A note by the author: Because some may feel bored by going through the genealogies in some detail; I advise to read the prayer at the end of each chapter of this division; Then to refer to the special commentaries on the verses when studying them. And I hope to publish a concise interpretation of this book on a popular level. THE GENEALOGIES AND THE KINGDOM OF DAVID: The genealogies were of utmost importance before the Assyrian captivation of the kingdom of Israel, and the Babylonian captivation of the kingdom of Judah; in order to keep the distinction and rights of the tribes. After the captivation, it also had its importance to keep the distinction of the royal tribe (Judah), and the priestly tribe (Levi). These chapters include the widest and most comprehensive genealogies in the Holy Book, by which we can follow up David’s family tree. Starting the book by the genealogy indicates that following genealogies has been common at the time. We notice here that, after the dissension of the kingdom, the genealogies disregarded the Northern kingdom, and only cared for the Southern kingdom, particularly with the genealogy of king David. It reveals God’s care for choosing His own people, and for keeping them from the beginning of the history of man, up to the period following the Babylonian captivation. The genealogies proceed from the creation of man down to the Patriarchs (Abraham to Jacob); then to the national era (Judah, Levi, and the other tribes of Israel 2: 3; 9: 44); revealing the care of God to keep His promise to the household of David along the generations; The point of view of priesthood in the book of chronicles is apparent in its special care for the tribe of Levi. From the Christian point of view, It is obvious that the author of the book was inspired to parade the history of David’s household, as a principal part of the holy history; starting from the first Adam, up to the second Adam, our Savior Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15: 45). And as the genealogies before Abraham include the three early families of man (the sons of Noah: Sam, Ham, and Japheth), the author confirms that God the Creator “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17: 26). In a quick look at these genealogies, it may seem as mere gathering together from all the past genealogies that came in the Holy Book; beside the records kept by the Jewish nation. But with a more elaborate study, one will perceive that they are written with a clear goal, and pre-appointed ordinance; Namely, to set a strong foundation for the rise of the kingdom of David and Solomon, and of worship in the temple; which was organized by both kings, with the goal of being attached to the Son of David, the King and heavenly High Priest. In those genealogies we clearly see the rise of David in Israel, against a huge background of Israel as a nation (1 Chronicles 1), and the twelve tribes, among which the royal tribe of Judah dominates, as a leading tribe with a prominent role (1 Chronicles 2 – 8). As to the importance of the temple and the system of worship in it, they occupy a principal place, that cared for the genealogies of the Levites in some detail (1 Chronicles 1-9). The genealogies came to bind the past since the creation of Adam, to the present (at that time); Namely, the condition of worship before the captivation to that after the return from it. WHY DO WE NEED SUCH EXTENSIVE GENEALOGIES THAT OCCUPY NINE CHAPTERS OF THE BOOK? For a long time, I used to avoid reading these nine chapters concerning the genealogies, on account of that they include many names of which I know nothing, and are even difficult to pronounce, being no more familiar today. Why then does the Holy Book care to record them? In what way will they preoccupy me? Will they be of any benefit to me? Does parading them touch my salvation and my spiritual edification? … According to Peter H. David; Walter C. Kaiser Jr.: [For the first moment, mentioning these genealogies may look as being of no use, if not boring. Why are they given such a great area if they have no apparent spiritual benefit for the generations to come?]. 1- The first book of the chronicles starts by nine chapters of genealogies, that may probably benefit someone of direct interest, to locate a certain relative in the list; But, as far as our salvation is concerned, with the same attitude, we should go through those genealogies, being connected to our great human family; For our earth was blessed by Adam, Eve, Shem, and Abraham. Namely, those genealogies concern a great family which we cherish. 2- With the coming of the promise of the inheritance of the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants, it was imperative to make a record of his descendants to confirm their right in the promised land. To them, others were added who came to be counted as members of the people of God, through their acceptance of the true faith, their cherishment of rejecting paganism with all its abominations, and their zeal to be bound to God; Hence they were included in the genealogies. 3- Those genealogies make clear that there was a prior divine ordinance in the mutual general history of the people of Israel, whether of the Northern or the Southern kingdoms; the rich and the poor; that theirs is the true God who guided His people, and kept them to realize their salvation. 4- Having reached the promised land, and enjoyed conquest over many Canaanite nations; Every tribe of the people of God had to know its members, for all to know their portion, and to keep it along the generation. But by the coming of the Lord Christ, “the land and all its fullness became for the Lord and His Christ” (Psalm 24: 1-2); and every believer, whatever his citizenship may be, feeling that he enjoys the sonhood to God, will not hold fast to a designate border or a spot of land in the literal sense. 5- This genealogy reveals God’s care for mankind, whether on the personal, family, tribe, church congregation, or humanity level. God wishes for every man to perceive that God cherishes him personally, knows him by name, cares for his family, and for everything that concern him. Yet, indeed, the Holy Book confirms that it is difficult for man to perceive the extent of God’s care for him; which will be more clearly proclaimed on the day we encounter our Christ on the clouds. 6- These genealogies that goe back to Adam, provokes us not to isolate ourselves, neither from the near or the far past. 7- This genealogies constitute persons who lived on this earth, then were forgotten by the time, and their names were buried in ancient records One day, our names will also be buried in similar records and be forgotten. Whereas he, who enjoys the new spiritual birth, As a son of God by baptism, he has got the grace of adoption (John 3: 3-6); and has got a place in God’s heart and plan; And as a son of God, his name is inscribed on His divine palm; is recorded in the book of life, that even death cannot wipe out. “The world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2: 17). In His love for humanity, God is not only preoccupied with recording the names of billions of men in the book of life, but He even inscribes every name on His palm; personally knows him; grants him a personality unique from all others; and keeps for him a specific mission in life. Everyone gets attached to God perceives that he is unique, and an object of God’s personal care. While meditating in such amazing love of God, St. Augustine wonders, as though he is the only one on earth, and if God loves anyone as He loves him. That is the kind of feeling oby him who experience the adoption by God, and counts himself the unique cherished son, who preoccupies the mind of God. 8- The genealogies provoke us to renew our trust in God, our relationship with Him, and our anticipation of encountering Him eternally. 9- This genealogies represent Abraham’s family tree, then that of Israel and Judah, and finally of David; for our souls to make sure that our Lord Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of David, who reigns on the hearts. As to the genealogies going back to Adam, it is to confirm that the kingdom of God is set in man, whatever his race is, being a son of Adam. 10- Genealogies are important to set the lineage of the tribe of Levi concerning the priesthood, and the Levites as ministers of the temple; until the heavenly High Priest comes. 11- Those genealogies had their importance for those who returned from captivity; and those born in captivity, or carried there as little kids, who know nothing about the promised land, the city of Jerusalem, the temple of the Lord, the offering of sacrifices, singing praise, and celebrating feasts. Having returned according to the divine promise, they need to live in faith, and to experience the fellowship with God. If the Babylonian captivity passed on them like a great flood that wiped the past away, and brought on men some kind of confusion, these genealogies came to call on us to cast a quick look at the past, to consummate the walk, and to enjoy the holy life lived by good fathers. 12- These genealogies help anyone to search for his origin, to perceive that, as a descendant of Abraham, he has a portion in the divine promises that were offered to Abraham for the sake of his descendants. 13- These genealogies has their specific importance for the Jews, to anticipate the coming of the Messiah the Son of David, the Son of Judah, the Son of Abraham, the Son of Adam. And they have their importance, as well, for us Christians; confirming that Jesus Christ is a descendant of David the son of Abraham, the One promised to the people of God as the Savior of the world; in whom the prophecies were fulfilled. 14- Going through these chapters, we encounter people along the generations, through whom we would get lessons for the edification of our souls, and would learn from some of them how they came to be great in the sight of God, and the sight of the heavenly creatures, through the purity of their hearts, and their faithfulness in the few that was within their hands, and now that we have more talents within ours; … Some of whom have fallen to depths, but with the grace of God, they rose up again, grew, and became righteous. We encounter ‘Jabez’ who, even his name refers to being sorrowful and suffering; yet he overcame his name, and “became the most honorable of his family”.(4: 9) We encounter Abraham whose name was changed to become Ibrahim, father of a multitude of nations We encounter Reuben who, by his sin lost the privileges as the firstborn.. We encounter Joseph who rejected the sin, to be honored by God. We encounter women who surpassed many men in righteousness.. 15- The author, quoting long parts from Genesis 10, kept from the genealogies coming down from the first man, only Abraham the Semite, then his sons Isaac and Jacob. 16- Disregarding the details of the events of human history of the period prior to king David; the two books confirm that that period, in spite of its importance, longevity, and the multitude of its events, has been not more than a preparation for the covenant set by God with His people, through the first true king set by God Himself, and not according to men. There were indeed other covenants between God and certain believers like Noah, Abraham, and even Moses; but they were not to be compared to the eternal covenant with king David. This explains to us the secret behind the disregard by the two books of the chronicles of the dissented Northern kingdom, despite its inclusion of ten tribes of the twelve, on account of that it was set to oppress the divine covenant with the house of David. 