Genesis 10-11
We learned of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth in Genesis 9:18. This next passage is about how Noah’s family and the generations that followed evolved into a dispersal of people with different nations and different languages. We witness God’s disappointment with humans when given biological gifts, and their attempt to use them to gain power and fame.
Summary
Genesis 10 details the family lineage of Noah. Japheth had 7 sons, and they lived in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea.
Ham had 4 sons, and they settled in what would eventually become Egypt. Ham notably had a grandson named Nimrod (born from Cush). Nimrod became a very powerful man and a “mighty hunter before the Lord.” Nimrod created the first kingdom of ancient Babylon.
Shem had 5 sons, and they settled in the East (including the land that is now Israel). All of these families went on to have their own languages, their own lands, and their own nations.
Initially, everyone spoke the same language. The people who settled in the land of Babylon learned to use bricks instead of stones, and tar instead of mortar. They said to each other, “Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower. And let’s make the top of the tower reach high to the heavens. We will become famous.” The Lord became annoyed and created different languages so that the people would not be able to understand each other. The people scattered and did not finish building the city. That moment is when different languages were created among people. This story is known as the Tower of Babel.
Tareh had a son named Abram. Tareh was the 8th great-grandchild of Shem. Abram went on to marry Sarai. Sarai could not have children. Terah took Abram, Sarai and his grandson, Lot, to settle in the land of Haran.
Sidebar
Nimrod is a colloquial term we hear at times, meaning idiot or jerk. We read in Genesis 10 that Nimrod is considered a great hunter and a powerful man. At first glance, Nimrod seems to be a positive figure in the Bible; however, some historians say that Nimrod was behind convincing the people of Babylon to build the Tower of Babel. And we know how that turned out. It wasn’t a wise decision, so perhaps the term “Nimrod” came from this foolish man. [NOTE: Nimrod was a descendant of Ham, Noah’s youngest son who mocked him in Genesis 9:18. This could be an example of foolishness being passed on].
God is upset, not that the people have made advancements in building, but that they seek fame. God was concerned that their arrogance would get out of control, and there would be no stopping their selfish ambitions. According to Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, the people at this time were not properly instructed to behave in the way of the Lord. In other words, the parenting was lacking.
Rather than destroy the tower, God was more creative with his power and fragmented the human language. He created a challenge that could not be overcome at that time. If only they had Babbel or Duolingo?? It’s remarkable how far we have come as a society. Now, we can learn new languages and communicate with different cultures. Today, many people can speak more than one language. With time, people have been able to evolve and overcome different challenges. Become excellent.
God wants us to live up to excellence, but not to pursue power and fame. Nimrod was given great biological gifts to make him a great hunter, but rather use those gifts for God’s glory, he was concerned about his own glory. Some scholars say that the people of Babel wanted to build the tower to protect themselves from another flood. Even though God promised he would never flood the Earth again, Nimrod and/or his descendants did not trust Him. They were more concerned about accumulating power and fame.
Intention
We are all blessed with gifts from God, whether it be athletic, leadership, creative, ability to listen, empathetic, analytical, humor, etc. Use your gifts to spread love, joy and peace. Use your ambition to inspire, create, or motivate. Avoid obsessing over fame or material goals.
“The man who starts out simply with the idea of getting rich won’t succeed, you must have a larger ambition.” – John D. Rockefeller
