By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
5. Of these, &c.] It is probable that the text in this verse has suffered. As in Gen 10:20 we find “these are the sons of Ham” and in Gen 10:31 “these are the sons of Shem,” so we should expect in this verse “these are the sons of Japheth.” We should, therefore, probably put a full stop after the word “divided,” and insert: “These are the sons of Japheth.” This will improve the sense; for (1) the words “of these” cannot refer generally to the contents of Gen 10:2-3, but only to the contents of Gen 10:4; (2) while the expression “the isles were divided in their lands” is intolerably harsh. “Of these” should be taken to refer to “the sons of Javan” only. From them the Greek settlements branched off in all directions among the islands and the coastlands, i.e. “the isles of the nations.” After this piece of information the genealogist summarizes the foregoing list, “These are the sons of Japheth in their lands, every one after his tongue,” &c.
isles ] Better, as R.V. marg., coastlands. Cf. Isa 11:11; Jer 2:10; Eze 27:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 5. Isles of the Gentiles] EUROPE, of which this is allowed to be a general epithet. Calmet supposes that it comprehends all those countries to which the Hebrews were obliged to go by sea, such as Spain, Gaul, Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor.
Every one after his tongue] This refers to the time posterior to the confusion of tongues and dispersion from Babel.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The isles of the Gentiles; not isles properly so called; for why should they, having their choice, forsake the continent for islands, and thereby cut off themselves from their brethren? And where had they ships to transport them? But the word isles here and elsewhere signifies all those countries that had the sea between them and Judea, as it doth Isa 11:10-11; 40:15; Jer 2:10; 25:22; Eze 27:3; Zep 2:11. And isles are here put for the inhabitants, as the words earth and land are commonly used. This division of the world among them being a work of great weight, was doubtless managed with great care and consultation, and the advice of their heads and governors, and above all by the wise and special providence of God, which at this time did particularly determine the bounds of their several habitations, as it is recorded Act 17:26.
Every one after his tongue, i.e. according to their several languages, into which they were divided at Babel. By which it appears that this division, though mentioned before, was not executed till after the confusion of languages at Babel.
After their families. Here observe the wise and gracious providence of God mixed with this judgment, that God distributed the languages according to the difference of families and nations, that each several nation, and all the families or branches of that nation, should have one and the same language; whereby both union and love were preserved among themselves, and the several nations were distinguished one from another, which was very fit and necessary for many reasons as that the church of God, which was confined to the Hebrew nation, might neither be mixed with nor infected by the idolatrous nations; and that it might be evident to the world, that the Messias was born of the seed of Abraham according to Gods promise, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
5. the isles of the Gentilesaphrase by which the Hebrews described all countries which wereaccessible by sea (Isa 11:11;Isa 20:6; Jer 25:22).Such in relation to them were the countries of Europe, the peninsulaof Lesser Asia, and the region lying on the east of the Euxine.Accordingly, it was in these quarters the early descendants ofJapheth had their settlements.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands,…. That is, by those sons of Japheth before mentioned; and by “isles” are meant, not countries surrounded with water, for the isles in this sense would not have been sufficient for the posterity of Japheth; nor can it be thought they would leave the continent, where there was room enough for them, and go into islands; and besides must have found it difficult to get there, when shipping and navigation were little known: but it is usual with the Hebrews, of whom Moses, the writer of this history, was, to call all places beyond the Mediterranean sea, or whatsoever they went to by sea, or that were upon the sea coasts, islands, as Greece, Italy, c. Moreover, the word sometimes signifies countries, as it does in Job 22:30 and so should be rendered here, as it is by some y, “the countries of the Gentiles” so called, because in the times of Moses, and at the writing of this history, those countries were inhabited by Heathens and idolaters, strangers to the true religion: and this division was not made at random, and at the pleasure of a rude company of men, but in an orderly regular manner, with the consent, and by the advice and direction of the principal men of those times; and especially it was directed by the wise providence of the most High, who divided to the nations their inheritance, and set the bounds of the people,
De 32:8.
everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations; this shows, that what is said concerning the division of countries to the sons of Japheth is by way of anticipation; and that, though thus related, was not done till after the confusion of languages, since the partition was made according to the different languages of men; those that were of the same language went and dwelt together, the several nations of them, and the several families in those nations; by which it appears that this was done by consultation, with great care and wisdom, ranging the people according to their tongues; of which nations were formed, and with them were taken the several families they consisted of.
y “regiones gentium”, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Patrick.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(5) Isles of the Gentiles.The word rendered isles means any maritime region. As there were no Gentiles at this time, the phrase should be translated the coast-lands of the nations.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided Rather, from these [Japhethites] have the [dwellers on the] islands of the [Gentile] nations divided themselves in their lands . “Islands,” in the Old Testament, means the isles, coasts, and peninsulas of the Mediterranean . The writer knew only of the “enlargement” of Japheth over the Mediterranean coasts and isles, but modern linguistic and monumental research shows that these ancient Hebrew names outline those vast pre-historic migrations of the Japhetic race from the great plateau of Iran eastward into Asia, westward and north-westward into Asia Minor and Europe, the traces of which may be found to-day from the Indian peninsulas to the Atlantic, and from the Mediterranean to the frozen ocean.