17- The form of the genealogies in general reveals the plan of God and His work with us, whether on the level of the church as a congregation, or the people of God or the believer as a member. The genealogies pass through three stages: The first stage: The choice: God chose Adam, and created him according to His image; chose Abraham to become a father of a multitude of nations; and chose the people to become a leaven to sanctify the world by the Messiah the Son of David. Every believer, therefore exults to hear the Lord Christ, say: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15: 16); and to hear the apostle say: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1: 4). + By saying: “He chose us in Him”? He means that that happened by faith in Him; namely in Christ, who ordained that for us by a plan before we were born, and even before the foundation of the world. How beautiful is this word “foundation”, as though the world has fallen down from a very huge altitude. Yes, the exaltation of God is extensively high in a way beyond description – not location-wise, but concerning the possibility of nature to talk about. The second stage: The continuity: If God is the beginning, having chosen us, His work would not stop at choosing us; but our Christ, the Way along whom we set forth from the start until the finish with security. The third stage: The reform: In the continuity we are exposed to faults and weaknesses; the way Israel and Judah were. God, in His longsuffering endured them, But through their persistence on doing wrong, they were corrupted and have fallen into captivity. However, God did not forsake them but brought them back from captivity, to become a people prepared for the kingdom of Christ the King of kings. These three stages are the broad lines of the life of man from Adam till the return from captivity. It is as though the genealogies open before us the door of hope, whether at the start of the way, in its middle, or even close to its end. 18- If the genealogies disregarded the Northern kingdom, on account of that it set a kind of worship according to the human thought (mixing between paganism and the worship of God); and not according to the divine law; Yet, the return of the godly men among them to the Southern kingdom, and the joining together of all of them in their return from captivity, confirm that the Southern kingdom has not set a wall to exclude the other tribes; but by the wall it sets a holy building, with the hope that all the tribes would eventually come within the circle of the godly life, and the obedience of the law. The genealogies, therefore, would provoke us to have the width of heart and of love, even toward the non-believers; so that humanity would find its happiness in the gospel of Christ, and the enjoyment of the work of the Holy Trinity in it. As the thought of the kingdom of Judah did not stop at the return to Jerusalem within the limits of the land of Judah, but went far beyond it, It is, as well, befitting of the believer to desire for the whole earth to be for the Lord and His Christ; and to pray and work with the spirit of love and meekness for the sake of humanity. + See! It may be said that we love one another, when one of us has two friends; and another has three friends. Yet this is not love for God’s sake, but for the sake of the beloved ones. The love for the sake of God is for man to love all men; to love those who have his faith, being true brethren; and to love even the heretics, the pagans, and the Jews, being brethren by nature, feeling sorry for them, weeping and laboring hard for their sake. By that we would be in the likeness of God, if we love all men, even our enemies. We marvel how God shows love for man, and is longsuffering toward him. If that make us admire God, How much more would we admire those who love all? + As the true love is to love all, In case you know that you hate even one man, You are committed to hasten to vomit that bitter morsel of food, to be prepared to receive the sweetness of the Love Himself. 19- These genealogies came to correct certain faulty concepts of some, concerning the origin of peoples and nations. For the‘Arcadians’ believed that they existed before the moon; The people of ‘Thessaly’ believed that they were created from stones; And the Athenians believed that they grew from the earth. Problems concerning the genealogies: 1- It is befitting of us while meditating in the genealogies, to discern between the genealogies according to the flesh or nature, and those according to the Spirit or the divine grace. The family tree according to the flesh reaches back to the fallen Adam; Whereas that according to the Spirit, brings me up to my Savior -- the second Adam. It is to be noticed that what preoccupies the book is to deal with the plan of God, and to reveal the grace of God working in the life of those who have the desire to be attached to Him. The genealogies, therefore, follow first the line of man according to the flesh, as corruption has crawled through the human blood; but God’s grace intervenes so that the believer would be bound to God’s thought and counsel. Man gives birth to man according to his image after his falling, but God intervenes with His mercy to help man to rise. The apostle says: “The spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual” (1 Corinthians 15: 46). The spiritual does not come from the nature of the first Adam, but it is a gift from the second Adam, a gift enjoyed by men of faith in the old covenant through the symbol and shadow. But, with the coming of the second Adam, we are granted to enjoy His righteousness. That is why we do not talk about the genealogies as like the records kept by the Jews to confirm man’s belonging to his tribe, to Abraham, the father of believers, and finally to Adam; But they motivate us to get in touch with the work of the second Adam in us, to work according to our membership in His body. 2- In the genealogies within our hands, when it is said that someone is the son of this or that; that does not always mean that he is his directly a son according to the flesh; but it may mean one of the following: a- He may be named after his father according to the flesh or according to nature, being his son, of his blood. b- He may be named after his grandfather or after his great grandfather, if he was the one who raised him, or had an active influence on his personality more than his parents. c- He may be named after the head of the tribe, particularly if he is revered by the society. In many Western societies. Like in the U.S.A., man is called by the family name -- his last name. d- He may sometimes be named after someone who died with no offspring; and the widow got married to a kinsman-redeemer or to the nearest of kin; And according to the Mosaic law, the child born is counted as a son, not to his biological father, but to the dead man; in order to inherit what belong to the dead, and that the house of the dead would not be closed. e- sometimes even the name of the grandfather or the family disappears, and man is called after his place of birth. f- Some people had two names, like ‘Benjamin” (Ben Oni) and ‘Reuel’ (Jethro) (Exodus 2: 18; 3: 1); and ‘Solomon’ (Jedidia). g- Sometimes genealogies are presented concisely, some names are omitted, so as not to distract the reader’s mind. h- Sometimes genealogy is omitted by purpose, and sometimes it is concentrated on a specific person. The Holy Book is not preoccupied with time sequence; like starting with the firstborn, or with the one who is godly and faithful in his relationship to God. Genealogies and the symbols of the Lord Christ: We spoke about the importance of genealogies, and we know that many of the names that came in them we know nothing about; But, if we may say, when we encounter many of them on the great day of the Lord, we shall recognize them, not to enquire from them about the past events of their life on earth; but to look at them, rejoice to see the reflection of God’s splendor on their faces, and praise God and glorify Him for the sake of His works with mankind, disregarded by many; and for transfiguring with His love, wisdom, compassion, and salvation, on the day all believers encounter Him in a joyful heavenly procession. Now, even with the silence of the book of chronicles in the chapters of the genealogies, to talk about some whom we know to have things about them, from the other holy books; I wish to present some very light touches, so as to taste the sweetness of God’s works with, and in them; on account of that some of them bore symbols of the Lord Christ, and some of them prophesied about Him and His salvation work; and to enjoy positive, and sometimes, negative lessons in their lives; for the sake of our repentance, edification, and warning ourselves against some faults or weaknesses they have fallen into. 1- On account of that we do not know much about some of the names that came in the genealogies, we shall only mention the meaning of the names, and what came about them in the Holy Book in the shortest possible way. You can refer to those names in the “Dictionary of the Holy Book”, or “Encyclopedia of the Holy Scripture” in Arabic language, beside the dictionaries of the Holy Book in English language; and the chain of “Interpretations and meditations of the early fathers”; and the references that came in their margins. 2- You can pass quickly over the names on which no spiritual comments are presented; and could be omitted; but we decided to keep to have benefit of their mere study. ================ CHAPTER 1 THE GENEALOGIES FROM ADAM TO ISRAEL The book starts with the genealogies from Adam, the first man; to let us perceive that they all belong to one father. If God has chosen His people of the seed of Abraham, yet all mankind are referred to one family, and one race; the salvation of whom God seeks. Three repetitive verbs: The reader may marvel to find the first chapter of the book almost include names not connected to any event; and to notice three repetitive verbs: The first verb: “born”; The second verb: “reigned”; The third verb (mostly related to the second):”died” (a person dies for another to reign in his place). Such a simple remark in the first chapter, even though it may seem boring to the beginners, yet it actually reveals the goal of this book, in that God grants man his existence, creation, or birth in this world, to live as a king of authority, as His ambassador; yet, through sin or isolation from God, the source of his existence, life, and authority, he dies, and will be in need of someone to restore him to life, and to make him enjoy again his royal authority; not in this temporal world, but on an eternal heavenly level. In his work “The city of God”, St. Augustine often says that in the Holy Book there are no complete genealogies; as each genealogy serves a specific goal, whether on the theological aspect or the historical one. That is why the scholar of the Holy Book, should not be preoccupied with presenting conformity between the genealogies that came in it; but rather to recognize the goal of every genealogy for the sake of his own edification and that of the church. This chapter presented a quick look on genealogies; starting from ‘Adam’, having been the father of all mankind; and ending with ‘Israel’, having been the father of the people chosen by God, or the chosen nation. And at the same time, it ended with the beginning of the Messianic line (the tribe of Judah). 1- From Adam to Abraham ` 1 - 28 a- From Adam to Noah 1 - 4 b- The genealogies of Noah’s three sons 5 – 23 c- From Shem to Abraham 24 – 28 2- From Abraham to Israel 29 – 54 a- The family of Ishmael 29 – 31 b- The family of Keturah 32 - 33 c- The family of Isaac 34 – 37 d- The family of Seir 38 – 42 e- The kings of Edom 43 – 54 1- FROM ADAM TO ABRAHAM: The genealogies cared to connect Adam to Abraham. If Adam was the father of all mankind according to the flesh, Abraham was the father of all believers. As Adam did not keep the covenant of purity and obedience to the Grantor of life and goodness, We, being his descendants, have naturally become a wild olive tree that bears nothing but death and corruption; and have all become in tribulation. But through our father Abraham’s acceptance of the covenant of faith, by grace and obedience, we have become branches of a good olive tree. By faith we have become spiritual descendants of Abraham (Romans 4: 11-12). Although we are not naturally related to him, yet we came to be grafted in the fruitful olive tree, and partakers of its roots and fruits by our Savior Jesus Christ. St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi presents to us the following magnificent talk about the relationship of the peoples and nations to Abraham, the father of fathers, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ:. + The wild olive tree grafted itself to the tree of Abraham, when the former was corrupted and without fruition. From its root, faith gave oil to those foreign branches; The blessed and sweet root of the fathers acquired extended branches of peoples; The wild olive tree came to replace the original olive tree, and behold, it looks splendid on the root of Abraham; Every day it bears the fruit of the new sweet praise, in place of the tree that cut itself from its root; The peoples knew faith in God; and behold, they are set in it, to become heirs and the children of the promise. They did not enter to God through the law; but entered through the door of faith without the law. It so seems that the book of genesis is the source of the genealogies that came here: (Genesis 5) the source of the genealogies from Adam to Noah (1 – 