ปฐมกาล 10:26 วิจารณ์

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 Joktan begat Almodad,.... And twelve more mentioned later: the Arabic writers (o) say be had thirty one sons by one woman, but all, excepting two, left Arabia, and settled in India; the Targum of Jonathan adds,"who measured the earth with ropes,''as if he was the first inventor and practiser of geometry: from him are thought to spring the Allumaeotae, a people whom Ptolemy (p) places in Arabia Felix, called so by the Greeks, instead of Almodaei: Mr. Broughton (q) sets Eldimaei over against this man's name, as if they were a people that sprung from him; whereas this word is wrongly put in Ptolemy (r) for Elymaeans, as it is in the Greek text, a people joining to the Persians: and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah: to the first of these, Sheleph, the Targum of Jonathan adds,"who drew out the water of the rivers;''his people are supposed by Bochart (s), to be the Alapeni of Ptolemy (t), which should be read Salapeni, who were, he says, more remote from the rest, almost as far as the neck of Arabia, and not far from the spring of the river Betius. The next son, Hazarmaveth, or Hasermoth, as in the Vulgate Latin, is thought to give name to a people in Arabia, called by Pliny (u) Chatramotitae, and by Ptolemy Cathramonitae, whose country, Strabo says (w), produces myrrh; according to Ptolemy (x) they reached from the mountain Climax to the Sabaeans, among whom were a people, called, by Pliny (y), Atramitae, who inhabited a place of the same name, and which Theophrastus calls Adramyta, which comes nearer the name of this man, and signifies the court or country of death: and in those parts might be places so called, partly from the unwholesomeness of the air, being thick and foggy, and partly from the frankincense which grew there, which was fatal to those that gathered it, and therefore only the king's slaves, and such as were condemned to die, were employed in it, as Bochart (z) has observed from Arrianus; as also because of the multitude of serpents, with which those odoriferous countries abounded, as the same writer relates from Agatharcides and Pliny. The next son of Joktan is Jerah, which signifies the moon, as Hilal does in Arabic; and Alilat with the Arabians, according to Herodotus (a), is "Urania", or the moon; hence Bochart (b) thinks, that the Jeracheans, the posterity of Jerah, are the Alilaeans of Diodorus Siculus (c), and others, a people of the Arabs; and the Arabic geographer, as he observes, makes mention of a people near Mecca called Bene Hilal, or the children of Jerah; and he is of opinion that the island Hieracon, which the Greeks call the island of the Hawks placed by Ptolemy (d), in Arabia Felix, adjoining to the country which lies upon the Arabian Gulf, is no other than the island of the Jeracheans, the posterity of this man: the Arabs (e) speak of a son of Joktan or Cahtan, they call Jareb, who succeeded his father, which perhaps may be a corruption of Jerah; and another, called by them Jorham. (o) Apud Pocock. Specimen. Arab. Hist., p. 40. (p) Geograph. l. 6. c. 7. (q) See his Works, p. 3. 59. (r) Ut supra, (Geograph. l. 6.) c. 5. (s) Phaleg. l. 2. c. 16. col. 99. (t) Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 6. c. 5.) (u) Nat. Hist. l. 6. c. 28. (w) Geograph. l. 16. p. 528. (x) Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 6. c. 5.) (y) Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 14. (z) Phaleg. l. 2. c. 17. col. 102. (a) Thalia sive, l. 3. c. 8. (b) Ut supra, (Phaleg. l. 2.) c. 19. (c) Bibliothec. l. 3. p. 179. (d) Ut supra. (Geograph. l. 6. c. 5.) (e) Apud Pocock. Specimem. Arab. Hist. p. 40.

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 26.) Jectan begat Helmodad, and Saleph, and Asermoth, and Jare, and Aduram, and Uzal, and Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Seba, Ophir, Evila, and Jobab. I could not find the names of the twelve other nations; but up to the present time, because they are far from us, or because they are called by different names, or because they have been changed, they are unknown. However, they possessed the whole region of India, which is called Hieria, from the river Cophene.

Joktan begot Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these are the sons of Joktan. Jerome testifies that he could not find the later names of these nations. "But until the present," he says, "because they are far from us, either they are called the same as at first, or those that have been changed are unknown." We read above that Pishon, one of the four rivers of paradise, which our people call the Ganges, and it is not doubted to be in India, surrounds all the land of Havilah; this land seems to have taken its name from this Havilah. Josephus narrates that he, with his brothers, possessed the whole region of India called Hiera, but the Chronicles also tell that Solomon's servants went to Ophir by the Red Sea, and brought from there gold, and almug wood, and precious stones, which are believed to be from the region of India, and to have taken their name from Ophir, the son of Joktan.

