These are the sons of Shem, according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations. These are the sons of ShemThe phrase "These are the sons of Shem" introduces the descendants of Shem, one of Noah's three sons. In Hebrew, "Shem" means "name" or "renown," signifying the importance of his lineage. Shem is traditionally considered the ancestor of the Semitic peoples, including the Israelites, Arabs, and Arameans. This lineage is significant in the biblical narrative as it leads to Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and ultimately to Jesus Christ, fulfilling God's covenantal promises. according to their clans
The term "clans" refers to family groups or extended families. In Hebrew, the word is "mishpachot," which denotes a social unit larger than a family but smaller than a tribe. This highlights the organization and structure within Shem's descendants, emphasizing the importance of family and kinship in ancient societies. The division into clans reflects the fulfillment of God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 9:1). languages
The mention of "languages" is significant in the context of Genesis 11, which describes the Tower of Babel and the subsequent confusion of languages. The Hebrew word "lashon" is used here, meaning "tongue" or "language." This indicates the diversity that existed among Shem's descendants even before the Babel event, suggesting a divine orchestration in the distribution of languages and cultures. lands
The word "lands" refers to the geographical territories occupied by Shem's descendants. In Hebrew, "eretz" is used, meaning "earth" or "land." This term underscores the physical inheritance and settlement patterns of Shem's lineage. The allocation of lands is a recurring theme in the Bible, often associated with God's promises and blessings, as seen in the later promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham's descendants. and nations
"Nations" translates from the Hebrew word "goyim," which means "peoples" or "nations." This term signifies the broader ethnic and political entities that emerged from Shem's descendants. The formation of nations is part of God's sovereign plan to populate the earth and establish diverse cultures and societies. It also sets the stage for the unfolding of God's redemptive history through the nation of Israel and ultimately through Christ, who is a blessing to all nations. Persons / Places / Events 1. ShemOne of Noah's three sons, Shem is considered the ancestor of several Semitic peoples. His lineage is significant in biblical history, as it includes the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, leading to the nation of Israel. 2. ClansRefers to the extended family groups that descended from Shem. These clans played a crucial role in the development of early civilizations and the spread of cultures. 3. LanguagesIndicates the diversity of languages that emerged from Shem's descendants. This diversity is a precursor to the events at the Tower of Babel, where God confused human language. 4. LandsThe territories occupied by Shem's descendants. These lands are significant in biblical history, as they include regions that would later become central to the accounts of the Old Testament. 5. NationsThe formation of distinct nations from Shem's lineage. This highlights the development of organized societies and governance among his descendants. Teaching Points The Importance of LineageUnderstanding the genealogies in the Bible helps us see God's sovereign plan unfolding through history. It reminds us that God works through families and generations to accomplish His purposes. Diversity and Unity in God's PlanThe mention of clans, languages, lands, and nations highlights the diversity within humanity. Yet, it also points to the unity of God's overarching plan to bring redemption to all peoples through Jesus Christ. God's Sovereignty Over NationsThe formation of nations from Shem's descendants illustrates God's control over the rise and fall of nations. Believers can trust that God is sovereign over the affairs of the world today. The Role of Language in God's PlanLanguage is a powerful tool that God uses to fulfill His purposes. The diversity of languages reminds us of the need for effective communication of the Gospel across cultural and linguistic barriers. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding the genealogy of Shem enhance our appreciation of God's plan throughout the Bible? 2. In what ways does the diversity of languages and nations reflect God's creativity and sovereignty? 3. How can we, as believers, contribute to the unity of God's people amidst cultural and linguistic diversity? 4. What lessons can we learn from the genealogies in Genesis about the importance of family and heritage in God's plan? 5. How does the lineage of Shem connect to the broader account of redemption found in the New Testament? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 11:1-9The account of the Tower of Babel provides context for the division of languages mentioned in Genesis 10:31. It explains how God intervened to scatter humanity and diversify languages. Genesis 12:1-3God's call to Abram (later Abraham), a descendant of Shem, marks the beginning of a covenant relationship that would shape the history of Israel and the coming of the Messiah. 1 Chronicles 1:17-27This genealogy reiterates the descendants of Shem, emphasizing the continuity of God's plan through specific lineages. Luke 3:36The genealogy of Jesus traces His lineage back to Shem, underscoring the fulfillment of God's promises through Shem's descendants. 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 Clans, Families, Lands, Languages, Nations, Offspring, Shem, Sons, Territories, TonguesDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 10:1-32 7230 genealogies Genesis 10:30-31 5374 languages Genesis 10:31-32 5671 clan 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 10:31 NIVGenesis 10:31 NLTGenesis 10:31 ESVGenesis 10:31 NASBGenesis 10:31 KJV
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