WHO’S YOUR DADDY?

It should be pointed out that Genesis chapters ten and eleven are not recorded in chronological order. The events of chapter eleven occurred first. That is not an error but simply a literary device. It is part of the narrative art of Genesis to give the explanation of the event after the narration of the event.

Chapter ten identifies which nations descended from each of Noah's three sons. Chapter eleven explains how the dispersion of these nations transpired.

This information is important because without it, a cursory reading of chapter ten might lead some to believe that when the family of Noah began to increase, there followed a natural expansion, as mankind migrated across the face of the earth.

The fact is, however, as can be readily seen in chapter eleven, the people did not relocate naturally or willingly. In fact, there was a monumental rebellion against the idea of expansion and dispersion.

For whatever reasons, they wanted to remain geographically united. It was, however, God's plan to distribute humanity over the face of the earth, and scripture makes it clear that God communicated His will to the people, and that it was He who made certain it happened. From that dispersion sprang all of the nations of the world.

Duet. 32:8 says, "When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel."

Paul preaching to the men of Athens also makes reference to this in Acts 17:26. "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."

Chapter ten lists the names of the descendants of Noah through his three sons: Japheth, Ham, and Shem. Many of the names listed are not only names of individuals but also became the titles of nations and people groups.

The descendants of Japheth - Genesis 10:2‑5 "The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras. The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah. The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, the Kittim and the Rodanim. (From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.)"

From Japheth have come the Indo European nations. Gomer is the ancestor of the Celts. Among the nations that emerged from this son of Japheth are: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Various regions of Russia appear to have come from Magog, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras.

Madai is the father of the Medes. From Javan came the Greeks. Ashkenaz is the progenitor of the Turks and Germans. Elishah's descendants became the nation of Italy. Tarshish was probably the forefather of Spain.

Others that descended from Japheth include India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Romania, the Vikings, the Swedes, the Norwegians, and the Danes, to name just a few.

The descendants of Ham - 10:6‑20 "The sons of Ham: Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD." The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites. Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites. Later the Canaanite clans scattered and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations."

From Ham came the nations that largely, though not exclusively, settled in the continent of Africa. Cush, it is generally agreed, became the people of Ethiopia. From Mizraim came the nation of Egypt. Put is synonymous with Libya.

Two exceptions to the descendants of Ham settling initially in Africa are the Sidonians, or the people of Phoenicia, (modern Lebanon.) The Hittite nations were the descendants of Heth and the Canaanites, who inhabited Palestine when Israel conquered the land, were also Hammites.

During the period of the Judges, Jerusalem was still called Jebus, because it was the home of the Jebusites, descendants of Ham through Canaan. Judges 19:10

Other nations and people groups that are of hametic descent are the Chinese, Japanese and other Asians, American Indians, Eskimos, Australian Aborigines, Polynesians, Pacific Islanders and others.

The descendants of Shem - 10:21‑31. "Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber. The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram. The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshech. Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah the father of Eber. Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his time the earth was divided; his brother was named Joktan. Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan. The region where they lived stretched from Mesha toward Sephar, in the eastern hill country. These are the sons of Shem by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations."

From Shem came many of the Arab nations and the Israelis. Elam lived in the area that became Iraq. Asshur settled in the region that is now Iran. Uz fathered the people of Saudi Arabia. Eber is the name from which we get (Hebrew), and through him came the Jews and all who descended from them.