Discovery BoxGenesis 10:7
Context10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba, 1 Havilah, 2 Sabtah, 3 Raamah, 4 and Sabteca. 5 The sons of Raamah were Sheba 6 and Dedan. 7
Genesis 10:1
Context10:1 This is the account 8 of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons 9 were born 10 to them after the flood.
Genesis 10:1-13
Context10:1 This is the account 11 of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons 12 were born 13 to them after the flood.
10:2 The sons of Japheth 14 were Gomer, 15 Magog, 16 Madai, 17 Javan, 18 Tubal, 19 Meshech, 20 and Tiras. 21 10:3 The sons of Gomer were 22 Askenaz, 23 Riphath, 24 and Togarmah. 25 10:4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, 26 Tarshish, 27 the Kittim, 28 and the Dodanim. 29 10:5 From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to its language, according to their families, by their nations.
10:6 The sons of Ham were Cush, 30 Mizraim, 31 Put, 32 and Canaan. 33 10:7 The sons of Cush were Seba, 34 Havilah, 35 Sabtah, 36 Raamah, 37 and Sabteca. 38 The sons of Raamah were Sheba 39 and Dedan. 40
10:8 Cush was the father of 41 Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. 10:9 He was a mighty hunter 42 before the Lord. 43 (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) 10:10 The primary regions 44 of his kingdom were Babel, 45 Erech, 46 Akkad, 47 and Calneh 48 in the land of Shinar. 49 10:11 From that land he went 50 to Assyria, 51 where he built Nineveh, 52 Rehoboth-Ir, 53 Calah, 54 10:12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah. 55
10:13 Mizraim 56 was the father of 57 the Ludites, 58 Anamites, 59 Lehabites, 60 Naphtuhites, 61
Genesis 10:1
Context10:1 This is the account 62 of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons 63 were born 64 to them after the flood.
Genesis 1:9
Context1:9 God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place 65 and let dry ground appear.” 66 It was so.
Genesis 1:2
Context1:2 Now 67 the earth 68 was without shape and empty, 69 and darkness 70 was over the surface of the watery deep, 71 but the Spirit of God 72 was moving 73 over the surface 74 of the water. 75
Genesis 9:1-12
Context9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 9:2 Every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you. 76 Everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea are under your authority. 77 9:3 You may eat any moving thing that lives. 78 As I gave you 79 the green plants, I now give 80 you everything.
9:4 But 81 you must not eat meat 82 with its life (that is, 83 its blood) in it. 84 9:5 For your lifeblood 85 I will surely exact punishment, 86 from 87 every living creature I will exact punishment. From each person 88 I will exact punishment for the life of the individual 89 since the man was his relative. 90
9:6 “Whoever sheds human blood, 91
by other humans 92
must his blood be shed;
for in God’s image 93
God 94 has made humankind.”
9:7 But as for you, 95 be fruitful and multiply; increase abundantly on the earth and multiply on it.”
9:8 God said to Noah and his sons, 96 9:9 “Look! I now confirm 97 my covenant with you and your descendants after you 98 9:10 and with every living creature that is with you, including the birds, the domestic animals, and every living creature of the earth with you, all those that came out of the ark with you – every living creature of the earth. 99 9:11 I confirm 100 my covenant with you: Never again will all living things 101 be wiped out 102 by the waters of a flood; 103 never again will a flood destroy the earth.”
9:12 And God said, “This is the guarantee 104 of the covenant I am making 105 with you 106 and every living creature with you, a covenant 107 for all subsequent 108 generations:
Psalms 72:10
Context72:10 The kings of Tarshish 109 and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba 110 and Seba 111 will bring tribute.
Psalms 72:15
Context72:15 May he live! 112 May they offer him gold from Sheba! 113
May they continually pray for him!
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long! 114
Isaiah 60:6
Context60:6 Camel caravans will cover your roads, 115
young camels from Midian and Ephah.
All the merchants of Sheba 116 will come,
bringing gold and incense
and singing praises to the Lord. 117
[10:7] 1 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
[10:7] 2 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.
[10:7] 3 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.
[10:7] 4 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.
[10:7] 5 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.
[10:7] 6 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.
[10:7] 7 sn The name Dedan is associated with àUla in northern Arabia.
