19/04/19 Genesis 10:6-20 “The rebellious nations of Ham”
Genesis
10:6 – And the sons of
Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
Ham – “hot”
Cush – “black” –
Ethiopia. Translated Ethiopia in Genesis 2:13. Could represent much of the African
nations. The meaning “black” could refer to the colour of the soil, according
to some, although many believe that Ham may have been dark-skinned and belonged
to warm to hot climate areas.
Mizraim – “land of the
Copts” – Egypt. Mostly translated “Egypt” throughout the Old Testament.
Phut – “a bow” – a
nation and people of northern Africa; probably Libyans. Northern Africa and
probably into Sinai area. Translated “Phut” in Ezekiel 27:10, yet translated
“Libya” in Ezekiel 30:5; 38:5. Translated “Put” in Nahum 3:9.
Canaan – Kᵉna‘an “lowland” – Canaan, the land west of Jordan.
Known as traders, and translated “merchant” in Hosea 12:7. Used for both
“Canaan” and “traffick” in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 16:29a – Thou hast moreover multiplied thy
fornication in the land of Canaan (Kᵉna‘an) unto Chaldea;
Ezekiel 17:4 – He cropped off the top of his young
twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick (Kᵉna‘an); he
set it in a city of merchants (rakal – trafficker; trader).
rᵉkullah
of Ezekiel 28:16 (merchandise; traffick; trade) is the
passive participle form of rakal.
Kᵉna‘an is translated
“traffickers” in Isaiah 23:8
Satan was also a merchant, a trafficker, a
merchandiser, although a different word (rakal) is used here for traffick.
Ezekiel 28:16 – By the multitude of thy merchandise (rᵉkullah –
merchandise; traffic; trade) they have filled the midst of thee
with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out
of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the
midst of the stones of fire.
Yet rᵉkullah is translated “traffick”
in Ezekiel 28:5. rᵉkullah
(merchandise; traffick) is used for “merchant” in
Ezekiel 17:4 above in relation to Canaan being translated as “traffick”.
So what does all this mean? It is clear that
Canaan was a trading nation. It included Sidon (son of Canaan Genesis 10:15)
and Tyre, both major trading cities, and most likely also included Phoenicia which
used Sidon, Tyre and Carthage as major trading cities. Phoenicia generally
inhabited the coastal areas of northern Israel and into Lebanon, also generally
accepted as Canaanite land. (Some believe that the Phoenicians actually came
from Bahrain but there is little evidence to support this.) The Phoenicians
were a major trading conglomerate, at one stage even challenging Rome (Hannibal
and the Carthaginians). It is quite possible that the Phoenicians ultimately
became the founders of that great trading city Venice (cf
Venetians), although many maintain that it was founded by local Romans seeking
refuge from Germanic and Hun invasions.
Satan was also a trader, it being his
trading that got him into trouble in the first place (Ezekiel 28:16). The
similarities between Canaan and satan should be noted; a logical connection may
be assumed between them. Also note that most of the serious opposers of God’s
people in the Old Testament were descended from Ham and particularly Canaan.
Genesis
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 – Some say that
this is the Sheba of the Arabian Peninsula, but that must belong to a son of Joktan. The 13 sons of Joktan
appear to have settled the Arabian Peninsula and so it is unlikely that any of
Ham’s descendants also settled there in their own right. Therefore I make the
assumption (along with a number of commentaries) that while some names are
similar or the same in both Shem and Ham genealogies, each must be different.
The exception does appear to be Asshur who does
appear to be of Shem’s line (more on this in Vs 11 below).
Havilah – Not likely to
be the same as Havilah in Genesis 10:29 although some say it is a part of that
area. However, one source says they are of the African tribe Avalitae just south of the Babelmandeb
Strait between Yemen and Djibouti.
Sabtah – Appear to be
associated with Ethiopia or Ethiopian people.
Raamah – Some say that
it is on the SE corner of Arabia, but uncertain. Ezekiel 27:22 says that Sheba
and Raamah are traders with Tyre. This could imply
that Sheba and Raamah are near each other, but would
also mean that either 2 Sheba nations existed in Arabia (possible) but it is
also possible that Raamah was elsewhere, such as
Ramah in Israel (of Benjamin). Or Raamah is around
northern Ethiopia near the African Sheba just north of Ethiopia (see below).
