction of the division of the earth in his time? the Septuagint version of this text inserts a Cainan between Arphaxad and Salah, but is not to be found in any Hebrew copy, nor in the Samaritan, Syriac, and Arabic versions, nor in Josephus, see Luk 3:36. (g) Vid. Bochart. Phaleg. l. 2. c. 13. col. 92. (h) Geograph. l. 6. c. 3. (i) Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 4.)

Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean. For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. (18) Heber begat Joetan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad, Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it. And this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem.

(Verse 24.) Arphaxad begot Shelah, and Shelah begot Eber. From Eber were born two sons: one was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother's name was Joktan. Eber, from whom the Hebrews are descended, gave his son Peleg the name which means 'division', because in his days the languages were divided in Babylon.

Eber, from whom the Hebrews descended, because of a prophecy gave his son the name Peleg, which means “division,” on account of the fact that in his days the languages were divided up in Babylon.

But indeed Arphaxad begat Salah, from whom Heber was born. From this Heber both Abraham and the people born from him, as we have mentioned before, are surnamed Hebrew.

The generations of the sons of Noah, Gen 10:1. Japheth and his descendants, Gen 10:2-4. The isles of the Gentiles, or Europe, peopled by the Japhethites, Gen 10:5. Ham and his posterity, Gen 10:6-20. Nimrod, one of his descendants, a mighty hunter, Gen 10:8, Gen 10:9, founds the first kingdom, Gen 10:10. Nineveh and other cities founded, Gen 10:11, Gen 10:12. The Canaanites in their nine grand branches or families, Gen 10:15-18. Their territories, Gen 10:19. Shem and his posterity, Gen 10:21-31. The earth divided in the days of Peleg, Gen 10:25. The territories of the Shemites, Gen 10:30. The whole earth peopled by the descendants of Noah's three sons, Gen 10:32.

Salah - The founder of the people of Susiana. Eber - See Gen 10:21. The Septuagint add Cainan here, with one hundred and thirty to the chronology.

GENEALOGIES. (Gen. 10:1-32) sons of Noah--The historian has not arranged this catalogue according to seniority of birth; for the account begins with the descendants of Japheth, and the line of Ham is given before that of Shem though he is expressly said to be the youngest or younger son of Noah; and Shem was the elder brother of Japheth (Gen 10:21), the true rendering of that passage. generations, &c.--the narrative of the settlement of nations existing in the time of Moses, perhaps only the principal ones; for though the list comprises the sons of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, all their descendants are not enumerated. Those descendants, with one or two exceptions, are described by names indicative of tribes and nations and ending in the Hebrew im, or the English "-ite."

Arphaxad--The settlement of his posterity was in the extensive valley of Shinar, on the Tigris, towards the southern extremity of Mesopotamia, including the country of Eden and the region on the east side of the river.