After his tongue their families nations The peoples called Turanian (a linguistic, rather than an ethnic, name) were on the ground at the dawn of tradition itself, and their origin is yet obscure; successive families of the Indo-European (Aryan) race swept eastward and westward, wave after wave, each to a great degree obliterating the traces of its predecessor, yet, as Rawlinson expresses it, leaving detached fragments of the superseded race in holes and corners, as the Turanian Laps and Fins are left in their remote peninsulas as the Keltic Welsh and Scotch are left in their highlands, mountains, and islands scattered patches of peoples who once thinly covered the continent.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Of these were the isles/coastlands of the nations divided. (These were the sons of Japheth) in their lands, everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.’
The phrase in brackets would be expected, compare Gen 10:20 and Gen 10:31, but is not in the Hebrew text. It may well have dropped out in error in copying.
The ‘descendants’ of Japheth are thus seen as having spread out over the islands and the coastal regions on both sides of the Great Sea, the Mediterranean. However not all the above were coastland areas. The description is general rather than specific, indicating general whereabouts. ‘Isles/coastlands’ really indicates ‘those across the sea’.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 10:5. By these were the isles, &c. By isles here we are not to understand merely countries encompassed round by the sea; for the Hebrews use the word to signify all those countries divided from them by the sea. Isa 11:11; Isa 40:15. Jer 2:10. Eze 27:3. Besides, the word we translate isle, signifies a region, country, or province. Job 22:30. Isa 20:6. These descendants of Japheth, says Le Clerc, peopled by degrees, with their colonies, Europe and the adjacent islands, besides a large part of Asia; and being widely dispersed through the largest regions, so corrupted their original language, as neither to understand one another, nor to remember their common origin.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; everyone after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Jer 25:22 . This verse is, in my apprehension, the most interesting, to us of the Gentile church, of any in the chapter. Reader! pause over it, and remark, that as the posterity of Japheth is here said to have the isles divided unto them for an inheritance; and as the prophet Isaiah, in Isa 42:4 , saith The isles shall wait for the Redeemer’s law; is it not highly probable, that the faithful, in this our British Isle, to which we belong, are of the descendants of Japheth? Moreover, it is said in Gen 9:27 , that Japheth shall dwell in the tents of Shem; meaning, no doubt, that the Gentile and the Jewish church, shall; in the latter day glory, be one fold under one Shepherd. But do not forget what is there said, concerning this glorious event: God shall enlarge Japheth; or, as the margin of the Bible hath it, and so it might have been translated, God shall persuade Japheth. Yes! it is the divine teachings and influence alone, which can accomplish this gracious work.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Gen 10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Ver. 5. By these were the isles of the Gentiles. ] That is, the countries of Europe and Asia the Less, inhabited by Japheth’s posterity. Europe hath its name, in Greek, a from the latitude and large surface of it, which answers well to the name of Japheth (signifying enlargement), who, together with his offspring, was, by God’s appointment, to rule there far and wide toward the west and north. Asia hath its name from two Hebrew words that signify the fire of the Lord, b which, in Persia and other parts thereof, they superstitiously deified. Asia the Less, was so called first by Attalus, king of Pergamus, who, being the last of that name and race, made the Romans his heirs by will. They turned his country into a province, and called it Asia, by the name of the continent – as devouring, doubtless in hope, that whole part of the world by this small beginning. Hence, likely, came that first distinction of the Lesser Asia.
a E , ex et quasi dilatatio .
b Ignis Domini Q. Curtius saith of Darius, that he called upon the sacred and eternal fire.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
isles = coast-lands (Isa 42:15).
in their = these were the sons of Japheth in their, &c. For these fourfold divisions Compare Gen 10:5, Gen 10:20, Gen 10:31. Rev 5:9; Rev 7:9; Rev 10:11; Rev 11:9; Rev 13:7; Rev 14:6; Rev 17:15; ten occurrences (App-10). N. B. In Rev 13:7 all critical texts add “and people”. N. B. The same divisions seen in Israel. In Genesis “families”; in Exodus “tongue”; in Numbers. “nation”; in Deut. the “land” (in Leviticus the Sanctuary as being apart from the Earth).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
isles
Lit. coasts. Settlement would naturally follow the coasts first.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
am 1757, bc 2247
isles: Gen 10:25, Psa 72:10, Isa 24:15, Isa 40:15, Isa 41:5, Isa 42:4, Isa 42:10, Isa 49:1, Isa 51:5, Isa 59:18, Isa 60:9, Jer 2:10, Jer 25:22, Zep 2:11
after his: Gen 10:20, Gen 11:1-9
Reciprocal: Gen 10:31 – General Gen 11:7 – may Gen 11:9 – Babel Est 10:1 – the isles Psa 97:1 – let the multitude of isles Isa 11:11 – the islands Jer 31:10 – declare Jer 46:1 – against Dan 11:18 – the isles
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 10:5. The posterity of Japheth were allotted to the isles of the Gentiles, which were solemnly by lot, after a survey, divided among them, and probably this island of ours among the rest. All places beyond the sea from Judea, are called isles. Jer 25:22; and this directs us to understand that promise, Isa 42:4, The isles shall wait for his law, of the conversion of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
10:5 By these were the {c} isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
(c) So do the Jews call all countries which are separated from them by sea, as Greece, Italy etc, which were given to the children of Japheth, of whom came the Gentiles.