Nimrod
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Read Genesis 10 v 8 to 12 |
We are told more about Nimrod than we are about anyone else in chapter 10.
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Look at the definition of ‘mighty’ in the Strong’s Concordance entries |
Nimrod was a remarkable man, and it seems he dominated the rest of the family and became the first ‘king’.
Verse 9 twice tells us that Nimrod was a mighty man ‘before the LORD’.
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Look at the definition of ‘before’ in the Strong’s Concordance entries |
The word translated ‘before’ here is used in many ways in the Bible, so that it is difficult to work out what the phrase means. However, some of the meanings given in Strong’s Concordance suggest opposition (to God), and this certainly appears to be the case later in the chapter.
The New International Version makes the meaning of verses 10 and 11 clearer:-
The first centres of his (Nimrod’s) kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah.
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Look at the definition of ‘kingdom’ in the Strong’s Concordance entries |
So Nimrod is the first ‘kingdom builder’ mentioned in the Bible. He started his rule in Babylon (also referred to as Babel) and its surrounding area. He later went north to Assyria. Wherever he went he built cities, following Cain’s example (ch 4 v 17)
The other two references to Nimrod confirm the picture that we have already seen.
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Read
1 Chronicles 1 v 10 |
We conclude, then, that Nimrod founded the Assyrian Empire and built its capital city Nineveh. The Assyrian Empire was later conquered by the Babylonian Empire. The character of the founder was reflected in both empires, which later feature in the Bible as hostile to God’s people Israel. We see the hostility predicted in Genesis 3 v 15 starting again with Nimrod after the flood. It continues throughout the rest of Genesis and beyond.
