Sermon Bible Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. Genesis 10:32 This is the summing up of the Scriptural account of the second spreading of the human race through the earth, after it had been laid bare by the Deluge, just as the fourth and fifth chapters of Genesis give the history of the first increase from Adam and his sons. But there is this remarkable difference between the two: the first is manifestly a history of families; this is a history of nations. I. Notice first the degree in which the original features of the founders of a race reproduce themselves in their descendants so as to become the distinct and manifest types of national life. The few words wherein, according to the wont of patriarchal times, Noah, as the firstborn priest of his own family, pronounces on his sons his blessing and his curse, sketch in outline the leading characteristics of all their after progeny. II. We may observe also adumbrations of a mode of dealing with men which seems to imply that in His bestowal of spiritual gifts God deals with them after some similar law. We have seen this already in the descent of spiritual blessings along the line of the pious firstborn of Noah; and the same may be traced again: (1) in the blessing bestowed upon the race of Abraham; and (2) in the transference to the devouter Jacob and his seed of the blessing which was set at nought by the profane firstborn of Isaac. S. Wilberforce, Sermons, p. 176. References: Gen 10.—Expositor, 2nd series, vol. 1., p. 275, vol. vi., pp. 356, 357. Genesis 10:1-5.—Parker, vol. i., p. 172. Genesis 10:8-10.—Clergyman's Magazine, vol. xvi., p. 31. Genesis 10:10, Genesis 10:11.—Clergyman's Magazine, vol. vii., p. 317. The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.
And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood. William Robertson Nicoll's Sermon Bible Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission. Bible Hub |
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