Genesis 10:1–14 (NKJV)

Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.

The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).

Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim).

The descendants of Noah scattered around the world and often named the places where they settled. Mizraim is the Hebrew word for Egypt. Put is to the west of Egypt, and Cush to the south. Canaan is the land just to the east of the Mediterranean Sea.

Nimrod was a legendary character, but the Hebrew translated as “before the LORD,” can mean “against the LORD.” It’s literally “to the face of LORD.” The same word is used in the first commandment when the LORD says, “You shall have no other gods before me,” (literally “to my face.”) While “before the LORD,” is the primary translation, Nimrod’s life story lends weight to the alternative.

There is considerable evidence that he was a tyrant and that he was involved in the construction of the tower of Babel.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” — John Dalberg-Acton

It’s more accurate to say that power tends to make our corruption manifest, rather than produces it, but Acton’s cliché is still a great truth. Power is poisonous. In modern society, success acts the same way. Garrison Keillor once said, of one of his fictional characters, “Like many successful people, he is full of himself to an amazing extent.”

Pray for humility. We all want it. Or do we? Can humility be learned without great cost? How does one seriously pursue humility? Obviously, that includes prayer, but what does one specifically ask for?

Start by asking for the strength to endure the lessons.

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NASB stands for the New American Standard Bible. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.