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英文原文
This chapter shows more particularly what was said in general (Ge 9:19), concerning the three sons of Noah, that "of them was the whole earth overspread;" and the fruit of that blessing (Ge 9:1,7), "replenish the earth." Is is the only certain account extant of the origin of nations; and yet perhaps there is no nation but that of the Jews that can be confident from which of these seventy fountains (for so many there are here) it derives its streams. Through the want of early records, the mixtures of people, the revolutions of nations, and distance of time, the knowledge of the lineal descent of the present inhabitants of the earth is lost; nor were any genealogies preserved but those of the Jews, for the sake of the Messiah, only in this chapter we have a brief account, I. Of the posterity of Japheth, Ge 10:2-5. II. The posterity of Ham (Ge 10:6-20), and in this particular notice is taken of Nimrod, Ge 10:8-10. III. The posterity of Shem, Ge 10:21-32, etc.
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The Generations of Noah (2347 BC)
挪亞的後代(主前2347年)
¹ 挪亞的兒子閃、含、雅弗的後代記在下面:洪水以後,他們都生了兒子。
² 雅弗的兒子是歌篾、瑪各、瑪代、雅完、土巴、米設、提拉。
³ 歌篾的兒子是亞實基拿、利法、陀迦瑪。
⁴ 雅完的兒子是以利沙、他施、基提、多單。
⁵ 這些人的後裔將各海島的地土分開居住,各隨各的方言、宗族、立國。
摩西從雅弗的家起首,或因他是長子,或因他的家族離以色列最遠,在摩西寫作之時與他們最少相干,因此對那一族只是簡略提及,急忙要述說含的後裔——他們是以色列的仇敵——和閃的後裔——他們是以色列的祖先;因為聖經所要寫的歷史,乃是教會的歷史,至於世上列國,只在於他們與以色列有所關聯、在以色列的事上有所牽涉之時才被提及。當觀察:1. 此處留意到挪亞的兒子們在洪水之後都生了兒子,為要修復並重建那被洪水所毀滅的人類世界。那曾殺戮的,如今使人活。2. 雅弗的後裔被分配到外邦人的海島(創十5),這些地方經過莊嚴的拈鬮、經過勘察之後,在他們之間分配;我們這島嶼或許也在其中;一切在猶太海外之地都稱為「海島」(耶二十五22);這也指引我們明白那應許(賽四十二4):「海島都等候祂的訓誨」——是指外邦人歸信基督。
⁶ 含的兒子是古實、麥西、弗、迦南。
⁷ 古實的兒子是西巴、哈腓拉、撒弗他、拉瑪、撒弗提迦;拉瑪的兒子是示巴、底但。
⁸ 古實又生寧錄;他為世上英雄之首。
⁹ 他在耶和華面前是個英勇的獵戶,所以俗語說:像寧錄在耶和華面前是個英勇的獵戶。
¹⁰ 他國的起頭是巴別、以力、亞甲、甲尼,都在示拿地。
¹¹ 他從那地出來進入亞述,建造尼尼微、利河伯、迦拉,
¹² 和尼尼微、迦拉中間的利鮮,這就是那大城。
¹³ 麥西生路低人、亞拿米人、利哈比人、拿弗土希人、
¹⁴ 帕斯魯細人、迦斯路希人,從其中又生出非利士人,並迦斐託人。
