In the first chapter of 1 Chronicles, we have long lists of names. Verses 5-7 give us the list of those descended from Japheth. Verses 8-16 give us the names of those that descended from Ham. Much of this chapter is a rehearsal of the table of nations that were laid out in Genesis 10. 1 Chronicles 1:8-16 says, “The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man. Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. Canaan fathered Sidon, his firstborn and Heth, and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.” The land of Cush has been recognized as Ethiopia. Mizraim is Egypt as many modern translations say, Put, “has been identified as Somalia by some scholars, but most identify it with part of present-day Libya, as do the Septuagint and the Vulgate in several passages in Ezekiel. Rather than transliterate the name, it will be better to use the modern name “Libya.”[1] Canaan, of course, is the land promised as an inheritance of the Israelites.
Sailer summarizes the descendants of these four, “The list of the Hamites contains four names of the sons of Ham, seven names of the descendants of Cush, seven names of the descendants of Mizraim, and ten names of the sons of Canaan, including five ethnic groups of ‘pre-Israelite’ Palestine and five ethnic groups from the Northwest of Syro-Phoenicia. The choice of these 28 names is historically justified and proves to be correct. The information from other such lists dates to the 7th cent. BC.”[2] Of the first four names, Cush, Egypt or Mizraim, Put, and Canaan, “Put is the only one of the sons of Ham who is not credited with descendants.”[3]
The thing to note about Ham and his descendants is that “These were all enemies of the people of God and would be remembered as such. Nimrod, the mighty hunter, epitomizes the rise of cities and nations that, at various times in the history of Israel, were the destroyers. Most prominent in the fortunes of Israel are the parts played by Egypt, Philistia, and Canaan. These, and others, posed significant threats to the ability of the Israelites to possess the Promised Land and to remove the influences of foreign gods.”[4]
All through Israel’s history, the people of God contended with enemies committed to their destruction. The Egyptians, the Canaanites, the Philistines, and the Babylonians are just a few of the many cruel and oppressive enemy nations featured in the Old Testament. Those nations, in opposing God’s people, were counted as God’s enemies, and God fought on Israel’s behalf. Throughout His life, Jesus Christ was opposed by human and spiritual enemies. Herod the Great tried but failed to have the infant Jesus killed. Satan tempted Christ in the wilderness. At times Satan opposed the Lord through His friends and followers. As predicted in Old Testament Scripture, the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus. Christ’s enemies succeeded in executing Him but were unsuccessful in thwarting God’s plan. Jesus overcame every enemy, including death, so that His followers might be set free by His victory. Jesus Christ made it clear that Christians would face many enemies because of their faith in Him: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted according to the Scriptures.[5]
[1] Omanson, Roger L., and John E. Ellington. 2014. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles. Edited by Paul Clarke, Schuyler Brown, Louis Dorn, and Donald Slager. Vol. 1 & 2. United Bible Societies’ Handbooks. Miami, FL: United Bible Societies.
[2] Sailer, William, J. Creighton Christman, David C. Greulich, Harold P. Scanlin, Stephen J. Lennox, and Phillip Guistwite. 2012. Religious and Theological Abstracts. Myerstown, PA: Religious and Theological Abstracts.
[3] Pinches, T. G. 1915. “Put.” In The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, edited by James Orr, John L. Nuelsen, Edgar Y. Mullins, and Morris O. Evans, 1–5:2510. Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.
[4] Goldsworthy, Graeme. 2021. 1 and 2 Chronicles: The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Edited by Paul Barnett, Tracey Mayo, and Cassandra Cassis. Reading the Bible Today Series. Sydney, South NSW: Aquila Press.
[5] https://www.gotquestions.org/enemy-of-God.html