God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
27. God ] The blessing on Japheth is introduced with the name not of “Jehovah,” but of “Elohim.” Jehovah is the God who reveals Himself through the descendants of Shem. The blessing of Japheth shall come from God; but Japheth will not know God by His name Jehovah.
enlarge ] The word in the Hebrew, yapht, is employed on account of its resemblance in sound to the name of Japheth. The blessing means, “May God extend the rule of Japheth,” i.e. may the meaning of his name be realized in the extension of his power!
let him dwell ] Better than he shall. The “he” in this clause is not God, but Japheth. The clause contains the prayer that Japheth may ever continue on terms of peace with Shem, and that his descendants, dwelling as guests among the Israelites, may partake of their privileges. That “to dwell in the tents of Shem” should mean “to dispossess the Shemites and occupy their homes” (following the analogy of the phrase in Psa 78:55), is an explanation quite unsuited to a clause of blessing.
The conjecture that “Shem” in this verse is not a proper name, but is the Hebrew word meaning “name” or “renown” (as in Gen 6:4), so that the meaning is “and let him dwell in the tents of renown,” would hardly have been suggested, unless the clause had been one of some obscurity.
his ] Better, as R.V. marg., their. See note on Gen 9:26.
28 (P). And Noah lived ] This and the following verses are the conclusion of P’s account of the Deluge. In contents and character they belong to the genealogy of the Sethite patriarchs in ch. 5.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
God shall enlarge Japheth; or, enlarge to Japheth. Understand here his place, as Gen 26:22; Psa 4:1, or his border; which was very literally made good to him, because he had a very numerous posterity; and by them he possessed the largest part of the world, even all Europe, a great part of Asia, and it is probable America also. Or, God shall persuade Japheth to do what follows, to dwell in Shems tents, where God dwelleth; and so to be reunited to his brother Shem both in affection and in religion, in both which the Gentiles, the greatest part of whom were Japheths posterity, were for a long time at an irreconcilable distance from the Jews.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem, i.e. shall be of the same church with Shem, i.e. of the church, which is called in Scripture the tents or tabernacles of Judah, or of Jacob, or in general of the saints, Zec 12:7; Mal 2:12; Rev 20:9, and here of Shem, in whose posterity the church was first and longest settled. And to dwell with another notes friendly association and communion with him, as when God is said to dwell with men; and when the wolf is said to dwell with the lamb, Isa 11:6. Possibly this may note Japheths succession into Shems tents, or coming into their place and stead, or the calling of the Gentiles, together with the rejection of the Jews; as the Reubenites are said to dwell in the tabernacles of the Hagarite, whom they subdued and expelled, 1Ch 5:10.
Canaan shall be his servant. This was eminently accomplished; for though Shem and Japheth, in their posterity, did successively conquer and rule one over the other, yet none of Hams posterity did ever bear rule over Japheth; but Ham, though for a time he bore sway in his son Nimrod, yet that dominion soon expired, and the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Grecians, and Romans ruled the world for a succession of many ages, and Hams people were constantly their servants and subjects.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
27. God shall enlargeJaphethpointing to a vast increase in posterity andpossessions. Accordingly his descendants have been the most activeand enterprising, spread over the best and largest portion of theworld, all Europe and a considerable part of Asia.
