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CHAPTER VII.
1. And these are the names of
the sons of Noah: Japheth, Ham
and Shem; and children were born
to them after the flood, for they had
taken wives before the flood.
2. These are the sons of Japheth;
Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech and Tiras, seven sons.
3. And the sons of Gomer were
Askinaz, Rephath and Tegarmah.
4. And the sons of Magog were
Elichanaf and Lubal.
5. And the children of Madai
were Achon, Zeelo, Chazoni and
Lot.
6. And the sons of Javan were
Elisha, Tarshish, Chittim and Dudonim.
7. And the sons of Tubal were
Ariphi, Kesed and Taari.
8. And the sons of Meshech
were Dedon, Zaron and Shebashni.
9. And the sons of Tiras were
Benib, Gera, Lupirion and Gilak;
these are the sons of Japheth according to their families, and their
numbers in those days were about
four hundred and sixty men.
10. And these are the sons of
Ham; Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and
Canaan, four sons; and the sons of
Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabta,
Raama and Satecha, and the sons of
Raama were Sheba and Dedan.
11. And the sons of Mitzraim
were Lud, Anom and Pathros, Chas-
loth and Chaphtor.
12. And the sons of Phut were
Gebul, Hadan, Benah and Adan.
13. And the sons of Canaan
were Zidon, Heth, Amori, Gergashi,
Hivi, Arkee, Seni, Arodi, Zimodi
and Chamothi.
14. These are the sons of Ham,
according to their families, and their
numbers in those days were about
seven hundred and thirty men.
15. And these are the sons of
Shem; Elam, Ashur, Arpachshad,
Lud and Aram, five sons; and the
sons of Elam were Shushan, Machul and Harmon.
16. And the sons of Ashar were
Mirus and Mokil, and the sons of
Arpachshad were Shelach, Anar
and Ashcol.
17. And the sons of Lud were
Pethor and Bizayon, and the sons
of Aram were Uz, Chul, Gather
and Mash.
18. These are the sons of Shem,
according to their families; and
their numbers in those days were
about three hundred men.
19. These are the generations of Shem; Shem begat Arpachshad and Arpachshad begat Shelach, and Shelach begat Eber and to Eber were born two children, the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the sons of men were divided, and in the latter days, the earth was divided.
20. And the name of the second was Yoktan, meaning that in his day the lives of the sons of men were diminished and lessened.
21. These are the sons of Yoktan; Almodad, Shelaf, Chazarmoveth, Yerach, Hadurom, Ozel, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba, Ophir, Havilah and Jobab; all these are the sons of Yoktan.
22. And Peleg his brother begat Yen, and Yen begat Serug, and Serug begat Nahor, and Nahor begat Terah, and Terah was thirty-eight
years old, and he begat Haran and
Nahor.
23. And Cush the son of Ham,
the son of Noah, took a wife in those
days, in his old age, and she bare
a son, and they called his name
Nimrod, saying, at that time the
sons of men again began to rebel
and transgress against God, and the
child grew up, and his father loved
him exceedingly, for he was the son
of his old age.
24. And the garments of skin
which God made for Adam and his
wife, when they went out of the
garden, were given to Cush.
25. For after the death of Adam
and his wife, the garments were given to Enoch, the son of Jered, and
when Enoch was taken up to God,
he gave them to Methuselah, his son.
26. And at the death of Methuselah, Noah took them and brought
them to the ark, and they were with him until he went out of the ark.
27. And in their going out. Ham stole those garments from Noah his father, and he took them and hid them from his brothers.
28. And when Ham begat his first born Cush, he gave him the garments in secret, and they were with Cush many days.
29. And Cush also concealed them
from his sons and brothers, and when
Cush had begotten Nimrod, he
gave him those garments through
his love for him, and Nimrod grew
up, and when he was twenty years old he put on those garments.
30. And Nimrod became strong
when he put on the garments, and
God gave him might and strength,
and he was a mighty hunter in the
earth, yea, he was a mighty hunter
in the field, and he hunted the animals and he built altars, and he of-
fered upon them the animals before
the Lord.
31. And Nimrod Strengthened
himself, and he rose up from amongst
his brethren, and he fought the battles of his brethren against all their
enemies round about.
32. And the Lord delivered all
the enemies of his brethren in his
hands, and God prospered him from
time to time in his battles, and he
reigned upon earth,
33. Therefore it became current
in those days, when a man ushered
forth those that he had trained up
for battle, he would say to them, like
God did to Nimrod, who was a
mighty hunter in the earth, and who
succeeded in the battles that prevailed against his brethren, that he delivered them from the hands of their
enemies, so may God strengthen
us and deliver us this day.
