All mankind has been wiped from the face of the earth. Noah and his family are all that remain and life must begin anew. The first verse of chapter 10 tells us that this is going to be an account of the lineage of Noah’s sons. Verses 2-5 give us the offspring of Japheth. We can see in verse 5 that some dialects have already developed.
Verses 6-20 tell us of the lineage of Ham. Verses 6 and 8 take the lineage down through Nimrod who was a mighty warrior. Nimrod appears to be the grandson of Ham, the son who called attention to Noah’s nakedness and we know from verse 9 that he was a mighty hunter. Being a mighty hunter would have been an important skill at a time when wild animals roaming the earth were a continual threat for mankind. Verses 10-12 tell us he was a king and his kingdom was established in Babylon (modern day Iraq) and then spread outwards into Assyria (though the Assyrians are actually descendants of Shem). Babylonian seals have been discovered by archeologists which depict a king doing combat with a lion. It is possible these seals may represent Nimrod. Suffice it to say, Nimrod was a very important man in his time. For centuries afterwards, Babylon and Nineveh were the leading cities of the world.
So, we can see that Babylon comes from the line of Ham. Verses 6 and 13 tell us that Egypt also began with the line of Ham as did the Philistines (vs 14) who were longtime enemies of God’s people, the Israelites. Verses 15-20 show the establishment of various other nations, many of whom will become enemies of the Israelites. We can see in verse 19 that Sodom and Gomorrah are from the line of Ham and again, in verse 20, we see that Ham's people also have different dialects.
Verses 21-31 tell us of the lineage of Shem. These are known as the Semites. The word Semite is often thought to be synonymous with Jew, but as we can see here, the Semites are much higher up the family tree and the Jews will be a smaller portion of these people. We can see in these verses many nations that are also Semites.
Peleg was an important man of his time. We are simply told why he was named what he was named (vs 25). He was named Peleg because, in his time, the earth was divided. The name Peleg means ‘division’. Most theologians agree that this is a reference to the tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9), which would have occurred during this time. People would have been forced to divide into groups, based upon languages, and then move far enough away to be able to live in peace. The result would have been civilizations forming later than Babylon at farther and farther locations (i.e. Egypt, Greece, etc.). This would be in agreement with both history and the table of nations established here in Genesis chapter 10. Had Peleg been born right after this dispersion at Babel, it is reasonable to think that Eber might have named his son in commemoration of such an event. Again, we see in verse 31, dialects have emerged.
There is another train of thought held by many Christian scientists that this mention of the earth being divided may, in fact, be a Biblical reference to Pangea. Being relatively soon after the great flood, conditions on earth would have been favorable for the separation of Pangea into separate continents through shifts of tectonic plates, etc. This would certainly explain, with the dispersion at Babel, how people groups ended up in North and South America, etc. However, I am prone to think that a geological event great enough to open up an Atlantic Ocean and separate the earth into continents might cause earthquakes, tsunamis and other phenomena too enormous for life on earth to survive. What do you think?
Verse 32 sums this all up in that these clans were the nations established by the descendants of Noah who were involved in filling the earth after the great flood (Acts 17:26). This chapter of the Bible is known as the Table of Nations.
What cultural aspect of the world at that time do we know from the first verse of chapter 11? Noah’s generations were still living relatively close to each other in one culture; thus, no language derivations or dialects had developed. We see them in verse 2 traveling back from the east, where the ark had left them, and settling in the Plain of Shinar. Shinar, by the way, is a plain between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. From these facts, we know that this story we are about to read occurs early on after leaving the ark, and relatively early in the genealogy of the Table of Nations.
What had been God’s command to them (Gen 9:1)? The KJV says "replenish the earth" while the NIV says "fill the earth". Were they being obedient? In verse 3, we see the people’s plan. They are going to build a great tower. First, they decide to use bricks instead of wood and mortar. They want this to be a tower that will last a long time. They are probably building a ziggurat, a pyramid-like structure that was common at that time. These structures were tall and stood up high serving as a focal point for the city.
In verse 4, we see the people’s motivation. They had two goals. First, they wanted to make a name for themselves. They were building a monument to their own greatness. The sin of pride was at work here. Remember, the people were building this tower strong and they were building it high. Is it possible they were demonstrating through this symbol of strength that they no longer needed God? Second, this tower was to be an anchor for the people to prevent them from being scattered all over the earth. But hadn’t God commanded Noah’s descendants to fill the earth (Gen 9:1)? The ultimate goal of this project was to prevent God’s will from being accomplished. Can you predict the success of this goal?
Notice the wording in verse 5. Whenever the Bible says “The LORD came down”, that is typically an indication that He is going to intervene directly (Ex 3:8, Gen 18:20-21). In verse 6 we learn that God declares one universal language for the whole world to be just enough rope for man to hang himself. What He is about to do, He is going to do in order to keep mankind out of serious trouble.
Look closely at verse 7. Is God speaking in the singular or the plural? We should take note here that the entire Trinity was involved in this decision. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all, in unity, took this action upon mankind in agreement. How many times have any of us thought how much easier the world would run if everyone had a common language? But God knew man’s heart and where that kind of unity would take us. Not only would God have understood what the people of that time were up to, he would have already known about the technological advances of today. Imagine the possibilities and thank God now for His superior wisdom.
Verse 8 tells us the action God took and the immediate effect it had on mankind’s project. They did not stop building because they chose to, but rather because they were unable to continue. I believe this is where God shows us His sense of humor. Twice in this story we see mankind saying, “Come, let us” as they attempt to undermine God’s will. In response, God said, “Come, let us” and puts an end to the matter. Mankind had the choice to obey God by filling the earth, but since they would not, God did it for them and His will was done. What does the Bible tell us about God's hand in establishing the nations of the earth (Acts 17:26-27)?
In verse 9, we are told that this is why the place is called Babel. The name Babel sounded like the Hebrew word for “confused”. This place became the site of ancient Babylon. We are told also, in this verse, that the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth. This was not a voluntary relocation. It was by the Lord’s hand. And His will was done.
Responding to God: Praise God for His excellent wisdom in forming nations. Thank Him for His intervention in the affairs of men. Pray and ask God to reveal areas of your life where you may be guilty of self-worship and pride. Ask Him to help you overcome that sin. Request His help recognizing times when you have put your will before His.
Further Research: To learn more about the different theories surrounding the reference to Peleg’s name, do an internet search on the name Peleg.
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