Genesis — Chapter 10

THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE SONS OF NOE: SEM, CHAM AND JAPHET. — The \"Table of Nations\" — the genealogy and distribution of the 70 (LXX: 72) nations descended from the three sons of Noah. Purpose: (1) to show the origin and distribution of all nations; (2) to show that all mankind is one in Adam and Noe; (3) to provide the background for the election of Abraham and Israel out of all nations. The nations are arranged by son of Noe: Japhet's 14 nations (vv. 2-5), Cham's 30 nations (vv. 6-20), Sem's 26 nations (vv. 21-31).

THESE ARE THE SONS OF JAPHET. — Japhet's descendants are identified (Lapide with various authorities) with the peoples of Europe and western Asia: Gomer = Gauls/Germans/Cimmerians; Magog = Scythians; Madai = Medes; Javan = Greeks/Ionians; Thubal = Iberians/Tobolians; Mosoch = Cappadocians/Muscovites; Thiras = Thracians. Note: \"Aschenez\" (son of Gomer) = the Teutons/Germans, from whom the Flemish, Dutch, English derive (Lapide; cf. Josephus, Antiquities I, 6).

AND CHUS BEGOT NEMROD: HE BEGAN TO BE MIGHTY ON THE EARTH. — Nemrod the first tyrant: Hebrew \"gibbor\" = mighty man, hero. He \"began to be a mighty hunter before the Lord\" — i.e., not of animals but of men (Ambrose, Chrysostom, Rupert): Nemrod was the first who subjected other free men to his power by force, establishing tyranny. \"Before the Lord\" = in defiance of God and men (Targum, Jerome, Chrysostom). This is the beginning of political tyranny. Nemrod founded Babylon and was probably the builder of the Tower of Babel.

HE WAS A MIGHTY HUNTER BEFORE THE LORD. — This became a proverb (Vulgate: \"even as Nemrod the mighty hunter before the Lord\"): used of any notable tyrant or oppressor. Lapide: \"before the Lord\" may also be taken positively as \"in the sight of God = manifestly, publicly\" — but the pejorative sense is more probable given the context.

UNTO SEM ALSO, THE FATHER OF ALL THE CHILDREN OF HEBER, THE ELDER BROTHER OF JAPHET, CHILDREN WERE BORN. — Sem is called the \"father of all the sons of Heber\" = the ancestor of the Hebrew people. Heber is the ancestor from whom \"Hebrew\" is derived. Sem's genealogy leads to Abraham and the chosen people.