Sabtecha – Said to be Nigritia (Negroland) Sth of the Sahara.
Sheba – Probably Meroe,
just Nth of Ethiopia. It is on the edge of Butana, a
region in the Sudan. The city of Moroe was originally
named Saba or Seba after Sheba the son of Cush
(Wikipedia). It was almost surrounded by various branches of the Nile. The
people of Sheba may have come from around Ethiopia (cf
the queen of Sheba?).
Dedan – Could be in
Arabia near Edom, but otherwise uncertain.
To add to the confusion, there was also a
Sheba and a Dedan born to Jokshan,
son of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:1-3). And some of the pre-flood names
were doubled up as well, plus in other areas. So it is quite likely that some
names were doubled up here, especially noting that at this time they probably
still all spoke the same language. It is also to be expected that the
descendants of Cush would settle near Ethiopia, Cush being an old name for
Ethiopia.
Genesis
10:8 – And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Of course, this may well have been before
the tower of Babel and therefore these nations could have come into being after
they split up due to the confusion of languages. Nimrod
is not mentioned in Vs 7 above, so it is likely that he is singled out as
greater than the others. It is possible that Nimrod
was not an actual son of Cush, but a male descendant from the line of Cush;
thus he could have been a grandson or maybe even a great-grandson.
Nimrod – “rebellion” or
“valiant” – thus Nimrod was a rebel. He was a mighty
one; that is, he was one who prevailed, a fighter who defeated others. He
appears to have been somewhat like Lamech of Genesis 4:19-24, a strong and
mighty man who used his strength to take control of those around him, a bully!
He began to be a mighty one – see Genesis 10:10a – And
the beginning of his kingdom was Babel. It is
likely to mean that Nimrod was the start of a mighty kingdom
which commenced with Babel (where the tower would be built later on) and, we
may assume, would continue along the lines of family descent. Nimrod, who was born of the family of Cush, probably
started the first empire the world would ever know.
Genesis
10:9 – He was a mighty
hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod
the mighty hunter before the Lord.
Nimrod was a mighty
hunter – Benson says: In the Septuagint it is, He was a giant hunter: — the
Arabic has it, He was a terrible giant before the Lord: and the Syriac, He was
a great warrior. …. Thus he became a mighty hunter, a violent invader of his neighbours’ rights
and properties.
It is probable that Nimrod
not only used his hunting skills on animals over which mankind was to have
dominion, but also used his power and strength to control (by violence if
necessary) others of mankind. That is, he could probably be defined as a
dictator.
He became a mighty hunter before the Lord –
His hunting prowess and skill became the standard by which other hunters would
be measured. This is like a proverb that sets the standard that must be aspired
to by some.
Genesis
10:10 – And the
beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and
Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Babel – built on both
sides of the Euphrates River. Some say that it was originally named Babilu which could have been Assyrian for Gate of God, or
Gateway to God. This of course could easily refer to the tower of Babel which
was to be built on a plain in the land of Shinar (Genesis 11:1-9). Babel in
Hebrew means “confusion” which is what God did with their languages at Babel
(Genesis 11:9 – balal means confuse or
confound). It is possible that the name “Babel” came to mean “confusion” to the
Hebrews because of this.
Erech – Said to
be about 125km south of Babylon. Ellicott says: “At the time of the opening of
the Izdubar legends, the great city of the south of
Babylonia was Urak, called in Genesis Erech” (Chald. Gen., p. 192). It
was ravaged by Kudur-nankhunte, king of Elam, in the
year B.C. 2280, according to an inscription of Assurbanipal (B.C. 670). It lies
about thirty leagues to the south-east of Babylon, and is now called Warka. From the numerous mounds and remains of coffins
discovered there, it is supposed to have been the early burial-place of the
Assyrian kings.
Warka was said to be
the chief place of worship for Anu and Istar (Babylonian
gods) and the scene of the exploits of Gilgamesh (a mythical character much
like Ulysses, who was known as Odysseus).
Accad – a city of
northern Babylonia, the throne of Sargon I around 2000 BC (give or take a
hundred years or two). He was the ruler of the Accadian
dynasty until the Sumerians took over. The Accadians
were allegedly a black-skinned race who would have been unknown if it hadn’t
been for one fact: they were the inventors of the cuneiform system of writing
which was to become the standard form of written word for that part of the
world.
