GENESIS

God's Warrior · Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 6:04 pm Post subject: GENESIS

GENESIS - Chapter 1
Martha

The account of creation is the logical starting point for Genesis, for it explains the beginning of the universe. These verses have received much attention in connection with science; this is to be expected. But the passage is a theological treatise as well, for it lays a foundation for the rest of the Pentateuch.

In writing this work for Israel, Moses wished to portray God as the Founder and Creator of all life. The account shows that the God who created Israel is the God who crated the world and all who are in it. Thus the theocracy is founded on the sovereign God of Creation. That nation, her Law, and her customs and beliefs all go back to who God is. Israel would here learn what kind of God was forming them into a nation.

The implications of this are great. First, it means that everything that exists much be under God’s control. The creation must be in subjection to the Creator. Forces of nature, enemies, creatures and objects hat became pagan deities – none of these would pose a threat to the servants of the living God.

Second, the account also reveals the basis of the Law. If indeed God was before all things and made all things, how foolish it would be to have any other gods before Him! There were none. If indeed God made man in His image to represent Him how foolish it would be to make an image of God.

Third, the account reveals that God is a redeeming God. It records how He brought the cosmos out of chaos, turned darkness into light, made divisions between them, transformed cursing into blessing and moved from what was evil and darkness to what was holy. This parallels the work of God in Exodus, which records His redeeming Israel by destroying the Egyptian forces of chaos. The prophets and the apostles saw here a paradigm of God’s redemptive activities. He who caused light to shine out of darkness made His light shine in the hearts of believers so that they become new creations.

The pattern for each of the days of Creation is established in 1:3-5. There is: (1) the creative word, (b) the report of its effect (c) God’s evaluation of it as “good” (d) at times the sovereign naming and (e) the numbering of each day.

I believe it was accomplished in 6 literal 24 hr. days.

God’s first creative word produced light – the elegance and majesty of His creative Word – the power of His word. It was this word that motivated Israel to trust and obey Him. The light was natural, physical light. Its creation was an immediate victory because it dispelled darkness. Light and darkness in the Bible are symbolic of good and evil.

Second Day – separated the atmospheric waters from the terrestrial waters by an arching expanse, the sky. The firmament is an expanse between the waters suspended by God in vapor form over the earth. Most likely, approximately half of the water upon the earth were supernaturally elevated above the atmosphere, perhaps in the form of an invisible canopy.

Third Day – Dry land with its vegetation – God made it and He controls the seas. So the third day was seas, land and vegetation.

Days 1-3 the developments of these days resulted in 3 major realms of existence being created (light, atmosphere, dry land). On days 4-6 God created the rulers of the realms of days 1-3.

Fourth Day – included the sun to rule the day and the moon and the stars to rule the night. These heavenly bodies were to serve as signs for seasons and days and years. The heavenly bodies were the holders.

Fifth Day – the great creatures of the sea and the air were created. Let the waters bring forth is better translated as “let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures” so as not to misleadingly suggest that the waters themselves produced marine life. God’s creations progressed thusly: plants have sense awareness, animals have sense awareness and self awareness, but His greatest creation Man has sense awareness, self awareness, and God awareness.

Sixth Day – was Creation’s climax for it included mankind. Though man was the last creature mention in the account, he did not evolve, he was created. Human life was created in the image of God. Image is used figuratively for God does not have a human form. Being in God’s image means that humans share though imperfectly and finitely, in God’s nature, that is, His communicable attributes (life, personality, truth, wisdom, love, holiness, justice) and so have the capacity for spiritual fellowship with Him. God’s purpose in crating human life in His image was functional: man is to rule or have dominion. God’s dominion was presented by a representative. Because of sin all things are not under man’s dominion. But Jesus Christ will establish dominion over all the earth at His second coming

God pronounced His blessing on the male and the female: they were to be fruitful and increase in number. God breathed life into Adam, earth man, and he became a living soul.

