Genesis 10-11

© John Stevenson, 2009

The NationsThe Nations

Genesis 9:24-27

Prophecy of the nations

Curse on Canaan

Genesis 10

Listing of the nations

Career of Nimrod

Genesis 11

Division of the nations

Judgment of languages at

Babel

Genesis 10:1Genesis 10:1Now these are the records of

the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood.

Genesis 10:8-9Genesis 10:8-9Now Cush became the father of

Nimrod; he became a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

Genesis 10:10-12Genesis 10:10-12The beginning of his kingdom

was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

Genesis 10:25Genesis 10:25Two sons were born to Eber;

the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

Seems to bethe source of

the term“Hebrew”

Genesis 10:25Genesis 10:25Two sons were born to Eber;

the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.

What does it mean What does it mean that “the earth was that “the earth was

divided”?divided”?

Genesis 10:32Genesis 10:32These are the families of the

sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood.

If we do not count the three If we do not count the three sons of Noah, there are a total sons of Noah, there are a total

of 70 names in this table.of 70 names in this table.

What is significant What is significant about this number?about this number?

……all the persons of the house of all the persons of the house of Jacob, who came to Egypt, Jacob, who came to Egypt, were were

seventy (Genesis 46:27)seventy (Genesis 46:27)

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,When He separated the sons of man,He set the boundaries of the peoplesAccording to the number of the sons of Israel.9 For the Lord’s portion is His people,Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:7-9).

Israel is a microcosm Israel is a microcosm of the worldof the world

Jesus is the “better Israel”Jesus is the “better Israel” who came to save the world who came to save the world

PURPOSE OF THE BABEL PURPOSE OF THE BABEL NARRATIVENARRATIVE

• Show the Origin of the Division of Languages

• Show the Origin of the Babylonian Religious System

• Show the Results of Rebellion against God

Genesis 11:1Genesis 11:1Now the whole earth used the

same language and the same words.

It came about as they

journeyed east, that

they found a plain in the

land of Shinar and

settled there (Genesis

11:2).

Genesis 11:3Genesis 11:3They said to one another,

“Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.

Genesis 11:4Genesis 11:4They said, “Come, let us build

for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

Genesis 11:5Genesis 11:5The LORD came down to see

the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.

Genesis 11:6-7Genesis 11:6-7The LORD said, “Behold, they

are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another's speech.”

Genesis 11:8Genesis 11:8So the LORD scattered them

abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city.

Genesis 11:9Genesis 11:9Therefore its name was called

Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.

ll;B'll;B'lb,B'lb,B'

Major Language GroupingsMajor Language Groupings

• Indo-European (corresponds to Japheth): English, Spanish, Greek, German, French, Latin, Italian.

• Semitic (corresponds to Shem): Hebrew, Arabic, Akkadian, Aramaic.

• Hamitic (corresponds to Ham): Egyptian, Berber, Cushitic, and Chadic

BabelJudgment

upon man’s rebellion:

Languages scatter

mankind

AbrahamOne man to become a

great nation: All nations to be blessed through him

JesusOne is judged for all of man’s rebellion: Gift of languages proclaim the

good new

Genesis 5AdamSeth

EnoshKenan

MahalelJaredEnoch

MethuselahLamech

NoahShem Ham Japheth

Genesis 11Shem

ArphachshadCainanShelahEberPelegReu

SerugNahorTerah

Abram Nahor Haran

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Genesis 5Begins with Adam,

but is preceded by a genealogy of the

antediluvian world found in Genesis 4.

Genesis 11Begins with Shem,

but is preceded by a genealogy of the

postdiluvian world found in Genesis 10.

Ten generations are listed.

Ten generations are listed.

Ends with the birth of three sons.

Ends with the birth of three sons.

Genesis 11 not a Strict Genesis 11 not a Strict ChronologyChronology

• The Number of Years is not Totaled.

• The Name and Years of Cainan are Absent from the Hebrew Text.

• Genesis 5 and Genesis 11 are Symmetrical in Form.

• The earth was divided in the days of Peleg (Genesis 10:25).

• Ancestral connections between people in Biblical genealogies are often abridged

Genesis 4-5

Men began to call upon the name of

the Lord (Genesis

4:26).

Genesis 11

Let us make for ourselves

a name (Genesis

11:4).

Genesis 12

I will bless you, and

make your name great (Genesis

12:2).