4); As, through the great flood, humanity came to have a new beginning that spread all over the earth. (Genesis 10) presents to us the descendants of Noah (Genesis 11) is the source of the descendants of Abraham. a- From Adam to Noah: Adam, Seth, Enosh (5) If the main or the only source of that period is the book of Genesis; yet the genealogies here are distinguished by showing two important elements; namely, the divine choice of the men of God, and the divine grace in dealing with the genealogies. The genealogies here run to serve the general goal of the book; namely, for God to choose for Himself a holy people: ‘the literal Israel’ in the old covenant, and ‘the new Israel’ ; namely the church, that embraces members of all nations. Adam, a Hebrew name, linguistically meaning (red). According to some, the Acadian or Assyrian origin of the word is ‘Adamo’, meaning (work) or (produce); It is as though God created man to enjoy the happiness in work and production. Although the two books of the chronicles were preoccupied with confirming the purity of the people of Israel, in contrast to the Samaritans whose blood is a mixture of that of the Jews and Gentiles; but, at the same time, the book starts by Adam, the father of all mankind. Salvation, now, realized through the Son of David, is presented to all the world. The goal of the genealogies is not to present it complete; but rather to confirm two important theological facts: 1- The distinction of the old people as a chosen people sanctified to God; having their own special mission among all the peoples and nations of the world; and having separated themselves from the heathen idols, through their reference to the fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 2- The kingdom of the Son of David is ecumenical, opening the door of salvation, hope, and heavenly glory, to all mankind; “As there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, Barbarian, Scythian, slave, nor free, but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3: 11). Do not marvel for disregarding Cain and his descendants (Genesis 4: 17-26) in those genealogies; as the book refrains to refer to all the generations coming from Cain; the way it did in disregarding the Northern Kingdom of Israel, on account of their rebellion against the house of David, of their non-commitment to the divine statutes; and of setting some kind of worship according to their human mind. For the book is preoccupied with the proclamation of the divine covenant between God and the faithful in their connection to God and in their fellowship with Him. Starting by Adam the entire genealogies of humanity, yet it omitted the genealogies of all the peoples that do not lead to Israel; to proclaim that God had a plan and choice to realize the salvation of humanity through the Son of David from Israel. The book of the chronicles did not fail to care for the divine call to Abraham, and for the covenant with Moses; but it was rather preoccupied with the temple and the covenant with David. Its author was preoccupied in the first degree with the promised land and the unity of the people, whatever the cost may be; to bring us forth to the Son of David, and to the enjoyment of the Higher Jerusalem. Again we confirm that the goal of these genealogies is to show the line between Adam and Abraham; Adam being the common father of all mankind, who was created according to the image and the likeness of God; And Abraham, who became father of mankind concerning faith; he who saw the incarnate Lord , crucified, and risen from the dead, to raise all the peoples; “He saw it, and was glad” (John 8: 56). + From the beginning, since God created Adam, He made him a priest to serve Him. He indeed set some limitation to Adam, saying: “Eat, Adam, from all the fruits in the paradise, But do not come near the tree in its middle, lest you die”; Envying Adam for having the image of God, the devil seduced his wife, and made her pluck and eat the forbidden fruit. She gave Adam who ate as well, disobeying the divine commandment; Death prevailed on Adam; he died; and behold, death crawled to all generations, and even, as a robber, came to Moses; All the righteous, the prophets, and the kings, tasted the cup of Adam who disobeyed the commandment. + If from Adam, who, being a man, was not supposed to give birth, our mother Eve came forth; How much more should we believe that the daughter of Eve would give birth to a child without a man! As the virgin earth bore Adam, the head on all earth; Now, the virgin Mary bore the second Adam, the Head on all heavens. “Seth”: a Semite name meaning (a Helper); was born after the murder of Abel, to become a helper and a comforter to his parents. The way a son needs his parents, full of love, compassion, and care; the parents, as well, need their son or daughter. According to Solomon the sage. “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother” (Proverb 10: 1); “A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him” (Proverb 17: 25); and, “A foolish son is the ruin of his father” (Proverb 19: 13). Concerning “Seth”, St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi partakes of the bitterness of soul of our early parents: Adam and Eve after the murder of their son Abel; and gets in touch with the amazing divine comforts that came on them by the birth of their son “Seth”. The secret of their comfort was not that God has granted them a son in place of Abel and Cain; having for the first time in their life seen death by their own eyes; and perceived how the body of dust returns to dust; and having seen how their second son Cain lived in immense horror, fearing even from his own shadow; But, that in “Seth”, they saw the exalted love of God, and the comfort of heaven; and perceived divine secrets that lifted their hearts up to heaven. Seeing “Seth”, bearing the symbol of the Lord Christ, who attacked and destroyed the foundations of pain, and trampled upon grief with His feet, to deprive it of its authority, St. (Mar) Jacob El- Serougi saw how “Seth” took the depression away from his parents; became like a swift moving deer, before whom the serpents flee lest he tramples upon them with his feet and kill them. There was no more place for depression in the hearts of Adam and Eve, for God granted them a medication to cure them; It was said: “Adam lived one hundred thirty years, he became a father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth” (Genesis 5; 3). In this he was a symbol of the Son of God who is One with the Father, about whom it was said: “Being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person; and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high” (Hebrew 1: 3).. But what a great difference between the symbol and the symbolized. + “Adam became a father of a son in his likeness, according to his image” (Genesis 5: 3). What does “likeness” mean, so carefully written by Moses; unless it is a symbol of something that he intends to show us? … Why did he write that “Seth” was in his father’s likeness? He recorded the genealogy of all the families from Adam up to his time; yet he never said that any son was born in the likeness of his father! There was a comfort for the family of Adam in the beautiful “Seth”, by whose birth they forgot their old tribulations. How they saw in him of a glorified likeness, and they marveled at the splendor that reflected from his face, to forget their past grief. Eve saw in her son the likeness to her man Adam. Comforting Adam by the beauty of his son, she said to him: Come, look at his face, and forget your grief! … Come, see yourself and be comforted by your likeness. …; Behold, he bears your image; He is wholly You; … Come, O tree, look at your fruit, in your likeness! … O, exalted eagle, your likeness is on your little chicks; … O mighty man, O head of the earth, O father of all races; Come and look at your son, see how he is like you in every thing; …O plowman, Behold, the plantation of your field bears your likeness; and the bouquet of flowers you gathered are as beautiful as you are. “Enosh”, a Hebrew name, meaning (human), was the first man to teach humanity how to praise God; being said: “To Seth also a son was born, and he named him ‘Enosh’. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4: 26). + In his generation, “Enosh” was a distinctive example, he began to invoke the name of the Lord, to praise Him; He taught his generation how to praise the Lord in tune; how to call the name of the Lord all the time. His love for his Lord was distinct, he set fixed times to praise Him in righteousness; He set fixed times in the morning and in the evening to call the name of the Lord, to weave his life on spiritual benefits. He opened up the mouth of the earth, and taught it to call the name of the Lord every day and night. ‘Cainan’, ‘Mahalaleel’, ‘Jared’ (2) “Cainan”, a Semite name, probably meaning (to possess), (to acquire), or (a forgeman or blacksmith). Two persons bore this name in the Old Testament: 1- According to some he is the forth ‘Patriarch’ before the great flood; the firstborn of ‘Enosh’, when he was 90 years old, and lived 70 years more at the birth of ‘Mahalaleel’, then died at 910 years of age (Genesis 5: 9-14). According to the rabbinical tradition, he was the first to introduce idol-worship and astrology; And St. Ephraim the Syrian confirms that the Chaldeans at the time of Tareh and Abraham his son. ‘; and his daughters were the first to make and play musical instruments. 2- The son of Arphaxad, father of ‘Methuselah’ (Luke 3: 35-36); called the second ‘Cainan’. “Mahalaleel” (Genesis 5: 12-130; a Hebrew name, meaning (Thanks be to God). Two persons bore this name: 1- The son of ‘Cainan’ and the grandson of ‘Seth’; at whose birth, his father was 70 years old; then fathered ‘Jared’, and died at 865 years of age (Genesis 5: 12-17; Luke 3: 27). According to ‘Ewald’, Mahalaleel worshipped the idol ‘Cainan’ the sun-god; his son ‘Jared’ worshipped the water-god ‘Varunee’. 2- A man from Judah, a son of ‘Perez’ , a descendant of Athaiah’ (Nehemiah 11: 4), who lived in Jerusalem after returning from captivity. “Jared”, (Genesis 5: 15-20); a Semite name, probably meaning (coming down); father of ‘Enoch’. Two persons bore this name: 1- The son of ‘Mahalaleel’, and father of ‘Enoch’, who was 162 years old at the birth of his son ‘Enoch’ (Genesis 5: 15-20; Luke 3: 37). 2- The son of Ezrah of the tribe of Judah, of his wife ‘Jehudiyah’, the father of ‘Gedor’ (1 Chronicles 4: 18). The Rabinites present a symbolic interpretation of his name, as meaning (coming down); They see him as bearing the title (Moses-Jared), on account that it was Moses who caused the Manna to come down. Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech (3): “Enoch”: The Hebrew name is ‘Hanuk’, probably meaning (clever) or (dedicated). It was said in the book of Genesis: “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah…... When Methuselah had lived 187 years he became the father of Lamech. Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech 782 years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died” (Genesis 5: 21-22; 25-27). It was said about ‘Enoch’: “Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah 300 years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. Enoch walked with God, Then he was no more, because God took him” (Genesis 5: 22-240. According to St Cyprian, ‘Enoch’ was a living example of those quickly headed toward God, having forsaken from themselves the love of temporal things, and got attached to the heavenly One. + To be like ‘Enoch’, who pleased God, if you become qualified to depart from the corruption of this world. The Holy Spirit taught Solomon that those who please God, will be taken early, and will be quickly set free, lest by leaving them longer in the world, they would probably be defiled by its corruption. It is said: “There were some who pleased God, and were loved by Him; and while living among sinners were taken up; They were caught up so that evil might not change their understanding” (Wisdom 4: 10, 11); And in the psalms, it is said: “How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts. My soul longs, yes, even faints, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” (Psalm 84: 1). + ‘Enoch’ abided in an exalted and splendid beauty; and purified himself by holiness. He was distinguished for the pure and splendid behavior; and pleased God by thoughts filled with love; He was raised on chastity and pure thoughts; and lived with purity, with no worries nor anger; He lived in the wilderness far from the defilements of the world; and pleased God by looking at Him daily for 300 years; No fault, nor slothful thought was ever found in him, neither in his sleep nor in his wake-up.) + Good are the wings of love; the true wings that hover on the mouths of the apostles; the wings of fire that utter the pure words. On such wings ‘Enoch’ flew, when he was taken up to heaven (Genesis 5: 24). + According to some, God took ‘Enoch’ up to paradise, to spare Adam of grief, to think that he was killed like ‘Abel’, to give him peace concerning that righteous son of his; and to let him know that paradise will be the fitting place for all who are like him, whether after their death, or in the resurrection. “Methuselah”: A Semite name meaning (Man of weapon), the son of ‘Enoch’, died in the year of the great flood, of 969 years of age – the longest age mentioned in the Holy Book. Yet, after such a long life, he ended up dead; being said about him: “All the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died” (Genesis 5: 27). + Living a little less than 1000 years, Methuselah looked forward to the ‘Son’ who will make men heirs of unending eternal life.n) + Even if we live 900 years or more, like the people before the great flood; Even if we are granted the days of Methuselah; yet once this long life comes to an end, it will be counted as nothing. Whether man lives ten or a thousand years, once life comes to an end, and the inevitable death is realized, the past – long or short – will be the same, nothing. But the longer life is, the heavier will be the burden of sins he will take along with him. “Lamech”: According to St. Jerome, ‘Lamech’ was the first man to marry two women (Genesis 4); a reference to the work of the heretics who divide the church into several churches perverting from faith. Anyway, if Cain committed the most horrible crime since the beginning of human history by killing his brother; the fruit of evil is heresy that corrupts the church of God, and perverts faith. + ‘Lamech’ looked forward to Him (to the Lord Christ) to come to grant him in love, comfort from the labor and strife of his hands, in the land, cursed by the Just God (Genesis 5: 29). Noah, Shem, Ham, Japheth (4) “Noah” (Genesis 6); According to St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian, Noah has been a righteous man blameless in his generation; and his three sons took after him. + Noah, a righteous man, blameless in his generation, and his three sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who were like him, each of them had only one wife, despite what they saw of corruption all around them; They held fast to the law of God, natural in them since the beginning of creation; on account of that when God created Adam, he did not create together with him, more than one woman … … To do what contradict such a natural law, for man to have more than wife; or the woman to have more than one man, that would be an oppression against nature. God revealed to Noah, His righteous servant, what He was going to do, saying to him: “I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; Now I am going to destroy them along with the earth” (Genesis 6: 13). God could have just told Noah about His intention to make an end to the earth and its inhabitants; But, being the Loving Friend who likes to debate with His servant, and to reveal to him His plan, wisdom, and secrets, according to the words of the Psalmist, saying: “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him; and He will show them His covenant” (Psalm 25: 14); God revealed to Noah that He was going to destroy them together with the earth, for destruction is the natural fruit of the corruption they have chosen for themselves; It is as though He intended to say: [I would not like to do that, but they have chosen to bring perdition upon themselves, by their own free will. Now, if that was the choice of the wicked to bring perdition upon themselves and even upon the earth; yet God will never forsake His children to perish together with them; Hence He gave Noah a command to build an ark for his salvation. The Holy Book gave us a detailed and an elaborate description of that ark; because of what the ark bore of a symbolic work that touches our salvation by the cross. When Noah was born, his father Lamech prophesied about him, saying: “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands” (Genesis 5: 29). According to the scholar Origen, [That prophecy does not concern the old Noah, but the new Noah; namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. As the word ‘Noah’ means (comfort) and righteousness), It is only Jesus who gives comfort to humanity, and liberate the earth from the curse uttered by the Lord God]. + In the great flood – in the days of Noah – every flesh perished, but the righteous Noah and his family were kept. The outer man will perish, but the inner man will be renewed. That happens, not only in baptism, but with repentance, by which the lusts of the body perish and the spirit grows; as the apostle teaches us, saying: “I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, I have already judged, as though I were present, concerning him who has done this deed” (1 Corinthians 5: 3, 5) + Yes, the ark that kept the creatures alive, looked forward, being a symbol, to our Lord who builds the holy church where souls would find a refuge.. The earth while drowned by the great flood, cried out in silence to its Lord. He came down and opened up baptism, by which men are drawn up to heaven. “Japheth” A Semite name, meaning (Let him be wide) In the episode of ‘Noah’ when he drank wine and became naked, St Jerome saw a symbolic portrait of the Lord Christ, who drank the cup of passion; and for our sake, he became naked on the cross; and was ridiculed by the wicked, represented by Ham; while the Gentiles believed in Him, symbolized by Shem and Japheth; saying: [That was said as a symbol of the Savior, who drank the cup of passion on the cross, saying: “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26: 39). He drank, became drunk, and naked … There came ‘Ham’, namely, the Jews, to ridicule Him; while the Gentiles covered His nakedness.. The way the father (Noah) got drunk by his sufferings, the saints get drunk by the fragrance of their faith; they get drunk by the Holy Spirit. Yesterday, you have been collecting gold; Now, you throwing it away from you. Is this not counted as being drunk in the sight of those who do not understand?! Finally, When the Holy Spirit dwelt upon the disciples, filled them, and made them speak in several tongues, they were accused of being drunk with new wine]. + The two brothers (Shem and Japheth) who covered up the nakedness of their father Noah (Genesis 9: 23), looked forward to the only begotten Son, who will come and cover the nakedness of Adam, who got drunk by pride. The blessed Shem and Japheth looked forward to the blessed Son, who will come to liberate Canaan from the bondage of sin. b- The genealogies of Noah’s three sons:: “The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras” (5) He started by the sons of Japheth who were born in the western parts of Europe, of whom he did not say much; on account of that the Jews, at that time, rarely dealt with them, or never did. “Gomer”: probably means (end of perfection), the perfection of failure in particular. The wife of the prophet Hosea bore the same name: “Gomer the daughter of Diblaim” (Hosea 1: 3). It is to be noticed that the sons of Japheth were mentioned first, followed by those of Ham, and finally of Shem – the only one whose genealogy was completed, to lead to Abraham; the sons of Abraham: Ishmael and his sons; Abraham’s sons from Ketorah; and finally Isaac; to be followed by the sons of Isaac, starting by those of Esau. But the line that leads to the Lord Christ is through Jacob the other son of Isaac. “The sons of Gomer were: Ashkenaz, Diphath, and Togarmah” (Genesis 10: 2) From them probably came the tribes called ‘the Hamerites’ by the Assyrians, and ‘Kermerites’ by the Greeks. . The descendants of Gomer inhabited the North; and were called ‘The people of the far North’ by the Greek Historian ‘Homer’; According to the Historian ‘Herod’, they came during the seventh century B.C. to Asia, settled down in ‘Capadokia’, and threatened the Assyrian empire; but were defeated. Heading toward the North, they occupied Asia Minor, and entered in more than one battle against ‘Guges’ king of Lydia, that ended up with him being killed. He is probably the one whom the Holy Book calls by the name of “Gog”. They then retreated from Asia (Lydia) by the Alyattes. Magog”: A Hebrew word meaning (the land of God) (Genesis 10: 2). According to some, ‘Ma’ is of a Coptic origin, meaning (land). The names “Magog” and “Gog”, were bound together, and became a symbol of the oppression against the Christian faith (Revelation 20: 7-9) During the middle centuries, the Syrians called the lands of the ‘Tatar’, “Magog”; Whereas the Arabs gave this name to the land between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. But the majority counted the ‘Scythians’ as the people of ‘Magog’. They are described by ‘Herod’ as Barbarians, who never bathe, used to drink the blood of the first enemy they kill; and used the head skins of their enemies as kerchiefs or towels, and their skulls as cups; and to offer the last captive every hundred as a sacrifice to their gods, among whom was a god called ‘the drawn sword’. They were referred to by the apostle Paul as an example of barbarism (Colossians 3: 11). Tobal and Meshech: The two names, often mentioned together (Genesis 10: 2); were traders of slaves and bronze in the Phoenician markets (Ezekiel 27: 13); were famed in the old as warriors (Ezekiel 32: 26); and were mentioned among the armies of ‘Gog’ (Ezekiel 38: 2; 39: 1). According to Josephus, they are the ‘Hbrrians’ and the ‘Capadokians’; and to others, they are the ‘Tibareni’, and the ‘Moskians’, who, according to Herod were part of the nineteenth state in the kingdom of Darius. “Tiras”a Hebrew name meaning (fearsome). According to the early scholars like St. Jerome and the Historian Josephus, his descendants were the “Thracians’; While according to the contemporary scholars, they are the ‘Tercenians’ famed as pirates in the Aegean Sea, related to ‘Atroscanians’, the inhabitants of Italy in the early eras. “The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah” (6) ‘Ashkenaz’: By his name a people were called, mentioned in Jeremiah 51: 27, together with ‘Ararat’ and ‘Minni’, probably in the region of ‘Ararat’ (Armenia). It so seems that they were the ‘Scythians’. Jews of the middle centuries called the Jews of East Europe ‘Ashkenaz’, on the assumption that ‘Ashkenaz’ is Germany. ‘Togarmah’ (Genesis 10: 3): According to some, is derived from two words: ‘Toka’, meaning (a tribe), and ‘Arma’, referring to (Armenia). It was most probably in South-East of Armenia; famed for horses, horsemen, and mules (Ezekiel 27: 13-14). “The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshihah, Kittim, and Rodanim: (7) Elishah: meaning (God saves) (Genesis 10: 4). A name called on a specific region, a source from which the people of ‘Tyre’ got the purple. According to Genesis 10: 5, his descendants were among the Greeks who settled down in the islands and the Mediterranean coast. ‘Tarshish’: According to some, is a Phoenician name, meaning (a refinery lab). And to others, ‘Tarshish’ was the grandfather of the Mediterranean peoples. A city of ‘Tarshish’ is in South Spain, close to ‘Gibraltar’, by the name ‘Tertisus’, or it could be ‘Cartagene’, in North Africa. Where the 16 years old St. Augustine, was sent by his father to learn eloquence. According to some the name ‘Tarshish’ bears the meaning of Metalergy or melting metals; by which any land of metal mines could be called.. And according to some, “the ships of Tarshish”, are not bound to a specific place, but probably refers to a specific kind of ships, known for their luxury and sea-worthiness.. “Kittim”: (Some names of peoples, regions, or cities, mentioned in the genealogies, were called after the name of a specific person) ‘Kittim’ is probably ‘Cyprus’. And according to some, it was a name called on the islands and coasts west of Palestine, as well as on ‘Macedonia’ in the era of the Maccabees (Maccabees 1: 1). “The sons of Ham were: Cush, Mizraim (Egypt), Put, and Canaan” (8): After the descendants of Japheth, he spoke of those who bore a kind of animosity toward the Jews (the church of the old covenant), like the descendants of Ham who headed toward the south in Africa and toward Asia. Yet, the main interest has been concentrated on the Jews the descendants of Shem, from whom the Lord Christ will