Seventh Day – God blessed the 7th day and made it holy6 because it commemorated the completion of His creative work. Here before the Fall God’s creative work is represented as the perfect Creation, sanctified and at rest. After the Fall this rest became a goal to be sought.

The account of Creation, as seen through the eyes of a new nation of Israel in Moses’ day, had great theological significance. Out of the chaos and darkness of the pagan world God brought His people, teaching them the truth, guaranteeing them victory over all powers in heaven and earth. Commissioning them to be His representatives and promising them theocratic rest. So too it would encourage believers of all ages.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:09 am Post subject:

GENESIS Chapter 2
Author - Martha Lee

In chapter 2 we have the creation of the man and the woman. This section also traces the account of what became of the heavens and the earth when they were created. What became of Creation is that sin entered and devastated it. In the creation of Adam the contrast is striking: against the background of a time where there was no life, no growth, no rain, no one to till the ground, God took great care in forming man. The sovereign creator of chapter 1 is also the covenant making Yahweh (LORD). Thus Israel would know that her LORD had created everything.

Adam was alone (no one of his kind) so God created woman as a helper suitable or corresponding to him. Helper is not a demeaning term, it is often used in Scripture to describe God Almighty (Ps.33:20;70:5;115:9). The description of her is as “corresponding to him”.

The first dispensation, innocence, was governed by the Edenic Covenant. Under the covenant Adam had 6 obligations: (1) to replenish the earth with children, (2) to use nature for his physical needs including food and shelter, (3) to have dominion over animal life, (4) to eat fruit and vegetables (5) to labor for his sustenance & (6) to obey God by abstaining from eating the forbidden fruit. Adam’s failure resulted in the expulsion from the garden and in the fall of the human race from the state of innocence into a condition characterized by sin.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

GENESIS - Chapter 3
Author - Martha Lee

The Temptation and the Fall

These verses provide both the record of the historical Fall of man and the temptation. This passage (1-7) is a perfect case study of temptation, for sin cannot be blamed on environment or heredity. In chapters 1 & 2 records what God said: now the serpent (the devil) speaks. The word of the Lord brought life and order, the word of the serpent brought chaos and death. Truth is older than falsehood; God’s word came before Satan’s lies.
Genesis 3:1 is connected with 2:25 by a Hebrew wordplay: Adam and Eve were “naked” and the serpent was more crafty (shrewd) than all. Their nakedness represented the fact that they were oblivious to evil, not knowing where the traps lay, whereas Satan did and would use his craftiness to take advantage of their integrity. That quality of shrewdness or subtleness is not evil in itself, but it was used here for an evil purpose.
The tempter was a serpent (devil in form of a snake) thus suggesting that temptation comes in disguise, quite unexpectedly, and that it often come from a subordinate. The serpent was worshiped by pagans and their symbol of life was in fact the cause of death. Divinity is not achieved as promised by Satan and pagans following Satan’s beliefs and symbols only bring death not life.
Eve either did not know God’s command very well or did not want to remember it. By contrast, Christ gained victory over Satan by His precise knowledge of God’s Word. Satan is a liar from the beginning and this is his lie: one can sin and get away with it. But death is the penalty for sin. Satan also cast doubt over God’s character, suggesting that God was jealous holding them back from their destiny. They would become like God when they ate – and God knew that, according to Satan. So Satan held out to them the promise of divinity – knowing good and evil. Satan’s promises never came true. Wisdom is never attained by disobeying God’s Word. Instead the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
The remained of the chapter falls into 3 sections: (2) the confrontation with the Lord in which the 2 sinners hearing Him, feared and his among the trees (b) the oracles of the Lord in which new measures were given to the serpent, the woman and the man, and the clothing of the Lord as a provision for the new order. The effects of sin are punishment and provision. Whereas the man and the woman had life, they now had death, whereas pleasure, now pain, whereas abundance now a meager subsistence by toil , whereas perfect fellowship, now alienation and conflict.
The motifs in chapter 3 – death, toil, sweat, thorns, the tree, the struggle, and the seed – all were later traced to Christ. He is the other Adam, who became the curse, who sweat great drops of blood in bitter agony, who wore a crown of thorns, who was hanged on a tree until He was dead, and who was placed in the dust of death.
God’s words to the serpent (14-19) included: (a) the announcement that the snake, crawling and eating dust, would be a perpetual reminded to mankind of temptation and the Fall, (b) an oracle about the power behind the snake. God said there would be a perpetual struggle between satanic forces and mankind d. It would be between Satan and the woman. The offspring of the woman Cain, then all humanity at large, and then Christ would deliver the fatal blow (He will crush your head).
Then God told the woman that she would have pain in bearing children and that she would be mastered by her husband.
God told Adam that he would experience great pain in scratching our a livelihood. Painful toil and death would be his end and he would return to the earth.
Their punishments represent retaliatory justice. Adam and Eve sinned by eating; they would suffer in order to eat. She manipulated her husband, she would be mastered by her husband, The serpent destroyed the human race, she will be destroyed.
God also made gracious provisions. Mankind will die and not live forever in this chaotic state, and children will be born so that the human race will endure and continue. Ultimate victory will come through Christ, the Seed of the woman “born of a woman”. God would save them and ensure that they would not live forever in this state. Adam’s faith is seen in his naming his wife, Eve (living). All God’s dealing with people as sinners can be traced back to the act of disobedience by Adam and Eve.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:11 am Post subject:

