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Library / Commentaries and Disputations on Genesis, Volume II

Book Fifteen — the multiplication of mankind after the flood

{The sons of Sem: Aelam, and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.}

LatineEnglish

{The sons of Sem: Aelam, and Assur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.}1

Filii Sem: Aelam, Assur, Arphaxad, Lud et Aram.

BEATUS Hieronymus ex sententia Iosephi supradicta nomina filiorum Sem cursim exponens ita scribit: „Hi filii Sem ab Euphrate fluvio partem Asiae usque ad Indicum Oceanum tenuerunt…“
Blessed Jerome, following the opinion of Josephus, running briefly over the aforesaid names of the sons of Sem, writes thus: „These sons of Sem held the part of Asia from the river Euphrates as far as the Indian Ocean…“2
„…tenuerunt. Est autem Aelam, a quo Aelamitae principes Persidis. De Assur ante dictum est quod Ninum urbem condiderit. Arphaxad, a quo Chaldaei. Lud, a quo Lydi. Aram, a quo Syri, quorum metropolis est Damascus.“ Sic Hieronymus.
„…held it. There is, moreover, Aelam, from whom the Elamites, princes of Persia. Of Assur it was said before, that he founded the city Ninus. Arphaxad, from whom the Chaldeans. Lud, from whom the Lydians. Aram, from whom the Syrians, whose metropolis is Damascus.“ So far Jerome.3
AB Aelamitis, quos externi scriptores Elymaeos vocant, oriundi fuerunt Persae, qui tamen Aelamitarum nomen posterioribus temporibus obscurarunt, cum, everso Babylonico imperio, amplissimam Persicae dominationis monarchiam condiderunt. Apud Danielem cap. 8 Susan, quae fuit Persarum Regia, fuisse olim in regione Aelam perspicue scriptum est illis verbis: „Vidi in visione cum essem in Susan castro, quod est in Aelam regione.“ Quo manifestum fit olim sub Aelamitarum regione ac ditione fuisse Persas. Sed plura de eo nos disseruimus lib. 9 Commentariorum nostrorum in Danielem, cum verba illa capitis octavi explanaremus.
From the Elamites, whom foreign writers call Elymaeans, the Persians were sprung, who nevertheless in later times obscured the name of the Elamites, when, the Babylonian empire being overthrown, they founded the most ample monarchy of the Persian dominion. In Daniel, chapter 8, that Susan, which was the royal seat of the Persians, was once in the region of Aelam, is plainly written in those words: „I saw in a vision, when I was in the castle of Susan, which is in the region of Aelam.“ By which it is made manifest that the Persians were once under the region and dominion of the Elamites. But we have discussed more about it in book 9 of our Commentaries on Daniel, when we explained those words of the eighth chapter.4
UNDE autem Iosepho notum fuerit Chaldaeos ortum et genus duxisse ab Arphaxad, mihi quidem ignotum est. Quanquam non me latet quosdam nimio plus Hebraizantes inde rationem eius rei petere, quod Chaldaei Hebraice dicantur Chasdim, et permutatione atque affinitate literarum transeuntium in alias literas (quod non raro fit apud Hebraeos) postea nominati sunt Chaldaei. Vocis autem Chasdim singulare est Chasdi, a Chascad, nam hoc est thema. In Chascad autem tres consonantes, s, c et d, reperiuntur in posteriori parte nominis Arphacsad, sic enim secundum rationem Hebraicam scribi debet, nam vocalium apud Hebraeos nulla habetur ratio. Sed haec rideamus licet atque contemnamus ceu inania commenta, futiles argutias ac nugas pueriles.
But whence it was known to Josephus that the Chaldeans drew their origin and stock from Arphaxad is unknown to me. Although it does not escape me that certain men, Hebraizing overmuch, seek the reason of that matter from this: that the Chaldeans are in Hebrew called Chasdim, and by the interchange and affinity of letters passing into other letters (which not rarely happens among the Hebrews) were afterward named Chaldeans. Now the singular of the word Chasdim is Chasdi, from Chascad, for this is the root. And in Chascad the three consonants s, c, and d are found in the latter part of the name Arphacsad — for so it must be written according to Hebrew usage, since among the Hebrews no account is taken of the vowels. But these things we may laugh at and despise as empty inventions, futile subtleties, and childish trifles.5
QUARTO loco inter filios Sem nominatur Lud, a quo Lydi Asiae minoris populi creduntur orti, nominis sono id quodammodo arguente. Alter eiusdem nominis supra inter posteros Mesraim commemoratus est, a quo Ludim propagati Africae fuerunt incolae. Hic autem Lud filius Sem, ut diversi generis et gentis fuit, ita diversas quoque sedes obtinuit. Apud Isaiam cap. 66 commemorantur hi populi, Tharsis, Phut (vel ut habent alii Put) et Lud, Thubal item et Iavan: sic enim est Hebraice: quae vocabula Latinus interpres ita Latine expressit: „Mittam ex eis qui salvati fuerint ad gentes in mare, in Africam et Lydiam tenentes sagittam, in Italiam et Graeciam.“ Ergo vocem Tharsis vertit „gentes maritimas“; Phut, „Africam“; Lud, „Lydiam“; Thubal, „Italiam“; Iavan, „Ioniam seu Graeciam.“ Apud Ezechielem quoque cap. 27 iunguntur inter se hi populi qui Tyriis militabant, Paras, Lud et Phut; sic enim est Hebraice, pro quibus Latinus interpres substituit Persas, Lydos et Libyes. Quemadmodum enim olim imperatores Romani hodieque Christiani reges secum in bella ducunt gentes ingeniis, moribus, habitu, lingua atque religione differentes; ita putandum est olim apud Tyrios mari praepotentes militasse Persas, Libyes seu Africanos et Lydos, qui ante Croesum a Cyro…
