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Library / Commentaries and Disputations on Genesis, Volume II

Book Fifteen — the multiplication of mankind after the flood

…he began to be mighty in the earth. And he was a stout hunter before the Lord. From him came forth the proverb, “Even as Nemrod the stout hunter before the Lord.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon and Arach and Acad and Chalanne in the land of Sennaar. Out of that land came forth Assur and built Niniveh and the streets of the city and Chale. Resen also between Niniveh and Chale: this is the great city. But Mesraim begot Ludim and Anamim and Laabim and Nephtuim and Phethrusim and Chasluim, of whom came forth the Philistines and the Caphtorim. And Chanaan begot Sidon his firstborn, the Hethite and the Iebusite and the Amorrhite, the Gergesite, the Hevite and the Aracite, the Sinite. And the Aradian, the Samarite and the Amathite: and by these the peoples of the Canaanites were spread abroad. And the borders of Chanaan were from Sidon as one comes to Gerara even to Gaza, until one enters Sodom and Gomorrha and Adama and Seboim even to Lasa. These are the children of Cham in their kindreds and tongues and lands and nations. Of Sem also, the father of all the children of Heber, the elder brother of Iaphet, sons were born. The sons of Sem: Aelam and Assur and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram. The sons of Aram: Hus and Hul, Gether and Mes. But Arphaxad begot Sale, of whom was born Heber. And to Heber were born two sons, the name of one was Phaleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother was Iectan. Which Iectan begot Elmodad and Saleph and Asarmoth, Iare and Adora and Uzal and Decla and Hebal and Abimael, Saba and Ophir and Hevila and Iobab: all these are the sons of Iectan. And their dwelling was from Messa as one goes on toward Sapar, a mountain of the East. These are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues and regions in their nations. These are the families of Noah according to their peoples and nations. By these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.}

LatineEnglish

…he began to be mighty in the earth. And he was a stout hunter before the Lord. From him came forth the proverb, “Even as Nemrod the stout hunter before the Lord.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon and Arach and Acad and Chalanne in the land of Sennaar. Out of that land came forth Assur and built Niniveh and the streets of the city and Chale. Resen also between Niniveh and Chale: this is the great city. But Mesraim begot Ludim and Anamim and Laabim and Nephtuim and Phethrusim and Chasluim, of whom came forth the Philistines and the Caphtorim. And Chanaan begot Sidon his firstborn, the Hethite and the Iebusite and the Amorrhite, the Gergesite, the Hevite and the Aracite, the Sinite. And the Aradian, the Samarite and the Amathite: and by these the peoples of the Canaanites were spread abroad. And the borders of Chanaan were from Sidon as one comes to Gerara even to Gaza, until one enters Sodom and Gomorrha and Adama and Seboim even to Lasa. These are the children of Cham in their kindreds and tongues and lands and nations. Of Sem also, the father of all the children of Heber, the elder brother of Iaphet, sons were born. The sons of Sem: Aelam and Assur and Arphaxad and Lud and Aram. The sons of Aram: Hus and Hul, Gether and Mes. But Arphaxad begot Sale, of whom was born Heber. And to Heber were born two sons, the name of one was Phaleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and the name of his brother was Iectan. Which Iectan begot Elmodad and Saleph and Asarmoth, Iare and Adora and Uzal and Decla and Hebal and Abimael, Saba and Ophir and Hevila and Iobab: all these are the sons of Iectan. And their dwelling was from Messa as one goes on toward Sapar, a mountain of the East. These are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues and regions in their nations. These are the families of Noah according to their peoples and nations. By these were the nations divided on the earth after the flood.}1