GENESIS - Chapter 4
Author – Martha Lee

The advance of sin in Cain’s murder of Abel
This chapter is a story of godless society. Here is man in rebellion against God – man who did not obey and who destroyed the godly and denied his responsibility and culpability for it.
In the story of Cain and Abel the seed of the woman met the seed of the serpent. Cain feel prey to Satan and eventually went out to form a godless society, rejecting God’s way. The “way of Cain” is a lack of faith who shows itself in envy of God’s dealings with the righteous, in murderous acts, in denial of responsibility and in refusal to accept God’s punishment.
This chapter draws a contrast between Cain and Abel. In Cain the nature of rebellion unfolds, who had a great start being the child of hope., but he is aligned with the curse he worked the soil. Abel seems to be lined up with man’s original purpose, to have dominion over life, he kept the flocks. These coincidental descriptions are enhanced with their actions in worship. Abel went out of his way to please God, whereas Cain was simply discharging a duty. Abel’s actions were righteous, whereas Cain’s were evil (I John 3:12). These 2 types of people are still present.
Cain’s lack of faith shows up in his response to God’s rejection of his offering of fruit. Rather than being concerned about remedying the situation and pleasing God, he was very angry. Cain was so angry he could not be talked out of his sin – even by God. God’s advice was that if Can would please God by doing what is right, all would be well. But if not sin would be crouching at the door, ready to overcome him. Sin desires to have Cain. Anyone filled with envy and strife is prey for the evil one.
After murdering his brother Cain repudiated responsibility for it and claimed God’s punishment was too severe. God graciously protected him by a mark or sign that would be a deterrent to an avenger, but God condemned him to a life of ceaseless wandering, which Cain defied that curse and stayed in a city in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Moses learned from this that: (1) sacrifices should be offered to God from a heart of faith, & should be the best of the livestock, the firstborn (2) Israelites had responsibilities to their brothers – they were each other’s keepers and must not kill one another (3) homicidal blood polluted the land, crying out for vengeance – spilled blood raised its voice of accusation (4) blood revenge was averted by God through protective care (5) punishment for guilt was the foundation of Israel’s theocracy (6) life without God is a dangerous life without protection (7) sometimes the elder was rejected in favor of the younger.
Ch 4:17-26 traces the spread of Godless civilization. They defy God – not wanderers but build a city and become prosperous. God allows them to prosper in their earthbound way. They produce music, weapons, agricultural devices, and cities with culture. It is their only recourse in a bitter cursed world.
Not so are the righteous. Some who traced their lineage to Seth began to make proclamation in the name of the Lord.
Cain’s family began in Nod. It was the land of fugitives from God.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:12 am Post subject:

GENESIS CHAPTER 5
Author - Martha Lee

This chapter is a succession from Adam, a new idea begins here, with the dual purpose of linking the history of the early people to the story of Noah and of showing, the result of sin. In fact it answers a problem raised in the preceding section. If in spite of sin there is progress, civilization, and prosperity, what about the curse? The answer is that despite people’s aspirations, they die.

