Genesis 10:6-10

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 10:6

And the sons of Ham ,.... Next to the sons of Japheth, the sons of Ham are reckoned; these, Josephus F26 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect 1.) says, possessed the land from Syria, and the mountains of Amanus and Lebanon; laying hold on whatever was towards the sea, claiming to themselves the countries unto the ocean, whose names, some of them, are entirely lost, and others so greatly changed and deflected into other tongues, that they can scarcely be known, and few whose names are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:7

And the sons of Cush ,.... The first born of Ham, who had five sons, next mentioned, besides Nimrod, spoken of afterwards by himself: Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha ; the first of these is Seba, the founder of the Sabaeans, according to Josephus F16 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 1.) , a people seated in Arabia Deserta, which seem to be the Sabaeans brought from the wilderness, Ezekiel 23:42 and very probably the same that plundered Job of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:8

And Cush begat Nimrod ,.... Besides the other five sons before mentioned; and probably this was his youngest son, being mentioned last; or however he is reserved to this place, because more was to be spoken of him than of any of the rest. Sir Walter Raleigh F9 History of the World, B. 1. ch. 10. sect. 1. p. 109. thinks that Nimrod was begotten by Cush after his other children were become fathers, and of a later time than some of his grandchildren and nephews: and indeed the sons of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 10:9

He was a mighty hunter before the Lord ,.... Which might be literally true; for, from the time of the flood to his days, wild beasts might increase very much, and greatly annoy men who dwelt very likely for the most part in tents scattered up and down in divers places: so that he did a good office in hunting and destroying them. An Arabic writer F15 Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. p. 18. , of some authority in the eastern parts, says, that by hunting he got food sufficient for the builders... 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 10:6

Cush - Who peopled the Arabic nome near the Red Sea in Lower Egypt. Some think the Ethiopians descended from him. Mizraim - This family certainly peopled Egypt; and both in the East and in the West, Egypt is called Mezr and Mezraim. Phut - Who first peopled an Egyptian nome or district, bordering on Libya. Canaan - He who first peopled the land so called, known also by the name of the Promised Land. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:7

Seba - The founder of the Sabaeans. There seem to be three different people of this name mentioned in this chapter, and a fourth in Genesis 25:3 . Havilah - Supposed by some to mean the inhabitants of the country included within that branch of the river Pison which ran out of the Euphrates into the bay of Persia, and bounded Arabia Felix on the east. Sabtah - Supposed by some to have first peopled an isle or peninsula called Saphta, in the Persian Gulf. Raamah - Or Ragmah, for... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 10:8

Nimrod - Of this person little is known, as he is not mentioned except here and in 1 Chronicles 1:10 , which is evidently a copy of the text in Genesis. He is called a mighty hunter before the Lord; and from Genesis 10:10 , we learn that he founded a kingdom which included the cities Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Though the words are not definite, it is very likely he was a very bad man. His name Nimrod comes from מרד , marad , he rebelled; and the Targum,... 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

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