…ipse coepit esse potens in terra. Et erat robustus venator coram Domino. Ab hoc exivit proverbium, Quasi Nemrod robustus venator coram Domino. Fuit autem principium regni eius Babylon et Arach et Acad et Chalanne in terra Sennaar. De terra illa egressus est Assur et aedificavit Niniven et plateas civitatis et Chale. Resen quoque inter Niniven et Chale: haec est civitas magna. At vero Mesraim genuit Ludim et Anamim et Laabim et Nephtuim et Phethrusim et Chasluim: de quibus egressi sunt Philisthiim et Caphtorim. Chanaan autem genuit Sidonem primogenitum suum, Hethaeum et Iebusaeum et Amorrhaeum, Gergesaeum, Hevaeum et Aracaeum, Sinaeum. Et Aradium, Samaraeum et Amathaeum: et per hos disseminati sunt populi Chananaeorum. Factique sunt termini Chanaan venientibus a Sidone Gerara usque ad Gazam, donec ingrediaris Sodomam et Gomorrham et Adamam et Seboim usque Lasa. Hi sunt filii Cham in cognationibus et linguis terrisque et gentibus suis. De Sem quoque nati sunt, patre omnium filiorum Heber, fratre Iaphet maiore. Filii Sem: Aelam et Assur et Arphaxad et Lud et Aram. Filii Aram: Hus et Hul, Gether et Mes. At vero Arphaxad genuit Sale, de quo ortus est Heber. Natique sunt Heber filii duo, nomen uni Phaleg, eo quod in diebus eius divisa sit terra, et nomen fratris eius Iectan. Qui Iectan genuit Elmodad et Saleph et Asarmoth, Iare et Adora et Uzal et Decla et Hebal et Abimael, Saba et Ophir et Hevila et Iobab: omnes isti filii Iectan. Et facta est habitatio eorum de Messa pergentibus usque Saphar montem Orientalem. Isti sunt filii Sem secundum cognationes et linguas et regiones in gentibus suis. Hae familiae Noë iuxta populos et nationes suas. Ab his divisae sunt gentes in terra post diluvium.

