Genesis 10:25
From Dr. Bernard Northrup
The meaning of some names
Job
What Happened During Peleg’s Time?Genesis 10:25 – and he was called Peleg because in his time the earth was divided.
In the 1858 a Christian named Antonio Snider proposed that the continents had all once fit together. His idea was ignored. In the 20th century, this idea was again proposed by an engineer named Alfred Wegener. During his lifetime his was mocked, ridiculed, and then ignored. It was only after his death that plate tectonics, and the concept of an original single landmass were accepted. Wegener then became a hero, but he was dead.
The knowledge of a single land mass which later divided is presented in the Bible. Just like much other scientific information, the Bible presented it thousands of years before science 'discovered' it.
The concept of an original single continent is implied on day 3 of creation:
Genesis 1:9-10a -- And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so. God called the dry ground 'land,' and the gathered waters he called 'seas.'
"land" is eres (eretz), in that passage, and 'seas' is 'yam' which is singular. Thus, there was one sea, meaning the land was in the 'other' place and was one landmass. "Yam" is from an unused root, meaning 'to roar.' It is used in terms of a large body of water. While the surf, or storms, may be considered to be 'roaring,' there is also the option here of the idea that the rising of the land itself was not a quiet affair, but -- especially since it happened on the first half of day three -- a somewhat violent and noisy affair. This is in contrast to 'mayim' which is the 'waters' of Genesis 1 and the standard word for waters.
In Genesis 1:10 and 10:25, the word for 'land' is the same as Genesis 1:1 -- eretz. It's basic meaning in the original is simply 'that which is firm.' Hebrew usage later confined it to meaning 'earth, ground, land' etc. It is this which the Bible says was divided in the time of Peleg.
Some creationists associate the time of Peleg with the time of Babel, saying that what was divided were the peoples, and that the land itself was split apart at the time of the Flood. The shortened genealogies of the Masoretic do make it appear that Babel and Peleg may have been the same event, but the longer genealogies of the older texts as well as the words used in the Bible itself deny this idea. These were two separate devastating events, about 200 years apart.
The word in Genesis 10:25 for "divided" is Strongs 6385 – palag (PLG) – to split or to divide (only used for ‘divided’ 4 times). It is impportant to note here that Hebrew root words are combinations of consonants. So the basic word Peleg is the same as palag -- PLG. The other times it is translated 'divided' are
1 Chron. 1:19 repeats Gen. 10:25, which is a repeat of Genesis 10:25
Job 38:25 – (NIV) "Who cuts (PLG) a channel for the torrents of rain, and a path for the thunderstorm?" (KJV) "Who hath divided (PLG) a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder?"
Psalm 55:9 – “Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues" (literally, ‘council’ – 3956 – from 3960 – lashon or lashan – to lick, to wag the tongue, to accuse, to slander; figuratively a fork of flame, a cove of water, a babbler, an evil-speaker, a talker, a wedge, a tongue)
The root PLG is translated "divided" those four times; it is translated as some kind of a body of water, such as a river, ten times; as "dividing" two times and the related word "pelach" as "piece" six times. Thus, the concept of dividing, pieces, and water are strongly connected with this word.
In the rest of the Bible, other words are used for "divided"
- Genesis 1:4 -- God divided the light from the darkness – Strongs 914 – badal – to separate or to distinguish
- The Gentiles were divided in their lands (Gen. 10:5) – Strongs 6504 – parad – to break through, to spread, to disperse, to scatter (thus, if the land in Genesis 10:25 being divided was a reference to people's migrations, as this verse is, this verb would have been used).
- Genesis 10:32 – by these were the nations divided – Strongs 5504 – cachar – profit, trade, merchandise, or to traffic
- common one is 2505 – chalaq – prim. root to be smooth, to apportion, to separate, to deal, to distribute, to divide, or to separate yourself
Other words derived from the PLG root:
Pelagos – old name for Mediterranean (Greek)
pelican
archipelagos – islands in the water
Pelagic deposits – shallow ocean deposits of geologyThey all have to do with water.
The time of Peleg is claimed by many to be the same as the time of Babel. but
- The language used to describe the two events is radically different – if a simple dispersal had been meant, then ‘parad’ or ‘chalaq,’ or even ‘badal’ would have sufficed. But at Babel the people were scattered (‘puwts’ – 6327 – to disperse, to drive, to scatter, to spread abroad, to dash in pieces) and at the time of Peleg, the land was divided.