The genealogy in this chapter shows the descendancy from Adam through Seth to Noah. The Cainites’ in chapter 4 had 7 generations; this genealogy has 10 (from Adam to Noah).There was a Lamech in the Cainite list and a different Lamech in the Sethite list. The Cainite Lamech was taunting the curse; the Sethite Lamech was moaning under the curse, looking for comfort from his son Noah.

Apparently the environment before the Flood enabled people to live longer. This could have been part of God’s plan to fill up the earth.

The chapter begins with a reiteration of the creation of man “in the likeness of God”. One cannot miss the emphasis on the blessing of the image (He blessed them) at Creation. But with that in mind the chapter then traces the result of sin, death.

God’s image in Adam was then reproduced in Seth. The capacities and qualities of a parent are passed on to his children by natural reproduction. This chapter not only connects the generations from Adam to Noah – but it very sad in that it ends with “and then he died” so many times you think you are at a continual funeral. If one were in doubt whether the wages of sin is death, he need only look at human history.
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Directly below is a reply to this post at our former site location. The post was made by a dear lady, jcf, who has since goine on to be with our Lord.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:14 am Post subject:

Genesis Chapter 6
Author - Martha Lee

This section of scripture has been the subject of endless debate. I don’t proclaim to have all the answers to this – maybe no one does, but we can look at some possibilities. Whatever you may believe these verses show how wicked the human race had become, and that death was its ongoing punishment.

Many have suggested that “the sons of God were the godly line of Seth and “the daughters of men” were the Canaanites, but this does not do justice to the terminology or the context. Others view the “sons of God” as angels who cohabited with women on earth. This, however, conflicts with Matthew 22:30.

The incident is one of arrogance, the proud overstepping of bounds. Here it applies to “the sons of God”, a lusty powerful lot striving for fame and fertility. They were probably powerful rulers who were controlled by fallen angels. It may be that fallen angels left their habitation and inhabited bodies of human despots and warriors, the mighty ones of the earth.

It is known from Ezekiel 18:11-19 and Daniel 10:13 that great kings of the earth have “princes” ruling behind them – their power is demonic. It is no surprise that in Ugaritic literature (as well as other nation’s writings) kings are described as diving, half-divine, or demigods. Pagans revered these great leaders. Many mythological traditions describe them as being the offspring of the gods.

Genesis 6:1-4 describes how corrupt the world got when the above mentioned violations were rampant. It is also a controversy against the pagan belief that giants and men of renown were of divine origin, and the immortality was achieved by immorality. The Canaanite cult included fertility rites involving sympathetic magic, based on the assumption that people are supernaturally affected through an object which represents them. Israel was warned to resist this because it was completely corrupt and erroneous.

The passage refutes pagan beliefs by declaring the truth. The “sons of God” were not divine; they were demon controlled. Their marrying as many women as they wished was to satisfy their baser instincts. They were just another low order of creatures, though powerful and demon-influenced. “Children” of these marriages, despite pagan ideas were not god-kings. Though “heroes” and “men of renown”, they were flesh; and they died, in due course, like all members of the human race. When God judges the world – as He was about to – no giant, no deity, no human has any power against Him. God simply allots one’s days and brings his end.