All these are the sons of Joktan. And their dwelling was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. We previously said that Shem, the first-born of Noah, signifies those believing from the ancient people of God, Japheth signifies those believing from the gentiles; Ham, mocking the nakedness of his father and for this cursed, insinuates that part of the same people which, as remaining in the middle, neither firstly with their fellow tribesmen, nor afterwards wanted to be associated with the gentiles in faith. Therefore, the figures and places of habitation of these are most fittingly congruent; surely the sons of Eber, who is shown to be predominant among the descendants of Shem, are said to have extended their habitation from Mesha to the eastern mountain called Sephar. Now Mesha is a region of India which, when interpreted, is called Elevation, which signifies not a reprehensible pride, but rather that elevating of the mind to which the Apostle exhorts us saying: If you have risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God; set your mind on things that are above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1). But what is the eastern mountain, if not that of which Isaiah says: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob (Isaiah 2:3)? which is rightly called a mountain because it raises all those climbing up it from the desire for lowly things to the longing for heavenly things. It is rightly called the Eastern Mountain, because it reveals the rising of the true light to all those flocking to it. It is also rightly named Sephar, that is, Book. For it is the book of life, in which all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden, in which the names of all the elect are written. Therefore, the dwelling of the sons of Joktan, who is interpreted as Little One, was from Mesha, that is, Elevation, going towards the eastern mountain which is called Book, because all the saints following the humility of the earlier just ones, of whom it is said: The Lord preserves the simple (Psalm 114:6), at the beginning of a religious conversation uplift their minds from earthly contagions, so that they may be deemed worthy to ascend to see the brightness of the eternal Sun, and to be instructed from the very book of life, which is the Lord Christ, with the pages of eternal wisdom revealed. Similarly, concerning the sons of Japheth, when it is said, from these the coastlands of the nations were divided in their lands, does it not most manifestly indicate by this very name the churches of the gentiles throughout the world, which, like islands, are continually beaten by the waves of the sea, that is, the swollen and bitter storms of the world, yet are not overcome; and now indeed, with the world flattering, they glide as if on gentle waves, now with it raging, they are struck by the upraised waves of adversities; but in the state of their faith, they nonetheless endure invincible? But on the other hand, the sons of Ham have the beginning of their kingdom in Babylon, that is, Confusion, which is in the land of Shinar, that is, their stench; and this on a plain, because neither do the reprobrates ascend the mountain of contemplation to seek the higher things, nor do they reach the tranquility of the intellectual islands, by which they might transcend with higher freedom of spirit the cares of the passing world; but they rather delight in being carried around in unrestrained wantonness in earthly desires alone; where indeed a fitting end follows this beginning, when it is said that the borders of Canaan were from Sidon as you go towards Gerar as far as Gaza until you enter Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim as far as Lasha. For Sidon is called the Hunting of Sorrow, because nothing else ought to be understood here than that by which the ancient enemy hunts souls to destruction; hence it is rightly called the Hunting of Sorrow, because all those whom he captures, he subjects to eternal pains: such a one indeed is Nimrod the giant, who is called a mighty hunter against the Lord. Concerning Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring cities, there is no doubt that they portend the eternal torments of the impious.

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.

Joktan - He had thirteen sons who had their dwelling from Mesha unto Sephar, a mount of the east, which places Calmet supposes to be mount Masius, on the west in Mesopotamia, and the mountains of the Saphirs on the east in Armenia, or of the Tapyrs farther on in Media. In confirmation that all men have been derived from one family, let it be observed that there are many customs and usages, both sacred and civil, which have prevailed in all parts of the world; and that these could owe their origin to nothing but a general institution, which could never have existed, had not mankind been originally of the same blood, and instructed in the same common notions before they were dispersed. Among these usages may be reckoned, 1. The numbering by tens. 2. Their computing time by a cycle of seven days. 3. Their setting apart the seventh day for religious purposes. 4. Their use of sacrifices, propitiatory and eucharistical. 5. The consecration of temples and altars. 6. The institution of sanctuaries or places of refuge, and their privileges. 7. Their giving a tenth part of the produce of their fields, etc., for the use of the altar. 8. The custom of worshipping the Deity bare-footed. 9. Abstinence of the men from all sensual gratifications previously to their offering sacrifice. 10. The order of priesthood and its support. 11. The notion of legal pollutions, defilements, etc. 12. The universal tradition of a general deluge. 13. The universal opinion that the rainbow was a Divine sign, or portent, etc., etc. See Dodd. The wisdom and goodness of God are particularly manifested in repeopling the earth by means of three persons, all of the same family, and who had witnessed that awful display of Divine justice in the destruction of the world by the flood, while themselves were preserved in the ark. By this very means the true religion was propagated over the earth; for the sons of Noah would certainly teach their children, not only the precepts delivered to their father by God himself, but also how in his justice he had brought the flood on the world of the ungodly, and by his merciful providence preserved them from the general ruin. It is on this ground alone that we can account for the uniformity and universality of the above traditions, and for the grand outlines of religious truth which are found in every quarter of the world. God has so done his marvellous works that they may be had in everlasting remembrance.

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."