Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 9:27

27. God shall enlarge Iapheth , and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem , and Canaan shall be his Servant .

Or, Enlarge to Iapheth, understand here his place, as Gen. 26. 22. Psal. 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 as it is probable America also. Or, God shall perswade Iapheth, to do what follows, to dwell in Shems Tents, where God dwelleth, and so to be re-united to his Brother Shem both in affection and in Religion, in both which the Gentiles, the greatest part of whom were Iapheths Posterity, were for a long time at an irreconcileable distance from the Jews.

(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 Iudah, or of Iacob, or in general, of the Saints, Zach. 12. 7. Mal 2. 12. Revel. 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 Iapheths Succession into Shems Tents, or coming into their place and stead, or the calling of the Gentiles together with the rejection of Jews: as the Reubenites are said to dwell in the Tabernacles of the Hagarens whom they subdued and expelled, 1 Chron 5. 10.

This was eminently accomplished: For though Shem and Iapheth in their Posterity did successively conquer and rule one over the other, yet none of Hams Posterity did ever bear rule over Iapheth, but Ham, though for a time he bore sway in his Son Nimrod, yet that dominion soon expired, and the Assrrians, Chaldeans, Grecians, and Romans ruled the World for a succession of many Ages; and Hams people were constantly their Servants and Subjects.

Marginal references: Or, perswade.; Heb. servant to them.