<1>Any time in the Bible the history
of generations of some people is discontinued and some events are
described, and then later on the description of the generations of
those people is picked up again, it means that those events which
were described in-between happened during that generation and are
related to them. Also it shows the importance of those events and
their relationships with those people.
<2>In these verses, the generations of
Shem are picked up
again after they were finished in chapter 10. So it shows that the events
described in chapter 11 from verses 1 through 9 happened in the
period described about
Shem's generations and
are related to them.
"And
Shem lived after he
begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters."
(Genesis 11:11)
<3>In chapter 10 only the sons (the
likenesses) were described who had been born from them. This again
shows that in chapter 10 the emphasis was in showing the likeness of
different types that were created on earth.
<4>Now in this chapter, the daughters are
also described who had been born unto them.
"And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and
begat Salah:" (Genesis 11:12)
<5>The time of becoming mature and being able
to have children was shortened. Arphaxad was only thirty-five years
old when he "begat Salah."
God decided to shorten the lifespan of man to around one
hundred twenty years before creating new generations. This occurred
in chapter 6 of Genesis, "his days shall be an hundred and
twenty years" (Genesis 6:3).
<6>Still in these verses, we can see that man
is living much longer than that. As the explanation of the
generations of
Shem continues, the
lifespan shrinks. This shows the Will of the Lord is taking place. But it takes generations before the actual desire of the Lord is
achieved. <7>God
desires and sets the process in motion but it takes time for His
Will to be completely done. In fact the process of creating the new
generation started twelve thousand years ago and was complete six
thousand years ago. It took six thousand years to reach this human
as we know him.
"And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four
hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis
11:13)
"And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:"
(Genesis 11:14)
"And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred
and three years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:15)
"And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat
Peleg:" (Genesis 11:16)
<8>It was in the time of Eber's sons that a
great event happened to humanity.
"And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred
and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:17)
"And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:"
(Genesis 11:18)
"And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred
and nine years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:19)
<9>It was in Peleg's time that "the earth was
divided" (Genesis 10:25). This division of the earth destroyed the land
that was between North America, Canada, and the northern part of
Europe. With this, the land of America was completely isolated from
the rest of the world.
"And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat
Serug:" (Genesis 11:20)
"And Reu lived after be begat Serug two hundred
and seven years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:21)
"And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:"
(Genesis 11:22)
"And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred
years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:23)
"And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat
Terah:" (Genesis 11:24)
"And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred
and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters." (Genesis 11:25)
