The Book of Genesis: Perspectives Chapters 10:1-11:9 “Table of Nations/Tower of Babel”

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Genesis WeekDateTopic 109 Dec 09Introduction and the Creation: 1:1-2:25 (Ben) 216 Dec 09The Fall: 3:1-5: Dec 09Elder Selection Discussion (Herb) 430 Dec 09The Flood: 6:1-9: Jan 10Table of Nations/Tower of Babel: 10:1-11:9 613 Jan 10Life of Abraham – Part 1: 11:10-16: Jan 10Life of Abraham – Part 2: 17:1-25: Jan 10Life of Isaac: 25:19-26: Feb 10Life of Jacob: 27:1-36: Feb 10Life of Esau: 36:1-43:34 (Ben) 1117 Feb 10Life of Joseph – Corruption: 37:1-38: Feb 10Life of Joseph – Exaltation: 39:1-41: Mar 10Life of Joseph – Salvation: 42:1-50:25

Today’s Objectives Provide and overview of last week’s lesson Learn about the account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth after the flood Learn about sons of Noah who play key roles in the Bible prior to Abraham Learn about the nations who trace their heritage back to the three sons of Noah Learn about the Tower of Babel

Last week Provided and overview of previous week’s lesson (Gen 3-5) Learned about the wickedness of the Earth during the time of Noah Learned what God decides to do in order to rid the Earth of this evil Saw how and why Noah and his family survives the calamity Learned about events that occurred after the flood and the death of Noah

Authorship Bible scholars attribute Genesis to Moses –Inspired by God, Moses was the human instrument through which God spoke –Also attributed to writing the first five books of the bible Date of writing –Uncertain –Probably between BC –Spans more time than any other book of the Bible –Approximately 2370 years, more time than the other 65 books combined –Oldest and most detailed record of ancient history in existence

Terminology Bereshith –Hebrew name for the book meaning “in the beginning” Septuagint –Oldest Greek translation of the OT, around 270 BC Torah –Hebrew word for “the law”, refers to the first five books Pentateuch –Greek name for the first five books of the OT Dead Sea Scrolls –Ancient manuscripts found in 1947 contain parts of all books of the OT except Esther, confirming translations

Japheth (Gen 10:1-5) Table of nations –Places are referred to by these names, especially in prophecy (review Ezekiel 38 as an example) –Historians are the ones who keep changing the names of places Japheth – Gen 10:1-5 (Gentiles vs. 5) –Often regarded as the youngest son, though some traditions regard him as the eldest –They are listed in the order Shem, Ham, and Japheth in Genesis 5:32 and 9:18, but treated in the reverse order in chapter 10 –Associated with maritime peoples –Europe, Turkey, Russia, Greeks, Italy, Cyprus, Spain and England –Blessed – enlarged, dwell (find truth) in his brothers tents –The father of those who would attack Israel (Ezekiel 38)

Sons of Japheth (Gen 10:1-5) Gomer – Thought to be ancestors of the Cimmerians Magog – Thought to be ancestors of the Scythians, people of the Black Sea region Madai – Thought to be ancestors of the Medes Javan – Thought to be ancestors of the Greeks Tubal – Thought to be ancestors to Iberians or Spanish Tiras – Descendents were among the components of the Sea Peoples Meshech – Same region as Magog

Ham (Gen 10:6-20) Africa and parts of the Middle East (Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Carthage) Sons were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan Cush –Eldest son of Ham –Father of Seba, Havilah, Satah, Sabteca, Raamah, Nimrod –First five are identified with Arabian Tribes –Cushites; Asia, parts of Africa –Wife of Moses was a Cushite (Num 12:1)

Nimrod (Gen 10:8-12) Overview –Son of Cush –Mighty hunter –Centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh –Later built Nineveh, Rehoboth, Calah, and Resen –Thought to have promulgated the worship of multiple gods and the idol representation of these gods –Traditionally been considered the creator of the Tower of Babel –See Josephus’ comments

Other Sons of Ham (Gen 10:13-20) Mizraim (Gen 10:13-14) –Region of Egypt –Egyptians were called Anami, a son of Mizraim –Philistines were descendants of Mizraim through Casluhim (Gen 10:14) Canaan (Gen 10:15-20) –Patriarch of the Canaanites (inhabitants of the promised land) –Father of Sidon, Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, Hamathites

Shem (Gen 10:21-32) Jews, Assyrians, Syrians, Elamites, and those in the north Euphrates Valley (not Babylonians) Source of the Aramaic language –our numbers – Aramaic –Hebrew today is not written in its original alphabet Hebrew words in Aramaic script –Ancient Hebrew was pictorial – hieroglyphic –Some speculate that Hebrew was probably the original language before Babel because all these ancient names are Hebrew

Shem (Gen 10:21-32) Canaan would be his servant –In Joshua, all the nations that weren’t destroyed were made servants Abraham, Jesus – would come from this line. Shem outlives Abraham, both Isaac and Jacob could have known him (no mention of this) Some say Shem was Melchizedek – some say Christ was Melchizedek…we’ll learn more in Ch 14

Sons of Shem (Gen 10:21-32) Included –Elam: Elamites, Khuzestanis –Asshur: Assyrians –Arphaxad: Hebrews, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Ishmaelites, and Qahtanites Sons were Shelach, Anar, Ashcol Line of Abraham and Christ (See Luke 2:35) –Lud: Lydians, other related Asia Minor groups –Aram: Aramaeans Arphaxad –Patriarch of the Ur of the Chaldees

Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) World had one language (Gen 11:1) During the migration, they moved eastward –Settled in the plain of Shinar –Broadly defined as Mesopotamia –Time of Peleg, possibly Nimrod’s leadership –Decide to build a tower to heaven, how come (11:4) The Lord’s visit (11:6) –One – unified in rebellion (3-4 generations after the flood) –Same Language (work together, communicate) –Nothing they propose will be withheld from them

Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9) The Lord’s solution –Confused the language –Scattered them Probably by language Project was abandoned, temporarily –Called Babel, similar to confused –Thought to reside near Babylon –Similar towers were eventually built for similar purposes, to become closer to the gods Christian theologians saw the construction of the tower as an arrogant act of defiance against God ordered by Nimrod.

Review Provided and overview of last week’s lesson Learned about the account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth after the flood Learned about sons of Noah who play key roles in the Bible prior to Abraham Learned about the nations who trace their heritage back to the three sons of Noah Learned about the Tower of Babel Next week, Ch 11:10-16:16 Abraham Part 1