Nimrod/2

Nimrod

Exegetical Approaches

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Wicked

Sources:PhiloQuestions and Answers on Genesis II:82On the Giants 65-66About Philo, JosephusAntiquities of the Jews 1:4:2-3About Josephus, Sifra VayikraBechukotai 2:2About the Sifra Vayikra, BavliEiruvin 53aPesachim 94a-94bChulin 89aAbout the Bavli, Bereshit Rabbah23:737:2-3About Bereshit Rabbah, Targum Pseudo-JonathanBereshit 10:8-11About Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Targum YerushalmiBereshit 11:9About Targum Yerushalmi, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer24About Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer, RashiBereshit 10:8-11About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorBereshit 10:8-11About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RambanBereshit 10:8-11About R. Moshe b. Nachman, SefornoBereshit 10:8-11About R. Ovadyah Seforno,

Wicked to whom? While most of these sources focus on Nimrod's rebelliousness against Hashem, R"Y Bekhor Shor and Ramban point to his oppressing of men, with the former highlighting his robbing of them and the latter suggesting that Nimrod was the first to rule over others and brought wars to the world. 

Meaning of "נמרוד" – The Bavli explains that Nimrod's name comes from the word "מרד" hinting to his rebellious nature.¹  Though the others are not as explicit, many make words-plays with the two words, and it is possible that the name played a part in their choice to read Nimrod's character negatively.

"גבור"

הוּא הֵחֵל לִהְיוֹת גִּבֹּר בָּאָרֶץ

גִבֹּר צַיִד לִפְנֵי י"י

מִן הָאָרֶץ הַהִוא יָצָא אַשּׁוּר

Connection to Story of Tower of Bavel

Why does the Torah share this?

Neutral

Sources:RadakBereshit 10:8-12About R. David Kimchi, ShadalBereshit 10:8-11About R. Shemuel David Luzzatto, Maasei Hashem, Beur

Righteous

Sources:Ibn EzraBereshit 10:8-11Additional Commentary Bereshit 10About R. Avraham ibn Ezra

¹ In contrast to the Bavli, Philo, in his Questions on Genesis, suggests that the name Nimrod means "Ethiopian" and alludes to the blackness of Nimrod's character.  In his work, On Giants, he alternatively posits that it means "deserter" and refers to one who has gone over to the enemy side.  It is not clear, though, where either of these definitions comes from.