Genesis 10:2121Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. (Genesis 10:21) —Shem. Shem signifies name or renown, and was indeed great both in a temporal and spiritual sense, inasmuch as he was destined to be the lineal ancestor of the promised Seed of the woman, to which Noah might allude in his pious ejaculation, Chapter 9:26.
11:7. Go to. The Hebrew word signifies “come” or “ make preparation” as for a journey, or the execution of a purpose.
11: 9. Babel, that is confusion. The tower of Babel, Herodotus informs us, was a furlong or 660 feet, in length, and breadth; or according to Strabo, it rose to the same attitude. It was of a pyramidal form, consisting of eight square towers, gradually decreasing in breadth, with a winding ascent on the outside so very broad as to allow horses and carriages to pass each other and even to turn.
This magnificent structure is so completely destroyed that its very site is doubtful, and, where supposed to be discovered, in all cases exhibiting a heap of rubbish.
11: 9. The Tower of Babel. It is not necessary to suppose that any real idea of “scaling heaven” was present to the minds of those who raised either the tower of Babel, or any other of the Babylonian temple towers, the expression used in Genesis 11:44And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4), is a mere hyperbole for great height (compare Deuteronomy 1:2828Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there. (Deuteronomy 1:28); Daniel 4:1;11Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. (Daniel 4:1)
1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. (Daniel 1:1)), and should not be taken literally.
11:29. Iscah is called the daughter-in-law of Terah as being Abram’s wife, yet Abram afterward said “She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother (Chapter 20:12.) Probably Haran was the oldest son of Terah, and Abram the youngest by another wife, and thus Sarai was the daughter, or grand-daughter of Terah, Abram’s father, but not of his mother.
11:31. Ur of the Chaldees. This place in the East has long been identified with Orfah in Mesopotamia, two days journey from Nisbis, in the way to the river Tigris. “This Orfah,” says a writer “ is also held to be the site of the ancient christian city, Edessa; and Edessa by old writers was identified with Erech, of the cities founded by Nimrod (Genesis 10:1010And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. (Genesis 10:10)). Taking these parts together it is somewhat remarkable that one of the results of the excavations and researches of the last few years is, that Erech and Ur are now supposed of have been situated near one another in Southern, Babylonia.
11: 31. Haran, one days journey from Ur, if Orfah be Ur, was the.spot which they chose for three encampments—Haran, Charran, Carrhal. That it was a place of note may be gathered from its long-continued name, and fame in later days. As the sanctuary of the moon goddess, it was far into the Roman empire regarded as the center of eastern paganism, in rivalry to Edessa the center of eastern Christendom. Beside the settlement were the wells (Genesis 29:22And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth. (Genesis 29:2)), round which for the next generation, one large portion of the tribe of Terah continued to linger. And the settlers in the distant west are described as still retaining their affection for the ancient sanctuary, where the father of this last was buried, and where they sought, according to the true Arabian usage, their own kinswomen or cousins in marriage.