B'reisheet(Genesis)
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Meaning
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Day Five
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Haftara
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B'rit Hadashah
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1 Our Father, we receive Your Words and hide Your commandments with us; 2 we incline our ear unto wisdom, and apply our hearts to understanding; 3 We cry after knowledge and lift up our voices for understanding; 4 we seek it as silver; and search for it as for hidden treasures; 5 We declare that we shall understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. Declaration of Proverbs 2:1-5
Genesis 10:1-32 (NASB)1
1 Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noach; and sons were born to them after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Mizraim became the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim 14 and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim. 15 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth 16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. 19 The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations. 21 Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash. 24 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 Joktan became the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba
29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 Now their settlement extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. 32 These are the families of the sons of Noach, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.
6 The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan. 8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD." 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Mizraim became the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim 14 and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim. 15 Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth 16 and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite 17 and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 18 and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. 19 The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20 These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations. 21 Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash. 24 Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. 25 Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 Joktan became the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 27 and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah 28 and Obal and Abimael and Sheba
29 and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 Now their settlement extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. 32 These are the families of the sons of Noach, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee. Isaiah 54:7-10.
When we are in the middle of our trials, we don't think that they are small moments! They seem to last forever! We want to utter silent screams of frustration. Sometimes we don't want these howls of angst to be silent! For our Father God, Who is outside of time, while we are created IN time, it makes sense that for Him, it IS a “small moment”. How did Noach and his family cope when they were shut up in that floating box for all that 'time'? I'm thinking that it couldn't have been easy. Did they feel the love when the voyage was finally over? Could they feel 'the love' throughout the voyage? All we know is the nurturing words of Isaiah recounting God's side of the story. No more 'waters of Noah”. And although there have been waters encroaching and spreading destruction and misery all over this planet in the past year, there have never been the 'waters of Noah' as a worldwide cataclysm. We have no idea how this huge deluge affected the eight survivors. We have no idea how the calamity caused by the Han and Canaan affected the rest of the family. But we do have a record here of their spread over the land after the death of their patriarch.
Chapter ten tells us that all these grandchildren were born after the flood.
1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Genesis 10:1.
The descendants of the three sons are documented first with Japheth, then Ham, and Shem.
The American Tract Society Dictionary is the commentary for the day and tells us about Japeth/יֶפֶת Yepheth. His name means:
“Enlargement, the eldest of Noah's three sons, Ge 9:24; 10:21, born one hundred years before the flood. He was perhaps the Iapetos, whom Greek legends represent as the progenitor of the Greek race. His seven sons, Ge 10:2-5; 1Ch 1:5, occupied with their posterity the north of Asia and most of Europe. The probable location of each of the seven is described in its place. In later years the Greeks and Romans subdued large portions of Southern and Western Asia, in accordance with the prediction of Noah, Ge 9:27. The "enlargement" of Japheth now extends over America also.”
About Ham/חָם Châm, the same Dictionary above says:
“Burnt, swarthy, black, A son of Noah, Ge 5:32; 7:13; 9:18; 10:1. The impiety revealed in his conduct towards his father, drew upon him, or rather, according to the Bible statement, on his son Canaan, a prophetic malediction, Ge 9:20-27. Ham was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, that is, the ancestor of the Canaanites, Southern Arabians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, and the Africans in general, Ge 10:6-20.”
An interesting note is that 'Ham” is a poetic name used for Egypt. Twice in the Psalms this is used.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; 51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Psalm 78:50-52.
21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. Psalm 106:21-22.
Ham’s descendants are doomed to be the basest of slaves to his brothers. Noach issued the curse, and it stuck.
24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Genesis 9:24.
Interesting to note, and a spoiler, is that the following chapter answers the question: Where did the Canaanites come from? They descended from Canaan, the son of Ham, who was noted to be the rebellious and disrespectful son of Noah. There was also another notable bad guy in the line of Ham, whose name was Nimrod, who was the grandson of Ham. Nimrod was the mighty hunter and city-builder. Sadly, he is also associated with the rise of a system of pagan worship that involved a pagan trinity of Nimrod (or Ninus), his wife Semiramis, and the son of that union, Tammuz. This is the same “Tammuz” mentioned in Ezekiel, chapter eight, that is reckoned as an abomination.
13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Ezekiel 14:13-14.
Again, from the Tract Society Dictionary, we find added knowledge about Shem/שֵׁם Shêm.
“A son of Noah, Ge 5:32; 6:10, always named before Ham and Japheth, as the eldest son; or, as some think, because he was the forefather of the Hebrews. In Ge 10:21, the word elder may be applied to Shem, instead of Japheth. He received a blessing from his dying father, Ge 9:26, and of his line the Messiah was born. He had five sons, and their posterity occupied the central regions between Ham and Japheth, and peopled the finest provinces of the East. The languages of some of these nations are still called the Shemitic languages, including the Hebrew, Chalee, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, etc.; but in this general class are found several languages spoken by nations descended from Ham.”
