^10:8Cush was the father of³¹ Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth. ^10:9He was a mighty hunter³² before the Lord.³³ (That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”) ^10:10The primary regions³⁴ of his kingdom were Babel,³⁵ Erech,³⁶ Akkad,³⁷ and Calneh³⁸ in the land of Shinar.³⁹^10:11From that land he went⁴⁰ to Assyria,⁴¹ where he built Nineveh,⁴² Rehoboth-Ir,⁴³ Calah,⁴⁴^10:12and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.⁴⁵

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Footnotes

31 Heb “fathered.” Embedded within Cush’s genealogy is an account of Nimrod, a mighty warrior. There have been many attempts to identify him, but none are convincing.
32 The Hebrew word for “hunt” is צַיִד (tsayid), which is used on occasion for hunting men (1 Sam 24:12; Jer 16:16; Lam 3:15).
33 Another option is to take the divine name here, לִפְנֵי יִהוָה (lifne yéhvah, “before the Lord [YHWH]”), as a means of expressing the superlative degree. In this case one may translate “Nimrod was the greatest hunter in the world.”
34 Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (), , suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.
35 Or “Babylon.”
36 Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.
37 Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.
38 No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. ).
39 Shinar is another name for Babylonia.
40 The subject of the verb translated “went” is probably still Nimrod. However, it has also been interpreted that “Ashur went,” referring to a derivative power.
41 Heb “Asshur.”
42 Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city situated on the Tigris River.
43 The name Rehoboth-Ir means “and broad streets of a city,” perhaps referring to a suburb of Nineveh.
44 Calah (modern Nimrud) was located twenty miles north of Nineveh.
45 Heb “and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; it [i.e., Calah] is the great city.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went into Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Cush was the father of Nimrod, who became a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Uruk, Akkad and Kalneh, in Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah—which is the great city.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Cush fathered Nimrod, who began to be powerful in the land. He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord.” His kingdom started with Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh and the great city Calah.

NLTNew Living Translation

Cush was also the ancestor of Nimrod, who was the first heroic warrior on earth. Since he was the greatest hunter in the world, his name became proverbial. People would say, “This man is like Nimrod, the greatest hunter in the world.” He built his kingdom in the land of Babylonia, with the cities of Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh. From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah).

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty warrior. He was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it was said, “Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Yahweh.” Now, the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went out to Assyria, and he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah, Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

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