TEACHING NOTES Introduction The flood is over and Noah’s family have left to ark to restart humanity. Noah immediately makes an offering to Yahweh, assuming the function of a priest. God is pleased with Noah and makes an everlasting covenant with humanity. God will never again destroy humanity and the earth. All seems well. The restart is working as planned. However, as usual, the humans fail again. Interesting Observation: Noah & Abraham Genesis 9-11 is intended to lead us from Noah to Abraham. This is made clear by the way that the author had told Noah’s and Abraham’s stories. The details are strikingly similar. Genesis 8:15-9:9 is identical to Genesis 12:1-7. God said to Noah (Gen. 8:15) - God said to Abram (Gen. 12:1). Go out from the ark (Gen. 8:16) - Go out from your land (Gen. 12:1). Noah went out (Gen. 8:18) - Abram went out (Gen. 12:4). Noah built an altar (Gen. 8:20) - Abram built an altar (Gen. 12:7). God blessed Noah (Gen. 9:1) - God blesses Abram (Gen. 12:2). Be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 9:1) - God will make Abram a great nation (Gen. 12:2). Covenant established with Noah’s seed (Gen. 9:9) - Covenant established with Abram’s seed (Gen. 12:7). The point in this comparison is to show us that the author wants us to see that just as God was restarting humanity with Noah, God was doing the same with Abraham. ​ Genesis 9:18–19 ESV 18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the people of the whole earth were dispersed. Shem = This is the Hebrew word for “name”. Ham = people of the south. Japheth = to enlarge or to be spacious. (Ham was the father of Canaan) = Notice that the author is mentioning the name of Ham’s son before telling us the story of Canaan. Canaan is not yet born until after this story. The author is going to do this again in Gen. 9:22. Why? These are clues that this story is really about Canaan and his descendant’s shameful origins. Canaan = In Hebrew, this name means submission or humiliation. From these the whole earth were dispersed = This is a preview of the next two chapters. The people are not yet dispersed or spread out. That doesn’t happen until Genesis 11. The author is giving us a heads up for what’s coming. ​ Genesis 9:20–21 ESV 20 Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. 21 He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. Noah began to be a man of the soil = This should sound familiar to the reader. God put Adam in His garden to work and keep it. Since Noah realizes that God has created a fresh start, Noah starts doing what Adam was intended to do. He planted a vineyard = God planted a garden for Adam to maintain in Gen. 2. Now Noah plants a garden as a second attempt to fulfill the divine mandate given to Adam and Eve. Became drunk = Notice that Noah takes fruit that causes him to lose control. In Gen. 2, the humans are called to be kings and priests. They have been given a blessing/purpose to be rulers or to be in control. However, in Gen. 3 they used their kingly role to indulge in forbidden fruit. As a result, they lost their control in the garden. Lay uncovered in his tent = This act of being drunk from fruit leads to Noah becoming naked. Recall Gen. 3 where Adam and Eve take the fruit and immediately realize they were naked. ​ Genesis 9:22 ESV 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. The father of Canaan = Again the author makes sure we know that this story is really about Canaan. The author is setting us up for later details and events. Saw the nakedness of his father = On the surface it’s easy to wonder why this is such a big deal. When we read Noah’s reaction (to curse Ham’s son), it seems harsh and unfair. It doesn’t make sense to us. Those feelings are a clue that there is more going on in this story than what we see on the surface. ​ Genesis 9:23 ESV 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. Shem and Japheth covered their father’s nakedness = Shem and Japheth are portrayed as decent sons who cover the shame of nakedness. If we recall, in Gen. 3:21 God covered the shame of nakedness for Adam and Eve. We’re meant to associate Shem and Japheth with godly behavior. They are doing what God does with shame. They are acting as images of God. ​ Genesis 9:24–25 ESV 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.” When Noah awoke…he knew what his youngest son had done = If Noah was passed out drunk, how could he possibly know anything that happened? And if Noah knew something happened, how did he specifically know that it was Ham? The author is telling us that something more than seeing a naked father has occurred. Cursed by Canaan = Why Canaan? He hasn’t even been born yet. Why not curse Ham who committed the crime? Again, there must be something else going on here. A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers = In Gen. 10:6-20 we are told about the descendants of Ham and Canaan. One of Ham’s sons (Cush) is going to father Nimrod who goes on to build Nineveh and Babylon. Canaan fathers the tribes that will be living in the Promised Land. If we follow the genealogies we find out that the Israelites descend from Shem. Eventually, the Israelites conquer the Canaanites and they become servants to Israel. ​ Genesis 9:26–27 ESV 26 He also said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. 27 May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.” Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem = This tells us that Shem’s descendants are going to serve Yahweh and become the blessed ones. May God enlarge Japheth = This is a wordplay since Japheth means to enlarge or spread out. This idea is further developed in Gen. 10:2-5 where we’re told Japheth’s descendants “spread out their lands”. