Latest / Commentary on The Book of Genesis / 13 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis

Transcript

13 - Commentary on The Book of Genesis · Commentary on The Book of Genesis

0:00
Chapter ten. This chapter shows more, particularly what was said in general chapter
0:06
nine, verse nineteen, concerning the three sons of Noah, that of them
0:10
was the whole earth overspread, and the fruit of that blessing Chapter nine,
0:15
verses one and seven replenish the earth. It is the only certain account extant
0:21
of the origin of nations. And yet perhaps there is no nation but that
0:24
of the Jews that can be confident from which of these seventy fountains, for
0:29
so many there are here. It derives its streams through the want of early
0:33
records, the mixtures of people, the revolutions of nations, and distance of
0:38
time. The knowledge of the lineal descent of the present inhabitants of the earth
0:42
is lost, nor were any genealogies preserved, that those of the Jews.
0:47
For the sake of the Messiah. Only in this chapter we have a brief
0:50
account numeral one, of the posterity of Jff Verses two to five, numeral
0:56
two, the posterity of Ham verses six to twenty, And in this particular
1:00
notice is taken of Nimrod verses eight ten, numeral three, the posterity of
1:07
Shem verse twenty one, et cetera. The generations of Noah b. C.
1:14
Two thousand, three hundred and forty seven, Verses one to five.
1:19
Now, these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham,
1:23
and Jafeth, And unto them were sons born after the flood, the
1:27
sons of Japheth, Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javon and tupl and Mishek
1:34
and Tiras, and the sons of Goma Ashkenaz and Rifath and Togomar, and
1:41
the sons of Javan Elisha and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. By these,
1:47
with the isles of the gentiles divided in their lands, every one after his
1:51
tongue, after their families in their nations. Moses begins with Jayfeed's family,
1:57
either because he was the eldest or because his family lay remotest from Israel and
2:00
had least concern with them at the time when Moses wrote, And therefore he
2:05
mentions that race very briefly, hastening to give an account of the posterity of
2:09
Ham, who were Israel's enemies, and of Shem, who are Israel's ancestors.
2:15
For it is the Church that the scripture is designed to be the history
2:17
of and of the nations of the world, only as they were some way
2:22
or other related to Israel and interested in the affairs of Israel. Observe Number
2:28
one. Notice is taken that the sons of Noah had sons born to them
2:31
after the flood, to repair and rebuild the world of mankind which the flood
2:37
had ruined. He that had killed now makes alive. Number two. The
2:44
posterity of Jfef were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles verse five, which
2:49
were solemnly by lot after a survey, divided among them. And probably this
2:54
island of ours among the rest all places beyond the sea from Judea are called
3:00
isles Jeremiah chapter twenty five, verse twenty two. And this directs us to
3:05
understand that promise Isaiah chapter forty two, verse four, The isles shall wait
3:09
for his law of the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ Verses
3:16
six to fourteen. And the sons of Ham Kush and Misram, and Foot
3:23
and Canaan, and the sons of Kush, Siba and Havilah and Saptah and
3:29
Rama and Sabteka, and the sons of Ramah Sheba and Dedan and Kusha Nimrod,
3:37
he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a
3:39
mighty hunter before the Lord. Wherefore it is said, even as Nimrod the
3:44
mighty hunter before the Lord, and the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and
3:49
Erech and Akad and Kalnay in the land of Sheena. Out of that land
3:53
went forth Asher and builded Nineveh, and the city Reheaboth and Kailah, and
4:00
reason, between Nineveh and Kayla, the same is a great city. And
4:04
misram Begat Ludim and Animim and Lihabim and naft to him, and Pathrusim and
4:12
Kashlhim, out of whom came Philistim and Kafterim. That which is observable and
4:18
improvable in these verses is the account here given of Nimrod Verses eight to ten.
4:25
He is here represented as a great man in his day. He began
4:28
to be a mighty one in the earth. That is, whereas those that
4:31
went before him were content to stand upon the same level with their neighbours.
4:35
And though every man bore rule in his own house, yet no man pretended
4:40
any further. Nimrod's aspiring mind could not rest here. He was resolved to
4:45
tower above his neighbors, not only to be eminent among them, but to
4:48
laud it over them. The same spirit that actuated the giants before the flood,
4:54
who became mighty men and men of renown chapter six, verse four,
4:59
now revived in him. So soon was that tremendous judgment which the pride and
5:02
tyranny of those mighty men brought upon the world forgotten. Note there are some
5:09
in whom ambition and affectation of dominion seem to be bred in the bone.
5:14
Such there have been and will be. Notwithstanding the wrath of God often revealed
5:17
from Heaven against them. Nothing on this side Hell will humble and break the
5:23
proud spirits of some men in this, like Lucifer Isaiah Chapter fourteen, Verses
5:29
fourteen and fifteen, now numeral one. Nimrod was a great hunter. With
5:36
this he began, and for this became famous to a proverb. Every great
5:41
hunter is in remembrance of him, called a Nimrod number one. Some think
5:46
he did good with his hunting, served his country by ridding it of the
5:49
wild beasts which infested it, and so insinuated himself into the affections of his
5:55
neighbors and got to be their prince. Those that exercise authority either are or
6:00
at least would be called benefactors Luke, chapter twenty two, verse twenty five,
6:06
number two. Others think that under pretense of hunting, he gathered men
6:12
under his command in pursuit of another game he had to play, which was
6:15
to make himself master of the country, and to bring them into subjection.
