Gen. 10 Noah’s posterity, Gen. 10:1. Sons of Japheth, Gen. 10:2–5. Of Ham, Gen. 10:2–14; among whom Nimrod the first monarch and tyrant; he reigns in Babel, &c., Gen. 10:10. Asshur builds Nineveh, &c., Gen. 10:11. Sons of Canaan, Gen. 10:15. Their border, Gen. 10:19. Of Shem, Gen. 10:21–31.

1. In the search of these genealogies we must avoid both carelessness, for the reasons now mentioned, and excessive curiosity about every particular person here named, and the people sprung from him; which is neither necessary nor profitable, nor indeed possible now to find out, by reason of the…

Japheth’s portion was at first Asia the Less, and afterwards by degrees all Europe, and the northern parts of Asia. This is he so much celebrated among the Greeks by the name of Japetus. Gomer’s posterity are reckoned among the northern people, Ezek.

Ashkenaz, whose seed possessed Pontus and Bithynia, and the neighbouring parts, from whom they took the names of the lake and haven called Ascanius, and the sea called Axenus, or Euxinus. Riphath is called Diphath, 1 Chron.

Elishah, the father of the Grecians properly so called, who have preserved his name and remembrance in the cities Elis and Elissus, in a tract of ground called Elias, and in the Elysian fields.

The isles of the Gentiles; not isles properly so called; for why should they, having their choice, forsake the continent for islands, and thereby cut off themselves from their brethren? And where had they ships to transport them? But the word isles here and elsewhere signifies all those countries…

The posterity of Ham were disposed into the parts south from Babel, both in Asia and Africa. See 1 Chron. 4:40, Ps. 105:27. Cush was father both of the Ethiopians and the Arabians; who, as it seems, sent forth a colony from themselves more eastward, even near to India. See Gen.

Seba; or, Saba, or Sheba, whose seed were the Sabeans in Arabia the Desert; see Ps. 72:10, Isa. 43:3; and, as some think, the Abyssines in Africa. Havilah, the father of the inhabitants of the land of Havilah, mentioned Gen.

Whom he placeth last of all his sons, because he was to say more of him.

He was a mighty hunter, first of beasts, and by that occasion of men. For when men were few, and lived dispersedly, and wild beasts abounded, and most of all in those parts, by hunting and destroying of those beasts he got much reputation and favour with men, who thereby were secured in their…

The beginning of his kingdom, i.e. either his chief and royal city, or the place where his dominion began, and from whence it was extended to other parts. Babel; which being not built till the confusion of languages, Gen.

Asshur; a man so called: either, 1. Asshur the son of Shem, who forsook the land, either being forced by or weary of Nimrod’s tyranny and impiety, and erected another kingdom. But it is not probable either that Moses would here relate an exploit of a man whose birth is not mentioned till Gen.

Either, 1. Nineveh, which is called a great city, Jonah 3:3, Jonah 4:11; and indeed was so, being sixty miles in compass. Thus it is a trajection, and the relative is referred to the remoter noun, as sometimes is done, though this seems to be a little forced. Or, 2.

Of Ludim and the following names here and Gen. 10:14, observe two things: 1. They are not the names of persons, but of people or nations; and the word father is here understood; Ludim, for the father of the people called Ludim, and so the rest. 2.

Pathrusim, the inhabitants of Pathros; of which see Isa. 11:11, Jer. 44:1, Jer. 44:15, Ezek. 29:14. Out of whom came Philistim: the meaning is, they came out of his loins, or were his offspring, which might be true; though afterwards we find them seated amongst the offspring of Canaan, having…

Sidon his first-born, the father of the people, and builder of the city of Sidon, Josh. 11:8, Josh. 19:28. Of Heth came the Hittites, Josh. 1:4, Josh. 9:1;c.

Of these and the other people following, see Josh. 18:22, Josh. 18:28, 2 Chron. 13:4, Isa. 49:12, Ezek. 27:8, Ezek. 27:11, Amos 6:2, Amos 6:14;c.

Dispersed in the several quarters of the land, who, before they grew so numerous, dwelt together in the same place.

From Sidon, i.e. the city and country of Sidon, on the north-west. Unto Gaza, on the south-west. Zeboim, on the south and south-east. Lasha, on the north-east.

Of all the children of Eber, i.e. of the Hebrews, the only church and people of God when Moses wrote, who are called Eber, Num. 24:24, as here, the children of Eber.

Of Elam came the Elamites or Persians: see Gen. 14:9, Isa. 21:2, Jer. 49:34, Dan. 8:2, Acts 2:9. Asshur was father of the Assyrians: see Gen. 10:11. Of Arphaxad the Chaldeans, as many conceive; or, as others, the inhabitants of that part of Assyria, from him called Arphaxitis, which Ptolemy…

In his days; either, 1. In the time of his birth, whence he was so called. Or, 2. Afterwards in the time of life. So his father gave him this name by the Spirit of prophecy, foreseeing this great event, and the time of it; this being no unusual thing in Scripture, as we shall hereafter see, to give…

From Almodad and the rest of Joktan’s sons here mentioned, come either, 1. The various nations of India, as most think; or rather, 2. The several people that live in the innermost parts of Arabia, who profess themselves the posterity of Joktan, and have a city near Mecca called Jectan.

A different person from him Gen. 10:7, and the father of another people, having only the same name with him.

Ophir; either that in India, of which see 1 Kings 9:28, 1 Kings 10:11, 1 Kings 22:48; or the other in Arabia, of which see Job 22:24, Job 28:16, Ps. 45:9, Isa. 13:12. Havilah, a distinct person from him Gen. 10:7.

These places were either, 1. In India, where there are places called by Ptolemy and Pliny, Maesae, and Saparum, and Sabara. Or rather, 2. In Arabia, where there was a noted port called Musa; and near it, and eastward from it, a people called Sapharitae, and a royal city called Saphar; from whence…