- In the older genealogy the two events are separated by about 200 years.
The following are sections of Dr. Bernard Northrup’s writings on “Continental Separation and the Fossil Record,” an unpublished paper he gave to us to read, from pages 26-27.
The basic root PLG occurs in all three of the family groups of Noah’s offspring with similar meaning, almost always having to do with water. Aramaic is an exception. …the evidence that I have been able to investigate indicates that each of the three basic families of languages that departed from Babel used the basic root PLG to refer to the sea and to division by water.
…In the Semitic Family
PL – the root probably was used to refer to “a trench, an excavation,” in Ugaritic
PaL – has the basic root meaning “to split, to divide, to separate” in Hebrew, Aramaic Sanskrit, and GreekPaLa’ – (with the final ‘ayin’) means “to split, to divide, to separate” in Hebrew
PaLaG is found in Genesis 10:25, Job 38:25, Psalm 1:3 (He is like a tree planted by PELEG of water…) and elsewhere with the meaning “to divide by water,” a meaning common to both Hebrew and Greek. In some contexts it deteriorates simply to mean “to divide” in Hebrew and Aramaic.
PaLaD means “to divide, to cut in pieces” in Hebrew
PuLaDah refers to an instrument of division, a sword, in Hebrew
PaLah means to separate, to divide off, in Hebrew
PaLakh means “to cleave, cut in pieces, divide, to plow a furrow” in Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic.
PaLat means “to glide away, slip away, to flee away in haste, to escape” in Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic
PaLaK means to “separate, to cut off, to divide, to single out one from a whole” in Hebrew and Arabic
PaLaL means “to fall down” in Hebrew. a parallel development is found in the root “to fall” from the related root (FaLaL) in English.
PaLaM means “to tear or cut into, to tear asunder” (as lightning splits the clouds) in Hebrew.
PaLaTS means “to be broken in pieces, to break into fragments, to quake greatly, to terrify” in Hebrew and in Aramaic
… Perhaps of special significance to our understanding of that which happened in Genesis 10:25 is this. The fact is that the root under consideration, PaLaG, often, if not usually, contains within it a reference to water. It is used to refer to a stream of water in Psalm 1:3. A similar meaning is found in Coptic, Ethiopic and Greek. The root is used in Akkadian to refer to irrigation canals, which carried the water throughout the farming land of Mesopotamia. A similar use is found in Syrian.
However, an examination of the Greek usage (of the family of Japheth) of the root letters PLG and PL clearly indicate that in the majority of its usages this root was used in relationship to the ocean. In Liddell and Scott, “A Greek English Lexicon,” the greatest Classical Greek lexicon, there are eighteen entries that contain the root PLG. To save time and space I simply will chart some of the meanings of the great variety of uses of PLG in this language of the family of Japheth.
…The Semitic root occurs in Greek, used as verbs of
- forming a sea or lake by a river that has overflowed
- Places to be flooded and placed under water
- the very act of flooding
- Crossing the sea
Indeed, the verb PeLaGoo means “to turn into sea, to flood.”
The nouns formed from PLG are used in the following ways
- Of the sea itself as “pelagian hala,” “the broad sea”
- Of animals living in the sea
- Of being out on the open sea
- Of seamen or ships
- Of the goddess Aphrodite who was born out of the sea
In the same way
- PeLaGisma means “an inundation”
- PeLaGismos refers to one’s “being at sea.”
- PeLaGitis refers to something or someone being “of” or “on the sea.”
- PeLaGobates means “one who walks upon the sea.”
- PeLaGodromos is “running or sailing on the open sea.”
- PeLaGolimen is a harbor formed in the open sea by means of sandbags
- PeLaGoploos means “sailing the sea.”
- PeLaGos means “the sea,” especially “the high sea, open sea, the main”
- PeLaGostolos means “on, sailing upon the sea.”
- PeLaGostrophos means “rowing through the sea.”
- PeLaGotrophos means “sea-nourished”
- the adverb PeLaGosde means “to, into or toward the sea.”
It is quite apparent that every Greek usage of this root involves the sea in some way.
