Descendants of Ham

Genesis 10:6-20

“And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.” (Genesis 10:6)

Ham’s descendants occupied parts of Asia minor, the Arab Peninsula, and most of Africa.
Contrary to what many have taught, they are not all black races.

Cush

Part of Egypt was once called Kush, and the Babylonian city of Kish is believed to carry on his name.

“And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.” (Genesis 10:7)

Seba father of the Sabeans on the west coast of the Arab Peninsula.
Havilah settled in the east coast of Africa along the Persian Gulf.
Sabtah fathered a people known as the Sabateni, on the east side of the Arab Peninsula.
Raamah Settled near Havilah on the East coast of Africa
Sheba founded a kingdom near present day Eritrea
Dedan founded a city known as Al-ula
Sabtecha Settled in modern Yemen

Nimrod

“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.” (Genesis 10:8-12)

Nimrod established the city of Babel, and the major cities that would centuries later become the Babylonian capital, in what is modern Iraq. He was himself worshipped from a very early period as the Assyrian god of war and as the Babylonian king of the gods. His name was carried on in the name of a mountain and an Assyrian city. The Assyrian nation was started as copy of Nimrod’s kingdom.

Mizraim

Settling in Egypt, it is still the name assigned to Egypt in Hebrew, and is recorded in various ancient manuscripts. His sons founded several nations, some of which were wiped during the Ethiopic war, a conflict between Egypt and Ethiopia, according to Josephus.

“And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.” (Genesis 10:13-14)

Ludim, later known as Lubim, settled what is now known as Libya.
Anamim is one of the groups believed to have been wiped out in the Ethiopic War.
Lehabim is recorded in Egyptian records, but little is known.
Naphtuhim Settled in the Nile Delta and western Egypt
Pathrusim founded the district of Pathros.
Casluhim settled in Northern Egypt.and took part in the Ethiopic war.
Philistim was the father of the Philistines. Later they were known as the Palaistine, and it is from them we get the name Palestine. They appear to have migrated to Canaan from Egypt.
Caphtorim is sometimes claimed to have settled Crete, but both secular and biblical records indicate they were in fact in or near Egypt and were involved in the Ethiopic War.

Canaan

Canaan was the only one of Ham’s sons that was cursed. It was his land that was promised to Abraham’s descendants because of their wickedness, about four hundred twenty five years after the flood, and only about eighty years after Noah’s death.

“And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.” (Genesis 10:15-19)

Sidon settled on the Mediterranean coast and the city of Sidon still carries his name. Also known as the Zidonians, his descendents were later known as the Phoenicians.

Heth founded the Hittite peoples. Their Empire at one time stretched into modern Turkey, and their ruins are still found there.

Jebusites were the original occupants of modern Jerusalem

Amorites also set up an empire that at one point conquered Babylon. They seem to have been nomadic people.

Girgashites settled the land east of the Jordan river between Galilee and the Red Sea.

Hivites were driven into Lebanon when Israel conquered Canaan.

Arkites were recorded in various Egyptian records and established the city known to the Romans as Caesarea Libani.

Shinites were recorded in Phonecian and Assyrian writings located near the modern city of Arqa

Arvadites settled the island known today as Ruad, in the Bay of Tripoli. They were known for their seamanship.

Zemarite were later known to the Egyptians as the Sumerians

Hammathites founded the city of Hamath.

“These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.” (Genesis 10:20)