Genesis 10:12

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Genesis 10:12 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).
Genesis 10:12 — American Standard Version

Context — Genesis 10

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
12and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Resen, between Nineveh and Calah, etc.] This was another city built by Ashur, situated between those two cities mentioned: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it Talsar, or Thalassar, (see <233712> Isaiah 37:12) The conjecture of Bochart f640 is more probable, that it is the Larissa of Xenophon, situated on the Tigris; though Junius thinks it is either Bassora, or Belcina, which Ptolemy f641 places on the Tigris, near Nineveh: the same is a great city: which Jarchi interprets of Nineveh, called a great city, and was indeed one, being sixty miles in circumference, (Jon 1:2 3:3) but the construction of the words carries it to Resen, which might be the greatest city when first built;…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“- XXXII. Ham 6. מצרים mı̂tsrayı̂m, “Mitsraim.” מצר mētser, “straitness, limit, pressure.” מצור mātsôr, “distress, siege, mound, bulwark; Egypt.” מצרים mı̂tsrayı̂m, “perhaps double Egypt, lower and upper.” פוּט pûṭ, “Put, troubled.” 7. סבא sebā', “Seba, drinking (man, Ethiopian).” סבתה sabtâh, “Sabtah.” רעמה ra‛mâh, “Ra‘mah, shaking, trembling.” סבתכא sabtekā', “Sabtekha.” שׁבא shēbā', “Sheba, captive?” דדן dedān, “Dedan, going slowly?” 8. נמרד nı̂mrod, “Nimrod, strong, rebel.” 10. בבל bābel, “Babel; related: pour, mingle, confound.” ארך 'erek, “Erek, length.” אכד 'akad, “Akkad, fortress.” כלנה kalneh, “Kalneh.” שׁנער shı̂n‛ār, “Shin‘ar.” 11. נינוה nı̂ynevēh, “Nineveh,…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification