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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 10:15-20

Observe here, 1. The account of the posterity of Canaan, of the families and nations that descended from him, and of the land they possessed, is more particular than of any other in this chapter, because these were the nations that were to be subdued before Israel, and their land was in process of time to become the holy land, Immanuel's land; and this God had an eye to when, in the mean time, he cast the lot of that accursed devoted race in that spot of ground which he had selected for his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:15

And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn ,.... Canaan is the fourth son of Ham; the posterity of Phut, his third son, are omitted: the firstborn of Canaan was Sidon, from whom the city of Sidon had its name, being either built by himself, who called it after his own name, or by some of his posterity, who called it so in memory of their ancestor: it was a very ancient city, more ancient than Tyre, for that was built by the Sidonians; Homer makes mention of it, but not of Tyre: it is now called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:16

And the Jebusite ,.... Who had their name from Jebus, a third son of Canaan, and from whom Jerusalem was called Jebus, Judges 19:10 and where his posterity continued to dwell when the land of Canaan was possessed by the Israelites; for they were so strong and powerful, that the men of Judah could not drive them out from thence, and here they remained until the times of David, who dispossessed them of it, Joshua 15:63 . There is an island near Spain, formerly called Ebusus, now Ibissa,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:17

And the Hivite ,.... These dwelt in Hermon, a part of Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon unto the entering in of Hamath, Joshua 11:3 to the east of the land of Canaan; hence they were sometimes called Kadmonites, or Easterlings, Genesis 15:19 and are thought to have their name from dwelling in holes and caves like serpents; hence Cadmus the Phoenician, and his wife Hermonia, who seem to have their names from hence, are reported to be turned into serpents, they being Hivites, which this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:18

And the Arvadite ,.... The inhabitants of Arvad, or Aradus, an island in the Phoenician sea; it is mentioned with Sidon, Ezekiel 27:8 so Josephus says F17 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 2. , the Arudaeans possessed the island Aradus: it is about a league distant from the shore; Strabo F18 Geograph. l. 16. p. 518. says it is twenty furlongs from land, and about seven in circumference, and is said to be built by the Sidonians; it is now, as Mr. Maundrel F19 Journey from Aleppo,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:19

And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon ,.... This is to be understood, not of the Canaanites, properly so called, but of them in general; and is a description of the bounds of the land of Canaan, as possessed by the people of Israel: the northern or north west border of it was Sidon, see Genesis 10:15 and is to be understood of the country which reached from that city towards the east almost as far as Jordan: as thou comest from Gerar unto Gaza ; two cities of the Philistines,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:20

These are the sons of Ham ,.... His sons and grandsons, which some reckon to be thirty, others thirty one, if the Philistines are taken in: after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations : families of the same language joined together and dwelt in the same country; see Gill on Genesis 10:5 all Africa and a considerable part of Asia were possessed by the four sons of Ham and their posterity; Mizraim had Egypt, and Phut all the rest of Africa; and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:15

Sidon - Who probably built the city of this name, and was the father of the Sidonians. Heth - From whom came the Hittites, so remarkable among the Canaanitish nations. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:16

The Jebusite-Amorite, etc. - Are well known as being the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, expelled by the children of Israel. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:20

These are the sons of Ham after their families - No doubt all these were well known in the days of Moses, and for a long time after; but at this distance, when it is considered that the political state of the world has been undergoing almost incessant revolutions through all the intermediate portions of time, the impossibility of fixing their residences or marking their descendants must be evident, as both the names of the people and the places of their residences have been changed beyond... read more

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