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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Genesis 9:27 - 9:27
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God shall enlarge Japheth; or, enlarge to Japheth. Understand here his place, as Gen_26:22 Psa_4:1, or his border; which was very literally made good to him, because he had a very numerous posterity; and by them he possessed the largest part of the world, even all Europe, a great part of Asia, and it is probable America also. Or, God shall persuade Japheth to do what follows, to dwell in Shem’s tents, where God dwelleth; and so to be reunited to his brother Shem both in affection and in religion, in both which the Gentiles, the greatest part of whom were Japheth’s posterity, were for a long time at an irreconcilable distance from the Jews.
He shall dwell in the tents of Shem, i.e. shall be of the same church with Shem, i.e. of the church, which is called in Scripture the tents or tabernacles of Judah, or of Jacob, or in general of the saints, Zec_12:7 Mal_2:12 Rev_20:9, and here of Shem, in whose posterity the church was first and longest settled. And to dwell with another notes friendly association and communion with him, as when God is said to dwell with men; and when the wolf is said to dwell with the lamb, Isa_11:6. Possibly this may note Japheth’s succession into Shem’s tents, or coming into their place and stead, or the calling of the Gentiles, together with the rejection of the Jews; as the Reubenites are said to dwell in the tabernacles of the Hagarite, whom they subdued and expelled, 1Ch_5:10.
Canaan shall be his servant. This was eminently accomplished; for though Shem and Japheth, in their posterity, did successively conquer and rule one over the other, yet none of Ham’s posterity did ever bear rule over Japheth; but Ham, though for a time he bore sway in his son Nimrod, yet that dominion soon expired, and the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Grecians, and Romans ruled the world for a succession of many ages, and Ham’s people were constantly their servants and subjects.