The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. The sons of Shem:Shem is one of the three sons of Noah, and his descendants are traditionally associated with the Semitic peoples. The genealogies in Genesis 10 are often referred to as the Table of Nations, which outlines the origins of various peoples and nations after the flood. Shem's lineage is significant as it leads to Abraham, and ultimately to the nation of Israel, making it central to the biblical narrative. Elam:
Elam is identified with the Elamites, an ancient civilization located in what is now southwestern Iran. The Elamites are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often as adversaries of Israel. Archaeological findings have uncovered significant Elamite cities, such as Susa, which played a crucial role in the region's history. Elam's inclusion in Shem's lineage highlights the interconnectedness of ancient Near Eastern cultures. Asshur:
Asshur is the progenitor of the Assyrians, a powerful empire known for its military prowess and significant influence in the ancient Near East. The Assyrian Empire, with its capital at Nineveh, is frequently mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the context of its interactions with Israel and Judah. The Assyrians were used by God as instruments of judgment against the Northern Kingdom of Israel, as seen in the prophetic books. Arphaxad:
Arphaxad is an ancestor of Abraham, making him a key figure in the lineage leading to the Hebrew people. The name Arphaxad is associated with the region of Chaldea, which later becomes significant in the biblical narrative as the homeland of the patriarchs. This connection underscores the continuity of God's covenant promises from Noah through to Abraham. Lud:
Lud is traditionally associated with the Lydians, an ancient people located in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The Lydians are known for their rich culture and contributions to early coinage. While not frequently mentioned in the Bible, their inclusion in Shem's genealogy reflects the broad scope of the Table of Nations, encompassing various peoples across the ancient world. Aram:
Aram is the ancestor of the Arameans, a Semitic people who inhabited regions of modern-day Syria. The Arameans are frequently mentioned in the Old Testament, often in relation to Israel. The Aramaic language, which derives from Aram, became a lingua franca of the Near East and is the language in which parts of the Old Testament were written. Aram's descendants play a significant role in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of Israel's history and interactions with neighboring nations. Persons / Places / Events 1. ShemThe son of Noah, from whom the Semitic peoples are descended. Shem is considered the ancestor of the Israelites and other related groups. 2. ElamA region and people located east of Mesopotamia, known for its ancient civilization and interactions with the Israelites. 3. AsshurThe progenitor of the Assyrians, a powerful empire in ancient Mesopotamia, often in conflict with Israel. 4. ArphaxadAncestor of the Chaldeans and a key figure in the genealogy leading to Abraham. 5. LudTraditionally associated with the Lydians, an ancient people of Asia Minor. 6. AramThe ancestor of the Arameans, who lived in the region of modern-day Syria and had significant interactions with Israel. Teaching Points The Importance of GenealogyUnderstanding the genealogies in the Bible helps us see God's unfolding plan through history, leading to the coming of Christ. God's Sovereignty Over NationsThe descendants of Shem became significant nations, showing God's control over the rise and fall of empires. Unity in DiversityDespite the diverse nations that arose from Shem, God's plan included all peoples, culminating in the Gospel reaching every nation. Heritage and IdentityRecognizing our spiritual heritage in Christ can strengthen our identity and purpose as part of God's family. Interconnectedness of ScriptureThe genealogies connect various parts of the Bible, demonstrating the unity and coherence of God's Word. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 10:22 connect to the broader account of the Bible, particularly the account of Abraham? 2. In what ways do the nations descended from Shem play a role in the history of Israel and God's redemptive plan? 3. How can understanding the historical and cultural background of these nations enhance our reading of the Old Testament? 4. What lessons can we learn from the rise and fall of the nations descended from Shem about God's sovereignty and human history? 5. How does the inclusion of diverse peoples in the genealogy of Shem reflect the New Testament teaching on the unity of all believers in Christ? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 11The genealogy of Shem is expanded, leading to Abraham, showing the fulfillment of God's promise to Noah. Isaiah 11The mention of Asshur and Elam in prophetic contexts highlights their roles in God's plan for Israel and the nations. Acts 2The presence of Elamites at Pentecost demonstrates the far-reaching impact of the descendants of Shem in the spread of the Gospel. 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 Aram, Arpachshad, Arpach'shad, Arphaxad, Ashur, Asshur, Elam, Lud, Shem, SonsDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 10:1-32 7230 genealogies 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 10:22 NIVGenesis 10:22 NLTGenesis 10:22 ESVGenesis 10:22 NASBGenesis 10:22 KJV
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