Isn't it fascinating that this business of the second-born son gaining the mention as if he was the first-born (or perhaps with more notoriety than his elder brother) is evident right from the very beginning of the account of human history in the Bible? Also, when using the commentaries and associated resources, one can undertake a detailed study just by looking up all the references provided!
From the line of Shem, it is known that another named Eber/עֵבֵר ʻÊbêr, ay'-ber, was an important forerunner. In Hebrew, 'Hebrews' are Ivri'im, literally, 'Eberites,' or 'Sons of Eber.' As we will see in subsequent readings, the line of Shem will give the world some amazing personalities. It is noted for our interest that Eber had two sons, where an important 'divisional' event took place in their time.
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. Genesis 10:25.
Some think the division was geographical, but some day it was political. Adam Clarke is on the path of the geographic:
“Peleg - From פלג palag, to divide, because in his days, which is supposed to be about one hundred years after the flood, the earth was divided among the sons of Noah. Though some are of opinion that a physical division, and not a political one, is what is intended here, viz., a separation of continents and islands from the main land; the earthy parts having been united into one great continent previously to the days of Peleg. This opinion appears to me the most likely, for what is said, Ge 10:5, is spoken by way of anticipation.”
Looking up the Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by John Trapp, edited by W. Webster and H. Martin, 5 Volumes, 1654, we find it political, in a manner of speaking. It was a sort of ideological division.
“Ver. 25. Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided. Eber, of whom came the Hebrews or Israelites, Ex 1:15 that he might have before his eyes a perpetual monument of God's just displeasure against the ambitious Babel builders, calls his son Peleg, or Division, because in his days was the earth divided. It is good to write the remembrance of God's worthy works, whether of mercy or justice, upon the names of our children, or otherwise as we can best, to put us in mind of them; for we need all help; such is either our dulness or forgetfulness.”
Perhaps this 'divide' was a bit of both! We don't know. I'm certain that on the other side of eternity, in that great daily Torah class taught by our earliest ancestors mentioned in Scripture, every mystery may be disclosed. There seems to be an unending and consistent movement of the earth itself, or in the ideology of the humans that live on it. The further away from these events, the less we know about them. This past week, we had an earthquake of a three-point-something magnitude that was felt about a half hour west of our location here at the homestead. It was closer to the mining town of Sudbury. Frequently, what they call “crown blasts” in the mines could cause a bit of shaking when we lived there. I imagine that nothing has changed. Apparently, this was no “crown blast” and was verified as an earthquake. Richard, who worked as a miner underground in the mines in this area, stated, “There will be more". As this is from a man who knows the underground of this area intimately, I'm going to be ready for anything. But, being a believer in a world gone mad, with division politically and spiritually everywhere, I'm ready for anything already.
When we are in the middle of our trials, we don't think that they are small moments! They seem to last forever! We want to utter silent screams of frustration. Sometimes we don't want these howls of angst to be silent! For our Father God, Who is outside of time, while we are created IN time, it makes sense that for Him, it IS a “small moment”. How did Noach and his family cope when they were shut up in that floating box for all that 'time'? I'm thinking that it couldn't have been easy. Did they feel the love when the voyage was finally over? Could they feel 'the love' throughout the voyage? All we know is the nurturing words of Isaiah recounting God's side of the story. No more 'waters of Noah”. And although there have been waters encroaching and spreading destruction and misery all over this planet in the past year, there have never been the 'waters of Noah' as a worldwide cataclysm. We have no idea how this huge deluge affected the eight survivors. We have no idea how the calamity caused by the Han and Canaan affected the rest of the family. But we do have a record here of their spread over the land after the death of their patriarch.
Chapter ten tells us that all these grandchildren were born after the flood.
1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Genesis 10:1.
The descendants of the three sons are documented first with Japheth, then Ham, and Shem.
The American Tract Society Dictionary is the commentary for the day and tells us about Japeth/יֶפֶת Yepheth. His name means:
“Enlargement, the eldest of Noah's three sons, Ge 9:24; 10:21, born one hundred years before the flood. He was perhaps the Iapetos, whom Greek legends represent as the progenitor of the Greek race. His seven sons, Ge 10:2-5; 1Ch 1:5, occupied with their posterity the north of Asia and most of Europe. The probable location of each of the seven is described in its place. In later years the Greeks and Romans subdued large portions of Southern and Western Asia, in accordance with the prediction of Noah, Ge 9:27. The "enlargement" of Japheth now extends over America also.”