6:19
He was a mighty hunter, that is, he was a violent invader of
6:24
his neighbour's rights and properties, and a persecutor of innocent men, carrying all
6:29
before him and endeavoring to make all his own by force and violence. He
6:33
thought himself a mighty prince. But before the Lord, that is, in
6:38
God's account, he was but a mighty hunter. Note, great conquerors are
6:44
but great hunters. Alexander and Caesar would not make such a figure in scripture
6:48
history as they do in common history. The former is represented in prophecy,
6:53
but as a he goat pushing Daniel chapter eight, verse five. Nimrod was
6:58
a mighty hunter against the Lord, so the alexx that is subscript one.
7:04
He set up idolatry, as Jerebiah did for the confirming of his usurped dominion,
7:11
that he might set up a new government. He set up a new
7:13
religion upon the ruin of the primitive constitution of both Babel was the mother of
7:17
harlots or subscript two. He carried on his oppression and violence in defiance of
7:24
God himself, daring heaven with his impieties, as if he and his huntsmen
7:28
could outbrave the Almighty and were a match for the Lord of Hosts and all
7:32
his armies. As if were a small thing to weary men, he thinks
7:36
to weary my God. Also Isaiah seven thirteen NUMERL two. Nimrod was a
7:45
great ruler. The beginning of his kingdom was Babel verse ten. Some way
7:50
or other by arts or arms, he got into power, either being chosen
7:56
to it or forcing his way to it, and so laid the foundations of
8:00
monarchy, which was afterwards a head of gold and the terror of the Mighty,
8:03
and bade fair to be universal. It does not appear that he had
8:09
any right to rule by birth, but either his fitness for government recommended him,
8:13
as some think, to an election, or by power and policy.
8:16
He advanced gradually and perhaps insensibly, into the throne. See the antiquity of
8:22
civil government, and particularly that form of it which lodges the sovereignty in a
8:26
single person. If Nimrod and his neighbors began, other nations soon learned to
8:31
incorporate under one head for their common safety and welfare, which, however it
8:35
began, proved so great a blessing to the world that things were reckoned to
8:39
go ill. Indeed, when there was no king in Israel numeral three,
8:45
Nimrod was a great builder. Probably he was architect in the building of Babel,
8:50
and there he began his kingdom. But when his project to rule all
8:54
the sons of Noah was baffled by the confusion of tongues, out of that
8:58
land he went forth into Assyria, so the margin reads it verse eleven,
9:03
and built nineveh et cetera. That having built these cities, he might command
9:09
them and rule over them. Observe in Nimrod the nature of ambition. Number
9:13
one, it is boundless. Much would have more, and still cries give
9:18
give. Number two, it is restless. Nimrod, when he had four
9:24
cities under his command, could not be content till he had four more.
9:28
Number three, it is expensive. Nimrod will rather be at the charge of
9:33
rearing cities than not have the honor of ruling them. The spirit of building
9:37
is the common effect of a spirit of pride. Number four. It is
9:43
daring and will stick at nothing. Nimrod's name signifies rebellion, which, if
9:48
indeed he did abuse his power to the oppression of his neighbors, teaches us
9:52
that tyrants to men are rebels to God, and their rebellion is as the
9:56
sin of witchcraft Verses fifteen to twenty. And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn,
10:05
and Heath, and the Gebecite, and the Amorite, and the Gergazite,
10:11
and the Hiwite, and the Archite, and the Synite, and the Arvadite,
10:15
and the Zimerite and the Hammathite. And afterward were the families of the
10:18
Canaanites spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as thou
10:24
comest to Ghiah unto Gaza, as thou goest unto Sodom, and Gomorrah and
10:30
Admah and Zebraim even unto Lasha. These are the sons of ham after their
10:35
families, after their tongues, in their countries and in their nations observe here.
10:43
Number one. The account of the posterity of Canaan, of the families
10:48
and nations that descended from him, and of the land they possessed, is
10:52
more particular than of any other in this chapter, because these were the nations
10:56
that were to be subdued before Israel, and their land was in pro of
11:00
time to become the Holy Land, Emmanuel's land. And this God had an
11:05
eye to when in the meantime he cast the lot of that accursed devoted race
11:09
into that spot of ground which he had selected for his own people. This,
11:13
Moses takes notice of Deuteronomy chapter thirty two, verse eight, when the
11:18
Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, he set the bounds of the
11:22
people according to the number of the children of Israel. Number two. By
11:28
this account, it appears that the posterity of Canaan were numerous and rich,
11:31
and very pleasantly situated. And yet Canaan was under a curse, a divine
11:37
curse, and not a curse causeless. Note, those that are under the
11:41
curse of God may yet perhaps thrive and prosper greatly in this world, For
11:46
we cannot know love or hatred. The blessing or the curse by what is
11:50
before us, but by what is within us. Ecclesiastes, chapter nine,
11:54
verse one. The curse of God always works really and always terribly. But
12:00
perhaps it is a secret curse, a curse to the soul and does not
12:03
work visibly, or a slow curse and does not work immediately. But sinners
12:07
are by it reserved for and bound over to a day of wrath. Canaan
12:13
here has a better land than either Shem or Jayfith. And yet they have
12:16
a better lot, for they inherit the Blessing Verses twenty one to thirty two.