God’s words concerning the human race was filled with pathos. People’s wickedness was great, and every inclination of their hearts was only evil continually – “every indication of his heart is evil from childhood. Man was corrupt and full of violence.
God repented that He had made man because the sin of the race filled Him with pain. Even though swift judgment would fall because God’s Spirit would not always contend with mankind, the judgment would be delayed 120 years. During this time Noah was “a preacher of righteousness”. Noah was a recipient of God’s grace and therefore was spared from the judgment. In the time of Moses, Israel would know they were chosen of God and should walk in righteousness as Noah did. They as God’s people, would meet the Nephilim, the Anakites and the Rephaites when they entered the land. But Israel should not fear them as demigods. God would judge the corrupt world for its idolatry and fornication. And in the latter day the wicked will suddenly be swept away by judgment when God will establish His theocratic kingdom of blessing (Matt. 24:36-39).

FLOOD

God judged the wicked with a severe judgment in order to start life over again with a worshipful covenant. In the midst of the Flood, in which the sovereign Lord of Creation destroyed the world Noah, God’s servant and a recipient of grace, sailed through to the “new creation” and worshiped God.

Why would God bring a flood?: (1) God is sovereign over all creation and frequently uses nature to judge mankind (2) the Flood was the most effective way of purging the world. It would wash it clean so that not a trace of the wicked could be found. (3) the Flood was used by God to start a new creation. The first creation with Adam is paralleled by the second with Noah. Much as the dry land appeared from the receding waters, so here the waters abated until the ark came to rest on Ararat. When Noah was finished with the ark God commissioned him to be fruitful and multiply and to have dominion over the earth just as He had told Adam. Noah planted a garden, whereas God planted a garden for Adam and Eve. But sin had tarnished the race. Adam and Noah are contrasted: whereas Adam’s nakedness was a sign of righteousness, Noah’s was one of degradation and he ended up cursing his grandson Canaan.

The motifs in 6:9-8:22 are significant. First God is shown to be Judge of the whole earth In a word He made distinctions between the righteous and the unrighteous, the clean and the unclean. What was clean was for God. A second motif is that God made provision for the recipients of His grace. Thus the warning is that those who claim to be grace-receivers should walk with God in righteousness, being separate from sinners. A third motif had significance for Israel. As God judged the world in Noah’s day and brought Noah through the Flood, so He judged the wicked Egyptians and brought Israel through the waters of the Red Sea to worship and serve Him.

The Flood narrative points up God’s power and freedom over His creation. The Flood reveals God’s deadly anger over sin. The Flood shows that God’s gracious redemption is meaningful in light of judgment, and that His grace is not to be taken lightly. The cause of God’s judgment is stressed – the monstrous acts of sin performed in their habitual courses. In this the Genesis Flood is distinct from pagan account.
So basically, chapter 6-9 answers the question, “what is the end of man?”. Can he get away with pursuing life immorally and enjoying the pleasures of this work with reckless abandon? God’s judgment makes the answer clear. But eh expense seems so great. This judgment seems harsh. No word about the terror of the lost is mentioned, though Noah must have felt it. The Flood shows the extent to which God will go to help bring about holiness and rest on the earth. It is here that the Godly find encouragement – in God’s plan for good to triumph ultimately over evil. Only one other event shows that holiness among people is the object for which God will sacrifice everything else – the crucifixion of His Son.

The narrative divides into 3 sections: the commission to Noah to build the ark and preserve life, the destruction of all flesh outside the ark by water, and the sacrificial worship by Noah after the Flood.

The deliverance was to be by means of an ark, a flat-bottomed rectangular vessel 450’ long, 75’ wide, and 45’ high, with a displacement of 43,300 tons on three decks. The ark was to take all kinds of animals to preserve life, clean and unclean. Noah had to take two of every kind of animal, but for food and sacrificing he had to bring 7 pairs of each kind of clean animal. The distinction between clean and unclean became a major point in the Levitical order.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:16 am Post subject:

Genesis Chapter 7
Author - Martha Lee

After Noah had taken all kinds of animals into the ark, he then made all preparations, and then the Flood came. One the one hand there was a torrential rain for 40 days and nights. On the other hand there were corresponding gigantic upheavals and shiftings of the earth’s crust which caused the oceans’ floors to rise and break up their reservoirs of subterranean waters. As a result, the whole earth was flooded in the disaster. No doubt the surface of the earth, the manner of life, and the longevity of life were changed by this catastrophe.