About Ham/חָם Châm, the same Dictionary above says:
“Burnt, swarthy, black, A son of Noah, Ge 5:32; 7:13; 9:18; 10:1. The impiety revealed in his conduct towards his father, drew upon him, or rather, according to the Bible statement, on his son Canaan, a prophetic malediction, Ge 9:20-27. Ham was the father of Cush, Mizraim, Phut, and Canaan, that is, the ancestor of the Canaanites, Southern Arabians, Ethiopians, Egyptians, and the Africans in general, Ge 10:6-20.”
An interesting note is that 'Ham” is a poetic name used for Egypt. Twice in the Psalms this is used.
50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; 51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham: 52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Psalm 78:50-52.
21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt; 22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea. Psalm 106:21-22.
Ham’s descendants are doomed to be the basest of slaves to his brothers. Noach issued the curse, and it stuck.
24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Genesis 9:24.
Interesting to note, and a spoiler, is that the following chapter answers the question: Where did the Canaanites come from? They descended from Canaan, the son of Ham, who was noted to be the rebellious and disrespectful son of Noah. There was also another notable bad guy in the line of Ham, whose name was Nimrod, who was the grandson of Ham. Nimrod was the mighty hunter and city-builder. Sadly, he is also associated with the rise of a system of pagan worship that involved a pagan trinity of Nimrod (or Ninus), his wife Semiramis, and the son of that union, Tammuz. This is the same “Tammuz” mentioned in Ezekiel, chapter eight, that is reckoned as an abomination.
13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. 14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Ezekiel 14:13-14.
Again, from the Tract Society Dictionary, we find added knowledge about Shem/שֵׁם Shêm.
“A son of Noah, Ge 5:32; 6:10, always named before Ham and Japheth, as the eldest son; or, as some think, because he was the forefather of the Hebrews. In Ge 10:21, the word elder may be applied to Shem, instead of Japheth. He received a blessing from his dying father, Ge 9:26, and of his line the Messiah was born. He had five sons, and their posterity occupied the central regions between Ham and Japheth, and peopled the finest provinces of the East. The languages of some of these nations are still called the Shemitic languages, including the Hebrew, Chalee, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, etc.; but in this general class are found several languages spoken by nations descended from Ham.”
Isn't it fascinating that this business of the second-born son gaining the mention as if he was the first-born (or perhaps with more notoriety than his elder brother) is evident right from the very beginning of the account of human history in the Bible? Also, when using the commentaries and associated resources, one can undertake a detailed study just by looking up all the references provided!
From the line of Shem, it is known that another named Eber/עֵבֵר ʻÊbêr, ay'-ber, was an important forerunner. In Hebrew, 'Hebrews' are Ivri'im, literally, 'Eberites,' or 'Sons of Eber.' As we will see in subsequent readings, the line of Shem will give the world some amazing personalities. It is noted for our interest that Eber had two sons, where an important 'divisional' event took place in their time.
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. Genesis 10:25.
Some think the division was geographical, but some day it was political. Adam Clarke is on the path of the geographic:
“Peleg - From פלג palag, to divide, because in his days, which is supposed to be about one hundred years after the flood, the earth was divided among the sons of Noah. Though some are of opinion that a physical division, and not a political one, is what is intended here, viz., a separation of continents and islands from the main land; the earthy parts having been united into one great continent previously to the days of Peleg. This opinion appears to me the most likely, for what is said, Ge 10:5, is spoken by way of anticipation.”
Looking up the Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by John Trapp, edited by W. Webster and H. Martin, 5 Volumes, 1654, we find it political, in a manner of speaking. It was a sort of ideological division.
“Ver. 25. Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided. Eber, of whom came the Hebrews or Israelites, Ex 1:15 that he might have before his eyes a perpetual monument of God's just displeasure against the ambitious Babel builders, calls his son Peleg, or Division, because in his days was the earth divided. It is good to write the remembrance of God's worthy works, whether of mercy or justice, upon the names of our children, or otherwise as we can best, to put us in mind of them; for we need all help; such is either our dulness or forgetfulness.”
Perhaps this 'divide' was a bit of both! We don't know. I'm certain that on the other side of eternity, in that great daily Torah class taught by our earliest ancestors mentioned in Scripture, every mystery may be disclosed. There seems to be an unending and consistent movement of the earth itself, or in the ideology of the humans that live on it. The further away from these events, the less we know about them. This past week, we had an earthquake of a three-point-something magnitude that was felt about a half hour west of our location here at the homestead. It was closer to the mining town of Sudbury. Frequently, what they call “crown blasts” in the mines could cause a bit of shaking when we lived there. I imagine that nothing has changed. Apparently, this was no “crown blast” and was verified as an earthquake. Richard, who worked as a miner underground in the mines in this area, stated, “There will be more". As this is from a man who knows the underground of this area intimately, I'm going to be ready for anything. But, being a believer in a world gone mad, with division politically and spiritually everywhere, I'm ready for anything already.
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. Genesis 10:32.
1 NASB www.lockman.org for daily reading and KJV in commentary unless otherwise specified
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