Genesis 10:1-32
Q.1. Who were the sons of Noah? What is significant about Japheth’s descendants? – (Gen.10:1-5 c.f. 9:18-19)
The sons of Noah were Shem, Ham, and Japheth – These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated (Gen.9:19). Though Shem was the firstborn, Moses recorded the genealogies in reverse. He catalogued the sons (and nations) produced – after the flood (Gen.10:1). Some of the nations who originated with Japheth would oppose God. They were spoken of by the prophets of the Bible – especially Gomer, Magog, Rosh, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, Put, Lud, and Tarshish. Isaiah, Ezekiel, and the apostle John would bring prophecies that speak of the final destruction of these nations (Ezk.38:1-6 c.f. Rev.20:7-9). However, they also highlighted that many from these nations would respond to the light of the Gospel and see the glory of God before God’s final judgment (Is.66:18-24). Many of the nations mentioned are somewhat obscure. However, there is a strong case for suggesting that Tarshish described the far-off nations of Africa, India, South-East Asia, and the Americas, with whom Israel traded from the time of King Solomon. These were accessed from the Mediterranean Sea, and the Gulf of Aqaba (1 Kgs.9:26-28; 10:11-12, 22; 2 Chr.20:36-37; Ezk.27:12, 25; Jon.1:3; 4:2) – From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations (Gen.10:5). Japheth produced some of the sea-faring nations.
Q.2. What do we learn about the descendants of Ham? How would they relate to the descendants of his brothers? – (Gen.10:6-20 c.f. 9:22-27)
Ham had dishonoured his father. This earned his descendants a curse from Noah, especially on Canaan (Gen.9:22-27). His descendants settled in Canaan – 15 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth 16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. 19 The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha (Gen.10:15-19). Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God, because of their extreme wickedness and homosexual practices (Gen.13:10-13; 18:20-21; 19:4-5, 23-25). The land of Canaan and all its tribal territories were given to Israel through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen.13:14-17; 15:16-21). There would be constant strife between Israel and the survivors of Canaan. Ham’s grandson, Nimrod – became a mighty one on the earth (10:8). He rose to prominence on earth and was “a mighty hunter before the Lord”. Did God extend His grace to Nimrod? Whatever may be the case, he was the founder of Babel (Babylon) which everywhere in Scripture speaks of as opposition to God (Rev.16:19; 17:5; 18:9-10). He also founded the city of Nineveh, whose people repented because of the preaching of Jonah (Jon.3:5-9). Though the Hamites would often be reduced to slavery, the Lord still appealed to their hearts.
Q.3. What makes the family line of Shem, the firstborn, stand out from his brothers? What significant event was catalogued in Peleg’s name? – (Gen.10:21-32 c.f. 11:10-26; Lk.3:34-36)
The descendants of Shem’s brothers were enterprising. Japheth’s descendants were sailors and merchants. Ham’s descendants were city builders. Nothing much was recorded about Shem’s descendants here. However, more will be reported in the next chapter, where we read about Abram and his family (Gen.11:26-31). This will set apart the Semites (descendants of Shem or his son Eber, the forerunner of the Hebrews) from all others, and magnify the importance of faith in God. As the firstborn, Shem’s family line was traced in the genealogy of Jesus (Lk.3:34-36). Peleg means ‘division’. His name was documented in the division of the nations – Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan (Gen.10:25). This division took place at Babel, when God sent a confusion of tongues, to stop man’s attempt to rebuild the city systems that God had been forced to destroy by the Flood in Noah’s days. He had commanded Adam to spread out and fill the earth and tend to it, so the Lord spread mankind according to their languages, when they didn’t obey His command – 31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. 32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood (Gen.10:31-32 c.f. Gen.1:28). It is interesting that angels were always understood by the people they spoke to, regardless of their tongue or language group.