GENESIS 10
2 The sons of Japheth [Settled mainly in Europe]; Gomer [France], and Magog [Germany], and Madai [Medes/ Persia] , and Javan [Greece/ Ionia], and Tubal [Tobolski], and Meshech [Moscow], and Tiras [Thracia -Bulgaria, Romania, Crimea on the Black Sea].
Gomer and Magog migrated west into the heart of Europe settling next to each other either side of the Rhine (Josephus/ Herodotus.
In Rev 13 Gomer under Charlemagne became the Beast of the Sea. Subsequently the 'holy Roman empire' seat of power transferred to Magog (Germany) The Beast of the Earth (central Europe).
Since WWII France and Germany have been at the heart of Europe. Since its formation as the European Economic Community Gomer and Magog have enjoyed unprecented co-operation - a sign we are in the Latter Days.
4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
Tarshish is a proper name, occurring first in Gen. 10:4, designating the second son of Javan, who was the fourth son of Japheth, eldest son of Noah.
Alexander the Great is styled by Daniel "King of Javan," melech yavan; and it is worthy of note that the Hindoos call the Greeks Yavanas, which is the ancient Hebrew appellation.
Tarshish was, then, the second son of him from whom the Greeks descended. He was doubtless an important personage in the original settlement of the coasts, which are always colonized before the interior of new countries. Coasts and islands are represented by the same word in Hebrew, Javan is in apposition with "the isles afar off," in the last chapter of Isaiah.
His descendants are a maritime people to this day inhabiting the isles and coasts of the Archipelago, &c. The Javanese settled the coasts of the Mediterranean, the Adriatic, and the Atlantic region above the Straits of Gibraltar. It is to be expected, therefore, that the settlements would be originally named after their patriarchs, namely,
"Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim."
The Mediterranean was named the Sea of Tarshish, because, it is probable, his settlements were more commercial and enterprising than those of his other brethren. The southern coast of Spain, abutting both on the Atlantic and Mediterranean, is considered as peculiarly his.
One of his Atlantic settlements was called Tartessus, Ταρτησσοζ, or, as it occurs in Polybius and Stephanus Byzantinus, Ταρσηιον, Tarseı̈on. Tartessus is probably a contraction for Ταρσου ́ησοζ, Tarsou nasos, Tar shish's Island, for Tartessus was originally an island formed by the two mouths of the Bœtis, or Guadalquiver, and the Atlantic: one of the channels is dried up, so that it is now a part of the peninsula.
Having arrived at the westernmost coasts from Ararat, the sons of Tarshish would extend settlements wherever the land line would indicate. Following this in a northerly direction, it would at last lead them in view of Britain, along whose southern coast they might spread themselves to the Land's End, a part of the island abounding in tin.
These Spanish and British coasts are indicated as the settlements of Tarshish, or some of "the isles," or coasts, "afar off," by the articles they brought for sale at the Tyrian fairs. Addressing himself to Tyre, a famous city on the coast of the Holy Land, and styled by Isaiah "the mart of nations," Ezekiel says,
"Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs."
These are products of the mines of Spain and Britain, which were brought to Tyre in "the ships of Tarshish," which saith the prophet,
"did sing of thee (Tyre) in thy market; and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas."
From this it appears, that the Tarshish branch of the Javanese had become an eminently maritime and commercial people of the west and north west from Tyre. "Silver spread into plates," says Jeremiah, "is brought from Tarshish;" and he adds, "and gold from Uphaz," or Ophir.
Tyre was the strength of Tarshish, for it was by the Tyrian trade that Tarshish maintained its maritime ascendancy. Tyre was the mart for the products of the coasts and isles afar off brought in the ships of Tarshish; hence as a commercial city she is styled the "daughter of Tarshish." The relations between the coasts of the Tarshish people and the city of Tyre, were very profitable and intimate. The rejoicing between the two was reciprocal; for Tyre sang as a harlot, and the mariners from Tarshish sang the praises of the customer that enriched them.
Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, March 1858
9 He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before Yahweh.
Divide and Conquer
This conqueror was Eth-Nimrod, sent forth from the faces of Yahweh liphnai Yahweh, to hunt the apostates from them. The war thus brought upon them by their presumption and pride completely shattered them, and brought the building of the city and tower to a standstill.
"They left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel, "confusion," because Yahweh did there babel, confound the language of all the earth. And from thence did Yahweh (by the hand of Nimrod) scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."—(Gen. 9:8, 9.)
The city of confusion, Babylon, was the point of Nimrod's departure on his career of conquest. "From thence" did Yahweh scatter them abroad. The vengeance must have been terrible, seeing that his severity became a proverb. He hunted them as beasts until the land of their wickedness acquired the name of "The land of the enemy's tooth," from shin, "tooth," and ar, an enemy, the derivation of Shin-ar we prefer.
Babylon figures no more in Bible history after this early notice for a very considerable period.
Bro Thomas, History of the Nations
The Christadelphian, May 1873
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and [Akkad], and Calneh, in [Eretz] Shinar.
The origin of the kingdom of men.
It consisted of eight cities and a territory, watered by the Euphrates and the Hiddikel or Tigris, "Rivers of Cush," styled the land of Shinar, or "the spoil of the tooth," as is conjectured by some. But this conjecture aside, we conclude that the territory was so named because it was the hunting-ground where Nimrod rent the prey on founding his dominion.
The Bible history of nations shows that war comes upon them as a punishment for their iniquity. The "earth," in the days of Nimrod, though in its infancy, had "become vain in its imaginations, and its heart was darkened," "Go to," said they,
"let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly; and let us build us a City and a tower, and its top in the heavens; and let us make us a name, lest we be dashed in pieces over the face of all the earth."
This was a policy designed to circumvent any purpose of God in his exercise of lordship over them. Mankind were then united in one community, and had nothing to fear from a foreign power upon earth. The "balance of power" among nations was then no part of statesmanship. The policy of the leaders was to consolidate their power against the assaults of heaven, that they might not be broken to pieces for their iniquity, as their predecessors had been by the flood.
Society, at this time, was scarcely older than a hundred years.
Bro Thomas
The Christadelphian, May 1873
25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
The whole earth was of one lip and the same words, when they first dwelt in the land of Shinar.—(Gen. 11:1.) This was the earth in its undivided state; but in the days of Peleg, their language was divided, a division, peleg, which would result in national distinctions and appropriations of the earth.
Now the son of Eber was named Peleg, either because the earth had been divided in the year of his birth, or was to be divided after his birth, and before his own death.
In those days, names were often prophetical as well as commemorative of events. Peleg might, therefore, signify that the earth should be divided in his days. If this were the case, it allows 239 years after his birth for the fulfilment of the predictions, or 340 from the flood.
Noah lived 350 years after the Flood, and was 58 years contemporary with Abram. Abram's father, Terah, resided in Chaldea, and was there 70 years before the birth of Abram, and 108 before the death of Noah, and 98 before the death of Peleg.
Now if the earth had not been divided till after Terah's birth, Terah should have been the man named Peleg. We infer, then, that it was divided before Terah's birth. For the same reason we believe it was divided before the birth of Nahor, Serug, and Reu, son of Peleg; and therefore, the phrase
b'y̯man, "in his days," refers to the period from his birth to the birth of Reu, and not till the end of his life. This theory would allow thirty years more, and so place the earth's division between 101 and 131 years after the Flood. The following are the items of this period: [Gen 11]
Years after Flood Aged
Shem begat Arphaxed 2
Arphaxed begat Salah 37 35
Salah lived and begat Eber 61 30
Eber lived and begat Peleg 101 34
Peleg lived and begat Reu 131 30
Bro Thomas
The Christadelphian, May 1873