come incarnate for the salvation of all the nations of the world. On one aspect it is said: “I gave Egypt for your ransom” (Isaiah 43: 3); and at the same time it was said: “Have we not all one father; Has not One God created us?” (Malachi 2: 10). If it so seems that he gave a precedence to the Jews for some time, for the sake of the preparation for the incarnation of the Word of God from the descendants of David for the salvation of world. All humanity are the descendants of Adam; and after the great flood of Noah. And are all called to the adoption of “One God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4: 6); And, “Now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You are the Potter, and all we are the work of Your hands” (Isaiah 64: 8). Some places and tribes were called as though persons; as it is said here: “The descendants of Ham: Cush, Mesraim (Egypt), Put, and Canaan” (1: 6); by which he means that the descendants of Ham are the Egyptians, the Canaanites, etc. The expression “son or sons of” in the Semite tongue has a wider meaning than a person born to another. The descendants of Ham, having produced peoples and nations oppressive against the work of God and His people in the old covenant; the Old Testament came to proclaim the divine chastisement upon those peoples, being symbols of evil. ‘Cush’ referred to the darkness of ignorance, ‘Egypt’ to the love of the world that enslaves the soul; and ‘Canaan’ to the devilish work, etc. Yet, the prophecies in the Old Testament did not forsake those peoples without hope; but proclaimed the rejection of the people of God, and the entrance of those peoples into faith and to the divine covenant. That was how the nations that were under curse because of idol-worship, abominations, and oppression against the faith in God, became the holy bride, prepared for the eternal life in the bosom of the heavenly Father. “Cush”: Meaning in Hebrew (Black). ‘Cush’ was the firstborn of Ham, who got five sons that produced five peoples: ‘Saba’ (human). ‘Howeila’ (a province), ‘Septa’ or ‘Septka’ (striker), ‘Ramah’ (quivering). Those peoples inhabited in the midst and south of Arabia, on the Persian Gulf. But ‘Saba’ departed to Africa (Ethiopia). Hence ‘Cush’ in the Old Testament, refers to Ethiopia and Nubia (south of Egypt), and sometimes to Yemen or to south and middle of the Arabian Peninsula. In many dictionaries of the Holy Book, ‘Cush’ is considered as only Ethiopia. The Son of David came to reconcile heaven with earth, and people with peoples, so that the believers from the Gentiles would become brethren who know nothing but love and unity. Mizraim implying (twice or double) in Hebrew, made some assume that Egypt was so called because it includes ‘Upper and Lower Egypt’; or because the River Nile divides it into an Eastern and Western banks. But the most prominent view is that it is called ‘Misr’ in Arabic (after the Hebrew), after ‘Mesraim’ the son of Ham, where, he together with his sons, lived, even though his descendents extended to the neighboring countries. “Put”: a people with relationship with the Egyptians (Genesis 10: 6). It was mentioned together with Egypt and other African countries, ‘Lubim’ in particular (Nahum 3: 9), and ‘Lud’ (Ezekiel 27: 10), between Cush and Lud. In the Septuagint version it came as ‘Lybion’. Considered by Josephus to be ‘Lybia’. Lybis, in the Babylonian inscriptions was named as ‘Futo’, probably ‘Cyprinaica’, the eastern part of Lybia nowadays. Canaan: From his descendants the Canaanite tribes appeared; about some of which we talked in the introduction of the book of Joshua. The book of Joshua is also considered as the book of the acceptance of the Gentiles. If it was imperative for the people of God to inherit Canaan after driving the heathens out; Yet God does not reject the later, but rejects their heathenism and evil. When the Canaanite harlot ‘Rahab’ proclaimed her faith, she, together with her family, enjoyed salvation, and had the honor, denied to many Hebrew women, that from her seed, the Savior Messiah was to come; and to have her name included in the genealogy of the Lord Christ (Matthew 1: 25); something of which many of the heroes of faith and prophets were denied. God would never reject any man, but seeks the salvation of all, "He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2: 4), The sons of ‘Cush’ were: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabtecha. The sons of Raama were: Sheba and Dedan (9). “Raama”: the grandson of Ham. There is a province south-west of Arabia, that traded with ‘Tyre’ for spices, precious stones and gold (Ezekiel 27: 22); its inhabitants are probably descendants of Raama. Sheba and Dedan: Sons of Raama the son of Cush (Genesis 10: 7). According to some, ‘Sheba’ is the name of an Arabian tribe, namely, they were Semites. Saying that Sheba and Dedan are descendants of Cush, is on account of that some of those Semite tribes migrated to Ethiopia, and mixed with the descendants of Cush; and some others migrated North.. Some parts of the South of the Arabian Peninsula still carry the name ‘Sheba’ and those of some of his brothers, like Hadermot and Osal (Sanaa). ‘Cush’ begot ‘Nimrod’, he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior (10) ‘Nimrod’ If the Holy Book presents a list of its work through the descendants of Shem, from whom the Word of God will come incarnate from the seed of Abraham; It also reveals the work of the devil, specially through the descendants of ‘Cush’ who fathered ‘Nimrod’. And through the descendants of ‘Canaan’ who fathered the Canaanite peoples, oppressive to the work of God. As to ‘Nimrod’ the son of ‘Cush’, it was said, “He was a mighty warrior before the Lord; therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod’ a mighty hunter before the Lord’ (Genesis 10: 8-9). Of his descendants were the governing dynasties in Babylon, Shenaar, and Akad; He, himself, might probably be ‘Gelgamish’ the Akadian or Babylonian. Any way, Babylon, later on, became a symbol of vain pride and the oppression against God, as well as of the spiritual harlotry (Revelation 14: 8; 16: 19; 17: 1-5). According to St. Augustine, Babylon referred to the wicked peoples. About ‘Nimrod it is said, “He was a mighty warrior before the Lord”; interpreted by St. Augustine and St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian, as [he was a mighty warrior (against) the Lord]. + ‘Nimrod’ refers to the mighty and evil devil, whose kingdom was ‘Babylon’, interpreted as (confusion and dissension), which is actually the beginning of the kingdom of the devil. (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) On another aspect, according to St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian, Nimrod, by his oppression against other nations, he was realizing the will of God. Saying “Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord” (Genesis 10: 8-9), was on account of that, according to the will of God, he fought against ell those nations, drove them away from there, to settle down in other places set for them by God… In blessing a ruler or a governor, he was usually addressed by the words: [May you be like Nimrod who was a mighty warrior who conquered in the battles of the Lord]. According to St. John Chrysostom, while some believe that the expression “before the Lord”, means (against the Lord), he, himself, believes that, on the contrary, it refers to that he was strong and brave. The expression “before the Lord” means (created by Him); and probably also mean that God makes us marvel that He has created such an outstanding man. Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim: “Ludim”: from whom the people pf ‘Lud’, namely, the ‘Ludites’ came (different than the people of ‘Lud’ a descendant of Shem). The descendants of Mizraim inhabited west of the Nile River, toward Lybia. “Anamim”: The tribe of his descendants, probably inhabited Lybia. “Lehabim”: It so seems that the tribe of ‘Lehabim’ is itself the tribe of ‘Lubim’ or the ‘Lubians’, Africans who originated from Egypt. “Naphtuhim”: His descendants were the inhabitants of middle Egypt, neat ‘Manph’, the center of the god ‘Batah’; some of whom migrated to Ethiopia. And Pathrusim, Casluhim , and Caphtorim(12) “Pathrusim” inhabited Lower Egypt. The word ‘Pathros’ means (the land of the south). “Casluhim”: meaning (a stronghold). His descendants mostly inhabited ‘Casionis’, a mountainious region east of the ‘Balsam’, on the frontier of Egypt toward Palestine. From ‘Casluhim’ came ‘Pheleshtim’ whose descendants migrated to Palestine, where the ancient ‘Philistines’ came. The word ‘Palestine’; is derived from ‘Pheleshtim’, meaning (a stranger or an immigrant). The Philistines have been perpetual enemies of the children of Israel since the days of the Judges; who were conquered by David (1 Samuel 4: 1); They inhabited the western region of Canaan along the Mediterranean Sea coast; surpassed Israel in number, in their military expertise, and in their knowledge of the manufacture of iron weapons (1 Samuel 13: 19-22). From ‘Casluhim’, came ‘Caphtorim’, meaning (crowns); whose descendants inhabited ‘Cephtur’; thought by some to be ‘Capadokia’ in Asia Minor; While by others, it is the Island of Cyprus or Crete; and still others believe that it was in the Egyptian Delta close to ‘Manph, where there was a city by the name ‘Capet-Hur’. ‘Canaan’ became the father of ‘Sidon’, his firstborn, and ‘Heth’. “Canaan”, The youngest son of Ham; and from whose descendants the Canaanite tribes appeared, we spoke concisely of them in the introduction otothe book of Joshua. Canaan was the great grandfather of the Cannanites who plunged deeply into evil. They were divided into several nations: The Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, etc. The children of Israel took over the whole region under the leadership of Joshua the son of nun, and it was called the promised land. According to the scholar Origen, driving those nations away refers to getting rid of si, so that the believer would enjoy the kingdom of God, under the leadership of the Lord Jesus, through the divine grace. ‘Sidon’ or Sida: A Semite name, meaning (place of fishing), an old and rich Phoenician port, extending as a 2-mile coast between the mountains of Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea, 22 miles north of Tyre. It was named after ‘Sidon’ the firstborn of Canaan the son of Ham the son of Noah. It exported the engraved ivory, gold, silver, jewelries, and glassware. Being independent, the children of Israel failed to take it over; and the Sidonians continued to cause them trouble, before the two cultures merged together; and the Israelites worshipped the gods of the Sidonians: the Baal, and Ashtoreth. When Ahab, king of Israel, married Isabel, daughter of one of the kings of Sidon, and the high priest of Baal, she strived to establish the worship of Baal in Israel, and to put an end to the worship of the living God. Eventually, Sidon fell before Assyria; then Babylon, Persia, the Greeks, and the Romans. In the days of the Lord Christ, many of them were Greeks, who went to Galilee to encounter and hear the Lord Christ. The Jebusites, the Amorites, and the Girgashites: The names that came in verses Genesis 10: 14 – 17 are not of persons but of peoples; all of which were descendants of Canaan. Using the names of the peoples instead of persons who set those peoples, was to confirm that the human race that came out of one man “Adam”, has turned into a multitude of peoples and nations; and the genealogies end up into the anticipation of the coming of the Lord Christ, who is to gather together believers from all over the world, to become a great beautiful building; where the Asians, the Africans, the Europeans, are gathered together in the Son of David; and where the King of kings sits in the hearts of His people, to set His joyful kingdom that embraces all; to say: “There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3: 28) The Girgashites: are mentioned among the Canaanite tribes in the list of nations (Genesis 10: 16); as well as among the Canaanite tribes whose lands the Lord promised to give as an inheritance to the children of Israel (Genesis 15: 21; Deuteronomy 7: 1; Joshua 3: 1; 24: 11). According to some, they are the descendants of “Guirgis” whose names came in the texts of ‘Ogarith’ in the thirteenth century B.C. The Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites: The Hivites: Some of them inhabited Shechem, named by ‘Hamor the Hivite’ in the days of Jacob (Genesis 33: 19; 34: 2). They settled down in parts of Syria and Palestine; and were mentioned with the Cannanites , the