這些經文中可留意、可應用的,是此處關於寧錄的記載(創十8–10)。他在此被描繪為他當日的大人物:「他為世上英雄之首」——意即,在他以先的人都滿足於與他們的鄰舍站在同等的地位上,雖然人人都在自己的家中掌權,卻無人妄圖更遠,但寧錄那野心勃勃的心不能安息於此;他決意要凌駕他的鄰舍,不僅要在其中卓越,更要管轄他們。那在洪水以前激動巨人(他們成了「英勇的人,有名的人」,創六4)的同一靈,如今在他裡面復甦;那些英雄的驕傲與暴政給世界帶來的那可畏審判,竟這麼快就被遺忘了。當留意:有些人,其野心與對統治權的渴慕彷彿生在骨中;這樣的人過去有,將來也有,雖然神的震怒常從天上顯明在他們身上。在地獄這一邊,沒有甚麼能謙卑、能折服一些人的驕傲之靈;他們如此,正像路西弗(賽十四14–15)。如今,
I. 寧錄是個大獵戶;他以此起家,並因此出名到一句俗語。每一位大獵戶,為記念他,都被稱為「寧錄」。1. 有人認為他的狩獵作了好事,為本國除滅了騷擾地的野獸,以此博取鄰舍的愛戴,並作了他們的君王。那些掌權的人,或至少願被稱為「恩主」(路二十二25)。2. 另有人認為他藉著狩獵為名,把人聚集在自己的指揮之下,為要追逐另一種獵物——就是使自己成為這地之主,使他們臣服。他是個「英勇的獵戶」,意即他是鄰舍權利與產業的強暴侵犯者,是無辜之人的逼迫者,把一切踏在腳下,企圖用武力與強暴把一切都據為己有。他自以為是大君王,但「在耶和華面前」(即在神的計算裡)他不過是個「英勇的獵戶」。當留意:大的征服者不過是大的獵戶。亞歷山大與凱撒在聖經歷史中不會像在普通歷史中那樣顯赫;前者在預言中不過被描繪為一隻衝撞的公山羊(但八5)。寧錄是「在耶和華面前」的英勇獵戶——七十士譯本作「敵擋耶和華」;意即:(1) 他設立了偶像崇拜,正如耶羅波安所作的,為要鞏固他所篡取的統治。為要設立新政權,他在原始體制的廢墟上設立了新宗教。「巴別是淫婦之母」。或,(2) 他在暴虐與強暴上,公然藐視神自己,以他的不敬虔挑戰上天,彷彿他和他的獵戶們能勝過全能者,能與萬軍之主和祂的一切軍兵匹敵。「他好像以為使世人疲乏是小事,竟要使我的神也疲乏」(賽七13)。
II. 寧錄是個大統治者:「他國的起頭是巴別」(創十10)。他或藉技藝、或藉武力,以這樣或那樣的方式掌了權——或是被選舉,或是強行奪取;如此奠下了君王制的根基,這國其後成了金頭,成了強者的恐懼,並大有希望成為普世之國。並不顯見他因出生而有任何統治之權;但他對治國的才能或使他被人推舉,或他藉權勢與策略逐步地、或許是不知不覺地登上了寶座。當見公民政府之古老,特別是那將主權歸於一人之形式的古老。寧錄和他的鄰舍既已開始,別國很快便學會為共同的安全與福祉而在一個元首之下結合;這無論如何開始,對世界證實是極大的祝福,以致當以色列中「沒有王」之時,事情便算為實在不好了。
III. 寧錄是個大建造者。他或許是巴別建築的設計者,他的國便從那裡起頭;但當他統管挪亞一切兒子的計畫因變亂口音而失敗之時,「他從那地出來進入亞述」(創十11旁註如此讀),「建造尼尼微」等,好叫既建造了這些城,便可以管轄並統治它們。當從寧錄觀察野心的本性:1. 它沒有邊界。多還要更多,仍喊著「給、給」。2. 它沒有安息。寧錄既在他指揮之下有四座城,便不能滿足,直到他再有四座。3. 它花費巨大。寧錄寧可負擔建城的費用,也不肯沒有統治它們的尊榮。建造之靈是驕傲之靈常見的結果。4. 它大膽,任何事都不顧。寧錄的名字意為「背叛」(他若果真濫用權力壓迫鄰舍),這教導我們:對人的暴君,就是對神的叛徒;他們的「悖逆如同行邪術的罪」。
¹⁵ 迦南生長子西頓,又生赫,
¹⁶ 和耶布斯人、亞摩利人、革迦撒人、
¹⁷ 希未人、亞基人、西尼人、
¹⁸ 亞瓦底人、洗瑪利人、哈馬人;後來迦南的各族都分散了。
¹⁹ 迦南的境界是從西頓向基拉耳的路上,直到迦薩;又向所多瑪、蛾摩拉、押瑪、洗扁的路上,直到拉沙。
²⁰ 這就是含的後裔,各隨他們的宗族、方言、國土、邦國。
當觀察此處:1. 關於迦南後裔的記載——從他所出的家族與邦國,以及他們所佔之地——比本章中任何其他記載都更詳細,因為這些正是將被以色列征服的列國,他們的地日後要成為聖地,「以馬內利之地」;神在使以色列得此地之前,先把那受咒詛、當滅之族的分派在這塊地上——這地是祂為自己百姓所選的;這事摩西曾留意到(申三十二8):「至高者將地業賜給列邦,將人分開,就照以色列人的數目,立定萬民的疆界」。2. 由這記載可知,迦南的後裔人數繁多、富足,所處之地極其美好;然而迦南是在咒詛之下——神聖的咒詛,並非無故的咒詛。當留意:那些在神咒詛之下的人,或許仍在這世上大大興盛繁榮;因為我們不能憑眼前的事來辨別愛與恨、福與咒,只能憑裡面的事來辨別(傳九1)。神的咒詛總是真實地、總是可畏地發生作用:但或許是隱密的咒詛,是臨到靈魂的咒詛,並不顯明地發作;或是遲緩的咒詛,並不立即發作;然而罪人因此被保留、被拘束,等候忿怒之日。迦南在此所得之地,比閃或雅弗所得的更好;然而他們所得的分更好,因為他們承受了福分。