34. And when Nimrod was forty
years old, at that time there was a
war between his brethren and the
children of Japheth, so that they
were in the power of their enemies.
35. And Nimrod went forth at
that time, and he assembled all the
sons of Cush and their families,
about four hundred and sixty men,
and he hired also from some of his
friends and acquaintances about
eighty men, and he gave them their
hire, and he went with them to battle, and when he was on the road,
Nimrod strengthened the hearts of
the people that went with him.
36. And he said to them, do not
fear, neither be alarmed, for all our
enemies will be delivered into our
hands, and you may do with them
as you please.
37. And all the men that went
were about five hundred, and they fought against their enemies, and
they destroyed them, and subdued
them, and Nimrod placed standing
officers over them in their respective
places,
38. And he look some of their
children as security, and they were
all servants to Nimrod and to his
brethren, and Nimrod and all the
people that were with him turned
homeward.
39. And when Nimrod had joyfully returned from battle, after having
conquered his enemies, all his brethren, together with those who knew
him before, assembled to make him
king over them, and they placed the
regal crown upon his head,
40. And he set over his subjects
and people, princes, judges and
rulers, as is the custom amongst
kings.
41. And he placed Terah the son
of Nahor the prince of his host, and
he dignified him and elevated him
above all his princes.
42. And whilst he was reigning
according to his heart's desire, after
having conquered all his enemies
around, he advised with his counsellors to build a city for his palace,
and they did so.
43. And they found a large valley
opposite to the east, and they built
him a large and extensive city, and
Nimrod called the name of the city
that he built Shinar, for the Lord
had vehemently shaken his enemies
and destroyed them,
44. And Nimrod dwelt in Shinar,
and he reigned securely, and he
fought with his enemies and he subdued them, and he prospered in all
his battles, and his kingdom became
very great.
45. And all nations and tongues
heard of his fame, and they gathered themselves * to him, and they bowed
down to the earth, and they brought
him offerings, and he became their
lord and king, and they all dwelt with him in the city of Shinar, and
Nimrod reigned in the earth over all
the sons of Noah, and they were all
under his power and counsel.
46. And all the earth was of one
tongue and words of union, but Nimrod did not go in the ways of the
Lord, and he was more wicked than
all the men that were before him, from
the days of the flood until those days.
47. And he made Gods of wood
and stone, and he bowed down to
them, and he rebelled against the
Lord, and taught all his subjects and
the people of the earth his wicked
ways; and Mardon his son was more
wicked than his father.
48. And every one that heard of
the acts of Mardon the son of Nimrod
would say, concerning him, from the
wicked goeth forth wickedness;
therefore it became a proverb in the
whole earth, saying, from the wicked goeth forth wickedness, and it
was current in the words of men from that time to this.
49. And Terah the son of Nahor,
prince of Nimrod's host, was in those
days very great in the sight of the
king and his subjects, and the king
and princes loved him, and they ele-
vated him very high.
50. And Terah * took a wife, and
her name was Amthelo the daughter
of Cornebo; and the wife of Terah
conceived and bare him a son in
those days.
51. Terah was seventy years old
when he begat him, and Terah called
the name of his son that was born to
himt Abram, because the king had
raised him in those days, and digni-
fied him above all his princes that
were with him.
