וַֽיְהִ֥י מוֹשָׁבָ֖ם מִמֵּשָׁ֑א בֹּאֲכָ֥ה סְפָ֖רָה הַ֥ר הַקֶּֽדֶם׃
И жилище их было от Меша, когда идешь к Сефару на гору восточную.
Rashi
בנסעם מקדם AS THEY JOURNEYED FROM THE EAST where they were then dwelling, as it is written above, (Genesis 10:30) “And their dwelling place was … the mountain of the East”. From there they journeyed to search out for themselves a place that would accommodate them all, but they found none except Shinar (Genesis Rabbah 38:7).
Ramban
AS THEY JOURNEYED FROM THE EAST. Rashi comments: “They journeyed from where they were then dwelling, as it is written above, And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest toward Sephar, unto the mountain of the east.333Above, 10:30. From there they journeyed to search out for themselves a place that would accomodate them all, but they found none except Shinar.” But this is not correct for this is the account of the children of Shem only, concerning whom it was so said [that they dwelled at “the mountain of the east”], and why should Scripture attribute the dispersion to the descendants of Shem when the children of Japheth and of Ham were more numerous than they? Besides, their habitation in their countries was from Mesha to the mountain of the east,333Above, 10:30. and the dispersion of the nations took place before they settled there, for the children of Japheth surely did not come from the isles of the sea334Ibid., Verse 5. to the land of Shinar; rather, it was during the dispersion that G-d scattered them abroad upon the face of all the earth,335Verse 9 here. and at that time they were settled in their lands, after their nations.336Above, 10:31.
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that the mountains of Ararat are in the east. [Thus the verse before us which states, as they journeyed from the east, means as they journeyed from the mountains of Ararat.] That which he said is correct for the mountains of Ararat are in the east near Assyria, as it is said, And they escaped into the land of Ararat.337II Kings 19:37. The reference there is to the sons of Sennacherib of Assyria, who slew their father and fled to the nearby land of Ararat. And when Noah came down from the mountain [upon which the ark had rested],338Above 8:4. he and his sons settled in those lands, and when they increased they journeyed from there to this valley called Shinar.
According to our Rabbis,339Sanhedrin 109a. the men of the dispersion rebelled against their Creator. But those who pursue the plain meaning of Scripture say340This opinion is found in R’dak. that their idea was only to be closely united, for Scripture declares their intention, lest we be scattered,341Verse 4 here. and does not relate any other matter [motive] concerning them. But if it be as those commentators say, then the men of the dispersion were fools for how could one city and one tower suffice for all people of the world? Or perhaps they thought that they would not be fruitful and multiply, as it is written, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.342Psalms 37:28.
However, he who knows the meaning of the word “name” — as they said, and we will make for us a name341Verse 4 here. — will understand their intent and will know the extent of their evil intention in constructing the tower. And then he will understand the whole subject, namely, that theirs was an evil thought, and the punishment that came over them — to be dispersed in their languages and countries — was meted out measure for measure for “they mutilated the shoots” [of faith by seeking to undermine the principle of the Unity]. Thus their sin was comparable to that of their father Adam.343See Ramban above, 3:22. Perhaps on account of this the Sages expounded:344Bereshith Rabbah 38:12. “And the Eternal came down to see… which the children of men had built.345Verse 5 here. Said Rabbi Berachyah, ‘[Whose children could they have been but the children of men?] Perhaps the children of donkeys or camels? Rather it means the children of the first man, etc.’” Contemplate further that in the entire subject of the flood, Scripture mentions Elokim (G-d), while in the entire matter of the dispersion it mentions the Tetragrammaton; the flood came on account of the corruption of the land, and the dispersion came because “they mutilated the shoots” of faith and therefore their punishment was meted out by His Great Name. This explains the “coming down”345Verse 5 here. and also the Divine measure meted out in Sodom.346See Ramban further, 19:24. The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.
And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained that the mountains of Ararat are in the east. [Thus the verse before us which states, as they journeyed from the east, means as they journeyed from the mountains of Ararat.] That which he said is correct for the mountains of Ararat are in the east near Assyria, as it is said, And they escaped into the land of Ararat.337II Kings 19:37. The reference there is to the sons of Sennacherib of Assyria, who slew their father and fled to the nearby land of Ararat. And when Noah came down from the mountain [upon which the ark had rested],338Above 8:4. he and his sons settled in those lands, and when they increased they journeyed from there to this valley called Shinar.
According to our Rabbis,339Sanhedrin 109a. the men of the dispersion rebelled against their Creator. But those who pursue the plain meaning of Scripture say340This opinion is found in R’dak. that their idea was only to be closely united, for Scripture declares their intention, lest we be scattered,341Verse 4 here. and does not relate any other matter [motive] concerning them. But if it be as those commentators say, then the men of the dispersion were fools for how could one city and one tower suffice for all people of the world? Or perhaps they thought that they would not be fruitful and multiply, as it is written, and the seed of the wicked will be cut off.342Psalms 37:28.