There is other evidence that the time of Peleg was one of catastrophe. Look at the names of Peleg's brother, Joktan, and the names of his sons:
Joktan and his sons:
Joktan: “to diminish, make small, kill, destroy.”
his sons:
Almodad – agitation
Sheleph – to pull out or pluck off
Hazarmaveth –separation, also death/pestilence/ruin
Jerah – (comes from an uncertain root)
Hadoram – (unknown)
Uzal – (unknown)
Diklah –from a primitive root meaning to crush, crumble, beat in pieces, make dust
Obal— to make bare
Abimael – my father is God
Sheba – comes from a root meaning devastation or desolation
Ophir – uncertain, possibly ‘rich’
Havilah – circular, go in circles, twist, writhe
Jobab – cry outThe question remains, if this was such a catastrophic event, why is there only one line about it in Genesis 10:25? There are two responses to this question:
1. If we make reference to 9/11, everyone knows what we are talking about -- the planes hitting the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and crashing in the field on September 11, 2001. The memory is seared into the American consciousness, at least. That event took a couple of hours in total. The time of Peleg continued for about 200 years of continual effects of continental separation: volcanoes, earthquakes, windstorms, tsunamis, mountains falling and others being built and, because the evidence is also of a further axis tilt at that time, the onset of the Ice Age. How could anyone ever forget? ...But we did....
2. Joktan's thirteenth son was Jobab. There is a very good bit of evidence that this is the same Job of the book of that name. See Are Job and Jobab the Same Person?
On the assumption that Job and Jobab are the same person, it is interesting that we find, in the book of Job, passing references to the devastations of that time:
Possible impact effects -- Job 9:5-7 (see "What Happened at the Time of Peleg" below)Alexandrian LXX:
"Who wears out the mountain and men know it not: who overturns them in anger.
Who shakes the earth under heaven from its foundations and its pillars totter.
Who commands the sun, and it rises not; and he seals up the stars."King James
"Which removeth the mountains, and they know not;
which overturneth them in his anger
Which shaketh the earth out of her place,
Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.”New International Version
"He moves mountains without their knowng it
and overturns them in his anger.
He shakes the earth from its place
And makes its pillars tremble.
He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
He seals off the light of the stars.”Possible volcanism, rifting, magma – Job 28: 5-6,9-11
Alexandrian LXX
“As for the earth, out of it shall come bread: under it has been turned up as it were fire. Her stones are the place of the sapphire, and her dust supplies man with gold.
“…He has stretched forth his hand on the sharp rock, and turned up mountains by the roots: and he has interrupted the whirlpools of rivers and mine eye has seen every precious thing. And he has laid bare the depths of rivers, and has brought his power to light.”King James
“As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.
The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and it hath dust of gold.
“…He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.
He cutest out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every precious thing.
He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and [the thing that is] hid bringeth he forth to light.”New International Version
“The earth, from which food comes,
is transformed below as by fire;
sapphires come from its rocks,
and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
“…Man’s hand assaults the flinty rock
and lays bare the roots of the mountains.
He tunnels through the rock;
His eyes see all its treasures.
He searches the sources of the rivers
And brings hidden things to light.”Job 14:18-19
Alexandrian LXX
“And verily a mountain falling will utterly be destroyed and a rock shall be torn out of its place. The waters wear the stones, and waters falling headlong overflow a heap of the earth: and thou destroyest the hope of man.”King James
“And surely the mountain falling cometh to naught, and the rock is removed out of his place.
The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.”New International Version
“But as a mountain erodes and crumbles
and as a rock is moved from its place,
as water wears away stones
and torrents wash away the soil,
so you destroy man's hope.”Possible volcanic firestorms – Job 1:16, 19
Alexandrian LXX
“While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, Fire has fallen from heaven, and burnt up the sheep, and devoured the shepherds likewise; and I having escaped alone am come to tell thee.
…suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children, and they are dead.”King James
“While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am left to tell thee.
…And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead.”New International Version
“While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
…when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead.”Job 18:15
Alexandrian LXX
“It shall dwell in his tabernacle in his night: his excellency shall be sown with brimstone.”King James
“It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.”New International Version
“Fire resides in his tent; burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.”Job 27:20-22
Alexandrian LXX
“Pains have come upon him as water, and darkness has carried him away by night.
And a burning wind shall catch him, and he shall depart, and it shall utterly drive him out of his place. And he would fain flee out of his hand.King James
“Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.
The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth; and as a storm hurleth him out of his place.
For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee out of his hand.”New International Version
“Terrors overtake him like a flood;
A tempest snatches him away in the night.
The east wind carried him off, and he is gone;
It sweeps him out of his place.