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vs. 45: According to Jasher, (and, I believe, Dr. Clarke gives the same opinion of some Christian commentators,) an inference can be drawn that there was a partial separation of mankind long before the affair at Babel, as the confusion of languages did not take place till about 340 years after the flood, being the end of Peleg's life, or the 48th year of the life of Abraham; and having shown that the date of Abraham's birth should be A. M. 1948 instead of 2008, it will follow that the confusion of Babel took place A. M. 1996. I have no doubt that a separation took place before then, until they were reunited under the dominion of Nimrod. Owing to this separation, and their numerous increase, their having no regular form of government, and particularly their petty wars among each other, their first language would branch out into many variations, but still near enough to the original to be understood by each other, and sufficiently altered to be called different tongues; and as a number of families might, by co-operating together, be called a petty nation, so would some alteration in their speech, or tongue, be sufficient to distinguish them. Jasher tells us, that when Nimrod was 40 years old, there was war between his brethren and the children of Japheth; (see verse 34;) and that they were under the power of their enemies; that with a few people, (of the children of Cush only,) he made war, and subdued them; and that they all came to dwell with him in Shinar. I have frequently had to remark that the word all must not in the Hebrew be taken in that latitude, as it would in the modern lan- guages. When a united number is intended to be expressed, the word all is used as in verse 35, when "Nimrod assembled all the sons of Cush, and their families, about four hundred and sixty men," by this is meant that all thosc assembled of the families of Gush were four hundred and sixty men. Sufficient examples will be found in Jasher as well as in scripture, where כל must be understood in this sense. I therefore understand in this verse, not that all mankind came to live in Shinar, but that all those that did come, resided in Shinar. And if, owing to their former separation into petty nations, they must have adopted various dialects sufficient to distinguish them, as Jasher tells us that "all nations and tongues heard his fame," so when they were reunited, and become under one government, not from choice, but from compulsion, then they became again of one lip and words of union; for thus would I translate ורבים אהדים, commonly translated, and one speech, which is the literal translation, meaning that after their cessation from war and petty broils, they again spoke in one lip and words of union, in opposition to separate dialects and words of strife. This inference of a former separation will explain that part of the speech of the builders of Babel, "we will build a tower, &c., &c., lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth," alluding to their former dissensions, by which means they had originally separated, and become scattered, but wishing to unite in idolatry, and raise an amazing tower, they hoped it would be the means of uniting the whole race of mankind under their impious standard. It seems that the famihes of Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and Canaan were the chief instigators to this impious act, and that out of all the families then existing, not of Ham only, but the impious of all the families that assembled to the task, were 600,000 men; and they chose a valley at two days' distance from Shinar, say twenty miles. I have no doubt the numbers of the human race were very considerable at that time, as it was 340 years after the flood, and there was plenty of time for the propagation of men to three or four millions of inhabitants.
vs. 45: According to Jasher, (and, I believe, Dr. Clarke gives the same opinion of some Christian commentators,) an inference can be drawn that there was a partial separation of mankind long before the affair at Babel, as the confusion of languages did not take place till about 340 years after the flood, being the end of Peleg's life, or the 48th year of the life of Abraham; and having shown that the date of Abraham's birth should be A. M. 1948 instead of 2008, it will follow that the confusion of Babel took place A. M. 1996. I have no doubt that a separation took place before then, until they were reunited under the dominion of Nimrod. Owing to this separation, and their numerous increase, their having no regular form of government, and particularly their petty wars among each other, their first language would branch out into many variations, but still near enough to the original to be understood by each other, and sufficiently altered to be called different tongues; and as a number of families might, by co-operating together, be called a petty nation, so would some alteration in their speech, or tongue, be sufficient to distinguish them. Jasher tells us, that when Nimrod was 40 years old, there was war between his brethren and the children of Japheth; (see verse 34;) and that they were under the power of their enemies; that with a few people, (of the children of Cush only,) he made war, and subdued them; and that they all came to dwell with him in Shinar. I have frequently had to remark that the word all must not in the Hebrew be taken in that latitude, as it would in the modern lan- guages. When a united number is intended to be expressed, the word all is used as in verse 35, when "Nimrod assembled all the sons of Cush, and their families, about four hundred and sixty men," by this is meant that all thosc assembled of the families of Gush were four hundred and sixty men. Sufficient examples will be found in Jasher as well as in scripture, where כל must be understood in this sense. I therefore understand in this verse, not that all mankind came to live in Shinar, but that all those that did come, resided in Shinar. And if, owing to their former separation into petty nations, they must have adopted various dialects sufficient to distinguish them, as Jasher tells us that "all nations and tongues heard his fame," so when they were reunited, and become under one government, not from choice, but from compulsion, then they became again of one lip and words of union; for thus would I translate ורבים אהדים, commonly translated, and one speech, which is the literal translation, meaning that after their cessation from war and petty broils, they again spoke in one lip and words of union, in opposition to separate dialects and words of strife. This inference of a former separation will explain that part of the speech of the builders of Babel, "we will build a tower, &c., &c., lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth," alluding to their former dissensions, by which means they had originally separated, and become scattered, but wishing to unite in idolatry, and raise an amazing tower, they hoped it would be the means of uniting the whole race of mankind under their impious standard. It seems that the famihes of Cush, Mitzraim, Phut and Canaan were the chief instigators to this impious act, and that out of all the families then existing, not of Ham only, but the impious of all the families that assembled to the task, were 600,000 men; and they chose a valley at two days' distance from Shinar, say twenty miles. I have no doubt the numbers of the human race were very considerable at that time, as it was 340 years after the flood, and there was plenty of time for the propagation of men to three or four millions of inhabitants.
vs. 51: אברם From this it seems that Abram was called so, not because he was a mighty father, but because Terah was a mighty father in the court of Nimrod, and therefore God changed his name to Abraham, appropriating to him in a much more extensive sense, the meaning which Terah applied to himself.
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