Genesis Chapter 10: The Descendants of Canaan

The descendants of Canaan were the nations and families and areas that were a part of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.  We often just assume that they deserved the killing and taking of their land that they experienced, but I think it is important to know something about these people and their lives.  The sons of Ham were Ethiopia (Cush - present day Sudan), Egypt (Mizriam), Phut (Northern Africa) and Canaan (present day Israel and Palestine, among other areas).

In other words, Ethiopia (Cush), Egypt (Mizraim), Phut (Northern Africa) and Canaan were brothers according to biblical accounts.

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

Genesis 10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

Genesis 10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

Genesis 10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Shinar is the Hebrew name for Babylon and Nimrod is a direct descendant of Cush (Ethiopia-modern day Sudan).  And for Mizraim (Egypt) we find:

Genesis 10:13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,

Genesis 10:14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.

Philistim refers to the Philistines with whom Israel would go on to have many famous conflicts.

As for Canaan, the Bible says,

Genesis 10:15 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth,

Genesis 10:16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,

Genesis 10:17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,

Genesis 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.

Genesis 10:19 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 10:20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.