Bede : From that land came forth Asshur, and he built Nineveh and the streets of the city. From that land, from the land of Shinar it is said, from which the empire of the Assyrians sprang up, who from the name of Ninus the son of Belus founded the great city, which the Hebrews call Nineveh. Certainly, because the Scripture seems to be silent about where Asshur was born, from whom the Assyrian race was born, but only from what land he came out to build Nineveh, or other cities that it mentions, some of the Fathers understood this Asshur to be the son of Shem, of whom it is read in the following. But whether it was the same or another Asshur, it is agreed that first in the land was the kingdom of the Babylonians, second of the Assyrians, whose metropolis was Nineveh, which came forth from the same land. — Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron) Jerome : (Verse 11) From that land came Assur, and he built Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth. From this land of the Assyrians, the empire sprouted, founded by Ninus, son of Belus, and it is a great city which the Hebrews call Nineveh. The entire prophecy of Jonah pertains to its destruction or repentance. And when it says 'Nineveh and the city of Rehoboth,' we should not think that there are two cities, but because Rehoboth means streets, it should be read as 'And he built Nineveh, and the streets of the city.' — Hebrew Questions on Genesis