and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah. and ResenThe mention of "Resen" in this verse is intriguing, as it is one of the lesser-known cities in the Bible. The Hebrew root for Resen is "רֶסֶן" (Resen), which is not widely attested outside of this context, suggesting it may have been a significant city during its time but lost prominence over the centuries. Archaeologically, the exact location of Resen remains uncertain, though it is traditionally thought to be situated between the more prominent cities of Nineveh and Calah. This placement indicates its potential role as a connecting hub or a city of strategic importance in the ancient Assyrian empire. between Nineveh and Calah
The phrase "between Nineveh and Calah" situates Resen geographically and historically. Nineveh, known in Hebrew as "נִינְוֵה" (Nineveh), was one of the most famous cities of antiquity, serving as the capital of the Assyrian Empire at its height. It is often associated with the prophet Jonah and the city's eventual repentance. Calah, or "כָּלַח" (Calah), was another significant Assyrian city, known today as Nimrud. The positioning of Resen between these two cities suggests a corridor of power and influence, highlighting the interconnectedness of these urban centers in the ancient Near East. This geographical note underscores the strategic and economic significance of Resen in its time. this is the great city
The phrase "this is the great city" elevates Resen's status, suggesting it was a city of considerable size or importance. The Hebrew word for "great" is "גָּדוֹל" (gadol), which can denote not only physical size but also significance or influence. In the context of Genesis 10, which outlines the Table of Nations, the mention of Resen as a "great city" implies its role in the post-Flood world as a center of civilization and culture. This description invites readers to consider the transient nature of human achievements; cities that were once "great" may fade into obscurity, yet they played vital roles in the unfolding of God's plan throughout history. The acknowledgment of Resen as a "great city" serves as a reminder of the ebb and flow of human empires under the sovereign hand of God. Persons / Places / Events 1. ResenA city mentioned in the context of the descendants of Ham, specifically in the lineage of Nimrod. It is described as being located between Nineveh and Calah. 2. NinevehOne of the most prominent cities in ancient Assyria, later becoming the capital. It is often associated with the prophet Jonah and the repentance of its people. 3. CalahAnother significant city in ancient Assyria, known for its archaeological remains and historical importance. 4. NimrodA mighty hunter and a king, often associated with the founding of several cities, including Nineveh and Calah. His name is synonymous with strength and leadership. 5. The Great CityThis phrase emphasizes the significance and size of the city of Resen, indicating its importance in the ancient world. Teaching Points The Significance of Cities in God's PlanCities like Nineveh, Calah, and Resen played crucial roles in biblical history. They remind us that God is concerned with both individuals and communities, and He often uses cities as centers for His work and messages. The Legacy of LeadershipNimrod's establishment of these cities shows the lasting impact of leadership. As Christians, we are called to lead with integrity and purpose, knowing our actions can influence generations. Repentance and RedemptionNineveh's account, connected to Resen, highlights the power of repentance. No city or person is beyond God's reach, and His desire is for all to turn to Him. The Rise and Fall of Great CitiesThe history of these cities serves as a reminder of the temporal nature of human achievements. Our focus should be on eternal values and God's kingdom, which will never fade. Bible Study Questions 1. What can we learn from the establishment of cities like Resen, Nineveh, and Calah about the importance of community in God's plan? 2. How does the account of Nineveh's repentance in the book of Jonah relate to the significance of Resen as a "great city"? 3. In what ways can we apply the lessons of leadership from Nimrod's life to our own roles in our communities and churches? 4. How does the eventual downfall of Nineveh, as prophesied by Nahum, serve as a warning for modern societies and individuals? 5. What steps can we take to ensure that our focus remains on eternal values rather than the temporary achievements of this world? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 10:8-11Provides context for Nimrod's role in establishing cities, including Nineveh and Calah, highlighting his influence and the expansion of his kingdom. Jonah 1:1-2Connects to Nineveh, where God sends Jonah to call the city to repentance, demonstrating God's concern for even the most powerful cities. Nahum 1:1Offers a prophetic message against Nineveh, showing the city's eventual downfall due to its wickedness, despite its earlier repentance. People Abimael, Almodad, Amorites, Anamim, Anamites, Aram, Arkite, Arkites, Arphaxad, Arvadite, Ashkenaz, Ashur, Canaanites, Caphtorim, Caphtorites, Casluhim, Casluhites, Dedan, Diklah, Dodanim, Eber, Elam, Elishah, Gether, Girgashite, Girgashites, Girgasite, Gomer, Hadoram, Ham, Hamathite, Hamathites, Havilah, Hazarmaveth, Heth, Hittites, Hivite, Hivites, Hul, Japheth, Javan, Jerah, Jobab, Joktan, Kittim, Lehabim, Lehabites, Lud, Ludim, Ludites, Madai, Magog, Mash, Mesha, Meshech, Mizraim, Naphtuhim, Naphtuhites, Nimrod, Noah, Obal, Ophir, Pathrusim, Peleg, Phut, Riphath, Sabtah, Sabtecha, Sabtechah, Salah, Seba, Shelah, Sheleph, Shem, Sinite, Sinites, Tarshish, Tiras, Togarmah, Tubal, Uzal, Zemarite, Zemarites, ZidonPlaces Accad, Admah, Assyria, Babel, Calah, Calneh, Canaan, Erech, Gaza, Gerar, Gomorrah, Lasha, Mesha, Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Resen, Sephar, Shinar, Sidon, Sodom, Tigris-Euphrates Region, ZeboiimTopics Calah, Nineveh, Nin'eveh, Resen, TownDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 10:1-32 7230 genealogies Genesis 10:8-12 5956 strength, human Genesis 10:10-12 5256 city Library Ancient Chaldaea
The Creation, the Deluge, the history of the gods--The country, its cities its inhabitants, its early dynasties. [Illustration: 002a.jpg] "In the time when nothing which was called heaven existed above, and when nothing below had as yet received the name of earth,* Apsu, the Ocean, who first was their father, and Chaos-Tiamat, who gave birth to them all, mingled their waters in one, reeds which were not united, rushes which bore no fruit."** Life germinated slowly in this inert mass, in which the …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 3Moses and his Writings
[Illustration: (drop cap W) Clay letter tablet of Moses' time.] We now begin to understand a little of the very beginning of God's Book--of the times in which it was written, the materials used by its first author, and the different kinds of writing from which he had to choose; but we must go a step farther. How much did Moses know about the history of his forefathers, Abraham and Jacob, and of all the old nations and kings mentioned in Genesis, before God called him to the great work of writing …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making Healing a Phoenician Woman's Daughter.