However, he who knows the meaning of the word “name” — as they said, and we will make for us a name341Verse 4 here. — will understand their intent and will know the extent of their evil intention in constructing the tower. And then he will understand the whole subject, namely, that theirs was an evil thought, and the punishment that came over them — to be dispersed in their languages and countries — was meted out measure for measure for “they mutilated the shoots” [of faith by seeking to undermine the principle of the Unity]. Thus their sin was comparable to that of their father Adam.343See Ramban above, 3:22. Perhaps on account of this the Sages expounded:344Bereshith Rabbah 38:12. “And the Eternal came down to see… which the children of men had built.345Verse 5 here. Said Rabbi Berachyah, ‘[Whose children could they have been but the children of men?] Perhaps the children of donkeys or camels? Rather it means the children of the first man, etc.’” Contemplate further that in the entire subject of the flood, Scripture mentions Elokim (G-d), while in the entire matter of the dispersion it mentions the Tetragrammaton; the flood came on account of the corruption of the land, and the dispersion came because “they mutilated the shoots” of faith and therefore their punishment was meted out by His Great Name. This explains the “coming down”345Verse 5 here. and also the Divine measure meted out in Sodom.346See Ramban further, 19:24. The student learned [in the mystic lore of the Cabala] will understand.
Ramban
AND MITZRAIM BEGOT. Scripture mentions the descendants of Mitzraim but does not specify their habitation as it does concerning the others. With the sons of Japheth it mentioned the isles,294Verse 5 here. with the sons of Cush it mentioned the land of Shinar284Verse 10 here. and Asshur,285Verse 11. and with the sons of Canaan it mentioned the boundaries of their land,295Verse 19. and likewise with the sons of Shem.296Verse 30. This was because Mitzraim (Egypt), the land of his habitation, was known for it was called by his name, and all his children lived around Egypt, and the names of their countries were also like their names. Thus we find for Pathrusim,297Verse 14. [one of the children of Mitzraim], the land of Pathrus, which is part of the land of Egypt, as it says, And I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate;298Ezekiel 30:13-14. Into the land of their origin.299Ibid., 29:14. The verse reads: And I turn the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their origin. This shows that the land of Pathros is near Egypt. Similarly, Lud and all the Arabians300Ibid., 30:5. were also around Egypt, and the names of their countries were like their names. So also the land of the Philistines was called Philistia, and so it is written [in Exodus 15:14], the inhabitants of Philistia.
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that these [names — Ludim, and Anamim, etc., in Verses 13-14] — are names of countries, and in each and every country there dwelled one family. This is why the names are all in the plural form, [that is, on account of the persons in the family, hence Ludim and not “Lud”]. And the real proof [that these are names of countries is the expression], ‘misham’ (whence) went forth,297Verse 14. for this word misham alludes to a place. In the opinion of the commentators,301Rashi and Ibn Ezra. the meaning of the expression, that went forth, is that they begot them, just as in the expression, And kings shall come out of thy loins.302Genesis 35:11. Now Rashi wrote: “They [the Philistines] were descended from both of them [the Pathrusim and the Casluhim], for the Pathrusim and Casluhim used to live together in promiscuous intercourse, and the Philistines were their offspring. Thus in Bereshith Rabbah.”30337:8.
In my opinion, by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the Casluhim dwelled in a city of that name — which was part of the land of Caphtor where the Caphtorim their brethren were — and they went forth from there, meaning from the Caphtorim who were of the seed of Casluhim. And they went in order to look for a resting-place for themselves,304Numbers 10:33. and they left the land to their brethren and conquered for themselves a land by the name of Philistia, after which they came to be called Philistines. This is why Scripture says, The Caphtorim, that came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead,305Deuteronomy 2:22. the Caphtorim being of the sons of Casluhim, dwellers of the land of Caphtor.
But Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra said that these [names — Ludim, and Anamim, etc., in Verses 13-14] — are names of countries, and in each and every country there dwelled one family. This is why the names are all in the plural form, [that is, on account of the persons in the family, hence Ludim and not “Lud”]. And the real proof [that these are names of countries is the expression], ‘misham’ (whence) went forth,297Verse 14. for this word misham alludes to a place. In the opinion of the commentators,301Rashi and Ibn Ezra. the meaning of the expression, that went forth, is that they begot them, just as in the expression, And kings shall come out of thy loins.302Genesis 35:11. Now Rashi wrote: “They [the Philistines] were descended from both of them [the Pathrusim and the Casluhim], for the Pathrusim and Casluhim used to live together in promiscuous intercourse, and the Philistines were their offspring. Thus in Bereshith Rabbah.”30337:8.
In my opinion, by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, the Casluhim dwelled in a city of that name — which was part of the land of Caphtor where the Caphtorim their brethren were — and they went forth from there, meaning from the Caphtorim who were of the seed of Casluhim. And they went in order to look for a resting-place for themselves,304Numbers 10:33. and they left the land to their brethren and conquered for themselves a land by the name of Philistia, after which they came to be called Philistines. This is why Scripture says, The Caphtorim, that came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead,305Deuteronomy 2:22. the Caphtorim being of the sons of Casluhim, dwellers of the land of Caphtor.