Everything living on earth (outside the ark) was destroyed. Only marine life survived. Sin had infected every aspect of life, and nothing short of a new beginning would suffice. Thus it will also be at the end of this Age (Matt. 24:37-39).

A question by Brenda.....

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:17 am Post subject:

Genesis - Chapter 8
Author - Martha Lee

The heavy rains lasted 40 days, but the waters continued on for 110 days, “The waters flooded the earth for 150 days”. The 40 days were part of the 150 days, with apparently lighter rain falling (or subterranean water upheavals continuing for another 110 days. The ark rested in the mountains of Ararat 150 days after the rains began. Assyrian records may identify such a name in Armenia of eastern Turkey, but the precise location remains unknown. After it was clear that the earth was suitable for habitation, the 8 people and all the animals left the ark. This was 377 days after they had entered. The theme of “rest” seems to be quite strong throughout the story. The ark rested (v.4); at first the dove could find no place to set its feet (v.9), “could not find a resting place for its feet”. When the ark came to rest on Ararat, this was more than a physical landing on dry ground. It was a new beginning, the world was clean and at rest.

Leaving the ark, Noah made a sacrifice to God, which was a pleasing aroma to Him. The people of God are worshiping people, as Israel would learn, and that worship was to take the form of giving God some of the best of what was His. The redeemed of the Lord offer Him the praise of their lips, the best of their possessions, and the willingness and humility of their spirits. Noah received God’s grace, walked with God in obedience and righteousness, was preserved from judgment, entered a new age with people’s wickedness temporarily removed, and responded with worship and sacrifice.

After Noah made the sacrifice, God promised never to curse the ground this way again. The continuity of seasons is evidence of God’s forbearance.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:22 am Post subject:

GENESIS - CHAPTER 9
Author - Martha Lee

VS. 1-4: Is the covenant with Noah. God instructed Noah to be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth just as He had told Adam. And Noah like Adam, was to have dominion over animals. Also both were given food to eat with one prohibition.
VS. 5-7: With Noah’s new beginning came a covenant. It was necessary now to have a covenant with obligations for mankind and a promise from God. The covenant was:
1. Restates God’s authority over man and his duties as found in the Adamic Covenant and then adds further responsibilities. These new items include the following, (a) animosity between mankind and the animal kingdom (b) the allowance of animal flesh for food (c) the forbiddance of consumption of blood (e) capital punishment for murder (f) the command to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The Noahic covenant is made between God and man, and affects the entire animal kingdom. In this covenant, God promises never again to destroy the world through a flood. The sign that God will keep His promise is the rainbow set within a cloud. A rainbow is likely chosen because it is presented elsewhere as an item that surrounds the very throne of God (Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 4:3), representing His blessing.
2. Capital punishment is here established as part of human government. To not exact such punishment when murder occurs is a sin against God. Capital punishment continues until the second coming of Christ (Rom.13: 1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17). Since God’s standard of justice of substitution, the only thing valuable enough to pay for the life of a human being is the life of another. This principle forms the backbone of the gospel and the need for Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross.
3. Vs. 8-17 God prophesied that He would set a rainbow as a sign of His covenant. This prophecy is fulfilled every time a rainbow appears in the cloud. Through this covenant God promises to keep alive a seed that will eventually curse the seed of the serpent (Gen.3: 15). The rainbow is a reminder to mankind of Go9d’s promise.
4. Vs. 24-27 This passage includes another prophecy, this time concerning the destinies of the Noah’s 3 sons: She, Ham (through Canaan), and Japheth. This prophecy provides an outline of post-flood history. Ham dishonored his father by viewing his nakedness. Shem and Japheth respected their father and refused to look.
5. Vs. 26 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem. The messianic line that ran through Seth, Enoch and Noah before the Flood would now run through Shem, Eber and Abraham and eventually on to Jesus Christ. God’s chosen nation, Israel, would descent through Shem. Thus, through Shem God would meet the spiritual needs of mankind.
6. Vs.27 May God enlarge Japheth. The word “enlarge” is ordinarily coupled with “borders”, implying the multiplication of descendant.

