Genesis 10:1-32 Start of Nations

We have come to another portion of genealogy. In today’s family tree we will see many nations begin. It is importance for tracing Jesus’ lineage.

I’m wondering where they came up with their baby names. I doubt they had a book, like we do, with baby names to try out during pregnancy. I wonder if some of these names were repeats from before the flood. We already saw how some of the names were so close to the spelling of another. I also noticed that both Seth and Cain had an Enoch.

There are several nations named in the lines of these three brothers. I recognize more in Ham’s line than anyone else’s. That doesn’t mean he had the majority just that my geography skills are lacking. I’m simply going to list the ones I recognize. From Japheth’s line I recognize Gomer and Magog. I also recognize Tarshish and Kittim.  From Ham’s line I recognize all of his sons; Cush, Egypt, Put and Canaan. Nations from their descendants that I also recognize are Dedan, and Sidon. The list of peoples following Heth I recognize but I’m not sure if these were names of Canaan’s sons or some of the nations that sprang out of them. The Jebusites, Amorite, and Hivites are peoples I recognize as being in interactions with Israel MUCH later on. Shem has the fewest “nation” names I recognize. Elam, Lud, Aram and Uz complete my list of “known nations.” I’m certain there are others but I don’t recognize them right away. I actually had to look up a few to make sure they were actually nations and not just names I was familiar with.

While looking at this genealogy today I revisited a reference tool that I can’t wait to sink my teeth into! It is a bible timeline which looks at who became whom, when and where. It is made in a circular format so it doesn’t take up as much room as a straight timeline would. It also comes with a digital copy and a Holy Land map with drill down references. I found it at Amazing Bible Timeline.

Looking at Noah’s three sons’ genealogy I noticed that they each ended with the phrase “These are the sons of _______, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations” (verses 20 & 31) or some derivative of this statement. Japheth doesn’t get exactly the same wording but the idea is the same. To me, this means that these sons were born before the tower of Babel incident and their nations and languages were established afterwards.

The beginning of Nimrod’s kingdom was Babel. There are two generations listed after each of the sons of Noah. In the third generation the people were divided and dispersed. We will look at that event tomorrow. It is amazing how quickly man got himself back into trouble.

I wonder about Nimrod and the notation he is given in our reading. We are told “He was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord” (verses 8b-9). Does this mean he was a mighty man FOR God or just the first really strong man? He was certainly the one to increase his kingdom the fastest, or at least the one kingdom noted. Did he have to conquer his relatives to get this territory or was it empty after the flood? Did they keep the “pre flood” names or were these new names given to the places by the new occupants?

Each brother’s clans spread out into a different region. I wonder why that is. Did they not mix well with each other? Were they trying to keep families together? I know I’m closer with my brothers and sisters and their families than I am with my cousins. Maybe that is why they broke up into sections like they did. Maybe they tried harder to understand each other after Babel when their bloodlines were closer. I don’t know, but it makes for interesting questions to add to my list to ask Jesus when we finally meet face to face.

Thank You Father for giving me something interesting to find in this genealogy list. You know that genealogy is no one of my favorite things to study. I can get side tracked so easily. I don’t know if that is supposed to be part of the draw of genealogy or not; going down rabbit trails to find interesting tidbits about family history. But I thank You for those rabbit trails anyway. They help ME look at history a little deeper.

I don’t know why but I have tended to be someone who builds my family tree from my group upwards; my branches and leaves. I haven’t looked too deeply at my roots and foundations. You will have to speak VERY LOUDLY to me if this is somewhere You want me to go personally. I’m comfortable with knowing my history from my grandparents forward. Honestly, I don’t even know all the “branches and leaves” from ALL my uncles and aunt’s trees. Imagine how full my wall would be if I tried to do that tree!!!

For now, I think I’ll stick to my “bible genealogy” when it is presented. Thank You again for making it interesting. I’m looking forward to the chart we found together. I pray it accurately represents what You authored with man.