Perizzites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites (Exodus 3: 8; 23: 18; Deuteronomy 7: 1). As the perversion to idol-worship and practicing the heathen abominations were very attractive to many believers at that time, the divine commandment came very strict and firm, not to get attached to those peoples. Nevertheless, many have fallen into them, including even Solomon the Sage, himself; “When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; seven nations greater and mightier than you; and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them” (Deuteronomy 7: 1, 2). The goal of this commandment is to create a pure church, a holy family, and a justified kingdom in the Lord; kept away from the heathen abominations. We often fall into looking at what came in the Old Testament in a wrong way, disregarding the languages, the concepts, and the circumstances that prevailed on the people at the time, which are utterly different from what we live today in the era of grace, which made them need such a commandment to support their salvation. Those strict orders should be understood in our life as symbols: a-“To make no covenant with them”, means not to be easy on the sin; and not to open the door for a debate with it. b- “Nor shall you make marriages with them” (Deuteronomy 7: 3). There is no fellowship between the believer and the non-believer in a marital life; nor between light and darkness; For if the believer consent to have a union with the non-believer on the level of familial relationship, that would be at the expense of the salvation of the soul and the holiness of the family. c- “You shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images; and burn down their carve images with fire” (Deuteronomy 7: 5), mean to purify the heart (the temple of the Lord) from worshipping other gods, like selfishness, love of complement, or satisfying the lusts of the body. d- “Nor show mercy to them” (Deuteronomy 7: 6). Let the word of God be like a two-edged sword (Hebrew 4: 12), to separate strongly, and with no softness, between the truth and the vanity. e- “You shall not be afraid of them” (Deuteronomy 7: 18); for a spiritual man has authority; does not fear sin, nor the devil; trust in God, he Grantor of conquest (1 Corinthians 15: 57) In our study of the writings of St. John Cassian, we saw how the scholar Origen believes that the main sins in the life of man are eight; a view quoted by St. Oghris, and became common in the writings of the eastern and the western fathers. The people of God conquered Pharaoh and his army, namely the Egyptians; And now, they are conquering the seven nations mentioned here; God grants His church the spirit of conquest on the eight main sins. The Arvadites, the Zimarites, and the Hamathites: The Arvadites : means (maze) called nowadays ‘Rowad’; a little island, two moles away from the Syrian coast, 30 miles north of Tripoli (Lebanon). The Zimarites: A Canaanite tribe (Genesis 10: 18), that inhabited ‘Homr’ or ‘Homrah’ – ‘Samrah’ nowadays, on the coast between ‘Rowad’ and Tripoli. The Hamathites; the same ‘Amah’ mentioned in Genesis 10: 18, The sons of Shem were: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, , Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mashech17): “Aram’; meaning (High or great). Often mentioned in the Holy Book; as one of the five sons of Shem the son of Noah (Genesis 10: 22-23; 1 Chronicles 1: 170; One of the sons of ‘Kemuel’ the son of ‘Nahor’ the brother of Abraham (Genesis 22: 21); One of the sons of ‘Shemer’, a descendant of ‘Asher’ (1 Chronicles 7: 34); And father of ‘Aminadab’, and son of Hezron the son of Perez the son of Judah, The Greek pronunciation of the Hebrew name ‘Ram’. ‘Uz’: Home of the righteous ‘Job’, probably in the land of ‘Edom’. ‘Hul’: An Aramite name, meaning (a circle or a round-about) (Genesis 1-: 23). The same ‘Holiah’ mentioned by Ashur Nazrabal in its relationship with Mount msius. ‘Arphaxad begot ‘Shelah’; and ‘Shelah’ begot ‘Eber’: “Arphaxad” meaning (Stronghold of the Chaldeans); the grandfather of ‘Eber’; assumed by some to be the grandfather after whom the ‘Hebrews’ are called; the first to be born two years after the great flood; died 438 years old (Genesis 11: 10-13). Moses cared to mention the names of the sons of Arphaxad (Genesis 10: 24); on account of that he begot ‘Shelah’, who begot ‘Eber’, who begot ‘Peleg’ who begot ‘Reu’, who begot ‘’Serug’ who begot ‘Nahor’, who begot ‘Tareh’, who begot ‘Abram’, who married ‘Sarai’. Now, by the appearance of ‘Abram’, the father of fathers, the Israeli people set forth. The prophet Moses also made clear that ‘Lot’ was the nephew of Abram from ‘Haran’ the son of ‘Tareh’. ‘Shelah’; a Semite name meaning (a blossom or a plant) ‘Eber’, a Hebrew name meaning (Passed on). Abram was the seventh of his descendants, and to him the Hebrews are referred ; He is, as well, the grandfather of the Arabs and the Aramites (Genesis 10: 21, 25; 11: 14-17). ‘Eber’ begot ‘Peleg’; for in his days the land was divided; and his brother’s name was ‘Jactan’ (19) ‘Eber’ and his son ‘Peleg’: According to St. Jerome: ‘Eber’ from whose descendants the Hebrews came, presented a prophecy by calling his son ‘Peleg’, meaning (division), on account of that in his days, after all mankind spoke one language, the language was (confused) in Babylon. Having decided to build a tower in a challenge to God, who allowed for the great flood in the days of Noah, He confused their tongues; and every nation in the region came to have its own tongue and culture. Thus God turned the chastisement into a way for the edification and progress of the world. In Genesis 11: 1-9, came how the tongue of the Babylonians was confused; Those who, in their challenge to God assumed that they are capable of building a tower whose top can reach heaven; so that God might not be able again to drown them with a great flood. St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi spoke about the blessings which humanity enjoyed at that time, as well as in all generations, through that chastisement; for the people scattered over many regions; and together with the multitude of tongues, a multitude of cultures emerged for the edification of humanity; And spared the builders from the huge burden of building a tower of no benefit whatsoever. ‘Joktan’, a Semite name meaning (awake); a descendant of Shem who became a tribe, which developed into thirteen Arab tribes. ‘Joktan’ begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah (20) ‘Almodad’, meaning (the beloved), or (God the beloved), refers to an Arab tribe in the south. ‘Sheleph’, a Semite name, probably meaning (he who plows the earth); of the Semite peoples coming from ‘Joktan’, inhabited the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, a name still common in Jemen. ‘Hazarmaveth’ A Hebrew name, meaning (village of death), the name of a region in the southern part of the peninsula of Arabia, still bears the same name; of an unhealthy atmosphere; hence the name. “Jerah”; a Semite name, meaning (moon). Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah (21): “Hadoram”; To him belongs one of the tribes that inhabited the Arabian Peninsula. “Uzal”; Or ‘Kahtan’, considered as the grandfather of all Arabs. ‘Uzal’ is probably the name of a place, mentioned in (Ezekiel 27: 19). “Diklah”: A Semite name; probably meaning (Palm tree); was the name of certain descendants of ‘Joktan’ (Genesis 10: 27), who most probably inhabited the Arabian Peninsula. Ebal, Abimael, Sheba (22): “Ebal”; A son of ‘Joktan’, a descendent of ‘Eber’ (Genesis 10: 27); To him belongs the oldest tribes in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in Yemen. “Abimael”; meaning (God is my father); an Arab tribe that inhabited the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab (23): All of them were the descendants of ‘Joktan’. “Ophir”; It so seems that they settled down South of the Arabian Peninsula; for his name came together with those of ‘Sheba’ and ‘Havila’.(Genesis 10: 29). “Jobab”; A Hebrew name, probably meaning (screams); It is unknown where this Arab tribe dwelt. c- From Shem to Abraham: Shem, Arphaxad, and Shelah (24) Eber, Peleg, Reu (25) Serug, Nahor, Terah (26) “Serug”; A Semite name, meaning (to aim; or a branch); There was a city by this name close to ‘Haran’. “Nahor”; A Semite name, meaning (heavy breathing); one of the grandchildren of Shem the son of Noah; father of Terah, and grandfather of Abraham; lived 148 years (Genesis 11: 22-25). “Terah”; A Hebrew name, meaning (wild goat); inhabited ‘Ur’ of the Chaldeans; worshipped the idols (Joshua 24: 2), particularly the moon. He accompanied Abraham in his journey to ‘Haran’ (Mesopotamia), where he died (Genesis 11: 31- 32). Abram (Abraham) (27) “Abram (Abraham)”; He was called ‘Abraham’ by God; meaning (Father of a multitude); his birth place was ‘Ur’ of the Chaldeans; its location nowadays is ‘Tel Ekmlir’, nine miles from El-Nasria, on the River Euphrates, South of Iraq. He departed together with his household and his father ‘Terah’ along 600 miles toward North-West of Jerusalem; settled down in ‘Haran’, on ‘El-Balkh’, a tributary of the Euphrates (Genesis 11: 26-32). The Holy Book cared for the episode of Abraham; on account of that he was unique in his faith for God; and hence became worthy of enjoying the divine promise to become a blessing to several nations (Genesis 11-25). He was mentioned more than 70 times in the New Testament. The Lord Christ called the kingdom of heaven “Abraham’s bosom’ ; saying: “The beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16: 22) Many fathers of the church call the people of God “daughter of Abraham”; call St. Mary by the same name, and count the believers as “the children of Abraham”. + By the Holy Spirit (Genesis 12-25), Abraham perceived that the Son’s birth was still far away. But “rejoiced to see His day; he saw it and was glad” (John 8: 56) (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) + When our Lord – the Light – appeared in the darkness, the night that dwelt upon the whole world, fled away. He came down from the Father; shined on the Virgin, the daughter of Abraham; and started walking along the path He paved for the world. The light dwelt in the Virgin’s womb; and from there, He physically started His way. + Through ‘Lazarus’ who was leaning in Abraham’s bosom, courage was given to him who bowed under poverty (Luke 16: 19 – 21). (St. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) Commenting on the parable of the laborers hired by the owner of the vineyard (Matthew 20: 1 – 16), El-Serougi includes Abraham’s household among the righteous laborers; saying: The laborers of the third hour are the household of Noah. The laborers of the sixth hour are the household of Abraham. The laborers of the ninth hour are Moses, and the prophets The vineyard is the walk of righteousness. The laborers of the eleventh hour are the peoples who, though with no work of righteousness, yet they were hired by the owner of the vineyard at the end of time; …. The congregation of the Jews, the owners of the prophets, the commandments, and the statutes, did not come to work in the vineyard, and the Gentiles came instead of them. + Meditating in this parable, you will recognize: The laborers of the third hour were the household of Noah, whom He set on His work. The laborers of the sixth hour were the household of Abraham in the land of Aram; who girdled, and clothed themselves with righteousness like the former ones (Genesis 12: 4 – 5; Genesis 22; Judges 19: 10). The laborers of the ninth hour were the great Moses, Joshua the son of Nun, and the entire choir of the prophets. All the laborers of God entered into His vineyard, which is the walk in righteousness. And the procession of righteous proceeded from Adam, reached up to Noah, then came close to Abraham Then it reached to the Great Moses (the laborer of the ninth hour), who kept it through the commandments of righteousness. All the laborers worked actively in the vineyard of the Beloved (Isaiah 5: 1); All of them sought and worked with righteousness (Genesis 4: 26): the household of Seth and Enoch, from the start of the great world. The household of Noah were added, lived with righteousness; then came Abraham and Isaac who worked hard. Then came Moses together with the divine prophets, to work as good laborers in the vineyard. They were clothed with love for the new life; and labored actively in the vineyard of the spiritual fruits. The Owner of the vineyard opened its gates before the peoples of the earth, and all creatures worked to the account of God At the end of the world, at the end of all times, all peoples entered at the eleventh hour into the great house; actively started the procession of righteousness, and all of them physically weaved the righteousness. (St. (Mr) Jacob El-Serougi) + We are committed to interpret the episode of Abraham in a symbolic way; to make everything spiritual, starting by the divine command: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12: 1). For that command was given, not only to Abraham, but to everyone intending to become a son of Abraham. (The scholar Origen) The two sons of Abraham were Isaac and Ishmael (28): “Isaac”; Its origin is derived from the Semitic word (laughs, dances, flirts, or makes fun). He was counted as the son of the promise. His father was 100 years old, and his mother was 90 years old when he was born; was counted the firstborn, in spite of the fact that he was born after Ishmael, begot by ‘Hagar’ the slave girl of Abraham and Sarah. His marriage to Rebecca came as a symbol of the wedding between the Lord Christ and the church – His spiritual bride. + Isaac (Genesis 21-28), was born in beauty; and raised on the divine thoughts. He filled himself with faith and humility; and was armed with righteousness and uprightness. He hated controversy; never became angry if he lost what was his; loved peace, tranquility, and virtue. (At. (Mar) Jacob El-Serougi) + Isaac longed to see Him (the Lord); for he tasted the sweetness of His salvation (Hebrew 11: 19) (St. (Mar) Ephraim the Syrian) “Ishmael”; meaning (God hears); son of Abraham from ‘Hagar’, his Egyptian slave girl; begot him from her according to a request from his wife Sarah (which was common for a barren wife; to whom the offspring is referred) (Genesis 16: 2). Nevertheless, Hagar despised her mistress; and in some kind of play, Ishmael attempted to kill Isaac (Genesis 21: 19; Galatians 4: 29). 