DESCRIBIT Moses hoc decimo capite numerosam progeniem multiplicemque posteritatem trium filiorum Noë, primamque originem diversitatis gentium, regionum atque regnorum. Nec tamen in posteris filiorum Noë percensendis omnes commemorat, id enim fuisset quasi infinitum nec ulli usui; sed eos tantum qui velut capita et principes fuere aliquarum gentium, eisque nomina indidere. Quapropter Iaphet filios duntaxat septem recenset, nec eorum posteros omnes, sed duorum tantum, Gomer tres et Iavan quatuor: ita ut tota progenies Iaphet quatuordecim viris a Mose circumscripta sit. Cham autem quatuor filios enumerat, et de his trium duntaxat posteros, omnesque progenitos ex Cham ad unius et triginta numerum redegit. Denique Sem quinque filios connumerat, de quibus trium tantum posteritatem exponit: nec de iis qui proseminati sunt ex ipso Sem plures quam viginti sex nominavit. Itaque omnes filiorum Noë posteri qui commemorantur a Mose duorum et septuaginta numerum non excedunt.
Moses describes in this tenth chapter the numerous progeny and manifold posterity of the three sons of Noah, and the first origin of the diversity of peoples, regions, and kingdoms. Yet in reckoning up the posterity of Noah's sons he does not mention all — for that would have been, as it were, infinite, and of no use — but only those who were as it were the heads and chiefs of some nations, and gave names to them. Wherefore he reckons only seven sons of Iaphet, and not all their posterity, but of two only — three of Gomer, and four of Iavan — so that the whole progeny of Iaphet is circumscribed by Moses in fourteen men. Of Cham he enumerates four sons, and of these the posterity of three only, and reduced all begotten from Cham to the number of thirty-one. Finally, of Sem he counts five sons, of whom he sets forth the posterity of three only; nor of those sown from Sem himself did he name more than twenty-six. And so all the posterity of Noah's sons mentioned by Moses do not exceed the number of seventy-two.2
VOLUIT porro Deus has gentes nominatim commemorari, eorumque notitiam immortali posterorum memoriae commendari, ut liquido appareret veritas et efficacitas primae illius benedictionis Dei, cum dictum est filiis Noë, Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram. Itemque ostenderetur verissimus exitus et effectus tam benedictionis Sem et Iaphet quam maledictionis Cham, qua eis impertivit Noë. Ad haec, ut, cognitis veris gentium, regnorum ac nationum primordiis, vanissimas et mendacissimas de his rebus gentilium historias rideamus atque contemnamus. Et quia gentium quae hic memorantur saepe incidit mentio in sacris literis, percepta earum origine, clarior ac plenior earum gentium nobis suppetat cognitio.
God willed, moreover, that these nations be mentioned by name, and the knowledge of them be commended to the immortal memory of posterity, that the truth and efficacy of that first blessing of God might clearly appear, when it was said to the sons of Noah, “Increase and multiply and fill the earth.” And likewise that the most true issue and effect might be shown, both of the blessing of Sem and Iaphet and of the curse of Cham, which Noah imparted to them. Besides, that, the true beginnings of peoples, kingdoms, and nations being known, we may laugh at and despise the most vain and most lying histories of the Gentiles about these matters. And because mention of the nations here recorded often occurs in the sacred letters, their origin being grasped, a clearer and fuller knowledge of those nations may be at hand for us.3
QUOD autem attinet ad vocabula seu nomina gentium quae hic recensentur (cum quaedam eorum retenta sint, multa vero obliterata, sed pleraque tamen immutata), iuvat de his praemonere ac praedocere lectorem quod praemonuit Iosephus primo libro Antiquitatum: Post divisionem, inquit, linguarum passim dispersi sunt homines, coloniis nusquam non deductis, et quoque quae sors et Deus tulit eam terram cum suis occupavit: ut tam maritima quam mediterranea cultoribus replerentur; nec defuerunt qui, conscensis navibus, ad insulas habitandas traiicerent. Porro gentium quaedam adhuc servant derivatam a suis conditoribus appellationem; quaedam vero eam mutaverunt; nonnullae autem in familiarem accolis notioremque vocem deflexerunt, Graecis potissimum talis nomenclaturae auctoribus: hi enim, posterioribus seculis veterem locorum gloriam sibi vendicantes, gentes nominibus sibi notis insigniverunt, et, quasi sui iuris essent, mores ritusque proprios in eas invexerunt. Haec Iosephus.
But as to the words or names of the nations which are here reckoned — since some of them are retained, but many obliterated, yet most changed — it is useful to forewarn and pre-instruct the reader of what Josephus forewarned in the first book of the Antiquities: “After the division of tongues,” he says, “men were dispersed everywhere, colonies being led out in every direction, and each occupied with his own that land which lot and God brought him: so that both the maritime and the inland [places] were filled with cultivators; nor were there lacking those who, boarding ships, crossed over to inhabit the islands. Now of the nations, some still keep the appellation derived from their founders; some have changed it; and some have turned it into a word more familiar and better known to the neighbors — the Greeks being chiefly the authors of such nomenclature: for these, in later ages claiming for themselves the ancient glory of places, marked the nations with names known to themselves, and, as if they were of their own right, introduced their own manners and rites into them.” Thus Josephus.4

Translator’s notes

  1. Gen 10:8b–32 (the chapter text concluded — Cham's and Sem's lines). Margins: vv. 8–32. ↩
  2. Praefatio §1. Moses lists only the heads of nations: Japheth's line = 14, Cham's = 31, Shem's = 26 — in all, 72. ↩
  3. Praefatio §2. Why God had the nations named: to show the efficacy of the blessing/curse, to refute the pagans' lying histories, and to clarify the nations met in Scripture. Margins: “Why the nations sprung from the three sons of Noah are reckoned by Moses”; Gen. 9. ↩
  4. Praefatio §3. On the names (some kept, many lost, most changed): Josephus on the dispersal and how the Greeks renamed nations. Margins: Josephus; “The vanity of the Greeks.” ↩