Peoples, the Philistine clause and Canaan’s border
Says Mizraim “fathered” peoples: the names in 10:13–14, from לוּדִים (ludim) to כַּפְתֹּרִים (kaftorim), are plural forms naming peoples. BSB uses “-ites.” After כַּסְלֻחִים stands אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מִשָּׁם פְּלִשְׁתִּים (’asher yats’u misham pelishtim, “from where the Philistines went out”). Canaan’s sons begin with צִידֹן בְּכֹרוֹ (“Sidon his firstborn”) and חֵת (khet, “Heth”), which BSB renders “the Hittites.” Then come singular names with the article, such as הַיְבוּסִי, הַעַרְקִי and הַחֲמָתִי. The lexicon calls the Arkite “Arkite” and the Sinite “a Canaanite people, in north.” It gives the Girgashite’s land as “territ. unknown.”
Says וְאַחַר נָפֹצוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי (“and afterward the clans of the Canaanite were scattered”) uses the verb of 11:9 (הֱפִיצָם). The border runs מִצִּידֹן בֹּאֲכָה גְרָרָה עַד־עַזָּה (“from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza”). Bo’akhah, “as you go,” is BSB’s “toward.” Verse 20 closes with the four-part formula of 10:5.
Uncertain The Philistine clause stands after the Casluhim, but Amos 9:7 and Jeremiah 47:4 tie the Philistines to Caphtor. The clause may have shifted from after the Caphtorim, or both peoples may belong to the Philistines’ story. Caphtor is often identified with Crete. No lean is taken here.
Claims
- SaysMizraim “fathered” peoples: the names in 10:13–14, from לוּדִים (ludim) to כַּפְתֹּרִים (kaftorim), are plural forms naming peoples. BSB uses “-ites.” After כַּסְלֻחִים stands אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מִשָּׁם פְּלִשְׁתִּים (’asher yats’u misham pelishtim, “from where the Philistines went out”). Canaan’s sons begin with צִידֹן בְּכֹרוֹ (“Sidon his firstborn”) and חֵת (khet, “Heth”), which BSB renders “the Hittites.” Then come singular names with the article, such as הַיְבוּסִי, הַעַרְקִי and הַחֲמָתִי. The lexicon calls the Arkite “Arkite” and the Sinite “a Canaanite people, in north.” It gives the Girgashite’s land as “territ. unknown.”
- Saysוְאַחַר נָפֹצוּ מִשְׁפְּחוֹת הַכְּנַעֲנִי (“and afterward the clans of the Canaanite were scattered”) uses the verb of 11:9 (הֱפִיצָם). The border runs מִצִּידֹן בֹּאֲכָה גְרָרָה עַד־עַזָּה (“from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza”). Bo’akhah, “as you go,” is BSB’s “toward.” Verse 20 closes with the four-part formula of 10:5.
- UncertainThe Philistine clause stands after the Casluhim, but Amos 9:7 and Jeremiah 47:4 tie the Philistines to Caphtor. The clause may have shifted from after the Caphtorim, or both peoples may belong to the Philistines’ story. Caphtor is often identified with Crete. No lean is taken here.
Citations
- OSHB CC BY 4.0 Gen 10:13–20 (WLC/OSHB; morph HNgmpa HTd/Ngmsa HVNp3cp HVqc/Sp2ms)
- BSB public domain Gen 10:13–20 (BSB)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 792 (leaf n815, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H6208 “Arkite”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 696 (leaf n719, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H5513 “a Canaanite people, in north”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 173 (leaf n196, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H1622 “territ. unknown”; checked against the printed page (scan)
- BDB CC BY 4.0 BDB 1906, p. 489 (leaf n512, archive.org hebrewenglishlex00browuoft), s.v. H3669 “adj. et nom. gent.”; checked against the printed page (scan)
2026-11-11
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