The late excellent Sir William Jones has very satis

to the three roots, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, according to the account given in this chapter. Bp. Tomline.

Chap. X. ver. 1. Now these are the generations &c.] The tenth chapter of Genesis is one of the most valuable and the most venerable records of antiquity. It explains what all profane historians were ignorant of the origin of nations. Instead of telling us, as other books do, that one nation had sprung out of the earth they inhabited; another from a cricket or a grasshopper; another from an oak; another from a mushroom; another from a dragon's tooth; instead of these absurdities, it gives such an account of the peopling of the earth after the deluge, as no other book in the world ever did give; and the truth of which all other books in the world, which contain any thing on the subject, confirm. The last verse of the chapter says, "These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood." It would require great learning to trace out precisely, either the actual situation of all the countries, in which these founders of empires settled, or to ascertain the extent of their dominions. This however has been done by various authors, to the satisfaction of all competent judges; so much at least to my satisfaction, that had I no other proof of the authenticity of Genesis, I should consider this as sufficient. But without the aid of learning, any man who can barely read his Bible, and has but heard of such people as the Assyrians, the Elamites, the Lydians, the Medes, the Ionians, the Thracians, will readily acknowledge that they had Assur, and Elam, and Lud, and Madai, and Javan, and Tiras, grandsons of Noah, for their respective founders. Bp. Watson.

The following curious and valuable commentary on the tenth chapter of Genesis, which records the primitive settlements of the three families, is furnished by Abulfaragi, in his History of the Dynasties. "In the 140th year of Phaleg, the earth was divided, by a second division, among the sons of Noah. To the sons of Shem was allotted the middle of the earth; namely, Palestine, Syria, Assyria, Samaria, (a town of Babylonian, or Chaldean frac,) Babel, Persia, and Hegiaz, (or Arabia Petrea.) To the sons of Ham, Teman, (or Idumea, Jer. xlix. 7,) Africa, Nigritia, Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, Scindia, and India, (or Western and Eastern India,) on both sides of the Indus. To the sons of Japheth also, Garbia, (the North,) Spain, France, the countries of the Greeks, Sclavonians, Bulgarians, Turks, and Armenians." Dr. Hales.

2.-Japheth;] He seems to have been the same with Japetus, whom the Greeks own to have been their father. Bp. Patrick.

5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided] The Hebrews (as Mr. Mede observes) use the word isles to signify all those countries divided from them by the sea, Isai. xi. 10, 11; xl. 15; Jer. ii. 10: or the word may be used generally for a region, country, or province, Job xxii. 30; Isai. xx. 6. And the word here rendered "Gentiles," may signify a multitude of people, or "nations," as it is translated in the last verse of this chapter. The phrase then may be thus interpreted: By these, or among these, were divided the regions of the people, or nations, (descended from Japheth,) in their lands; in the several countries which they possessed. Bp. Patrick. The isles of the Gentiles" mean many of the maritime countries washed by the Mediterranean sea. Gisborne.

- divided] It appears by the following words, according to his language, family, and nations, this great division of the earth was made in an orderly manner, and not by a confused irregular dispersion, wherein every one went and seated himself where he thought good. Jos. Mede.

This distribution was by the immediate appointment of God. We have full evidence of this in that sublime and pathetick hymn of Moses, where he addresses himself to the people of Israel, "Remember the days of old, &c." Deut. xxxii. 7-9. From this we may see that the whole was by God's appointment; and that there was a reserve for a people who were to come after. St. Paul likewise speaks of it expressly as a Divine ordinance, Acts xvii. 26. This is taken notice of by many of the Fathers. Eusebius in particular mentions "the distribution of the earth:" and adds, that it happened in "the 2672d year of the creation, and in the 930th year of the Patriarch's life. Then it was that Noah, by Divine appointment, divided the world between his three sons.' ." The Grecians had some traditions of this partition of the earth, which they supposed to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. The tradition probably came to Greece from Egypt. Bryant.

after his tongue,] Not distinct languages, but different dialects. Bp. Patrick, Pyle. Many dialects, even now spoken, may be traced to one common language, which, as the primitive stock, has been the original of them all. Sir William Jones has demonstrated, that three great branches of language are sufficient to

account for all the varieties now extant; and it forms a very strong, as well as a new argument in favour of the Mosaical account of the early postdiluvian ages. Calmet's Dictionary, Supplement.