God's Warrior · Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:24 am Post subject:

GENESIS CHAPTER 10
Author - Martha Lee

This chapter deals with the table of Nations, and gives a survey of the descendents of Noah’s 3 sons. God had told them to “fill the earth”, but later their descendants’ moving out and filling the earth was divine judgment on a rebellious people. This table appears to represent the known tribes of the earth. Seventy descendants of Noah’s sons are listed, including 14 from Japheth, 30 from Ham, and 26 from Shem.

The descendants of Japheth are given first: Gomer, representing the Cimmerians or Scythians; Magog was the land between Armenia and Cappadocia; Madai represented the Medes east of Assyria; Javan was the general word for the Hellenic race of western Asia Minor; Tiras may refer to a seafaring Pelasgians of the Aegean coasts. From these 7, 7 more were derived. Three northern tribes came from Gomer, Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmar (distant northern tribes). These northern tribes did not figure predominantly in Israel’s history, but occur frequently in prophetic writings. (Ezek. 17: 37-39).
Vs. 6-7 The descendants of Ham formed the eastern and southern peoples of Mesopotamia. The Cushites (desc. of Cush) settled in south Arabia, and is present-day southern Egypt, Sudan, and northern Ethiopia. They became mingled with Semitic tribes dwelling in the same region; hence there is repetition of some of the names in other lines. Sheba was in Upper Egypt. Havilah could refer to northern and eastern Arabia on the Persian Gulf. Raamah and Sabtecah were in southern Arabia.
Vs. 8-12 Inserted in this table of nations is the story of Nimrod. This is the first “begot” (was the father of) section and forms a major stylistic break from the tribal names preceding it. He was the founder of the earliest imperial world powers in Babylon and Assyria. His name means “mighty hunter, a trait found commonly in Assyrian kings. He was founder of several powerful cities. The center established became major enemies of Israel.
Vs. 13-14 Another son of Ham was Mizraim, or Egypt. Mizraim developed tribes that ranged from North Africa to Crete. The placing of the Philistines in this connection represents migration, not lineage. The Philistines migrated from their Aegean homelands into the Delta of Egypt and finally to Palestine.
Vs. 15-20 The final Hamite line that was significant for Israel was the Canaanite group. Sidon was the predominant Phoenician city. Hittites is problematic, but may refer to a pocket of Hittites from the early movement of tribes. The Jebusites dwelt in Jerusalem. Amorites was a general reference to western Semites, but here points to a smaller ethnic group in the mixed population of Canaan. The other 7 Canaanite tribes names are less problematic. They were tribes that settled in Lebanon. Their listing is significant after the passage pronouncing the curse on Canaan.

Vs. 21-31 The descendants from Shem are recorded last. Elamites, descendants of Shem’s first son Elam, dwelt in the highland east of Babylonia. Asshur was the name of the region and people of Assyria, where Nimrod, a Hamite, had founded several cities. Arphaxad resided northeast of Nineveh. Lud settled in what is now western Turkey. Aram was an ancestor of the Aramean tribes of Mespotamia. The line then traces Arphaxad to Eber and his sons to introduce this embellishment.
The note on Eber’s son Peleg – that in his time the earth was divided – seems to pinpoint the Babel experience. The verb palag is used in the Old Testament to described division into languages. So the Babel event occurred 5 generations after the Flood. The table then turns to trace the tribes from Peleg’s brother (Joktan) most of who lived in the Arabian Peninsula. Israel would find ancient blood ties with these 13 tribes of Joktanites in the desert.
Vs. 32 Here is an unusual ending, reminding the readers that all families came from Noah, but some were of special interest for the nation Israel.