It hurls itself against him without mercy
As he flees headlong from its power.”Possible tsunamis, ocean storms – There is an oblique reference in Job 7:12 to something interesting:
Alexandrian LXX
“Am I a sea, or a serpent, that thou hast set a watch over me?”King James
“Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?”New International Version
“Am I the sea, or the monster of the deep,
that you put me under guard?”Why would the sea be put under guard unless there was a constant watch for tsunami activity? When a tsunami has been generated, usually by an earthquake, the sea pulls far back from the shore first and then the giant wave rushes in to inundate the land. Why the reference to the whales or monsters? Because if the tsunami were big enough, the sea would pull back so far as to leave some of these animals stranded on the ocean floor until the giant wave rolled in.
What Happened during Peleg's Time?
No matter whether one uses the gravitational model of earth formation or the plasma model, it is generally agreed that the heavy radioactive elements were in the mantle and core to begin with. The heating from their decay first drove water out of the rocks, minerals, and crystal lattices, producing the massive explosions which initiated the Flood of Noah. The heating did not stop then, however, but continued, resulting in the melting of the rocks themselves.
When rocks are heated to the melting point, most types gain 10% in volume. This translates into about a 5% increase in circumference. Thus, the melting of the rocks under the crust would have started to exert tremendous pressure under the crust. As the pressure increased, there came a time when all that was needed was some kind of trigger event to start an 'unzipping' effect, which is what we see along the Atlantic Rift.
If we look at the following map, and put the continents back together in our mind, we can see how close this series of asteroid hits was. We know where the craters are and we know that this dates after the time of the Flood as well as Babel.
http://www.auburn.edu/~kingdat/wetu_fig_3.jpg
It would seem that this series of impacts would certainly be enough to trigger the cracking the crust and the expansion of the size of the earth by about 5%.
http://www.semp.us/_images/biots/Biot217PhotoA.jpg
http://www.ck12.org/ck12/images?id=113761
The earth did not just crack along the Atlantic, although that is the most dramatic split. The crustal plates all responded to the trigger event and the pressure underneath:
http://media.maps.com/magellan/Images/tectonic.gif
As the unzipping of the Atlantic forced the Eastern and Western Hemispheres apart, massive 'crumpling' was occuring on the western edge of the Western Hemisphere and the eastern edge of the Eastern Hemisphere.
http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/Slippery-Stretching-Explains-Ocean-Floor-Formation-2.jpg
This resulted in several things:
1. Massive subduction and resulting trenches under the ocean along the boundaries
2. Large, sharp "young" mountains being upthrust
3. The Pacific Ring of Fire
Subduction resulting in the trenches along the eastern edge of the Eastern Hemisphere result in the deepest places known in the ocean. These are associated with the Pacific Ring of Fire which involves strings of volcanoes in a horseshoe around the Pacific Rim:
http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/mgimg/trench2.jpg
The volcanoes in Indonesia are some of the most active in the world and are part of the Ring of Fire
http://img6.travelblog.org/Photos/110653/375106/f/3478753-Indonesia-has-the-most-active-volcanoes-in-the-world-3.jpg
The sharp, newly uplifted mountains at this time include the Andes, the Himalayas, the Rockies, the Cascades, the Sierra Nevadas, the Alps, etc.
http://susanwiggs.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/readers-in-the-rockies-photo-by-theresa-rizzo.jpg
In the picture above, the Rockies can be seen above some beautiful green meadows and lush evergreens. The soil of this lower area would have been washed down from the Rockies as they uplifted, leaving massive amounts of deposition along their base and into the Great Plains.
The same thing can be seen with the Himalayas, below:
http://www.yourasianvacations.com/images/himalayas.jpg
Huge alluvial fans of material washed off the Himalayas and other of the mountains which rose up during the time of the continental division provide some of the richest agricultural lands today in the lower elevations.
One other major event at the time of the Peleg continental division was an impact a little away from the others, in India, resulting in the Lonar Crater.
http://www.whoi.edu/cms/images/oceanus/2006/3/map-en_21798.jpg
It was big enough to trigger a mantle plume not on the other side of the world, as the Antarctic impact had done at the time of Babel, but right next to it. The outpouring of material from this impact resulted in what are called the Deccan Traps in India today.
http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_03/DeccanTraps_468x275.jpg
This type of earth movement during Peleg's time probably lasted for about 200 years. The evidence from both the Siberian Traps and the Deccan Traps indicates they were poured out under air, not water, thus denying the idea that these are related to Noah's Flood. The Bible and geology agree that there were three times of world-wide catastrophe: the Deluge, the time of Babel, and the time of Peleg. Legends and stories from around the world remember these three as separate events.