12:24
Unto Shem, also the father of all the children of Iber, the
12:28
brother of Jfeth the elder. Even to him were children born. The children
12:33
of Shem Elam and Asher and Alfaxad and Lud and Aram and the children of
12:39
aram Us and Hull and Githa and Mash and Alfaxad Begat Salah and Salah begat
12:46
Eber, and unto Eber were born two sons. The name of one was
12:50
Peleg, for in his days was the earth divided. And his brother's name
12:56
was Joctam and Joktan Begat Almadad and Schiliv and Hazemaveth and Jirah and Hadoram,
13:03
and Uzal and Dickla and Obal and Abimiel and Sheba and Ophir and Havilah and
13:11
Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan, and their dwelling was from
13:16
Mesha as thou goest unto Siphah, a mount of the east. These are
13:22
the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their
13:26
lands, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah,
13:31
after their generations, in their nations. And by these were the nations
13:35
divided in the earth after the flood. Two things especially are observable in this
13:41
account of the posterity of Shem numeral ie the description of Shem verse twenty one.
13:48
We have not only his name Shem, which signifies a name, but
13:52
two titles to distinguish him. By number one, he was the father of
13:58
all the children of Iba Iber was his great grandson. But why should he
14:03
be called the father of all his children rather than all of Alfaxads or Salahs
14:07
et ce. Probably because Abraham and his Seid, God's covenant people not only
14:13
descended from Hebrew, but from him were called Hebrews. Chapter fourteen, verse
14:16
thirteen. Abraham the Hebrew. Paul looked upon it as his privilege that he
14:22
was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. Phileiman three, verse five. Iber himself,
14:28
we may suppose, was a man eminent for religion in a time of
14:31
general apostasy, and a great example of piety to his family, and the
14:35
holy tongue being commonly called from him the Hebrew. It is probable that he
14:39
retained it in his family in the Confusion of Babel as a special token of
14:43
God's favour to him and from him, the professors of religion were called the
14:48
children of Eber. Now, when inspired Penman would give Shem an honorable title,
14:54
he calls him the father of the Hebrews, though when Moses wrote this
14:58
they were a poor, despised people bondslaves in Egypt. Yet being God's people,
15:03
it was an honor to a man to be akin to them. As
15:07
Ham, though he had many sons, is disowned by being called the father
15:11
of Canaan, on whose seed the curse was entailed Chapter nine, verse twenty
15:16
two. So Shem, though he had many sons, is dignified with the
15:20
title of the father of Eber on whose seed the blessing was entailed. Note
15:26
a family of saints is more truly honorable than a family of nobles. Shem's
15:30
holy seed than Ham's royal seed, Jacob's twelve Patriarchs, than Ishmael's twelve Princes.
15:35
Chapter seventeen, Verse twenty. Goodness is true greatness. Number two,
15:43
He was the brother of Jfef the Elder, by which it appears that though
15:46
Shem is commonly put first, he was not Noahs first born, but Jfef
15:52
was older. But why should this also be put as part of Shem's title
15:56
and description, that he was the brother of Jfef, since it had been
16:00
in effect said often before, and was he not as much brother to Ham?
16:06
Probably this was intended to signify the union of the Gentiles with the Jews
16:10
in the church. The Sacred Historian had mentioned it as Schem's honor that he
16:14
was the father of the Hebrews. But lest Japith's seed should therefore be looked
16:18
upon as forever shut out from the church, he here reminds us that he
16:22
was the brother of Japheth, not in birth only, but in blessing,
16:27
for Japith was to dwell in the tents of shem Note subscript I. Those
16:33
are brethren in the best manner, that are so by grace, and that
16:36
meet in the covenant of God and in the communion of saints. Subscript two.
16:41
God, in dispensing his grace does not go by seniority, but the
16:45
younger sometimes skeets the start of the elder in coming into the church, so
16:49
that the last shall be first and the first last Numel two. The reason
16:56
of the name of Peleg Verse twenty five, because in his day, that
17:00
is about the time of his birth, when his name was given him,
17:03
was the earth divided among the children of men that were to inhabit it,
17:07
either when Noah divided it by an orderly distribution of it, as Joah divided
17:11
the land of Canaan by lot, or when upon their refusal to comply with
17:17
that division, God injustice divided them by the confusion of tongues. Whichsoever of
17:22
these was the occasion, pious hebre saw cause to perpetuate the remembrance of it
17:26
in the name of his son. And justly may our sons be called by
17:30
the same name, For in our days, in another sense, is the
17:33
earth the church most wretchedly divided end of Chapter ten,