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem = This is no consensus among scholars about what this phrase means. There are three major views: Japheth’s descendants lived among the Israelites and helped them conquer the Promised Land. There is very little evidence for this view and is mainly speculation. Gen. 10:2-5 tells us that Japheth’s descendants settled far away from Israel. Therefore, this view is not supported in Scripture. Japheth represents the Gentiles who were later invited into God’s people in the New Testament. This view might make sense, but is a modern view that doesn’t account for ancient context and the original readers. The “him” in the phrase refers to God and not Japheth. This is an ancient view that comes from the inter-testament book Jubilees. It states that “the tents of Shem” refers to the future tabernacle/tent in which God would dwell. This was the ancient Israelite interpretation. This view seems to make the most sense given the author’s habit of prefiguring the tabernacle in the stories of Genesis. Question: What is this strange story actually telling us? In order to correctly understand this story we must go beyond the surface and dive deep into ancient Israelite language and idioms. As in Gen. 4:1 where "knowing your wife” actually means sex, a similar device is being used in Gen. 9:22. To “see or uncover a man’s nakedness” is actually an ancient Hebrew idiom that refers to sexual activity. The only way to correctly understand this is to look elsewhere in the Torah for the same phrase. In Leviticus 18:7 we find that the nakedness of your father “is the nakedness of your mother” and the Israelites are commanded not to uncover the nakedness of their father or mother. In Leviticus 20:11 we find that if a man “lies with his father’s wife, he has uncovered his father’s nakedness.” This gives us a clear understanding of an ancient Hebrew idiom. To see your father’s nakedness is an idiom for sleeping with your father’s wife. Therefore, most scholars agree that Ham slept with his mother and that Canaan is the offspring of this immoral act. This is why Canaan is cursed. We find out later that Ham’s descendants turn out to be the enemies of Israel. The Canaanites, along with their tribes, turn out to be violent and sexually immoral people who worship other gods. This is why the author is telling us this story. The purpose of the story of Ham and Canaan is to understand the immoral origins of Israel’s enemies. If there is any doubt that this story is telling us Ham slept with his mother, keep in mind that in Gen. 19:30-38 the daughters of Lot get him drunk and sleep with him. As a result, Lot’s daughters become pregnant and give birth to Moab (Heb. from my father) and Ben-ammi (Heb. son of my people). These children are the origin or two nations: the Moabites and the Ammonites. The Moabites and Ammonites were not friends of Israel. Interestingly, the Ammonites even had a king named Nahash which is the same word for the serpent in Gen. 3:1. ​ Genesis 9:28–29 ESV 28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 29 All the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died. This marks the transition point of Noah’s story and genealogy. As we continue to read, the story moves on to Noah’s sons and their descendants in Gen. 10. Gen. 10: The Table of Nations As usual, the author of Genesis includes a genealogy to transition the story from Noah to his sons and the origin of the nations. While most people skip this section, this genealogy is vital for understanding the rest of the Bible. The author wants us to know where the nations came from that will appear later in the story. Gen. 10 is the backstory of the names, locations, and people groups of the Bible. If we skip this section without serious study we will get to places in the Bible and be totally lost. Names and nations will seem like random details if we skip over Gen. 10. Therefore, the genealogy in Gen. 10 gives us the frame of a picture that will be painted later in the story. Or we might say it’s the map of the story that will be told. This genealogy is as theological as it is informational. The author wants us to understand where the divide between ungodly nations and godly nations began. Gen. 10 is the transition to Abram’s story, who God chooses to make a nation for Himself. ​ Genesis 10:1 ESV 1 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. These are the generations = Again the author gives us a marker or sign that a transition in the story is about to occur. We’re now moving from Noah on to Noah’s sons and their descendants. ​ Genesis 10:2–5 ESV 2 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands, each with his own language, by their clans, in their nations. Sons of Japheth = Notice there are seven names mentioned. This tells us that the author is communicating completeness. Sons of Gomer, sons of Javan = Notice there are seven names mentioned. From these the coastland peoples spread in their lands = Here the author is giving us a narrative note of their geographical location. Also notice that Japheth’s name means “to spread out” and the author notes that his descendants “spread their lands”. These people go on to inhabit the coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea. Specifically, Tarshish (in Spain) and Kittim (Cyprus) will come up throughout the Bible. Each with his own language = The author is going to mention this fact three times in Gen. 10. Why? He’s setting us up for Gen. 11, which begins with “the whole earth had one language”. This tells us that Gen. 11 actually occurs within or before Gen. 10. ​ Genesis 10:6–14 ESV 6 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 8 Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” 10 The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and 12 Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. 