Genesis 10

Genesis 10 – January 23

When we arrive at a chapter like Genesis 10, the temptation is to move through it too quickly, thinking that there is nothing of value for us here. This chapter follows the family tree of all three of Noah’s sons. It provides us with a panoramic view of how God’s plans and promises were being played out over many generations. I want to just consider four truths about Genesis 10 that may prove helpful to you today.

The Table of Nations

The majority opinion by modern Americans is that the Bible is a book of myths that should be categorized along with any other ancient epic poem or mythology. The Bible, however, never presents itself as a myth. It is a written history that has proven to be true. Genesis 10 is widely accepted, even by secular scholars, to be the most accurate depiction of the divisions of the ancient world. It is the literal explanation of how the world expanded after the flood and the events of the tower of Babel. 

The First ‘Mighty Man’

Starting in verse 8 we begin to learn about an ancient ruler named Nimrod. He is referred to as a “mighty hunter,” which probably indicates that he was viewed as a protector of his people against the megafauna that would have been proliferating after the flood. He is also referred to as “the first on earth to be a mighty man.” The term, “mighty man” is translated in other places in the Old Testament as ‘tyrant.’ It is likely that this is the first ‘king’ in the history of the world. He was the architect of Babel and Nineveh. In the next chapter we will see exactly what becomes of his kingdom. 

Canaan Fathered…

Do you remember that in chapter 9 Ham defiled his father, Noah? Do you remember who Noah cursed? It was not Ham, but his son Canaan and Canaan’s offspring. When you read verses 15-20, you will notice that many of those tribes sound familiar. They are the inhabitants of the land that the Lord will later give to Abraham. Hundreds of years later, these are the same tribes that are destroyed and/or driven out of the Promised Land by Joshua and the armies of Israel after their years of wandering in the wilderness.

Peleg and the Divided World

Verse 25 says, “…the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided…” This is probably a reference to the separation of the peoples that took place after the Tower of Babel. (We will learn about that tomorrow.) It is to be compared to verse 18 which speaks of the line of Ham separating this way: “Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed.” These are helpful tools in placing the major event that is about to occur on the next page of your Bibles into these family timelines.

 

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