[10:1] 8 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
[10:1] 9 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
[10:1] 10 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
[10:1] 11 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
[10:1] 12 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
[10:1] 13 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
[10:2] 14 sn The Greek form of the name Japheth, Iapetos, is used in Greek tradition for the ancestor of the Greeks.
[10:2] 15 sn Gomer was the ancestor of the Cimmerians. For a discussion of the Cimmerians see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 49-61.
[10:2] 16 sn For a discussion of various proposals concerning the descendants of Magog see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 22-24.
[10:2] 17 sn Madai was the ancestor of the Medes, who lived east of Assyria.
[10:2] 18 sn Javan was the father of the Hellenic race, the Ionians who lived in western Asia Minor.
[10:2] 19 sn Tubal was the ancestor of militaristic tribes that lived north of the Black Sea. For a discussion of ancient references to Tubal see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
[10:2] 20 sn Meshech was the ancestor of the people known in Assyrian records as the Musku. For a discussion of ancient references to them see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 24-26.
[10:2] 21 sn Tiras was the ancestor of the Thracians, some of whom possibly became the Pelasgian pirates of the Aegean.
[10:3] 22 sn The descendants of Gomer were all northern tribes of the Upper Euphrates.
[10:3] 23 sn Askenaz was the ancestor of a northern branch of Indo-Germanic tribes, possibly Scythians. For discussion see E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 63.
[10:3] 24 sn The descendants of Riphath lived in a district north of the road from Haran to Carchemish.
[10:3] 25 sn Togarmah is also mentioned in Ezek 38:6, where it refers to Til-garimmu, the capital of Kammanu, which bordered Tabal in eastern Turkey. See E. M. Yamauchi, Foes from the Northern Frontier (SBA), 26, n. 28.
[10:4] 26 sn The descendants of Elishah populated Cyprus.
[10:4] 27 sn The descendants of Tarshish settled along the southern coast of what is modern Turkey. However, some identify the site Tarshish (see Jonah 1:3) with Sardinia or Spain.
[10:4] 28 sn The name Kittim is associated with Cyprus, as well as coastlands east of Rhodes. It is used in later texts to refer to the Romans.
[10:4] 29 tc Most of the MT
[10:6] 30 sn The descendants of Cush settled in Nubia (Ethiopia).
[10:6] 31 sn The descendants of Mizraim settled in Upper and Lower Egypt.
[10:6] 32 sn The descendants of Put settled in Libya.
[10:6] 33 sn The descendants of Canaan lived in the region of Phoenicia (Palestine).
[10:7] 34 sn The descendants of Seba settled in Upper Egypt along the Nile.
[10:7] 35 sn The Hebrew name Havilah apparently means “stretch of sand” (see HALOT 297 s.v. חֲוִילָה). Havilah’s descendants settled in eastern Arabia.
[10:7] 36 sn The descendants of Sabtah settled near the western shore of the Persian Gulf in ancient Hadhramaut.
[10:7] 37 sn The descendants of Raamah settled in southwest Arabia.
[10:7] 38 sn The descendants of Sabteca settled in Samudake, east toward the Persian Gulf.
[10:7] 39 sn Sheba became the name of a kingdom in southwest Arabia.
[10:7] 40 sn The name Dedan is associated with àUla in northern Arabia.
[10:8] 41 tn Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.
[10:9] 42 tn The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).
[10:9] 43 tn Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yÿhvah, “before the
[10:10] 44 tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.
[10:10] 46 sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.
[10:10] 47 sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.
[10:10] 48 tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).
[10:10] 49 sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.
[10:11] 50 tn The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.
[10:11] 52 sn Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.
[10:11] 53 sn The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.
[10:11] 54 sn Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.
[10:12] 55 tn Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”
[10:13] 56 sn Mizraim is the Hebrew name for Egypt (cf. NRSV).
[10:13] 58 sn The Ludites were African tribes west of the Nile Delta.
[10:13] 59 sn The Anamites lived in North Africa, west of Egypt, near Cyrene.
[10:13] 60 sn The Lehabites are identified with the Libyans.
[10:13] 61 sn The Naphtuhites lived in Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region).
[10:1] 62 tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.
[10:1] 63 sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.
[10:1] 64 tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.
[1:9] 65 sn Let the water…be gathered to one place. In the beginning the water covered the whole earth; now the water was to be restricted to an area to form the ocean. The picture is one of the dry land as an island with the sea surrounding it. Again the sovereignty of God is revealed. Whereas the pagans saw the sea as a force to be reckoned with, God controls the boundaries of the sea. And in the judgment at the flood he will blur the boundaries so that chaos returns.