²¹ 雅弗的哥哥閃,是希伯子孫之祖,他也生了兒子。
²² 閃的兒子是以攔、亞述、亞法撒、路德、亞蘭。
²³ 亞蘭的兒子是烏斯、戶勒、基帖、瑪施。
²⁴ 亞法撒生沙拉;沙拉生希伯。
²⁵ 希伯生了兩個兒子:一個名叫法勒〔就是分的意思〕,因為那時人就分地居住;法勒的兄弟名叫約坍。
²⁶ 約坍生亞摩答、沙列、哈薩瑪非、耶拉、
²⁷ 哈多蘭、烏薩、德拉、
²⁸ 俄巴、亞比瑪利、示巴、
²⁹ 阿斐、哈腓拉、約巴;這都是約坍的兒子。
³⁰ 他們所住的地方是從米沙,直到西發東邊的山。
³¹ 這就是閃的子孫,各隨他們的宗族、方言、地土、邦國。
³² 這些都是挪亞三個兒子的宗族,各隨他們的世代,在他們的邦國中;洪水以後,他們在地上分為邦國。
這份關於閃後裔的記載中,有兩件事特別可留意:
I. 對閃的描述(21節)。我們不但看到他的名字「閃」(意為「名」),還有兩個稱號以資識別:
1. 他是「希伯子孫之祖」。希伯是他的曾孫;但為何稱他為「他一切兒女」之父,而不稱他為亞法撒的、或沙拉的等等之父?或許因為亞伯拉罕和他的後裔——神立約的子民——不僅是從希伯而出,更從他被稱為「希伯來人」(創十四13);「亞伯蘭——希伯來人」。保羅視自己為希伯來人所生的希伯來人,以此為特權(腓三5)。我們或可推想,希伯本人在普遍背道的時代中,是個宗教上卓越的人,是他家族敬虔的大榜樣;而聖潔的語言既通常從他被稱為「希伯來語」,他或許在巴別變亂之中,在自己家中保留了這語言,作為神對他特別恩寵的記號;所以信仰的承認者被稱為「希伯的兒女」。如今,受默示的筆者要給閃一個尊榮的稱號,便稱他為「希伯來人之父」。雖然當摩西寫此之時,他們是個貧窮被人輕看的民族,在埃及為奴;然而既是神的子民,能與他們有親屬關係便是人的尊榮。正如含雖有許多兒子,卻因被稱為「迦南之父」——其後裔承受了「咒詛」(創九22)——而被剝奪尊榮;照樣閃雖有許多兒子,卻因被稱為「希伯之父」——其後裔承受了祝福——而得尊榮。當留意:一個聖徒的家族,比一個貴族的家族更真正尊榮;閃的聖潔後裔勝過含的君王後裔;雅各的十二位先祖勝過以實瑪利的十二位族長(創十七20)。良善才是真正的偉大。
2. 他是「雅弗的哥哥」;由此可知,雖然閃通常被列在先,他並非挪亞的長子,雅弗比他年長。但為何這也要作為閃的稱號與描述的一部分——說他是「雅弗的弟兄」——既然這話實際上之前已說過多次?而且他豈不也是含的弟兄嗎?或許這是要表明外邦人與猶太人在教會中的合一。神聖的歷史家曾提到,閃作希伯來人之父是他的尊榮;但為免雅弗的後裔因此被視為永遠被拒於教會之外,他在這裡提醒我們:他是「雅弗的弟兄」——不僅在出生上,更在福分上;因為「雅弗要住在閃的帳棚裡」。當留意:(1) 那些因恩典而作弟兄、在神的約中和聖徒的相交中相遇的人,才是最好的弟兄。(2) 神在分賜恩典時,不按年齡長幼;有時年幼的比年長的先進入教會;「這樣,那在後的將要在前,在前的將要在後了」。
II. 法勒之名的緣由(創十25):因為「在他日子」(即在他出生之時,他被命名之時),「人就分地居住」——分給那些將要居住其中的世人之子;或當挪亞按秩序把地分給他們之時,正如約書亞拈鬮分迦南地一樣;或當他們不肯順從那分配之時,神在公義中藉變亂口音把他們分散:無論是哪一個緣故,敬虔的希伯看見理由,要在兒子的名字中永存對此事的記念;我們的兒子被稱為同樣的名字也是公道的,因為在我們的日子裡,從另一種意義上說,這地——教會——正可悲地被分裂。
英文原文
The Generations of Noah (2347 BC)
¹ Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
² The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
³ And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
⁴ And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
⁵ By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Moses begins with Japheth's family, either because he was the eldest, or because his family lay remotest from Israel and had least concern with them at the time when Moses wrote, and therefore he mentions that race very briefly, hastening to give an account of the posterity of Ham, who were Israel's enemies and of Shem, who were Israel's ancestors; for it is the church that the scripture is designed to be the history of, and of the nations of the world only as they were some way or other related to Israel and interested in the affairs of Israel. Observe, 1. Notice is taken that the sons of Noah had sons born to them after the flood, to repair and rebuild the world of mankind which the flood had ruined. He that had killed now makes alive. 2. The posterity of Japheth were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles (Ge 10:5), which were solemnly, by lot, after a survey, divided among them, and probably this island of ours among the rest; all places beyond the sea from Judea are called isles (Jer 25:22), and this directs us to understand that promise (Isa 42:4), the isles shall wait for his law, of the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ.
⁶ And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
⁷ And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
⁸ And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
⁹ He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said; Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
¹⁰ And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
¹¹ Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,
¹² And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
¹³ And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
¹⁴ And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.
