Genesis 10:1-32

 |  March 21, 2018

Gen. 10:1-32

  1. Locate the passage

This pericope begins the next toledoth and recounts the lineage of Noah’s 3 sons.

  1. Genre

The passage is narrative.  No conversation is recorded in this passage, except a “saying” that became common regarding Nimrod.

  1. Determine the structure of the passage

10:1-5 – The sons of Japheth

10:6-20 – The sons of Ham

10:21-31 – The sons of Shem

  1. Exegete the passage

The text explains the successive generation two different ways.  Attempts to see a distinction between the phrase “the sons of” and “begot” are not overwhelmingly persuasive, especially since both expressions are used for the descendants of Shem.  Instead, variety of expression seems to be the best explanation.

Note that while the order of the sons is Shem, Ham, and Japheth, their order is reversed in the delineation of their descendants.

Much less attention is given to the descendants of Japheth than those of Shem and Ham.

Notable descendants of the family of Japheth include: Magog (Ezek. 38:2; 39:6), Tarshish, and the sea peoples.

10:5 – They were “separated”

Notable descendants among the family of Ham were: Mitzraim (Egypt), Canaan, Nimrod (see below), the Jebusites, and the Amorites.

10:8-12 – Nimrod

10:18 – They were “dispursed”

There is no tracing of the lineage of Put.

10:21 – “And children were also born to Shem”

Two accounts of Shem’s descendants are traced in Scripture.  The first is a general lineage (10:21-31).  The second is specific through the line of Arphaxad.

Notable descendants among the family of Shem include: Assur (Assyrians), Arphaxad, Aram (Arameans), and Peleg.

10:25 – “In his days the earth was divided”

10:25 – Lineage through Eber

10:32 – This verse is a final summary statement repeating the toledoth of 10:1.  It also        anticipates the dispersion described in chapter 11.

  1. Let the structure of the text drive the sermon

Category: Sermon Structure
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