2- FROM ABRAHAM TO ISRAEL: a- The family of Ishmael (Genesis 25: 12): Nabajoth, the firseborn of Ishmael, Kedar. Adbeel, Mibsam (29) Talking about the genealogies of Ishmael, being the son of the slave girl, whose descendants are not allowed to inherit together with the children of the promise; They refer to the Jews, the nonbelievers, who became rejected (Galatians 4: 22 etc.) The twelve sons of Ishmael were not mentioned except in this part of the Holy Book; as referring to the realization of God’s promise to Abraham, in response of his prayer for the sake of Ishmael, saying: “As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 17: 20) “Nabajoth”; To him one of the Arab tribes was referred (Genesis 25: 13, 16; 28: 9; 36: 3); famed for the abundance of its livestock (Isaiah 60: 7); the brother of Mahlah and Basmah whom Esau married “Kedar”; A Semite name, meaning (mighty or black); father of the most famous Arab tribe; whose land is also called ‘Kedar’.(Isaiah 21: 16; Jeremiah 49: 28). They were mostly nomad shepherds of a multitude of livestock, who lived in black tent (Songs 1: 5). However, some of them were more civilized and lived in cities (Isaiah 42: 11); skilful as warriors, particularly with bows and arrows. “Adbeel”; A Hebrew name, meaning (God’s chastisement); was probably the first father of the Arab tribe ‘Adabeel’; that lived North-West of the Arab desert during the eighteenth century B.C.; then settled down South-West of the Dead Sea. Was mentioned in the records of king of Assyria (Genesis 12: 1). “Mibsam”; A Hebrew name, meaning (a sweet fragrance). Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema (30) “Mishma” (Genesis 25: 14): A Hebrew name, meaning (News); the son of Ishmael; probably the grandfather of the tribe of ‘Mishma’; probably dwelt in Mount ‘Mishma’, located between ‘El-Gof and Damascus. “Dumah”; (Genesis 25: 14); A Hebrew name, meaning (silence) “Massa”; (Genesis 25: 14); his descendants were probably the ‘Masoni’; put by Ptolomy East of Arabia, close to the frontier of Babylon. “Hadad”; (or Hadar) (Genesis 25: 15); A Hebrew name, meaning (ferocity). “Tema”; (Genesis 25: 15); a Hebrew name, meaning (the southern); an Ishmaeli tribe that dwelt in a region with the same name in Arabia. Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael (31) “Jetur”: (Genesis 25: 15); his descendants dwelt in ‘Jeturia’; fought against the tribes of Israel, East of the Jordan. “Naphish”; (genesis 25: 15); the tribe that embraced his descendants dwelt East of the Jordan. “Kademah” (or Kedemah) ( Genesis 25: 15). A Hebrew name, meaning (Eastern); dwelt East of the Jordan (Genesis 25: 18). b- The family of Keturah: ‘Keturah’, Abraham’s concubine bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Dedan were: Asshurim, Letushim, and Leumim (Genesis 25: 1 – 3). “Keturah”; A Hebrew name, meaning (incense); she bore six sons ; fathers of six Arabian tribes. The Arab Historians mentioned the tribe of “Ketur’ that dwelt close to Mecca. According to the scholar Origen, the word ‘Ketur’ means (incense, or sweet fragrance). + Like Paul, Abraham said: We are the sweet fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2: 15). Let us now see how man could be the sweet fragrance of Christ. Sin is a repulsive corrupt thing. Sinners are truly compared to swine that live in mire. David – as a sinner, says: “My wounds are foul and festering” (Psalm 37 6 LXX). (The scholar Origen) According to the scholar Origen Abraham took Keturah in marriage when he was 137 years old; after Sarah died 127 years old (Abraham was 10 years older than Sarah) (Genesis 25: 1-2); Commenting on this, he says: [What then? Do we assume that carnal motives have been replenished in such a great Patriarch at such an age? Could he be motivated by body lusts? As we often say, the marriage of patriarchs refer to secret and holy things; according to the saying of Solomon the Sage: “I determined to take her (the wisdom) to live with me; knowing that she would give me good counsel, and encouragement in cares and grief” (Wisdom 8: 9). Abraham might have thought the same way. Although he was a wise man; yet, knowing that wisdom has no end; and not putting old age as limiting learning, … he saw the divine inspiration call learning a wife]. “Zimran”; (Genesis 25: 2). A Semite name, probably meaning (wild cow). According to some, his descendants dwelt in Zibram, West of ‘Kelah’, close to the Red Sea. While according to others, they constituted the tribe of Zimrites in the center of Arabia. “Jokshan”; (Genesis 25: 1-3): Son of Abraham from Keturah, from whom came ‘Shebah’ and ‘Dedan’. “Medan”; (Genesis 25: 2); Son of Abraham from Keturah; probably dwelt in the valley of ‘Medan’, close to Dadan. “Ishbak”; According to some, it means (skinny); From his descendants came a tribe North of Arabia. “Shuah”; (Genesis 25: 2). A Semite name, meaning (Low); Son of Abraham from Keturah; From him came the Arab tribe, from which was ‘Bildad the Shuhite’; most probably in the land of ‘Uz’. (Job 2: 11). The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hann\och, Abida, and Eldaa. All these were the children of Keturah (33). We have nothing to say more about Midian the son of Abraham from Keturah; other than that his descendants were counted as sons of the East; one of whom was probably ‘Job’. They were separated by Abraham from Isaac the son of the promise (genesis 25: 6); and were never mentioned in any other part of the Holy Book. . “Ephah”; A Hebrew name, meaning (darkness). Three persons bore that name, one of whom was the son of Median, the son of Abraham; and his descendants after him; (there was confusion of the name between the person and the tribe) (Genesis 25: 4), that dwelt in the Northern regions of the Arab Peninsula. “Epher”; (or Ephro); (Genesis 25: 4) A Hebrew name, meaning (a little deer); son of Midian. “Hanoch”; (Genesis 25: 4). A Hebrew name, meaning (learned, well trained, dedicated); son of Midian, a descendant of Abraham from Keturah. “Abida”; Meaning (father of knowledge; and my father knows); the fourth son of Abraham from his concubine Keturah. Abraham gave gifts to his children from the concubines, and sent them away; so that they would not share the inheritance with Isaac, the son of the promise. “Eldaa”; (Genesis 25: 4). A Hebrew name, meaning (a preacher of God); son of Midian. Commenting on what Abraham did with the children of the concubines, like those of Keturah, giving preference to Isaac, son of the promise; encouraging us to perceive the truth of our inheritance as free children of God, St. Augustine says: + We, therefore, if we are the children of the free Jerusalem; let us then realize that some of the gifts given to those who will not inherit are different from the portions given to the heirs; quoting the words of the apostle Paul, saying: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8: 15). (St. Augustine) c- The family of Isaac: Isaac’s two sons were Esau and Israel (34) Here he did not mention the name ‘Jacob’, but ‘Israel’, the name by which he was granted as a divine gift; For, out of his sons the heads of the tribes of the people of God were set. “Israel”; The name given to ‘Jacob’; whose descendants came to be the nation of ‘the children of Israel’; and the descendants of ‘Esau became the nation of ‘Edom’, that has been in continuous animosity against the children of Israel (Genesis 21-36; 46-49). “Esau”; It was not a plate of lentils, in itself, that caused Esau to fall (Genesis 25), as much as it was his looseness of character. + To show us that the fault is not in the creation of God, but rather in the stubborn rebellion, and the intense covetousness, the first man did not find death in the pork meet, but in a simple fruit (the Holy Book did not say it was an apple) (Genesis 3: 6); And Esau lost his firstbirth rights, not because of a meal of birds, but of a plate of lentils. (St. Augustine) d- The sons of Esau: The sons of Esau (namely, Edom) were: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah (35) There was a continuous animosity between the descendants of Edom (Esau) and the children of Israel. “Eliphaz”; A Hebrew name, meaning (God is pure gold) The sons of ‘Eliphaz’ (the firstborn) were Teman, Omar, Zephi, Kenaz, Korah, Gatam, Timnah, and Amalek (31): “Teman” (Genesis 36: 11): A Hebrew name, meaning (the right hand or the southern). The firstborn of Eliphaz. A tribe was called after his name, at the northern part of Edom, called ‘the land of the children of the East’ or ‘Teman’ (Ezekiel 25: 13); its inhabitants were known for their wisdom (Jeremiah 49: 17; Obadiah 9) “Omar”; a name, most probably derived from the Hebrew word (he ordered or spoke); he is called a prince or ruler in (Genesis 36: 15). “Zepho” (or Zephi) (Genesis 36: 11, 15); A Hebrew name, meaning (watching or guarding); he established a tribe. “Getam” Genesis 36: 11); A Hebrew name, meaning (weak); Esau’s grandson, and one of the princes of Edom; An emirate was named after him (Genesis 36: 16). “Kenaz”; A Semite name, probably meaning (a catch). “Timnah”; A Hebrew name, of one of the princes of Edom ; and of a daughter of ‘Seir’ also called ‘Lotan’, who became a concubine of ‘Eliphaz the son of Esau. “Amalek”; If the descendants of Esau, called ‘Edom’, entered into continuous animosity, and persistent oppression against the children of Israel; ‘Amalek’, Esau’s grandson, the grandfather of the Amalek tribe, a son to his father from a concubine (Genesis 35: 12), his descendants were famed for their big body stature, together with violence and ferocity. They lived in the desert around the Dead Sea, robbing the livestock of the other tribes as spoil for themselves. They were the first to attack the children of Israel directly after their exodus from Egypt, on their way to the promised land, under the leadership of the prophet Moses (Exodus 17: 8). In that battle, Amalek did not expect to be defeated by Israel who, then, had no military experience. The sons of ‘Reuel’, were: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah (37): “Nahath”; A Hebrew name, meaning (rest); Three persons bore this name: 1- The grandson of Esau and Basmah, the son of Reuel; a prince in the land of ‘Edom’ (Genesis 36: 13). 2- A Levite of the Kohathites; the son of ‘Zophai’, and brother-in-law of the prophet Samuel (1 Chronicles 6: 26) 3- A Levite appointed by king Hezekiah as one of the guards on the offerings to the temple, under the supervision of Cononiah the Levite and Shimei his brother (2 Chronicles 31: 13). e- The family of Seir: The sons of Seir the Horite, were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan (38): “Lotan”; (Genrsis 36: 20); An Edomite name, was probably the name of ‘Lot’, by which a tribe of the Horites were called, lived in Mount ‘Seir’. “Shobal”; (Genesis 36: 20); He was probably the head of the Horites. “Zibeon”; (Genesis 36: 20); A Horite name, meaning (a leopard); a Horite prince who, together with his family immigrated to Mount ‘Seir’. To establish the tribe of the Horites “Anah”; (Genesis 36: 24); A Semite name, probably meaning (listening). Among those who bore this name was a Horite prince (38); who found springs in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon.(Genesis 36: 24) “Dishon”; (Genesis 36: 21). A Semite name, meaning (a deer). “Ezer”; A Hebrew name, meaning (a help); a Seir prince in Edom. “Dishan”; (Genesis 36: 21); A Semite name. The two sons of Lotan were: Hori and Homan; and Lotan’s sister Timna (Genesis 36: 22): “Hori”; (Genesis 36: 22, 30). Probably an Egyptian name, derived from the name of the god ‘Horus’. Many bore this name, beside one of the family of ‘Hori’ of the children of ‘Gad’ (1 Chronicles 5: 14); ‘Seir’ was also called ‘Hur’. “Homan or Himam”; (Genesis 36: 22); An Edomite name, meaning (Disturbance or riot). “Timna”; (Genesis 36: 40); A Hebrew name, meaning (a counterattack); Seir’s daughter, sister of Lotan; became a concubine of Eliphaz the son of Esau, and mother of Amalek; There was another, a prince of Edom, who bore this name. The sons of Shobal were: Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. And the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah “Alvan”, or “Alwan”; (Genesis 36: 23); meaning (high); one of the grandchildren of Seir the Horite. “Manahath”; (Genesis 36: 23); A Hebrew name, meaning (rest). “Ebal”; (Genrsis 36: 23); a descendant of ‘Seir’ the Horite; and there was another man who bore this name (1 Chronicles 1: 22); called ‘Obal’ (Genesis 10: 28). “Shephi” or “Shefo” (Genesis 36: 23); A Hebrew name, meaning (nakedness) . “Onam”; A Hebrew name, meaning (strong). The sons of Zibeon were: Ajah ans Anah. “Ajah”; A Hebrew name, meaning (A hawk); father of one of the wives of Esau, son of Isaac (Genesis 36: 24). The sons of Anah: Dishon, and the sons of Dishon were: Hemran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran (41). “Hemran”;A Hebrew name, meaning (red); Also called (Hemdan), a Hebrew name, meaning (pleasant). “Eshban”; probably means (a thinker or smart) one of the princes of Mount Seir (Genesis 36: 26). Ithran”; (Genesis 36: 26); A Hebrew name, meaning (a favor); A Horite prince. “Cheran”; (Genesis 36: 26)A Semite name, probably meaning (like a lamb). The sons of Ezer were: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan And the sons of Dishan were: Uz, and Aran (42). “Zaavan”; (Genesis 36: 20-21); A Hebrew name, meaning (disturbed, and not calm).; A Horite prince. At the time of Exodus the children of Zaavan formed a tribe that occupied a province at the frontier of Edom, close to Mount ‘Hor’, where Aaaron died; The Israelites took over some of their wells (Number 20: 21-23). “Uz”; (Genesis 10: 23); To him the tribe of the Aramites belong; a tribe that also belonged to ‘Nahor’ (Genesis 22: 20), and to Dishan the Horite (Genesis 36: 28). The righteous ‘Job’ lived in the land of ‘Uz’ (Job 1: 1). “Aran”; meaning (a wild kid goat) ; He is probably ‘Ram’ one of the descendants of Jerahmeel (1 Chronicles 2: 25). It was the custom among the Arabs to call someone or a family by the name of an animal; as it is still followed in Syria, like the family of ‘Asaad (lion), Nimr (tiger), and Gazaal (deer). More than one third of the Horites (the descendants of Seir), and some of the Edomites, bear the names of animals. The name ‘Seir’, itself. means, (a kid goat); and ‘Dishon means (deer). . f- The kings of Edom: These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. ‘Bela, son of Beor’; the name of his city being ‘Dinhabah’ (43) This book recorded for us the descendants of ‘Edom’ (Esau), who were enemies of Israel. ‘Esau’ was the firstborn of Isaac the son of Abraham, the man of faith; But having married heathen women, who were bitterness to the life of Rebekah, Isaac’s wife, and mother of Esau and Jacob, the Edomite nation, idol-worshippers, and enemies of the truth, was established. “Bela, son of Beor”; (Genesis 36: 32); A Hebrew name, meaning (swallowing); He was a king over Edom. “Dinhabah”; (Genesis 36: 32); An Edomite name, probably meaning (he who gives a judgment); Its location nowadays is probably ‘Kherbet (ruins) of El-Den’, a town in Moab, south of ‘Arnon’. Bela died, and Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah succeeded him as king (44). “Jobab”; (Genesis 36: 33); a Hebrew name, probably meaning (screams); the son of Joktan’ (23); The location where that Arab tribe inhabited is unknown. One of the kings of Moab carried the same name (Genesis 36: 23-34; 1 Chronicles 1: 14-15). Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king (45) “Husham”; (Genesis 36: 34); A Hebrew name, meaning (haste or exitement). Husham died, and Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king, the name of his city being Avith (46) “Hadad” or “Hadar”; (Genesis 36: 35-36); A Semite name, meaning (brave). There was another Edomite king by the same name (Genesis 36: 39); the name of his city was ‘fahi’ or ‘Faho’. “Avith”; (Genesis 36: 35); An Edomite name, meaning (ruins); an Edomite province; birthplace of king Hadad; probably ‘Place of the corpse’ mowadays, close to ‘Maan’. Hadad dies, and Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him as king (47) “Samlah”; (Genesis 36: 36); A Hebrew name, meaning (a garment); he reigned long before there was any king of Israel; the name of his capital was Mesrekah. “Masrekah”; (Genesis 36: 36); An Edomite name, probably meaning (a vineyard); an Edomite city, the birthplace of ‘Samleh’ king of Edom, located at Mount Meshrak. 22 miles Sourh od ‘Massan’. Samleh died, and Saul of Rehoboth-by-the River succeeded him as king (48) “Saul” of Rehoboth; (Genesis 36: 37); Saul a Hebrew name, meaning (asked from God). Saul died, and Baal-Hanan son of Achbor succeeded him as king (49) “Ashbor”; (Genesis 36: 38); A Semite name, meaning (rat). Baal-Hanan son of Achbor died, and Hadad succeeded him as king; the name of his city being Pai; his wife’s name was Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab (50) “Mehetabel daughter of Matred”; (Genesis 36: 39); A Semite name, meaning (to whom God does good); wife of Hadad king of Edom. Hadad died; These are the names of the princes of Edom, according to their names and their localities: Timna; Aliah; Jetheth; Oholibamah; Elah; Pinon (51) “Oholibamah”; (Genesis 36: 41); A Hebrew name, meaning (My tent is on a high place); Esau’s wife bore the same name, she was daughter of Anah the Horite (Genesis 36: 2); and was also called ‘Judith’ “Elah”; (or Elath); A Hebrew name, meaning (Oak tree). “Pinon”; (Genesis 36: 41) An Edomite prince, probably lived in the city of ‘Ponon’, on the West side of ‘Araba’, 5 ½ miles on the East side of ‘Kherbet Nahas’. The princes Kenaz; Teman; Mibzar (52) “Kenaz”; (Genesis 36: 42); A Semite name, probably meaning (a catch); name of the son of ‘Eliphaz, son of ‘Esau’. “Teman”; (Genesis 36: 42); A Hebrew name, meaning (the right-hand or the southern); the name of the firstborn of Eliphaz son of Esau. “Mibzar”; (Genesis 36: 42); A Hebrew name, meaning (a stronghold). The princes Magdiel and Iram; These were the prices of Edom (53) “Magdiel”; (Genesis 36: 43); An Edomite name, meaning (the glory of God) “Iram”; (Genesis 36: 43); A Hebrew name, meaning (cautious). ---------------------------- AN INSPIRATION FROM 1 CHRONICLES 1 A GENEALOGY, OR A JOURNEY WITH GOD?! + By Your Holy Spirit, Open my eyes; To enjoy the sweetness of the joyful journey of living together with You; I stand in awe and amazement before the works of Your love; In the genealogies (1 Chronicles 1-9), I see an enjoyable journey together with You; I shall not start it unless I cast myself in Your bosoms; And I feel Your company with me; For I see You, the start and the end of the journey; Being the Bearer of my depths, I rest on Your shoulders all along the way. + The Jews cared to record the genealogies; For every believer to know to which tribe he belongs; And to know his portion in the promised land in Canaan; As for me, I count myself as though belong to the tribe of the heavenlies; I do not look forward, except toward the heavenly Canaan; my eternal inheritance; You are my Portion, riches, treasure, joy, and crown; Grant me to encounter some of my fathers; To enter into an open talk of love; To enjoy the journey of my life; Encountering Adam, I see him exultant and happy; I hear him say: My God granted me another son – Seth – to comfort me; Whom I see almost having my image before I corrupt; Whom I see a symbol of the new Adam; My Savior, and Savior of my descendants; I was so comforted, together with my wife; that we remembered ‘Cain; his brother’s killer, no more; I no longer saw him fearful and trembling; as though the whole creation is against him; I no longer grieve for Abel, whose blood cries out to heaven; I rejoiced, O my Savior, to see my descendants attached to You; By Your blood, O Lover of mankind, You reformed what I corrupted in the life of all my descendants. + I set forth from Adam and Eve, to their grandson Enoch; I exulted to see him; and perceived what the prophet Moses wrote about him; “Enoch started to call the name of the Lord” (Genesis 4: 26); I saw how he was distinguished, on account of that he was the first to praise God unceasingly; I saw how his heart was ablaze with Your love, to praise You day and night; I saw how he became the first teacher of the life of praise I wish to see all the descendants of Adam, partake of the praise by the heavenlies. + I was drawn to the personality of his grandson Mahalalel Whose life was in harmony with his name; who did not cease to exult in You; Whose heart knew nothing but thanksgiving to the Lord; Among his descendants he presented to us ‘Enoch’, who was worthy of being “taken away” by the Lord; Let me say together with Solomon the Sage: “The Lord took him up, lest evil may probably change his mind” God “took him away” because he was living among the sinners (Wisdom 4: 10-11); When he was “taken away” to heaven, ‘Enoch’ flew on the wings of love (Genesis 5: 24). + ‘Enoch’ swiftly passed his days of sojourn, and the Lord “took him away” from the face of evil; Then came his son Methoselah, although his life was too long, yet it ended up by death; The years of his life passed like a moment; We are not preoccupied with the number of years he lived. + His son ‘Lamech’ opened up a serious door in human life; He did not commit himself to one wife, like his grandfather Adam; ‘Lamech’ was the first to marry two women; By that he corrupted the concept of the marital love, and the purity of the family; We may say, together with St. (Mar) Ephraim, that by so ding, his life was filled with trouble; He looked forward to the Messiah, born by a virgin, to grant him comfort and righteousness + I quickly passed to the righteous ‘Noah’, in the midst of a dark and pervert generation; Whom God commanded to build an ark, before He drowns the whole world; Noah and his three sons, together with their women, began a new world; It was as though Noah and his family got baptized in the water of the great flood; The ark kept them safe; as though they enjoyed a symbol of the church of the new covenant; The outer world was renewed; to renew our inner life. + When Noah got himself naked, his wicked son ‘Ham’ mocked him; Whereas Shem and Japheth reverently covered him up; I saw in Noah Your image, Who got drunk by Your love for us; Who got naked on the cross to carry our reproach; The Jews, Your crucifiers mocked You; But the Gentiles believed in You, and became members in Your Holy body. + I exulted to encounter with the father of all believers – Abraham; For, while Adam was the general father of all mankind; Abraham was the general father of all believers; While Adam tore off the garment of purity and of obedience to the Grantor of goodness; And while in Adam, we became branches in the wild olive tree; By faith we spiritually became the descendants of Abraham; We became grafted in the olive tree, fruitful through the work of the Holy Spirit. + By Isaac, the son of the promise, we reached our sonhood in God; Isaac filled his father’s heart with joy and gladness; And we, by the Holy Spirit of God became the object of pleasure to the Father. + Isaac, the son of obedience, begot Jacob, father of all the tribes; For my sake, O my Savior, You came, not to let me belong to any of the tribes; Nor to inherit a portion in the promised land; But to grant me Yourself, a portion for myself; to exult in You forever; You are everything to Me, O the desire of my heart.
Welcome