Genealogies of Genesis 5, 10, and 11
Genesis 5, comparing the ages as given in the more ancient texts with those in the more recent (from 100 A.D.) Masoretic text
Person age at birth of son age at death Person age at birth of son age at death Adam Adam Seth Seth Enos Enosh Cainan Kenan Maleleel Mahalalel Jared Jared Enoch Enoch Mathusala Methuselah Lamech Lamech Noe Noah
Total: 2261 years from Creation to the Flood Total: 1655 years from Creation to the Flood Genesis 11, doing the same thing:
Person age at birth of son age at death Person age at birth of son age at death Shem Shem Arphaxad* Arphaxad Sala Shelah Heber Eber Peleg Peleg Ragau Reu Seruch Serug Nahor Nahor Tharrha Terah
Total from Flood to Abraham -- 1202 years Total from Flood to Abraham -- 452 years each total adds 2 years since Shem had Arphaxad two years after the Flood.
* The Alexandrian includes a second Cainan here, which Luke picks up. However this may be a mistake as both Josephus and the Samaritan Pentateuch omit him. There is another clue, as well, that his inclusion may be a mistake. If the Tablet Theory is correct, then Shem signs off his tablet in Genesis 11:10 immediately AFTER the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). This means he was still alive at that time. If the second Cainan is added in, however, Shem would be dead before he finished his tablet telling about the Babel catastrophe.
** Abraham's birth is figured from the age at which he was when his father, Terah, died. Although the Bibles give Terah's age as 70, we must assume that was his age when his first son was born. Abraham was 75 when his father died at age 205. That makes Terah 130 when Abraham was born.
Total years from Creation to Abraham
Alexandrian: 3463
Masoretic: 2107
Difference: 1356 years
Robert Bradshaw's web book, Creationism and the Early Church, is a study of the beliefs of the early church fathers regarding creation up to the time of Augustine. In chapter 3, there is a chart which summarizes what the early church fathers thought in terms of the age of the world when they were alive, 2000 years ago. Here it is:
Specific Statements Made by the Early Church Writers Concerning the Age of the Earth
Writer Date Date of Creation of Adam (BC) Reference Clement of Alexandria c. 150- c. 215 5 592 Miscellanies 1.21 Julius Africanus c.160-240 5 500 Chronology, Fragment 1 Hippolytus of Rome 170-236 5 500 Daniel, 4 Origen 185-253 < 10 000 Celsus, 1.20 Eusebius of Caesarea 263-339 5 228 Chronicle Augustine of Hippo 354-430 < 5 600 City 12.11 Two others not on Bradshaw's chart above are Julius Africanus (died 240 A.D.) who considered creation to have taken place in 5531 B.C. (from his "Fragments of the Chronography" frag. 18.4) and Theophilus of Antioch (115-181) who dated creation at 5518 B.C. +/- 200 years ( letter from Theophilus to Autolycus 3:29).
Abraham was born in 2322 B.C. Adding this to the Alexandrian age gives 5785 years from Creation to Christ. Adding to the Masoretic, however, only gives 4429 years from Creation to Christ. One of the reasons for the discrepancies between the Alexandrian as we have given it and the age as figured by most of the above listed church fathers is that Terah is listed as 70 when his first son was born, but that was evidently not Abraham, for Abraham was about 75 when his father died at 205 years old (Genesis 11:32, Genesis 12:4), and that would make Terah, as we show above, about 130 when Abraham was born. This does not answer for the full discrepancy, but it does narrow the gap a bit.
The one thing which does seem evident is that the early church fathers did not consider the 'second Cainan' to be part of the true genealogy after the Flood. It is also interesting that all of the church fathers listed above lived after the Council of Jamnia in 100 A.D., and that is when the ciphers for '100' were dropped from so many of the ages in Genesis 5 and 11, as shown above. Evidently the church fathers simply did not accept these revised ages of the men when the named son was born.
Genesis 10
The following chart (very homemade) is taken from Genesis 10. There are some interesting notes which should be made here:
1. The names of people ending in 'ite' are not individuals, but tribes or groups. Therefore they are not listed as 'sons' but listed later on, at the bottom, as groups. The same goes for those names ending in 'im' as the 'im' ending is plural in the Hebrew.