8.- he began to be a mighty one in the earth.] He was the first great warriour and conqueror: or, as some say, a more severe governor than they had been, who only exercised paternal authority. For he was the first that put down the government of eldership or paternity, and laid the foundation of sovereign rule. Bp. Patrick.

9. He was a mighty hunter] Or rather, mighty in hunting by which means he became a great monarch. For he enured himself to labour by this toilsome exercise; and got together a great company of robust young men to attend him in this sport; who were hereby also fitted to pursue men, as they had done wild beasts. For this was looked upon in all ages as the rudiment of warfare, all the heroes of old being bred up to hunting. Besides, in the age of Nimrod, the exercise of hunting might win him the hearts of men, whom he thus delivered from wild beasts, to which they were much exposed, in their rude and unprotected way of living. So that many at last joined with him in the great designs he formed of subduing men, and making himself master of the neighbouring people in Babylon, Susiana, and Assyria. The memory of this hunting of his was preserved by the Assyrians, who made Nimrod the same as Orion; for they joined the dog and the hare, the first creature perhaps that he hunted, with his constellation. Bp. Patrick.

before the Lord:] That is, to the highest degree. For so a great city to God is a very great city, Jonah iii. 3, and a child very beautiful is called fair to, or before God, Acts vii. 20. Bp. Patrick. The phrase may perhaps be more properly rendered, "against the Lord.” Bibliotheca Biblica. Bel was the name of the great God of the Babylonians. He is supposed to have been the same with Nimrod; and to have been called Bel from his dominion, and Nimrod from his rebellion. For VOL. I.

Х.

Canaan's descendants.

15 ¶ And Canaan begat + Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,

16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

Before CHRIST about 2218.

+ Heb. Tzidon.

19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto † Gaza; as thou goest, + Heb. unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

Azzah.

17.

22 The children of Shem; Elam, c1 Chron. 1. and Asshur, and † Arphaxad, and Heb. Lud, and Aram.

Arpachshad.

"Bel" or "Baal," which is the same name, signifies Lord; and "Nimrod," a Rebel, in the Jewish and Chaldean languages; the former was his Babylonish name, by reason of his empire in that place; and the latter his Scripture name, by reason of his rebellion, in revolting from God to follow his own wicked designs. Dean Prideaux.

—wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod &c.] That is, thence came the common proverb: which Moses alleges as a proof of the truth of what he delivered. Bp. Patrick. 10. – the beginning of his kingdom was Babel,] He first erected the city of Babylon, making it the capital seat of his dominions. Pyle.

11. Out of that land went forth Asshur,] The translation in the margin is to be preferred, He went out into Assyria: meaning that Nimrod went to war against Assyria, which belonged to the children of Shem, but was usurped by this son of Cush. Bp. Patrick.

and builded Nineveh,] So called from his son Ninus. Thus Cain built a city, and called it, not by his own, but by his son's name. Bp. Patrick.

13. Ludim,] That is, Lud and his posterity the Ludims; the form of that word, as of several others that follow, being plural, and denoting several nations, probably in Africa. Bp. Kidder.

18.—afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.] The race of the Canaanites was so numerous, as not only to spread over the tract of land possessed afterward by the Israelites, but reached into several countries round it. Pyle.

21. the father of all the children of Eber,] And so consequently the father of the Hebrews, who had their name from him. From him Abram was called an Hebrew, chap. xiv. 13, and his posterity Hebrews, Gen. xxxix. 14; Exod. i. 15, 16. Some however have thought that Eber in this place is not a proper name: and that Abraham is called an Hebrew, not from Eber, as the proper name of a man, but as this word imports one who comes from beyond the river Euphrates. And Ꭰ

The sons of Shem.