he shall dwell in the tentsof Shema prophecy being fulfilled at the present day, as inIndia British Government is established and the Anglo-Saxons being inthe ascendancy from Europe to India, from India over the Americancontinent. What a wonderful prophecy in a few verses (Isa 46:10;1Pe 1:25)!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
God shall enlarge Japheth,…. Or give him a large part of the earth, and large dominions in it, as his posterity have had; for, as Bochart r observes, to them belonged all Europe, and lesser Asia, Media, Iberia, Albania, part of Armenia, and all those vast countries to the north, which formerly the Scythians, and now the Tartars inhabit; not to say anything of the new world (America), into which the Scythians might pass through the straights of Anian;
and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; inhabit the countries belonging to the posterity of Shem: this was verified by the Medes, who were the descendants of Japheth, together with the Babylonians seizing upon the Assyrian empire and overthrowing that, for Ashur was of Shem; and in the Greeks and Romans, who sprung from Japheth, when they made conquests in Asia, in which were the tents of Shem’s posterity; and who, according to the prophecy in Nu 24:24 that ships from the coast of Chittim, Greece, or Italy, or both, should afflict Ashur and Eber, the Assyrians and the Hebrews, or those beyond the river Euphrates, who all belonged to Shem; and particularly this was fulfilled when the Romans, who are of Japheth, seized Judea, which had long been the seat of the children of Shem, the Jews; and at this day the Turks s, who are also Japheth’s sons, literally dwell in the tents of Shem, or inhabit Judea: the Targums understand this in a mystical sense. Onkelos thus:
“God shall cause his Shechinah or glorious Majesty to dwell in the tents of Shem;”
which was remarkably true, when Christ, the brightness of his Father’s glory, the Word, was made flesh, and tabernacled in Judea: Jonathan Ben Uzziel thus;
“and his children shall be proselytes, and dwell in the school of Shem;”
and many Christian writers interpret them of the conversion of the Gentiles, and of their union and communion with the believing Jews in one Gospel church state, which was very evidently fulfilled in the first times of the Gospel: and they read these words in connection with the former clause thus, “God shall persuade Japheth t, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem”; that is, God shall persuade the Gentiles, the posterity of Japheth, by the sweet alluring voice of his Gospel, and through the power of his grace accompanying it, to embrace and profess Christ and his Gospel, and join with his churches, and walk with them in all the commandments and ordinances of Christ; and at this day all the posterity of Japheth, excepting Magog, or the Turks, bear the name of Christians: the Talmudists u interpret the passage of the language of Japheth being spoken in the tents of Shem; which had its accomplishment when the apostles of Christ spoke and wrote in Greek, one of the languages of Japheth’s sons. Some understand this of God himself, he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, or in Israel, as Jarchi, and was verified remarkably in the incarnation of the Son of God;
and Canaan shall be his servant; the posterity of Canaan servants to the posterity of Japheth; as they were when Tyre, which was built by the Sidonians, and Sidon, which had its name from the eldest son of Canaan, fell into the hands of Alexander the Grecian, who sprung from Japheth; and when Carthage, a colony of the Phoenicians of Canaan’s race, was taken and demolished by the Romans of the line of Japheth, which made Hannibal, a child of Canaan, say, “agnoscere se fortunam Carthaginis” w, that he owned the fate of Carthage; and in which some have thought that he refers to this prophecy.
r Phaleg. l. 3. c. 1. col. 149. s This was written about 1750. Ed. t “alliciet”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “persuadebit”, Cocceius; so Ainsworth. u T. Hieros. Megillah, fol. 71. 2. T. Bab. Megillah, fol. 9. 2. Bereshit Rabba, sect. 36. fol. 32. 1. w Liv. Hist. l. 27. c. 51.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ Wide let God make it to Japhet, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem. ” Starting from the meaning of the name, Noah sums up his blessing in the word ( japht ), from to be wide (Pro 20:19), in the Hiphil with , to procure a wide space for any one, used either of extension over a wide territory, or of removal to a free, unfettered position; analogous to , Gen 26:22; Psa 4:1, etc. Both must be retained here, so that the promise to the family of Japhet embraced not only a wide extension, but also prosperity on every hand. This blessing was desired by Noah, not from Jehovah, the God of Shem, who bestows saving spiritual good upon man, but from Elohim, God as Creator and Governor of the world; for it had respect primarily to the blessings of the earth, not to spiritual blessings; although Japhet would participate in these as well, for he should come and dwell in the tents of Shem. The disputed question, whether God or Japhet is to be regarded as the subject of the verb “shall dwell,” is already decided by the use of the word Elohim. If it were God whom Noah described as dwelling in the tents of Shem, so that the expression denoted the gracious presence of God in Israel, we should expect to find the name Jehovah, since it was as Jehovah that God took up His abode among Shem in Israel. It is much more natural to regard the expression as applying to Japhet, ( a) because the refrain, “Canaan shall be his servant,” requires that we should understand Gen 9:27 as applying to Japhet, like Gen 9:26 to Shem; ( b) because the plural, tents, is not applicable to the abode of Jehovah in Israel, inasmuch as in the parallel passages “we read of God dwelling in His tent, on His holy hill, in