2. Nimrod is put with the sons of Cush, but this may not be the case, as will be discussed below. Biblical and archaeological evidence both indicate he came later, probably during or at the end of the Ice Age, after the continental division at the time of Peleg. Thus the orange line with his name takes him from the list of 'sons' to the bottom of the page.
3. The disperson of people is mentioned in verse 5 of Japheth's family line, indicating that Babel took place two generations after the Flood ("From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.")
About Nimrod
In Genesis 10, There is a straight listing of genealogies except for one interesting -- apparent -- insertion: This is found in verses 8-12. First, verse 6 lists the sons of Ham and verse 7 the sons of Cush. They are all referred to as 'sons.' but in verse 8, we have an interesting difference. The NIV states "Cush was the father of Nimrod." The KJV states "and Cush begat Nimrod." Nimrod is not listed as one of the sons of Cush in verse 7.
Then there is a bit about Nimrod which is not in the pattern of any of the other lists of fathers and sons:
Genesis 10:8-12
NIV -- Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, "Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord." The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
KJV -- And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth and Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
LXX -- And Cush begat Nebrod: he began to be a giant upon the earth. He was a giant hunter before the Lord God; therefore they say, As Nebrod, a giant hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babylon, and Orech, and Archad, and Chalanne in the land of Senaar. Out of that land came Assur, and built Ninevi, and the city Rhooboth, and Chalach, and Dase betwenn Ninevi and Chalach: this is the great city.
Hebrew -- And Cush fathered Nimrod; he began to be a hero in the land. He was a great hunter before Jehovah; so it is said, Even as Nimrod, the great hunter before Jehovah. And was the beginning of his kingdom Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of land that he went forth to Assyria and built Nineveh, and Rehoboth, and the city Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah, which is the city great.
Notes:
1. The same word that translates "giant" also translates "hero," and "mighty one." This should be noted for those who think physical giants roamed the earth at one time.
2. "before" is Strongs 6440, which is "paniym" or "paneh" -- meaning "to face, before, against, anger, as long as, battle, because of, beseech, countenance, inquire, face, favor, fear, forefront, impudent, over againt, presence, prospect." comes from 6437 -- panah -- to turn (by implication a face, to cast out, to go away, to lie, to prepare, to turn aside, to turn away, to turn back). Was Nimrod a mighty hunter in honor of the Lord or in rebellion (in His face) against Him? The language itself is not really clear. We only have tradition here.
3. However, there are at least eight cities associated with him, and this is far too many for two generations after the Deluge. This is a strong indication that Nimrod was a descendent of Cush, and not a son. The cities in Mesopotamia today with the names of Nineveh and such are ancient and giant, walled structures. Below is a partial reconstruction of some of those ancient walls.
http://www.livius.org/a/1/mesopotamia/nineveh_city_walls.jpg
Some of the original structures can be seen in the photograph below:
http://www.accordancebible.com/archive/blog/uploaded_images/Nineveh1.jpg
Cities of this size are associated with the earliest Mesopotamian civilizations which date much later than the Flood or Babel. In addition, as shown in the Babel material, this area was under water before the time of Peleg.
So while Cush is definitely associated with Babel, we are suggesting that Nimrod came much later and that he was either one of the first of the kings in this area or was a general in an army. The reference to him being a mighty hunter may be an implication of danger from the wild animals which were still migrating away from the Babel area. The African continent is famous for its lions and other wild cats. These are the world's only true mammalian carnivores and they may well have become a danger to the people living in that area. One translation of Nimrod's name is that it is a condensation of "leopard subduer" or "nimr rud". It's an interesting thought....
4. Two translations above say he came from the area of Babel, and two from Babylon. These two names have a history of being interchangeable, but that may be a mistaken tradition. It is interesting that the oldest of the translations says he came from the area of Senaar, which, as mentioned in the section on Babel, still exists today in the Sudan. If Babel was there, and the evidence seems to indicate that, then a migration across the land north of the Red Sea and into the now dry Mesopotamian area would have taken place about the time of Nimrod.
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This concludes the study on Genesis 1-11. We have presented what we have found in terms of data, and, in so doing, have found it fits rather precisely with what the Bible tells us happened in those early generations. Please remember, however, that this material is not the final word. We not only would appreciate knowing, but NEED to know, any data which would contradict this material. Please feel free to email us with comments, questions or data.
Thank you,
Barry and Helen Setterfield
Note: at the request of our Bible study group, we will be starting Isaiah next week, February 19, 2010. Notes on that study will also be posted, but please go back to the Scripture index page for the link.