Before

CHRIST

+ Heb. Shelah.

2247.

d 1 Chron. 1. 19.

24 And Arphaxad begat ↑ Salah and Salah begat Eber.

25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,

31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.

1

CHAP. XI.

28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,

of Babel. 5 The confusion of tongues. 10 The generations of Shem. 27 The generations of Terah the father of Abram. 31 Terah goeth from Ur to Haran.

then, what we render "the children of Eber," imports the inhabitants beyond the river Euphrates. Bp. Kidder. 25.- Peleg] The great dispersion, recorded in the next chapter, happening just when he was born, made his father call him by this name, which signifies division and separation. Bp. Patrick.

32. These are the families of the sons of Noah, &c.] The derivation of the human species, all from one stock, Noah, the second father of mankind, has proved a great stumbling-block to minute philosophers: who cannot reconcile the fact to the varieties of the species in different countries, as to colour, size, shape, disposition, &c. However inadequate we may be fully to unfold the mysteries of nature and the ways of Providence, yet much of these alleged varieties may be satisfactorily accounted for, from the influence of climate, local circumstances of air, water, food, customs, &c. which may, in process of time, make a material change in the constitutions and complexions of the inhabitants. If dogs, taken to the frigid zone, grow shaggy; and if sheep, transported to the torrid zone, exchange their wool for hair; why may not the human species gradually partake of the influence of climate?

1. Man was formed to reside in all climates. "The human animal is the only one which is naked, and the only one which can clothe itself. This is one of the properties, which renders him an animal of all climates and of all seasons. He can adapt the warmth or lightness of his covering to the temperature of his habitation. Had he been born with a fleece upon his back, although he might have been comforted by its warmth in high latitudes, it would have oppressed him by its weight and heat, as the species spread toward the Equator." This is the simple but profound remark of Paley.

2. "Man, though white in Europe, black in Africa, yellow in Asia, and red in America, is still the same animal, tinged only with the colour of the climate. Where the heat is excessive, as in Guinea and Senegal, the people are perfectly black: where less excessive, as in Abyssinia, the people are less black: where it is more temperate, as in Barbary and in Arabia, they are brown: and where mild, as in Europe and in Lesser Asia, they are fair." Buffon. This concession from a great naturalist and sceptick is important.

3. Shaw, in his travels through Barbary, found a tribe in the mountains of Auress, south of Algiers, who

appeared to be of a different race from the Moors: far from swarthy, their complexion is fair and ruddy, and their hair a deep yellow, instead of being dark, as among the neighbouring Moors. He conjectures that they are a remnant of the Vandals. And they probably retained their complexion from their high mountainous situation; as the natives of Armenia, in western Asia, and Cashmire, in eastern, are fair; owing to the great elevation of the soil in both places, and the temperature of the climate occasioned thereby.

4. On the other hand, a colony of Jews, settled at Cochin, on the Malabar coast, from a very remote epoch, of which they have lost the memory, though originally a fair people in Palestine, and from their customs preserving themselves unmixed, are grown as black as the other Malabarians, who are hardly a shade lighter than the negroes of Guinea. And at Ceylon, the Portuguese, who settled there only a few centuries ago, are degenerated, and grown blacker than the original natives. They are in number about 5000, still speak Portuguese, wear the European dress, and profess the Romish religion.

Still there are anomalies, or exceptions, to the general conclusions of the influence of climate and customs, that must be ascribed to other, and perhaps undiscovered causes, which baffle the pride of human sagacity to develop and which, after all, must be resolved into the will and pleasure of the Creator, and deposited among "the unsearchable riches" of his wisdom and providence, in the variety, no less than the regularity, of his works. Dr. Hales.

