Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 10
Overview:
The sons of
Noah, of
Japheth, of
Ham.
(1-7) Nimrod the first
monarch.
(8-14) The descendants of
Canaan, The sons of
Shem.
(15-32)
1-7 This
Chapter shows concerning the three sons of
Noah, that
of them was the whole
Earth overspread.
No nation but that of
the Jews can be sure from which of these seventy it has come.
The lists of names of fathers and sons were preserved of the
Jews alone, for the sake of the
Messiah. Many learned men,
however, have, with some probability, shown which of the nations
of the
Earth descended from each of the sons of
Noah To the
posterity of
Japheth were allotted the isles of the
Gentiles;
probably, the
Island of Britain among the
Rest. All places
Beyond The Sea from
Judea are called isles, Jer 25:22. That
promise, Isa 42:4, The isles shall wait for his
Law, speaks of
the
Conversion of the
Gentiles to the
Faith of
Christ.
8-14 Nimrod was a great
Man in his
Day; he began to be mighty
in the
Earth, Those before him were content to be upon the same
level with their neighbours, and though every
Man bare rule in
his own
House, yet
No Man pretended any further.
Nimrod was
resolved to
Lord it over his neighbours. The
Spirit of the
Giants before the
Flood, who became mighty men, and men of
renown, Ge 6:4, revived in him.
Nimrod was a great hunter.
Hunting then was the method of preventing the hurtful increase
of wild beasts. This required great courage and address, and
thus gave an opportunity for
Nimrod to command others, and
gradually attached a number of men to one leader. From such a
beginning, it is likely, that
Nimrod began to rule, and to force
others to submit. He invaded his neighbours' rights and
properties, and persecuted innocent men; endeavouring to make
all his own
By force and violence. He carried
On his oppressions
and violence in defiance of
God himself.
Nimrod was a great
ruler. Some way or other,
By arts or arms, he got into power,
and
So founded a monarchy, which was the terror of the mighty,
and bid fair to rule all the world.
Nimrod was a great builder.
Observe in
Nimrod the nature of ambition. It is boundless; much
would have more, and still cries, Give, give. It is restless;
Nimrod, when he had four cities under his command, could not be
content till he had four more. It is expensive;
Nimrod will
rather be at the charge of rearing cities, than not have the
honour of ruling them. It is daring, and will stick at nothing.
Nimrod's name signifies rebellion; tyrants to men are rebels to
God. The days are coming, when conquerors will
No longer be
spoken of with praise, as in
Man's partial histories, but be
branded with infamy, as in the impartial records of the
Bible.
15-32 The posterity of
Canaan were numerous, rich, and
pleasantly seated; yet
Canaan was under a Divine
Curse, and not
a
Curse causeless. Those that are under the
Curse of
God, may,
perhaps, thrive and prosper in this world; for we cannot know
Love or
Hatred, the blessing or the
Curse,
By what is before us,
but
By what is within us. The
Curse of
God always
Works really,
and always terribly. Perhaps it is a secret
Curse, a
Curse to
the soul, and does not work
So that others can see it; or a slow
Curse, and does not work soon; but sinners are reserved
By it
for a
Day of wrath.
Canaan here has a better land than either
Shem or
Japheth, and yet they have a better
Lot, for they
inherit the blessing.
Abram and his seed,
God's
Covenant people,
descended from
Eber, and from him were called
Hebrews. How much
better it is to be like
Eber, the
Father of a family of saints
and honest men, than the
Father of a family of hunters after
power, worldly wealth, or vanities.
Goodness is true greatness.