From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's easily missed here is that the verse doesn't explicitly state who "went forth." While the common assumption is Nimrod expanding his territory, the Hebrew allows for "Asshur" to be the subject, suggesting the ancestor of the Assyrians departing from the land of Nimrod, perhaps to escape tyranny or to establish his own lineage elsewhere. This subtle ambiguity highlights the complex interactions and migrations of these early peoples.
From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage shifts focus from Nimrod's Babylonian kingdom to a new expansion northward into Assyria. Whether it was Nimrod himself, or the descendant Asshur (son of Shem), pushing out from the land of Shinar, the result was the establishment of significant cities like Nineveh. This event marks a key moment in the early division and expansion of peoples after the Flood, laying groundwork for the rise of major empires.
Who was Nimrod, and what made him stand out so remarkably in the early post-Flood world? His story sets the stage for the rise of powerful rulers and the very concept of empire.
Genesis 10 introduces us to Nimrod, described as a "mighty one in the earth" and a "mighty hunter before the LORD." This wasn't just about skill with a spear; the text suggests a powerful, even dominating, personality who began to gather authority.
The "Mighty One"
This ambition wasn't necessarily celebrated. The text seems to imply a warning, branding Nimrod as a figure who overstepped boundaries, foreshadowing the corrupting nature of unchecked power.
Who is Asshur in this passage? Is it a person or a place? The answer impacts our understanding of who built some of the ancient world's most famous cities.
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The phrase "Out of that land went forth Asshur" is a point of significant scholarly discussion. While some ancient translations and modern interpretations suggest that Nimrod himself went forth and built cities in the land of Assyria, a strong case can be made that Asshur here refers to the person, the son of Shem, who established himself and his descendants in that region.
Two Paths, One Result:
These early cities represent more than just buildings; they mark the beginning of organized human civilization. How does this connect to God's larger plan?
Genesis 10 is often called the "Table of Nations," showing how humanity, though scattered after Babel, began to form distinct cultures and political entities. The building of cities like Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah is a pivotal part of this process.
From Scattered Tribes to Cities:
Understand the original words
Asshur · Hebrew Proper Noun
A region and later an empire in Mesopotamia, situated on the upper Tigris River. It often represents a geopolitical power center and, in later prophetic literature, becomes a symbol of opposition to God's people.
Nīnewēh · Hebrew Proper Noun
A major ancient city, historically significant as the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Biblically, it is noted for its early establishment by Nimrod and later as the site of God's call to the prophet Jonah.
This passage highlights the complex early geopolitical landscape after the Flood, where the expanding influence of Hamitic powers, like Nimrod's, encroached upon the territories of Shemitic descendants like Asshur, leading to the founding of major cities that would later play significant roles in biblical history.
c. 3000-2500 BC
Post-Flood Population Expansion
Following the Great Flood, humanity begins to repopulate the earth, with Noah's descendants spreading out from the Ararat region.
c. 2900 BC
Founding of Babel and Shinar Cities
Nimrod, a descendant of Ham, establishes a kingdom centered around Babel (Babylon) and other cities in the land of Shinar, marking the beginning of organized, centralized human power structures.
c. 2900 BC— this verse
Nimrod's Expansion into Assyria
Nimrod, or his influence, extends northward from Shinar into the region of Assyria, a land already named by Asshur, a descendant of Shem.
c. 2900 BC
Founding of Nineveh and Assyrian Cities
In the land of Assyria, Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah are established, marking the early development of cities in this northern region, potentially by Asshur or under Nimrod's expanding influence.
c. 2900 BC
Asshur Establishes His Own Kingdom
Asshur, son of Shem, likely establishes his own kingdom in response to Nimrod's expansion or tyranny, becoming a distinct power center in the region.
This verse explicitly calls Assyria the 'land of Nimrod,' directly linking the region to Nimrod's influence and conquests, which Genesis 10:11 describes.
Genesis 11:1-9The subsequent account of the Tower of Babel in the land of Shinar provides the context for the dispersion of peoples, showing how groups like Nimrod's and Asshur's moved out to establish their own settlements and kingdoms.
Genesis 10:22This verse introduces Asshur as a son of Shem, providing a genealogical link that scholars discuss in relation to the figure who 'went forth' and built cities in Assyria, offering a different perspective on the founder of that nation.
Isaiah 23:13This prophetic passage references the land of the Chaldeans and suggests Asshur founded it, offering a different historical perspective on the origins of Assyrian civilization and its relationship to earlier settlements.
gillGenesis 10:11: "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,"
Out of that land went forth Ashur,.... It is a question whether Ashur is the name of a man or of a country; some take it in the latter sense, and render the words, "and out of that land he went forth into Assyria"; so Onkelos; and in this way go Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Bochart, Cocceius, and others, and the margin of our Bible, and interpret it of Nimrod; and the Targum of Jonath…
calvinGenesis 10:1-32: "Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood."
Et filii Chus, Seba, et Havilah, et Sabthah, et Rahamah, et Sabtecha. Filii autem Rahamah, Seba, et Dedan.
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Et Chus genuit Nimrod: ipse coepit esse potens in terra:
He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
9.…
What's easily missed here is that the verse doesn't explicitly state who "went forth." While the common assumption is Nimrod expanding his territory, the Hebrew allows for "Asshur" to be the subject, suggesting the ancestor of the Assyrians departing from the land of Nimrod, perhaps to escape tyranny or to establish his own lineage elsewhere. This subtle ambiguity highlights the complex interactions and migrations of these early peoples.
This passage shifts focus from Nimrod's Babylonian kingdom to a new expansion northward into Assyria. Whether it was Nimrod himself, or the descendant Asshur (son of Shem), pushing out from the land of Shinar, the result was the establishment of significant cities like Nineveh. This event marks a key moment in the early division and expansion of peoples after the Flood, laying groundwork for the rise of major empires.
This passage shifts focus from Nimrod's Babylonian kingdom to a new expansion northward into Assyria. Whether it was Nimrod himself, or the descendant Asshur (son of Shem), pushing out from the land of Shinar, the result was the establishment of significant cities like Nineveh. This event marks a key moment in the early division and expansion of peoples after the Flood, laying groundwork for the rise of major empires.
"From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and" — What's easily missed here is that the verse doesn't explicitly state who "went forth." While the common assumption is Nimrod expanding his territory, the Hebrew allows for "Asshur" to be the subjec…
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Last reviewed October 2026