(Region of Tyre and Sidon.) ^A Matt. XV. 22-28; ^B Mark VII. 24-30. ^b And he entered into a house, and would have no man know it [Jesus sought concealment for the purposes noted in the last section. He also, no doubt, desired an opportunity to impact private instruction to the twelve]; and he could not be hid. [The fame of Jesus had spread far and wide, and he and his disciples were too well known to escape the notice of any who had seen them or heard them described.] 25 But { ^a 22 And} behold, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
SYRIA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EGYPTIAN CONQUEST NINEVEH AND THE FIRST COSSAEAN KINGS-THE PEOPLES OF SYRIA, THEIR TOWNS, THEIR CIVILIZATION, THEIR RELIGION-PHOENICIA. The dynasty of Uruazagga-The Cossseans: their country, their gods, their conquest of Chaldaea-The first sovereigns of Assyria, and the first Cossaean Icings: Agumhakrime. The Egyptian names for Syria: Khara, Zahi, Lotanu, Kefatiu-The military highway from the Nile to the Euphrates: first section from Zalu to Gaza-The Canaanites: …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4 The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
Assur-nazir-pal (885-860) and Shalmaneser III. (860-825)--The kingdom of Urartu and its conquering princes: Menuas and Argistis. Assyria was the first to reappear on the scene of action. Less hampered by an ancient past than Egypt and Chaldaea, she was the sooner able to recover her strength after any disastrous crisis, and to assume again the offensive along the whole of her frontier line. Image Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief at Koyunjik of the time of Sennacherib. The initial cut, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4 The Pioneer's Influence Upon a Nation's Ideals.
ABRAHAM, THE TRADITIONAL FATHER OF HIS RACE.--Gen. 12:1-8; 13:1-13; 16; 18, 19; 21:7; 22:1-19. Parallel Readings. Hist. Bible I, 73-94. Prin of Pol., 160-175. Jehovah said to Abraham, Go forth from thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, to the land that I will show thee, that I may make of thee a great nation; and I will surely bless thee, and make thy name great, so that thou shalt be a blessing, I will also bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will …
Charles Foster Kent—The Making of a Nation The Interpretation of the Early Narratives of the Old Testament
[Sidenote: Importance of regarding each story as a unit] Of all the different groups of writings in the Old Testament, undoubtedly the early narratives found in the first seven books present the most perplexing problems. This is primarily due to the fact that they have been subject to a long process of editorial revision by which stories, some very old and others very late and written from a very different point of view, have been closely joined together. While there is a distinct aim and unity …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament Sargon of Assyria (722-705 B. C. )
SARGON AS A WARRIOR AND AS A BUILDER. The origin of Sargon II.: the revolt of Babylon, Merodach-baladan and Elam--The kingdom of Elam from the time of the first Babylonian empire; the conquest's of Shutruh-nalkunta I.; the princes of Malamir--The first encounter of Assyria and Elam, the battle of Durilu (721 B.C.)--Revolt of Syria, Iaubidi of Hamath and Hannon of Gaza--Bocchoris and the XXIVth Egyptian dynasty; the first encounter of Assyria with Egypt, the battle of Raphia (720 B.C.). Urartu …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Genealogy According to Luke.
^C Luke III. 23-38. ^c 23 And Jesus himself [Luke has been speaking about John the Baptist, he now turns to speak of Jesus himself], when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age [the age when a Levite entered upon God's service--Num. iv. 46, 47], being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son [this may mean that Jesus was grandson of Heli, or that Joseph was counted as a son of Heli because he was his son-in-law] of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Book of the First Generations of Man, and the Glory of the Cainites.
I. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN, AND THE GLORY OF THE CAINITES. A. THE BOOK OF THE FIRST GENERATIONS OF MAN. 1. The reasons why Moses records the generations of Adam 1. 2. Why he so particularly gives the years, and in the case of each patriarch adds "and he died" 1-2. 3. Why Enoch is placed in the records of the dead 3-4. * Was Enoch a sinner, and do sinners have hope of eternal life 4. * Of death. a. How we are to comfort ourselves against death 5. b. How reason views death, and how …
Martin Luther—Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 10:12 NIVGenesis 10:12 NLTGenesis 10:12 ESVGenesis 10:12 NASBGenesis 10:12 KJV
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