That which is observable and improvable in these verses is the account here given of Nimrod, Ge 10:8-10. He is here represented as a great man in his day: He began to be a mighty one in the earth, that is, whereas those that went before him were content to stand upon the same level with their neighbours, and though every man bore rule in his own house yet no man pretended any further, Nimrod's aspiring mind could not rest here; he was resolved to tower above his neighbours, not only to be eminent among them, but to lord it over them. The same spirit that actuated the giants before the flood (who became mighty men, and men of renown, Ge 6:4), now revived in him, so soon was that tremendous judgment which the pride and tyranny of those mighty men brought upon the world forgotten. Note, There are some in whom ambition and affectation of dominion seem to be bred in the bone; such there have been and will be, notwithstanding the wrath of God often revealed from heaven against them. Nothing on this side hell will humble and break the proud spirits of some men, in this like Lucifer, Isa 14:14,15. Now,
I. Nimrod was a great hunter; with this he began, and for this became famous to a proverb. Every great hunter is, in remembrance of him, called a Nimrod. 1. Some think he did good with his hunting, served his country by ridding it of the wild beasts which infested it, and so insinuated himself into the affections of his neighbours, and got to be their prince. Those that exercise authority either are, or at least would be called, benefactors, Lu 22:25. 2. Others think that under pretence of hunting he gathered men under his command, in pursuit of another game he had to play, which was to make himself master of the country and to bring them into subjection. He was a mighty hunter, that is, he was a violent invader of his neighbours' rights and properties, and a persecutor of innocent men, carrying all before him, and endeavouring to make all his own by force and violence. He thought himself a mighty prince, but before the Lord (that is, in God's account) he was but a mighty hunter. Note, Great conquerors are but great hunters. Alexander and Cesar would not make such a figure in scripture-history as they do in common history; the former is represented in prophecy but as a he-goat pushing, Da 8:5. Nimrod was a mighty hunter against the Lord, so the LXX; that is, (1.) He set up idolatry, as Jeroboam did, for the confirming of his usurped dominion. That he might set up a new government, he set up a new religion upon the ruin of the primitive constitution of both. Babel was the mother of harlots. Or, (2.) He carried on his oppression and violence in defiance of God himself, daring Heaven with his impieties, as if he and his huntsmen could out-brave the Almighty, and were a match for the Lord of hosts and all his armies. As if it were a small thing to weary men, he thinks to weary my God also, Isa 7:13.
II. Nimrod was a great ruler: The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Ge 10:10. Some way or other, by arts or arms, he got into power, either being chosen to it or forcing his way to it; and so laid the foundations of a monarchy, which was afterwards a head of gold, and the terror of the mighty, and bade fair to be universal. It does not appear that he had any right to rule by birth; but either his fitness for government recommended him, as some think, to an election, or by power and policy he advanced gradually, and perhaps insensibly, into the throne. See the antiquity of civil government, and particularly that form of it which lodges the sovereignty in a single person. If Nimrod and his neighbours began, other nations soon learned to incorporate under one head for their common safety and welfare, which, however it began, proved so great a blessing to the world that things were reckoned to go ill indeed when there was no king in Israel.
III. Nimrod was a great builder. Probably he was architect in the building of Babel, and there he began his kingdom; but, when his project to rule all the sons of Noah was baffled by the confusion of tongues, out of that land he went forth into Assyria (so the margin reads it, Ge 10:11) and built Nineveh, etc., that, having built these cities, he might command them and rule over them. Observe, in Nimrod, the nature of ambition. 1. It is boundless. Much would have more, and still cries, Give, give. 2. It is restless. Nimrod, when he had four cities under his command, could not be content till he had four more. 3. It is expensive. Nimrod will rather be at the charge of rearing cities than not have the honour of ruling them. The spirit of building is the common effect of a spirit of pride. 4. It is daring, and will stick at nothing. Nimrod's name signifies rebellion, which (if indeed he did abuse his power to the oppression of his neighbours) teaches us that tyrants to men are rebels to God, and their rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.
¹⁵ And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
¹⁶ And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,
¹⁷ And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,
¹⁸ And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
¹⁹ And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
²⁰ These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
Observe here, 1. The account of the posterity of Canaan, of the families and nations that descended from him, and of the land they possessed, is more particular than of any other in this chapter, because these were the nations that were to be subdued before Israel, and their land was in process of time to become the holy land, Immanuel's land; and this God had an eye to when, in the meantime, he cast the lot of that accursed devoted race in that spot of ground which he had selected for his own people; this Moses takes notice of, De 32:8, When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 2. By this account it appears that the posterity of Canaan were numerous, and rich, and very pleasantly situated; and yet Canaan was under a curse, a divine curse, and not a curse causeless. Note, Those that are under the curse of God may yet perhaps thrive and prosper greatly in this world; for we cannot know love or hatred, the blessing or the curse, by what is before us, but by what is within us, Ec 9:1. The curse of God always works really and always terribly: but perhaps it is a secret curse, a curse to the soul, and does not work visibly, or a slow curse, and does not work immediately; but sinners are by it reserved for, and bound over to, a day of wrath. Canaan here has a better land than either Shem or Japheth, and yet they have a better lot, for they inherit the blessing.