Calneh – A place
said to be near Babylon but uncertain.
Not likely
to be the Calneh of Amos 6:2a – Pass
ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines:
the land of Shinar – may be
identified with the land that contains the 4 cities named in this verse:
Babylonia.
Thus Nimrod commenced building his empire with the land of
Shinar which would then lead to the building of the tower at Babel which then
would lead to the various nations scattering out from this apparently central
location.
Genesis
10:11 – Out of that land
went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city
Rehoboth, and Calah,
Or rather, Nimrod
who began his kingdom with the cities of Babylonia (in the land of Shinar) then
went forth out of that land of Shinar into Asshur (or
Assyria) and took it by force (Nimrod’s classic bully
approach) from those who had already established it (Asshur
of the family of Shem). Thus Assyria, while named after Asshur
of Shem, was to become a nation belonging to Ham’s descendants.
Assyria is known as the land of Nimrod. Micah 5:6 – And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword,
and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus
shall he deliver [us] from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land,
and when he treadeth within our borders.
If Assyria existed before Nimrod’s arrival, it clearly didn’t have Nineveh nor any of
the other cities named here.
Nineveh – Situated on the
eastern bank of the Tigris River.
Rehoboth – Probably on the
opposite (western) bank of the Tigris River. Probably where Mosul is today.
Calah – on the Tigris
River about 30km south of Nineveh. It is probably associated with an
archaeological site later named as Nimrud (after Nimrod
in Genesis 10).
Genesis
10:12 – And Resen
between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great city.
Resen – “springhead” –
Nothing much is known about it except that it was between Nineveh and Calah.
One source says it is Selamiyah supposedly
halfway between Nineveh and Calah.
Genesis
10:13 – And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
Mizraim is known as Egypt
today.
Ludim – possibly
inhabited the Nile valley.
Anamim – uncertain but
probably inhabited Egypt, perhaps the Nile Delta? Or further south?
Lehabim – could be the Lubim (Eg 2 Chronicles 12:3)
Could have lived west of the Nile Delta?
Naphtuhim – Uncertain but
also could have lived near the Nile Delta (in the north).
Genesis
10:14 – And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of
whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.
Pathrusim – Probably the
people of Pathros, along the Nile of upper Egypt,
between Cairo and Aswan. The southern people.
Casluhim – Probably on the
eastern edge of the Nile Delta. Or perhaps next to the Red Sea?
Philistim – “immigrants”,
“aliens”, “foreigners” The Philistines of the Old Testament most likely came
from Mizraim, but whether it was Casluhim
or Caphtorim is disputed. Eg
Amos 9:7 says that the Philistines were from Caphtor.
Other sources have the Philistines from Cyprus (which was originally known as “Kition”, or kittim).The Kittim (or “Chittim” link then
suggests a descendant of Japheth! – Genesis 10:4).
Caphtorim – Usually
associated with Crete.
All these places are around the area of Mizraim – Egypt.
Genesis
10:15 – And Canaan begat
Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
The descendants of Cush settled around
middle Africa and possibly the south of Arabia, and the descendants of Mizraim around Egypt and northern Africa and possibly into
the Mediterranean (Crete). Phut and his descendants appear to have stayed
around Libya (as no more mention is made of his genealogy). But it’s Canaan
that is the most interesting in this line-up from Ham. Canaan settled in the
area we would generally call Israel and Philistia, away from the other sons of
Ham who were generally settled in northern to middle Africa. The people of
Canaan appear to have spoken Syriac, a semitic
language along with Aramaic and Arabian. Note the following where both Syriac
and Hebrew words are used for the same thing.
Genesis 31:47 – And Laban called it Jegar–sahadutha: but Jacob called
it Galeed.
Jegar–sahadutha – witness heap (Syriac)
Galeed – witness heap
(Hebrew)
All of Canaan’s descendants may be found in
Canaan, the land given to the Hebrews after they left Egypt.
Sidon – this was on the
coast about 50km north of Tyre. Both places were visited by Jesus. Matthew 15:21 – Then
Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. Both places were fishing and trading cities.