[1:9] 66 tn When the waters are collected to one place, dry land emerges above the surface of the receding water.
[1:2] 67 tn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + subject + verb) at the beginning of v. 2 gives background information for the following narrative, explaining the state of things when “God said…” (v. 3). Verse one is a title to the chapter, v. 2 provides information about the state of things when God spoke, and v. 3 begins the narrative per se with the typical narrative construction (vav [ו] consecutive followed by the prefixed verbal form). (This literary structure is paralleled in the second portion of the book: Gen 2:4 provides the title or summary of what follows, 2:5-6 use disjunctive clause structures to give background information for the following narrative, and 2:7 begins the narrative with the vav consecutive attached to a prefixed verbal form.) Some translate 1:2a “and the earth became,” arguing that v. 1 describes the original creation of the earth, while v. 2 refers to a judgment that reduced it to a chaotic condition. Verses 3ff. then describe the re-creation of the earth. However, the disjunctive clause at the beginning of v. 2 cannot be translated as if it were relating the next event in a sequence. If v. 2 were sequential to v. 1, the author would have used the vav consecutive followed by a prefixed verbal form and the subject.
[1:2] 68 tn That is, what we now call “the earth.” The creation of the earth as we know it is described in vv. 9-10. Prior to this the substance which became the earth (= dry land) lay dormant under the water.
[1:2] 69 tn Traditional translations have followed a more literal rendering of “waste and void.” The words describe a condition that is without form and empty. What we now know as “the earth” was actually an unfilled mass covered by water and darkness. Later תֹהוּ (tohu) and בֹּהוּ (bohu), when used in proximity, describe a situation resulting from judgment (Isa 34:11; Jer 4:23). Both prophets may be picturing judgment as the reversal of creation in which God’s judgment causes the world to revert to its primordial condition. This later use of the terms has led some to conclude that Gen 1:2 presupposes the judgment of a prior world, but it is unsound method to read the later application of the imagery (in a context of judgment) back into Gen 1:2.
[1:2] 70 sn Darkness. The Hebrew word simply means “darkness,” but in the Bible it has come to symbolize what opposes God, such as judgment (Exod 10:21), death (Ps 88:13), oppression (Isa 9:1), the wicked (1 Sam 2:9) and in general, sin. In Isa 45:7 it parallels “evil.” It is a fitting cover for the primeval waste, but it prepares the reader for the fact that God is about to reveal himself through his works.
[1:2] 71 tn The Hebrew term תְּהוֹם (tÿhom, “deep”) refers to the watery deep, the salty ocean – especially the primeval ocean that surrounds and underlies the earth (see Gen 7:11).
[1:2] 72 tn The traditional rendering “Spirit of God” is preserved here, as opposed to a translation like “wind from/breath of God” (cf. NRSV) or “mighty wind” (cf. NEB), taking the word “God” to represent the superlative. Elsewhere in the OT the phrase refers consistently to the divine spirit that empowers and energizes individuals (see Gen 41:38; Exod 31:3; 35:31; Num 24:2; 1 Sam 10:10; 11:6; 19:20, 23; Ezek 11:24; 2 Chr 15:1; 24:20).
[1:2] 73 tn The Hebrew verb has been translated “hovering” or “moving” (as a bird over her young, see Deut 32:11). The Syriac cognate term means “to brood over; to incubate.” How much of that sense might be attached here is hard to say, but the verb does depict the presence of the Spirit of God moving about mysteriously over the waters, presumably preparing for the acts of creation to follow. If one reads “mighty wind” (cf. NEB) then the verse describes how the powerful wind begins to blow in preparation for the creative act described in vv. 9-10. (God also used a wind to drive back the flood waters in Noah’s day. See Gen 8:1.)
[1:2] 75 sn The water. The text deliberately changes now from the term for the watery deep to the general word for water. The arena is now the life-giving water and not the chaotic abyss-like deep. The change may be merely stylistic, but it may also carry some significance. The deep carries with it the sense of the abyss, chaos, darkness – in short, that which is not good for life.
[9:2] 76 tn Heb “and fear of you and dread of you will be upon every living creature of the earth and upon every bird of the sky.” The suffixes on the nouns “fear” and “dread” are objective genitives. The animals will fear humans from this time forward.