²¹ Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
²² The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
²³ And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
²⁴ And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
²⁵ And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
²⁶ And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,
²⁷ And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,
²⁸ And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,
²⁹ And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
³⁰ And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
³¹ These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
³² These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
Two things especially are observable in this account of the posterity of Shem:—
I. The description of Shem, v. 21. We have not only his name, Shem, which signifies a name, but two titles to distinguish him by:—
1. He was the father of all the children of Eber. Eber was his great grandson; but why should he be called the father of all his children, rather than of all Arphaxad's, or Salah's, etc.? Probably because Abraham and his seed, God's covenant-people, not only descended from Heber, but from him were called Hebrews; Ge 14:13, Abram the Hebrew. Paul looked upon it as his privilege that he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews, Php 3:5. Eber himself, we may suppose, was a man eminent for religion in a time of general apostasy, and a great example of piety to his family; and, the holy tongue being commonly called from him the Hebrew, it is probable that he retained it in his family, in the confusion of Babel, as a special token of God's favour to him; and from him the professors of religion were called the children of Eber. Now, when the inspired penman would give Shem an honourable title, he calls him the father of the Hebrews. Though when Moses wrote this, they were a poor despised people, bond-slaves in Egypt, yet, being God's people, it was an honour to a man to be akin to them. As Ham, though he had many sons, is disowned by being called the father of Canaan, on whose seed the curse was entailed (Ge 9:22), so Shem, though he had many sons, is dignified with the title of the father of Eber, on whose seed the blessing was entailed. Note, a family of saints is more truly honourable than a family of nobles, Shem's holy seed than Ham's royal seed, Jacob's twelve patriarchs than Ishmael's twelve princes, Ge 17:20. Goodness is true greatness.
2. He was the brother of Japheth the elder, by which it appears that, though Shem is commonly put first, he was not Noah's first-born, but Japheth was older. But why should this also be put as part of Shem's title and description, that he was the brother of Japheth, since it had been, in effect, said often before? And was he not as much brother to Ham? Probably this was intended to signify the union of the Gentiles with the Jews in the church. The sacred historian had mentioned it as Shem's honour that he was the father of the Hebrews; but, lest Japheth's seed should therefore be looked upon as for ever shut out from the church, he here reminds us that he was the brother of Japheth, not in birth only, but in blessing; for Japheth was to dwell in the tents of Shem. Note, (1.) Those are brethren in the best manner that are so by grace, and that meet in the covenant of God and in the communion of saints. (2.) God, in dispensing his grace, does not go by seniority, but the younger sometimes gets the start of the elder in coming into the church; so the last shall be first and the first last.
II. The reason of the name of Peleg (Ge 10:25): Because in his days (that is, about the time of his birth, when his name was given him), was the earth divided among the children of men that were to inhabit it; either when Noah divided it by an orderly distribution of it, as Joshua divided the land of Canaan by lot, or when, upon their refusal to comply with that division, God, in justice, divided them by the confusion of tongues: whichsoever of these was the occasion, pious Heber saw cause to perpetuate the remembrance of it in the name of his son; and justly may our sons be called by the same name, for in our days, in another sense, is the earth, the church, most wretchedly divided.
本章更具體地說明前章所概括論到的（創 9:19），關於挪亞三個兒子的事——「全地都是從他們散布出來的」，以及那祝福的果效（創 9:1,7）「遍滿了地」。這是有關萬國起源唯一可靠的記載；然而除了猶太人之外，也許沒有一個民族能確定自己究竟是從這裏所列七十個源頭（這裏正是如此多）中的哪一個流出。因早期記載的缺乏、民族的混合、邦國的更替以及年代的久遠，今日地上居民直系血統的知識已經失傳；除了為彌賽亞的緣故而保存的猶太人家譜之外，沒有任何家譜存留。本章只不過是個簡略的記載：一、雅弗的後裔（創 10:2-5）。二、含的後裔（創 10:6-20），其中特別提及寧錄（創 10:8-10）。三、閃的後裔（創 10:21-32 等）。