In the fourth place among the sons of Sem is named Lud, from whom the Lydians, peoples of Asia Minor, are believed to have sprung, the sound of the name in some way arguing it. Another of the same name was mentioned above among the descendants of Mesraim, from whom the Ludim were propagated, inhabitants of Africa. But this Lud, the son of Sem, as he was of a different race and nation, so also obtained different seats. In Isaiah, chapter 66, these peoples are mentioned: Tharsis, Phut (or, as others have, Put), and Lud, likewise Thubal and Iavan — for so it is in Hebrew: which words the Latin translator rendered into Latin thus: „I will send of them that shall be saved to the nations into the sea, into Africa and Lydia, them that draw the bow, into Italy and Greece.“ Therefore the word Tharsis he renders ‘maritime nations’; Phut, ‘Africa’; Lud, ‘Lydia’; Thubal, ‘Italy’; Iavan, ‘Ionia or Greece.’ In Ezekiel too, chapter 27, these peoples who served as soldiers for the Tyrians are joined together — Paras, Lud, and Phut; for so it is in Hebrew, for which the Latin translator substituted Persians, Lydians, and Libyans. For just as of old the Roman emperors, and today Christian kings, lead with them into wars nations differing in disposition, manners, dress, language, and religion; so it is to be thought that of old, among the Tyrians most powerful at sea, there served as soldiers Persians, Libyans or Africans, and Lydians, who before Croesus [was] conquered by Cyrus…6
…victum bellicae virtutis gloria clari ac nobiles fuerunt.
…conquered, were renowned and noble in the glory of warlike valor.7
ARAM quintus nominatur in filiis Sem: ex quo variae sunt ortae gentes, quae partim Syrorum nomine dictae sunt a Graecis, partim in aliorum populorum nomen concesserunt. Divina Scriptura frequenter utitur vocabulo Aram ad certam quandam terrae regionem denotandam. Legitur enim Aram Naharaim, id est, Aram fluviorum sive Aram interamnis, quam Graeci appellant Mesopotamiam, quod inter Euphratem et Tigrim media interiaceat. Unde Deuteronom. cap. 23 dicitur Balaam fuisse adductum de Aram Naharaim, quod Latinus interpres vertit „de Mesopotamia Syriae.“ Sic etiam in libro Iudicum cap. 3 nominatur rex Aram Naharaim, quem Latinus interpres ibi nominat regem Mesopotamiae et regem Syriae. Legitur praeterea Padan Aram Genes. 28 et 33, quo dicitur missus Iacob a patre suo Isaac et inde reversus incolumis: Latinus interpres ibi vertit „Mesopotamiam Syriae.“ Itaque videtur Aram Naharaim et Padan Aram eandem regionem significare: nisi forte Padan Aram denotet certam quandam Mesopotamiae regionem. Ad haec in 2 Regum cap. 8 appellatur Aram Damasci. In eodem libro nominatur Aram Soba. In primo Paralipomenon cap. 19 memoratur Aram Naacha. Quae regiones videntur esse Syriae longe paulo remotae a Perea, id est regione Galaad, quae pertinuit ad duas tribus Ruben et Gad et dimidiam tribum Manassis.
Aram is named fifth among the sons of Sem: from whom various nations arose, which partly were called by the name of the Syrians by the Greeks, partly passed into the name of other peoples. Divine Scripture frequently uses the word Aram to denote a certain region of the land. For there is read Aram Naharaim — that is, Aram of the rivers, or Aram between the rivers — which the Greeks call Mesopotamia, because it lies midway between the Euphrates and the Tigris. Whence in Deuteronomy, chapter 23, Balaam is said to have been brought from Aram Naharaim, which the Latin translator renders ‘from Mesopotamia of Syria.’ So too in the book of Judges, chapter 3, a king of Aram Naharaim is named, whom the Latin translator there names king of Mesopotamia and king of Syria. There is read besides Padan Aram, Genesis 28 and 33, whither Jacob is said to have been sent by his father Isaac and to have returned thence unharmed: the Latin translator there renders ‘Mesopotamia of Syria.’ And so Aram Naharaim and Padan Aram seem to signify the same region — unless perhaps Padan Aram denotes a certain region of Mesopotamia. Besides these, in 2 Kings, chapter 8, there is named Aram of Damascus. In the same book is named Aram Soba. In the first of Paralipomenon, chapter 19, is mentioned Aram Naacha. Which regions seem to be of Syria, a little far removed from Perea — that is, the region of Galaad, which belonged to the two tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.8