[9:2] 77 tn Heb “into your hand are given.” The “hand” signifies power. To say the animals have been given into the hands of humans means humans have been given authority over them.
[9:3] 78 tn Heb “every moving thing that lives for you will be for food.”
[9:3] 79 tn The words “I gave you” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:3] 80 tn The perfect verb form describes the action that accompanies the declaration.
[9:4] 83 tn Heb “its life, its blood.” The second word is in apposition to the first, explaining what is meant by “its life.” Since the blood is equated with life, meat that had the blood in it was not to be eaten.
[9:4] 84 tn The words “in it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:5] 85 tn Again the text uses apposition to clarify what kind of blood is being discussed: “your blood, [that is] for your life.” See C. L. Dewar, “The Biblical Use of the Term ‘Blood,’” JTS 4 (1953): 204-8.
[9:5] 86 tn The word “punishment” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification. The verb דָּרָשׁ (darash) means “to require, to seek, to ask for, to exact.” Here it means that God will exact punishment for the taking of a life. See R. Mawdsley, “Capital Punishment in Gen. 9:6,” CentBib 18 (1975): 20-25.
[9:5] 87 tn Heb “from the hand of,” which means “out of the hand of” or “out of the power of” and is nearly identical in sense to the preposition מִן (min) alone.
[9:5] 88 tn Heb “and from the hand of the man.” The article has a generic function, indicating the class, i.e., humankind.
[9:5] 90 tn Heb “from the hand of a man, his brother.” The point is that God will require the blood of someone who kills, since the person killed is a relative (“brother”) of the killer. The language reflects Noah’s situation (after the flood everyone would be part of Noah’s extended family), but also supports the concept of the brotherhood of humankind. According to the Genesis account the entire human race descended from Noah.
[9:6] 91 tn Heb “the blood of man.”
[9:6] 92 tn Heb “by man,” a generic term here for other human beings.
[9:6] 93 sn See the notes on the words “humankind” and “likeness” in Gen 1:26, as well as J. Barr, “The Image of God in the Book of Genesis – A Study of Terminology,” BJRL 51 (1968/69): 11-26.
[9:6] 94 tn Heb “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:7] 95 sn The disjunctive clause (conjunction + pronominal subject + verb) here indicates a strong contrast to what has preceded. Against the backdrop of the warnings about taking life, God now instructs the people to produce life, using terms reminiscent of the mandate given to Adam (Gen 1:28).
[9:8] 96 tn Heb “to Noah and to his sons with him, saying.”
[9:9] 97 tn Heb “I, look, I confirm.” The particle הִנְנִי (hinni) used with the participle מֵקִים (meqim) gives the sense of immediacy or imminence, as if to say, “Look! I am now confirming.”
[9:9] 98 tn The three pronominal suffixes (translated “you,” “your,” and “you”) are masculine plural. As v. 8 indicates, Noah and his sons are addressed.
[9:10] 99 tn The verbal repetition is apparently for emphasis.
[9:11] 100 tn The verb וַהֲקִמֹתִי (vahaqimoti) is a perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive and should be translated with the English present tense, just as the participle at the beginning of the speech was (v. 9). Another option is to translate both forms with the English future tense (“I will confirm”).
[9:11] 101 tn Heb “all flesh.”
[9:11] 103 tn Heb “and all flesh will not be cut off again by the waters of the flood.”
[9:12] 105 sn On the making of covenants in Genesis, see W. F. Albright, “The Hebrew Expression for ‘Making a Covenant’ in Pre-Israelite Documents,” BASOR 121 (1951): 21-22.
[9:12] 106 tn Heb “between me and between you.”
[9:12] 107 tn The words “a covenant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:12] 108 tn The Hebrew term עוֹלָם (’olam) means “ever, forever, lasting, perpetual.” The covenant would extend to subsequent generations.
[72:10] 109 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
[72:10] 110 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
[72:10] 111 sn Seba was located in Africa.
[72:15] 112 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (yÿkhiy hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
[72:15] 113 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
[72:15] 114 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
[60:6] 115 tn Heb “an abundance of camels will cover you.”
[60:6] 116 tn Heb “all of them, from Sheba.”
[60:6] 117 tn Heb “and they will announce the praises of the Lord.”
