Genesis 10:10-20

¹⁰ The start of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

¹¹ From that land Ham went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and

¹² Resen (the great city) between Nineveh and Calah.

¹³ Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim,

¹⁴ Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines descended), and Caphtorim.

¹⁵ Canaan fathered his firstborn Sidon 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 scattered.

¹⁹ But 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.

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A Problem for Shem & Japheth

Ham and his descendents formed a kind of backdrop to the affairs of Japheth, and especially Shem and all the Hebrew peoples descended from him. So, although Noah’s prophecy pinpointed Canaan, Ham’s sin appears to have affected most of the nations that descended from him. Israelites hearing these words were reminded of who they were and who they were not. This identity issue was extremely important for them as they faced the challenge of obeying the LORD’s voice in Canaan’s land.

LORD, remind us who we are and who we are not. Keep us centered on our relationship with you.