13 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. Sons of Ham = Here is the author is going give us more details through a device we call narrative notes or insertions. Remember, Ham is portrayed as very immoral in Gen. 9. We should expect that his descendants will not be good people. Locations: The descendants of Ham will inhabit several large areas. Some will inhabit Shinar which is near Mt. Hermon. Some will go north-east to Assyria. Others will go south as far as Egypt. Sons of Cush, sons of Raamah = Notice here that seven names are mentioned again. The author is going to give us much more detail about one particular name. Nimrod = In Hebrew, this name means “rebellion”. Mighty man = Heb. gibbor - This same term was used in Gen. 6:4 to describe the Nephilim (giants) who were called “mighty men” (Heb. gibborim). This is a clue that Nimrod will be like the evil and violent Nephilim. Actually, in the Septuagint this word is translated in Greek as gigas or giant. Mighty hunter = Heb. gibbor sayid - Literally, “a mighty animal”. The beginning of his kingdom = Here we need to slow down and pay attention. Nimrod founded Babel (Babylon), Erech, Accad, and Calneh. These were in the land of Shinar, which becomes the seat of evil in the ancient world. Babylon becomes one of the arch-enemies of Israel and eventually conquers them and takes them into captivity. Assyria (Nineveh) = This nation becomes one of the arch-enemies of Israel. Much later in the story, in Jonah, we hear more about Nineveh. Eventually, Assyria will conquer Israel and take them into captivity. Egypt = Some English translations say Mizraim which just a transliteration of the Heb. misrayim. As we know, Egypt is going to come up in Abram’s story and will continue into Exodus. Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came) = Here again the author gives us a narrative note about the Philistines. Why? Because the Philistines will become an enemy of Israel later in the story. ​ Genesis 10:15–20 ESV 15 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 16 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 17 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 18 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterward the clans of the Canaanites dispersed. 19 And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon in the direction of Gerar as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. Canaan = Remember that in the previous story Canaan was cursed as a person and nation that would be in submission. Later in the story we will find out that the Canaanites are violent and evil people inhabiting the Promised Land. Many of Canaan’s descendants are portrayed as giant clans later in the story. This leads us to think that the Canaanites may have gotten involved with fallen sons of God again as in Gen. 6:1-4. Sidon as far as Gaza = This is the author’s clue that these clans inhabited the areas of the Promised Land. ​ Genesis 10:21–31 ESV 21 To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. 22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arpachshad fathered Shelah; and Shelah fathered Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar to the hill country of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, by their clans, their languages, their lands, and their nations. To Shem = It interesting to note here that Shem’s name means “the name” and one of his descendant’s name will later be used to refer to the Israelites. Also, Abram will be a descendant of Shem. Locations: The descendants of Shem will inhabit the eastern areas of the Promised Land and further east into Arabia as far as Babylon. The father of all the children of Eber = This is a narrative note with much significance. Eber is the word for Hebrew, which will later become a description of the Israelites. Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided = In Hebrew, Peleg means “divided” or “dispersed”. During Peleg’s lifetime “the earth was divided”. Scholars debate what event this refers to. It could refer to the division between Eber and Joktan: Eber leads to Abram (later Israel) and Joktan leads to Babylon. Or it could be that this is referring to the dispersion of nations at Babel in Gen. 11. Or it could be both. ​ Genesis 10:32 ESV 32 These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. These are the clans = If you add up the nations described in Gen. 10 you will get 70 nations. This is completely intentional for the author. There are 70 nations in Gen. 10, and later Abraham will have 70 descendants (Gen. 46:27; Ex. 1:5). Also, we’re told in Deut. 32:8-9 that at Babel God divided the nations according to the number of the sons of God. More on that next week. New Testament Connection: In reading the Gospels we notice that Jesus sends out His disciples on two occasions. In the first, Jesus sends the 12 only to Jewish areas (Matt. 10:5-6). But in Luke 10 we find that Jesus sends 70 disciples (some manuscripts say 72) to every town and place. When they come back, Jesus responds with “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven”. The followers of Jesus now have authority over Satan’s nations. This mission of reclaiming the nations of Gen. 10 has begun. In Acts 2 we find a Jewish festival called Pentecost. We’re told that Jews from all over the known world have come to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost. If we do our research we find that 70 nations are present. People from all the nations of Gen. 10 are the audience of Peter’s sermon. Many of them accept Christ and go back to their nations to spread the Gospel. God is reclaiming the nations of Gen. 10. The only people not present were people from Spain. This explains why Paul is determined to get to Spain (Rom. 15:24). Paul is trying to finish the job of reclaiming all the nations of Gen. 10 for God. From these the nations spread abroad = Keep in mind that we haven’t yet been told the story of how these nation were dispersed and got their own languages. That story comes in Gen. 11.