Zion, in the midst of the children of Israel, and also of the faithful dwelling in the tabernacle or temple of God, but never of God dwelling in the tents of Israel” (Hengstenberg); and ( c) because we should expect that act of affection, which the two sons so delicately performed in concert, to have its corresponding blessing in the relation established between the two ( Delitzsch). Japhet’s dwelling in the tents of Shem is supposed by Bochart and others to refer to the fact, that Japhet’s descendants would one day take the land of the Shemites, and subjugate the inhabitants; but even the fathers almost unanimously understand the words in a spiritual sense, as denoting the participation of the Japhetites in the saving blessings of the Shemites. There is truth in both views. Dwelling presupposes possession; but the idea of taking by force is precluded by the fact, that it would be altogether at variance with the blessing pronounced upon Shem. If history shows that the tents of Shem were conquered and taken by the Japhetites, the dwelling predicted here still relates not to the forcible conquest, but to the fact that the conquerors entered into the possessions of the conquered; that along with them they were admitted to the blessings of salvation; and that, yielding to the spiritual power of the vanquished, they lived henceforth in their tents as brethren (Psa 133:1). And if the dwelling of Japhet in the tents of Shem presupposes the conquest of the land of Shem by Japhet, it is a blessing not only to Japhet, but to Shem also, since, whilst Japhet enters into the spiritual inheritance of Shem, he brings to Shem all the good of this world (Isa 60). “The fulfilment,” as Delitzsch says, “is plain enough, for we are all Japhetites dwelling in the tents of Shem; and the language of the New Testament is the language of Javan entered into the tents of Shem.” To this we may add, that by the Gospel preached in this language, Israel, though subdued by the imperial power of Rome, became the spiritual conqueror of the orbis terrarum Romanus , and received it into his tents. Moreover it is true of the blessing and curse of Noah, as of all prophetic utterances, that they are fulfilled with regard to the nations and families in question as a whole, but do not predict, like an irresistible fate, the unalterable destiny of every individual; on the contrary, they leave room for freedom of personal decision, and no more cut off the individuals in the accursed race from the possibility of conversion, or close the way of salvation against the penitent, than they secure the individuals of the family blessed against the possibility of falling from a state of grace, and actually losing the blessing. Hence, whilst a Rahab and an Araunah were received into the fellowship of Jehovah, and the Canaanitish woman was relieved by the Lord because of her faith, the hardened Pharisees and scribes had woes pronounced upon them, and Israel was rejected because of its unbelief.
In Gen 9:28, Gen 9:29, the history of Noah is brought to a close, with the account of his age, and of his death.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
27. God shall enlarge Japheth. In the Hebrew words יפת ( japhte) and יפת ( japheth,) there is an elegant allusion. For the root of the word is פתה ( pathah,) which, among the Hebrews, signifies to entice with smooth words, or to allure in one direction or another. Here, however, nearly all commentators take it as signifying to enlarge. (301) If this exposition be received, the meaning will be, that the posterity of Japheth, which for a time would be scattered, and removed far from the tents of Shem, would at length be increased, so that it should more nearly approach them, and should dwell together with them, as in a common home. But I rather approve the other version, ‘God shall gently bring back, or incline Japheth.’ (302) Moreover, whichever interpretation we follow, Noah predicts that there will be a temporary dissension between Shem and Japheth, although he retains both in his family and calls both his lawful heirs; and that afterwards the time will come, in which they shall again coalesce in one body, and have a common home. It is, however, most absolutely certain, that a prophecy is here put forth concerning things unknown to man, of which, as the event, at length, shows God alone was the Author. Two thousand years and some centuries more, elapsed before the Gentiles and the Jews were gathered together in one faith. Then the sons of Shem, of whom the greater part had revolted and cut themselves off from the holy family of God, were collected together, and dwelt under one tabernacle. (303) Also the Gentiles, the progeny of Japheth, who had long been wanderers and fugitives were received into the same tabernacle. For God, by a new adoption, has formed a people out of those who were separated, and has confirmed a fraternal union between alienated parties. This is done by the sweet and gentle voice of God, which he has uttered in the gospel; and this prophecy is still daily receiving its fulfillment, since God invites the scattered sheep to join his flock, and collects, on every side, those who shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. It is truly no common support of our faith, that the calling of the Gentiles is not only decreed in the eternal counsel of God, but is openly declared by the mouth of the Patriarch; lest we should think it to have happened suddenly or by chance, that the inheritance of eternal life was offered generally to all. But the form of the expression, ‘Japheth shall dwell in the tabernacles of Shem,’ (304) commends to us that mutual society which ought to exist, and to be cherished among the faithful. For whereas God had chosen to himself a Church from the progeny of Shem, he afterwards chose the Gentiles together with them, on this condition, that they should join themselves to that people, who were in possession of the covenant of life.