Translator’s notes

  1. Gen 10:22 (verse lemma). ↩
  2. §139. Gen 10:22. Jerome (after Josephus) on Sem's sons: they held from the Euphrates to the Indian Ocean (continues p. 458). Margins: Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; Josephus. ↩
  3. §139 (concl.). Jerome on the five sons: Aelam → the Elamites/princes of Persia; Assur → founder of Nineveh; Arphaxad → the Chaldeans; Lud → the Lydians; Aram → the Syrians (metropolis Damascus). ↩
  4. §140. From the Elamites (foreign ‘Elymaeans’) the Persians sprang, later obscuring the Elamite name when they founded the Persian empire on Babylon's ruin. Susa, the Persian capital, was in the region of Aelam (Dan 8) — so the Persians were once under the Elamites (treated in his Commentaries on Daniel bk. 9). Margin: Aelamitae or Elymaei. ↩
  5. §141. Pererius is unsure how Josephus knew the Chaldeans came from Arphaxad. The over-Hebraizing etymology (Chaldeans = Heb. ‘Chasdim,’ singular Chasdi from root ‘Chascad,’ whose consonants s/c/d appear in the latter part of ‘Arphacsad,’ vowels disregarded) he dismisses as empty, childish trifles. Margin: whether the Chaldeans are sprung from Arphaxad. ↩
  6. §142. Sem's fourth son Lud → the Lydians of Asia Minor (the name-sound suggests it), distinct from the African Ludim (of Mesraim). In Isa 66 (Tharsis, Phut, Lud, Thubal, Iavan; Vulgate ‘maritime nations, Africa, Lydia, Italy, Greece’) and Ezek 27 (Paras/Lud/Phut = Persians/Lydians/Libyans serving Tyre) — as kings lead diverse nations to war, so Persians, Libyans, and Lydians served seafaring Tyre, famed for valor before Croesus's fall to Cyrus (continues p. 459). Margins: the origin of the Lydians; the passage of Isaiah ch. 66. ↩
  7. §142 (concl.). These Lydians (etc.) were renowned for martial glory before Croesus's defeat by Cyrus. ↩
  8. §143. Sem's fifth son Aram → various nations, partly called ‘Syrians’ by the Greeks. ‘Aram’ in Scripture denotes regions: Aram Naharaim (‘Aram of the rivers’ = Mesopotamia, between Euphrates and Tigris; Balaam thence, Deut 23; the king, Judg 3); Padan Aram (Jacob sent there, Gen 28, 33) — apparently the same, or a part of Mesopotamia; also Aram of Damascus, Aram Soba (2 Sam 8), Aram Naacha (1 Chron 19) — regions of Syria near Perea/Galaad (Reuben, Gad, half-Manasseh). Margins: the various significations of the name Aram; what region is named ‘Aram’ in Scripture. ↩