Genesis 10:10 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 10:6-14

That which is observable and improvable in these verses is the account here given of Nimrod, Gen. 10:8-10. He is here represented as a great man in his day: He began to be a mighty one in the earth, that is, whereas those that went before him were content to stand upon the same level with their neighbours, and though every man bore rule in his own house yet no man pretended any further, Nimrod's aspiring mind could not rest here; he was resolved to tower above his neighbours, not only to be... read more

John Gill

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

And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel ,.... The city of Babel, or Babylon, which was built by his direction; for though Babylon is by some writers said to be built by Semiramis, the wife of Ninus, and others by Ninus himself, yet the truest account is, that it was built by Belus, the same with Nimrod. Curtius F20 Hist. l. 5. c. 1. says, Semiramis built it; or, as most believe, adds he, Belus, whose royal palace is shown: and Berosus F21 Apud Joseph. contra Apion. l. 1. c. 20. ... read more

Adam Clarke

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

The beginning of his kingdom was Babel - בבל babel signifies confusion; and it seems to have been a very proper name for the commencement of a kingdom that appears to have been founded in apostasy from God, and to have been supported by tyranny, rapine, and oppression. In the land of Shinar - The same as mentioned Genesis 11:2 . It appears that, as Babylon was built on the river Euphrates, and the tower of Babel was in the land of Shinar, consequently Shinar itself must have been... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:10

Verse 10 10.And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel. Moses here designates the seat of Nimrod’s empire. He also declares that four cities were subject to him; it is however uncertain whether he was the founder of them, or had thence expelled their rightful lords. And although mention is elsewhere made of Calneh, (314) yet Babylon was the most celebrated of all. I do not however think that it was of such wide extent, or of such magnificent structure, as the profane historians relate. But... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 10:1-32

PART II . THE POST - DILUVIAN AGE OF THE WORLD . CH . 10:1-11:26. FROM THE DELUGE TO THE CALL OF ABRAM . § 5. THE GENERATIONS or THE SONS OF NOAH ( CH . 10:1-11:9). I. THE historical credibility of the present section has been challenged. 1. On account of a fancied resemblance to the ethnographic mythologies of Greece, the genealogical table of the nations has been relegated to the category of fictitious invention. It has been assigned by... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 10:10

And the beginning of his kingdom . Either his first kingdom, as contrasted with his second (Knobel), or the commencement of his sovereignty (Keil, Kalisch), or the principal city of his empire (Rosenmüller); or all three may be legitimately embraced in the term reshith, only it does not necessarily imply that Nimrod built any of the cities mentioned. Was Babel . Babylon, "the land of Nimrod" ( Micah 5:6 ), the origin of which is described in Genesis 11:1 , grew to be a great city... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 10:6-20

- XXXII. Ham6. מצרים mı̂tsrayı̂m, “Mitsraim.” מצר mētser, “straitness, limit, pressure.” מצור mātsôr, “distress, siege, mound, bulwark; Egypt.” מצרים mı̂tsrayı̂m, “perhaps double Egypt, lower and upper.” פוּט pûṭ, “Put, troubled.”7. סבא sebā', “Seba, drinking (man, Ethiopian).” סבתה sabtâh, “Sabtah.” רעמה ra‛mâh, “Ra‘mah, shaking, trembling.” סבתכא sabtekā', “Sabtekha.” שׁבא shēbā', “Sheba, captive?” דדן dedān, “Dedan, going slowly?”8. נמרד nı̂mrod, “Nimrod, strong, rebel.”10. בבל... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 10:10

Genesis 10:10. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel Some way or other, he got into power; and so laid the foundation of a monarchy which was afterward a head of gold. It does not appear that he had any right to rule by birth; but either his fitness for government recommended him, or by power and policy he gradually advanced himself to a throne. See the antiquity of civil government, and particularly of that form of it which lodges the sovereignty in a single person. read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:1-32

10:1-11:26 GENEALOGIES FROM NOAH TO ABRAMNations descended from Noah (10:1-32)This genealogy must have been written hundreds of years after the time of Noah, when his descendants had multiplied and moved to many places. By that time differences in language, race and culture were noticeable. The purpose of the listing here is to trace the origin of these groups, not to name every single descendant of Noah.Again the genealogy is simplified, being based on a selection of seventy descendants. Most... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 10:10

Babel. In Semitic Babylonian = Bab-ili = "the gate of the god", Compare Genesis 11:9 . Shinar = Babylonia, and is to be distinguished from Assyria (Isaiah 11:11 ). read more