(301) “ Dilatet Deus Japheth.” — Vulg. “ πλατύναι ὅ Θεὸς ” — Sept
(302) See marginal reading of English version, “God will persuade Japheth.” — See also Schindler’s Lexicon, sub voce פתה, and Ainsworth in loco. It is however objected, and not without reason, that the word here rendered persuade is rarely, if ever, used in a good sense, that it generally means to entice, or allure to evil; and, therefore, the most judicious critics seem rather inclined to fall back upon the version given in the text of our translation, than to accept the marginal reading, with which Calvin agrees. See Professor Bush’s note on this place. Dathe gives the preference to the Arabic version, which signifies that God will prosper Japheth; but for this there is no sufficient authority. — Ed
(303) Allusion here seems to be made to the words quoted by James from the prophecy of Amos: “I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof and I will set it up.” — Act 15:16. — Ed.
(304) It is not clear whether the original really means that “Japheth,” or that “God,” “shall dwell in the tents of Shem.” If the former, then this is a plain prediction of events which have been in a remarkable manner fulfilled, by the conversion of the Gentiles, and by the diffusion of a vast European population over those regions which were originally occupied by the descendants of Shem. If the original really means the latter, then it has been fulfilled by the manifestation of God’s glory among the Israelites, first through the Shechinah which appeared in the tabernacle and temple, and then more especially through the advent of the Messiah, of whom St. John says, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,” (Joh 1:14.) — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(27) God shall enlarge Japheth.First, the Deity is here Elohim, following upon Jehovah in the preceding verse, and that with extraordinary exactness. Jehovah has never been the special name of the Deity worshipped by the race of Japheth, though doubtless it is the Greek Zeus and the Latin Jove. But it soon became the proper title of God in covenant with the race of Shem. It is plainly impossible to divide this most ancient poem into Elohistic and Jehovistic sections, and the theory, however plausible occasionally, fails in a crucial place like this. Next, there is a play upon the name of Japheth, or rather, Yepheth, our translators having made the same mistake as in changing Hebel into Abel. The Hebrew is Yapheth Elohim lYepheth, God enlarge the enlarger (not God shall enlarge). While, then, it is the special blessing of Shem that through him the voice of thanksgiving is to ascend to Jehovah, the God of grace; it is Elohim, the God of nature and of the universe, who gives to Japheth wide extension and the most numerous posterity. If the most ancient civilisation and the earliest empires in Egypt and on the Tigris were Hamite, the great world- powers of history, the Chaldean, the Medo-Persian, the Greek and Roman, the Hindoo, were all of Japhetic origin, as are also the modern rulers of mankind.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem.(Rather, let him dwell). In one sense Shem now dwells in the tents of Japheth: for the Jews, the noblest representatives of Shem, dwell dispersed in Aryan countries; and except in the Arabian peninsula, once Cushite, the Shemites have no home of their own. But the religious privileges of their race now belong to the family of Japheth. Carried by Jewish missionaries, like St. Paul, throughout the Roman world, they have become the property of the leading members of the Aryan race; and thus Japheth takes possession of the tents which by right of primogeniture belonged to Shem. For to dwell in the tents of Shem is not so much to share them as to own them; and if the Jews retain some degree of faith, it has lost with them all expansive power; while the right interpretation of their Scriptures, and as well the maintenance as the propagation of the religion of their Messiah, are now in the hands of the descendants of Japheth. Yet Shem does not lose all pre-eminence: for again we read
Canaan shall be his servant (rather, their).If Shem lose the foremost place of primogeniture, he is still a brother, and Canaan but a slave.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
27. God Elohim, the generic, not the covenant name, as used with Shem .
Shall Rather, let .
Enlarge Japheth Japheth goes forth to conquer worlds of matter and worlds of thought . The Shemitic nations are spiritual and contemplative, preferring a pastoral or agricultural life; the Japhetic nations are intellectual, enterprising, nomadic . Intellectual activity characterizes them, as spiritual insight characterizes the descendants of Shem . The conquests of Xerxes, Alexander, the Cesars, and Napoleon the logic and philosophy of the Sanscrit, the Greek, the German, the English the vast migrations of the Tartars and Goths the colonies and the commerce of the Greeks, the Romans, and the English, show how deeply prophetic is the name of Japheth.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Many commentators, following the Targum of Onkelos, make Elohim the subject here, but most follow the Targum of Jonathan, and consider Japheth the subject. The first interpretation destroys the unity of the prophecy, and is harsh and forced. As Japheth and Shem had united in this work of filial piety, so should their children be united in participating in world-wide blessings. The aggressive, intellectual Japheth shall dwell in the tents of the quiet, spiritual Shem, and share in the wondrous promises which he inherits. Each shall share the strength and glory of the other. The Hebrew religion was poured upon the world through the languages, the logic, and rhetoric of the Greek and Roman. The words of Jesus (who bore the “NAME above every name,” typified by Shem) come to us in a language of Japheth. Paul, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, preached and wrote in Greek, yet was protected in his work as a Roman citizen, and carried the glad tidings over Roman roads and in Roman ships.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘God enlarge (yaphth) Japheth and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.’