Heth – the Hittites. They occupied northern Lebanon, Syria and much of Turkey. Carchemish on the Euphrates was their capital for a while.
2 Chronicles 35:20 – After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by
Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.
Genesis 15:20 says that the land of the
Hittites was part of the land that God had promised Abraham to give to Israel,
along with the nations listed in the next few verses. They are all Canaanites,
yet in many lists the Canaanites are a separate nation from the others.
Genesis
10:16 – And the
Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
Jebusite – Probably the
original nation in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:6), later to become part of Benjamin’s
territory. Also note Genesis 14:18 – And
Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the
priest of the most high God.
Promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:21.
Amorite – a strong nation
like the Hittites. They are recorded as having 5 kings (Joshua 10:5) where a
king was probably the ruler of a city. Promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:21.
Girgasite – a nation of
Canaan but geographical position uncertain. (Land) promised to Abraham in
Genesis 15:21 (spelled Girgashites).
Genesis
10:17 – And the Hivite,
and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
Hivite – dwelt at
Shechem (Manasseh in northern Israel) according to Genesis 33:18-34:2. Other
references suggest northern Israel. Joshua 9:7 suggests they lived further
south, that is, to the west of Gibeon!
Arkite – said to be a
Phoenician tribe in the south of Lebanon.
Sinite – said to have
lived near the Arkites.
Genesis
10:18 – And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and
the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the
Canaanites spread abroad.
Arvadite – said to be on
an island (Arvad) off the coast about 160km north of
Sidon. Known as Arwad on the isle of Ruad today.
Zemarite – probably a
coastal nation near Arvad in what would later be
known as Phoenicia.
Hamathite – the town of
Hama in Syria today.
Other nations are listed as Canaanites but
not here. Abraham was promised the following list of Canaanite nations:
Genesis 15:19-21 – 19The Kenites,
and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
As far as I know, other lists also vary.
Genesis
10:19 – 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.
Sidon – northern coast
of Israel.
Gerar – in the south
(Negev) of Israel between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.
Gaza – on the coast west of Gerar, a city of the Philistines.
Sodom – said to be near
(east of?) the Dead Sea somewhere.
Gomorrah – said to be near
(east of?) the Dead Sea somewhere.
Admah – supposed to be
south of the Dead Sea. Associated with the other cities east and south of the
Dead Sea.
Zeboim – said to be
south of Admah and a long way south of the Dead Sea.
The cities east and south of the Dead Sea
(Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim)
were clearly in an alliance with each other.
Genesis 14:1-3 – 1And
it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of
Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer
king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 2[That these] made war with Bera
king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the
king of Bela, which is Zoar. 3All these were joined together
in the vale of Siddim,
which is the salt sea.
Lasha – some say Lasha was with the Dead Sea alliance of kings, and probably
was actually Zoar, but others say, more logically,
that it is Laish, a city that Dan conquered in the
far north of Israel (Judges 18). This would make the land of the Canaanites
roughly the same shape as the land shared out to the tribes of Israel, but far
short of the total area originally promised by God to Abraham.
This outline only goes as far north as
Sidon, while many Canaanites (Eg Hittites) lived
further north. However, the nations further north may
have been more nomadic than the ones further south.
This is not the border of the future Israel
as promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:18 where those borders were from the River
Nile to the Euphrates River, a far wider area than Canaan inhabited.
Genesis
10:20 – These [are] the
sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, [and]
in their nations.
These are the cities and nations of Ham, son
of Noah. Note that most of the opposition to God’s people in the Old Testament
came from the nations of Ham, places like Egypt (Mizraim),
Canaan, Babylon, Nineveh, Syria, Assyria, and the Philistines. It is really no
co-incidence that so many would want to destroy the genealogical line from
which would come Christ who would defeat satan. After all, destroy the ancestor
and the descendant cannot exist! Just note the number of occasions in the Bible
where other nations tried to either totally control or even destroy God’s
people.
And Noah said, “Cursed be Canaan!” (Genesis
9:25) but notice that in Genesis 9 Canaan is used in place of Ham. Ham must
still be involved, or otherwise Ham is totally left out of the cursing/blessing
of Noah, and this couldn’t be so. We can therefore assume that Noah may have
meant, “Cursed be Ham, especially those born of Canaan!”
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