Chap. XI. ver. 1. one language,] The learned are not agreed, whether we have any remains of the primitive language of men and as the Scriptures are silent upon the subject, we must be content to leave it in uncertainty. Perhaps it is most probable, that the old Hebrew or Syriack is the most ancient language which has descended to us; and in support of this opinion, the Jewish historians assert, that the sons of Eber, or Heber, did not concur with the rest in the attempt to build the tower, and therefore retained the primitive language. Sir William Jones is of opinion that the original language is entirely lost. Bp. Tomline.

2.as they journeyed from the east,] Not all the posterity of Noah, who after the flood were planted in

the east; much less Noah himself; but a great colony of them, who, when the east was much peopled, chose to go westward. Bp. Patrick.

Shinar;] Not only that part of Assyria where Babylon stood, but all that country which bordered upon the river Tigris unto the mountains of Armenia. Bp. Patrick.

they dwelt there.] By what follows it appears, that they intended to dwell there for the future, contrary to God's command of replenishing the earth. Bp. Kidder. 3.- they said] Nimrod very probably, as Josephus affirms, encouraged others of his race and temper to this contempt of God. Bp. Kidder.

let us make brick,] In that low and fat soil there was no stone. Herodotus, Justin, and many others, describe the walls of Babylon as made of burnt bricks.

The cement, here mentioned by the name of slime, was probably what the ancients called asphaltus or bitumen; a kind of pitch, which is described by authors as very gluey, and therefore it was used by Noah, under God's direction, about the ark. Assyria abounds with it, both in a liquid and solid state; as we learn from ancient historians and modern travellers, who describe it as cast up from some fountains with the water. Herodotus, and many other authors, both Greek and Latin, affirm that the walls of Babylon were cemented with it. And it is observable that Arrian says, the Temple of Belus, in the midst of the city of Babylon, of a vast bigness, was made of brick, cemented with asphaltus. Bp. Patrick, Stackhouse.

Many have thought that the tower of Belus, mentioned by Herodotus, and in his time to be seen in Babylon, was the tower of Babel; or at least was built upon the old foundations. Calmet.

4. -a city and a tower,] The tower was contained in the city, and formed part of it. It was probably the Acropolis, as the Greeks call it, a strong place in the highest part of the city, such as we call a citadel. Bp. Patrick.

whose top may reach unto heaven;] Or to the clouds. An exceeding high tower. The same is said of the walls of the cities of Canaan, Deut. i. 28; ix. 1. Bp. Patrick.

The misunderstanding of this text probably gave rise to the fable of the giants attempting to scale heaven. The silliest of the Pagan fables generally have some foundation in truth, either misunderstood or misapplied. Stackhouse.

·let us make us a name,] The work was intended to frustrate the good design of regularly peopling the earth; out of an ambitious aim of raising themselves into a powerful state, and getting the honour of being the founders of the first great city and government in the world. Pyle.

The confusion of tongues.

see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of

Before CHRIST about 2247.

God hath a special indignation at pride, above all sins; and will cross our endeavours, not because they are evil, (what hurt could there be in laying one brick upon another?) but because they are proudly undertaken. Bp. Hall.

lest we be scattered abroad] What they dreaded, they brought upon themselves by their own vain attempt to avoid it: and now there is no memory preserved of the names of those who conspired in this attempt. Thus what Solomon saith was long before verified, "The fear of the wicked shall come upon him." But this evil by God's Providence was attended with a great good: for by this dispersion the whole earth was peopled; and the foundation laid of several great nations and kingdoms. Bp. Patrick.

5 And the Lord came down to see &c.] This is an accommodation to our conceptions. It means, that by the effects He made it appear, that He observed their motions and knew their intentions. Bp. Patrick.

the children of men] Children of men in Scripture are opposed to children of God; as bad men and infidels are to good and faithful. So that the people engaged in this work were not Noah, Shem, and other good men; but some of the worst sort, who had degenerated from the piety of their ancestors. Bp. Patrick.

6.-now nothing will be restrained from them,] They will give farther instances of their rebellion and tyranny, if they be not defeated. Bp. Kidder.

Or the sentence may be taken interrogatively, thus: "Shall they not be restrained in all they imagine to do?" The question amounts to the most express affirmation that they shall be restrained, which accordingly was executed immediately. Stackhouse.

7.-confound their language,] God did not make every one speak a new different language; but they had such a confused remembrance of their original language, that they spake it very differently: so that by the various inflections, and terminations, and pronunciations of the divers dialects, they could no more understand one another, than they, who understand only Latin, can understand those who speak French, Italian, or Spanish ; though these languages arise out of the former.

It is probable that each family had its peculiar dialect; or rather the same common dialect, or way of speaking, was given to those families, whom God intended to form one colony in the following dispersion. Bp. Patrick.

8. So the Lord scattered them] This followed upon God's multiplying the languages of these builders. For as the unity of one common language had before knit them into one community, so it is the proper effect of pluralities of tongues to sort men into pluralities of societies. Jos. Mede. Division of tongues must needs slacken any work. Happy were the Church of God, if we all spake but one language. Bp. Hall.

b 1 Chron. 1. 17.

2346.

2311.

2281.

c 1 Chron. 1. 19.

2247.

d Called,

Luke 3. 35, Phalec.

2217.

9 Therefore is the name of it called || Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

:

10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah :

13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. 14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat 4 Peleg :

d

17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.

18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:

19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.

upon the face of all the earth:] The migrations of the three primitive families took place from the central regions of Armenia, Mesopotamia, and Assyria; and by successive colonisations established far distant communities, and various modes of society and government; the Phenicians, Arabians, Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Libyans, southwards; the Persians, Ethiopians, Indians, and Chinese, eastwards; the Scythians, Celts, and Tartars, northwards; and the Goths, Greeks, and Latins, even as far as the Peruvians and Mexicans of South America, and the Indian tribes of North America, westwards. All these various inhabitants of the globe retain a striking affinity in the leading principles of their language, customs, and religions, however diversified in process of time from each other by local circumstances: such affinity evincing their common descent from one and the same parent stock. Dr. Hales. See the notes on chap. ix. 19, and x. 32.

and they left off to build the city.] And the tower. They desisted from their enterprise; but the city and tower probably stood long after this, and may have been the very tower afterwards consecrated to Belus. Bp. Patrick.

10. These are the generations of Shem:] As we have an account in chap. v. of the generations from Adam to Noah, who was the tenth from Adam: so we have here an account from Noah to Abram, who was the tenth from Noah. And hence we may learn that the age of man's life was much shortened after the flood.

of Terah, the father of Abram.

20 And Reu lived two and thirty

e

Before CHRIST 2185.

years, and begat Serug: 21 And Reu lived after he begat e Luke 3. 35, Serug two hundred and seven years, Saruch. and begat sons and daughters.

22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

23 And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah :

25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

2155.

2126.

f Luke 3. 34, Thara.

2056.

26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Ha- g Josh. 24. 2. ran.

27¶Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat

Lot.

28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

i Chron. 1.

26.

1996.

31 And Terah took Abram his son, about 1923. and Lot the son of Haran his son's

The whole time from the flood to the birth of Abram is but 352 years; whereas from Adam's creation to the flood was no less than 1656 years. Bp. Kidder.

Shem was an hundred years old,] Abram lived with Shem 150 years; and could have from him a most exact account of the creation, flood, &c. for Shem was one hundred years old when the flood came, and had long conversed with Lamech, who had conversed with Adam 56 years. Bp. Wilson.

26.-Abram, Nahor, and Haran.] Abram seems to have been the youngest: but is named first because of his pre-eminence. Bp. Patrick. See note on chap. v. 32.

28. And Haran died before his father] He was the first son, who in the natural way died before his father. Bp. Wilson.

Ur of the Chaldees.] That part of Mesopotamia, which was next to Assyria, is called "the land of the Chaldees." For Ur was in Mesopotamia. St. Stephen therefore makes Mesopotamia and the land of the Chaldees the same, Acts vii. 2, 4. Bp. Patrick.