The word ‘enlarge’ is a play on Japheth’s name. In 1Ch 5:10 ‘dwell in the tents of’ suggests being subjugated. However here it more probably refers to them receiving benefits from ‘Shem’. The ‘enlargement’ suggests blessing but also looks forward to the increase of the nations in the next chapter, which is of course part of that blessing.
Note that Canaan is to be servant to both. His servitude is mentioned three times to stress its completeness. But it must not be overlooked that the curse is primarily on Canaan’s descendants and not on Ham’s. Ham’s would themselves become great nations. These ideas have been widely distorted to defend an indefensible racism.
We note again how the divine names are used. In blessing Shem He is Yahweh. In blessing Japheth He is Elohim. The descendants of Shem are to be the people of the covenant.
Ham receives no blessing. All that is offered to him is the curse on Canaan. In this there is both mercy – the curse is limited – and judgment – he is excluded from the blessings. Noah could never forget what Ham had done to him.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 9:27. God shall enlarge, &c. Some render the word (it is so rendered in the margin of our Bibles) God shall persuade, or allure, Japheth, so that he shall come over to the true religion, and dwell in the tents of Shem. But the best critics in the language have remarked, besides other reasons, that they who translate the word by persuade, or allure, did not consider that when it is so taken, it is used in a bad sense, and governs an accusative case, not a dative, as in this place. God shall enlarge Japheth, is the best translation; and, in the original, there is a manifest allusion to Japheth’s name, such as is familiar to the Hebrew writers: see our note on ch. Gen 4:1. see ch. Gen 5:29. Gen 49:8; Gen 49:16; Gen 49:19, &c. for Japheth signifies enlargement. Was Japheth then more enlarged than the rest? He was, both in territory and in children. The territories of Japheth’s posterity were indeed very large; for, besides all Europe, great and extensive as it is, they possessed the Lesser Asia, Media, part of Armenia, Iberia, Albania, and those vast regions towards the north, which anciently were inhabited by the Scythians, and now by the Tartars: and it is nearly, if not quite certain, that the New World was peopled by some of his, or their, descendants, passing thither by the Straits of Anian. The enlargement of Japheth may also denote a numerous progeny, as well as ample territory: and if you consult the genealogies of the three brothers, comprised in the following chapter, you will find that Japheth had seven sons, whereas Ham had only four, and Shem only five. And the northern hive was always remarkable for its fecundity, and hath been continually pouring forth swarms, and sending out colonies into the more southern parts, both in Europe and in Asia, in former and in latter times.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem This passage is capable of a double construction: for thereby may be meant, either that God, or that Japheth, shall dwell in the tents of Shem: tents, speaking according to the simplicity of those times. They who prefer the former construction, seem to have the authority of the original text on their side; for there is no other noun to govern the verbs in the period, but God; there is no pronoun in the Hebrew answering to the HE, which is inserted in our translation: the whole sentence would run thus, “God will enlarge Japheth, and will dwell in the tents of Shem.” And the Chaldee of Onkelos also thus paraphraseth it, “and will make his glory to dwell in the tabernacles of Shem.” They who prefer the latter construction, seem to have done it, that they might refer this 27th verse wholly to Japheth, as they refer the 26th wholly to Shem; but the other appears to me the more natural and easy construction (especially if you refer to the metrical division we have given above, and not to the modern division of verses). Taken in either sense, the prophecy has been most punctually fulfilled. In the former sense, it was fulfilled literally, when the Shechinah, or Divine Presence, rested on the ark, and dwelt in the tabernacle and temple of the Jews: and when the Word, who was with God, and was God, (Joh 1:1.) , pitched his tent, and dwelt among us, Joh 1:14. In the latter sense, it was fulfilled, first, when the Greeks and Romans, who sprung originally from Japheth, subdued and possessed Judea and other countries of Asia, belonging to Shem: and again, spiritually, when they were proselyted to the true religion; when they who were not Israelites by birth, became Israelites by faith, and lived as we and many others of Japheth’s posterity do at this day, within the pale of the church of Christ. We cannot help observing in conclusion, what is memorable enough, that though Ham hath, in some instances, and upon some occasions, been superior, yet of the four famous monarchies of the world, the Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman; the two former were of the descendants of Shem, as the two latter were of the sons of Japheth!
And is not this a must extraordinary prophecy: a prophecy which was delivered near four thousand years ago, and yet hath been fulfilling through the several periods of time to this day! It is both wonderful and instructive. It is the history of the world, as it were, in miniature.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Ver. 27. God persuade Japhet. ] For none else can do it. Men may speak persuasively, but to persuade is proper to God alone. He “speaks to the heart”; Hos 2:14 we to the ear only. He persuadeth and allureth, not only by a moral persuasion, but by an irresistible inward drawing. Act 11:17 In the Hebrew there is a sweet alliteration; q.d., God shall persuade the persuasible. He shall draw them to faith and obedience, Monendo potius quam minando, docendo quam ducendo , saith St Austin; by informing, not enforcing. He brings in his elect by a merciful violence. He sent forth at first, not swordsmen but fishermen; and prevailed by them in those places where the Romans could never come with all their forces. a Elisha could do more with a kiss than his man could do with a staff, in raising the dead child. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” Son 1:2 and then follows, “Draw me; we will run after thee.”
And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.
a Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca, Christo tamen subdita . – Tertul.
enlarge Japheth. Figure of speech Paronomasia (App-6). Yapht le-yephth. Fulfillment in increase of Western nations.
dwell: as in a Tabernacle (Gen 3:24, which see), i.e. worship the God of Shem: Israel’s God, Hebrew. shakan. See App-40. Gentiles to be blessed in Shem. The Eunuch (Ham) Acts 8. Saul (Shem) Acts 9. Cornelius (Japheth) Acts 10. See note on Gen 11:9.
tents. Hebrew. ‘ohel (App-40). Probably plural of majesty, the Great Tent or Tabernacle of Shem, who would thus be the “Priest of the most High God”. See note on Gen 14:18.
enlarge: or, persuade
Japheth: Japheth denotes enlargement, and how wonderfully have his boundaries been enlarged; for not only Europe, but Asia Minor, part of Armenia, Iberia, the whole of the vast regions of Asia north of Taurus, and probably America, fell to the share of his posterity.
he shall dwell: These words may mean either that God or that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem. In either sense the prophecy has been literally fulfilled.
dwell: Isa 11:10, Hos 2:14, Mal 1:11, Act 17:14, Rom 11:12, Rom 15:12, Eph 2:13, Eph 2:14, Eph 2:19, Eph 3:6, Eph 3:13, Heb 11:9, Heb 11:10
Reciprocal: Deu 33:20 – Blessed Isa 60:9 – the isles Luk 3:36 – Sem Luk 16:31 – be persuaded Act 18:4 – persuaded
Gen 9:27. God shall enlarge Japheth Most of the inhabitants of Europe, termed in the next chapter, the isles of the Gentiles, and those of the northern parts of Asia, were descended from Japheth; and if, as is generally supposed, America was peopled from the north-east of Asia, the original inhabitants of that country also were his offspring. And he shall dwell in the tents of Shem His seed shall be so numerous, and so victorious, that they shall be masters of the tents of Shem. This was fulfilled when the people of the Jews, the most eminent of Shems race, were subjected and made tributaries, first to the Grecians, and afterward to the Romans, both of Japheths seed. This also signifies the conversion of the Gentiles, and the bringing of them into the Church of God; and with a reference to this, the words should be rendered, as they properly may, God shall persuade Japheth; and being so persuaded, he shall dwell in the tents of Shem: that is, the Jews and Gentiles shall be united together in the church of God. And after many of the Gentiles shall be proselyted to the Jewish religion, both Jews and Gentiles shall be one in Christ. And Canaan shall be his servant Servant to Shem, and servant to Japheth; for it is affirmed with respect to both. And a very slight acquaintance with ancient or modern history will be sufficient to convince any serious inquirer of the exact accomplishment of the prediction. For the descendants of Canaan have been under subjection to those of Shem and Japheth through many generations. In this wonderful prophecy, therefore, which includes an outline of the history of all nations and ages, we have a demonstration of the divine inspiration of him who uttered it, as well as of him who recorded it, as Bishop Newton has shown in his most admirable Exposition of the Prophecies: a decisive proof this, of the certainty and importance of these records of eternal truth!
9:27 God shall {t} enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
(t) He declares that the Gentiles, who came from Japheth, and were separated from the Church, should be joined to the same by the persuasion of God’s Spirit, and preaching of the gospel.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes