Shem: Son of Noah, and His Importance to Us
Copyright 2919 by Joan berry
In the days of Noah, it was traditional to list children in birth order or status determined by the father. Either way, Shem was always listed first. Following the debacle over Ham’s derision of his father, Noah blessed Shem above his brothers. However, Japheth later shared in this blessing. The name, Shem, means “name” a way of expressing his father’s desire that Shem’s name would mean greatness. This was accomplished in direct family lineage beginning with Adam’s son, Seth .A brief example would be Seth to Shem, and on to Abraham, Judah, David and eventually to Jesus. Shem is the ancestor of all of Eber’s sons. The name, Eber, means Hebrew (not to be confused with Heber) Shem is the progenitor of the Semitic peoples and one of his descendants is Abraham, the first person in the Bible with the designation of Hebrew (Gen. 14: 13). From Abraham came three great world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Nations Fathered by Shem and Descendants
Shem produced five sons: Asher, Arphaxed, Elam, Lud, and Aram. Asher is associated with Assyria; Arphaxed is related to Chaldea in southern Mesopotamia; Lud is connected to the Lydians of Asia Minor; and Aram who is noted by biblical scholars as founding Syria north of the Promised Land.
Shem (Semitic Race)
Elam (Elamites)
Ashur (Assyrians)
Lud (Lydians)
Arphaxed (Chaldeans)
Shelah
Eber
Peleg
Joklan (Arabia)
Almodad
Sheleph
Hazarmeveth
Jerah
Hadoram
Uzal
Dklah
Obal
Abimael
Sheba
Ophir
Havilah
Jobab
Lud (Lydians)
Aram (Syrians)
Uz
Hul
Gether
Meshach
Sources
Berry, J. (2019). Noah Before and After the Great Flood. Hamilton, OH: “The Original Love, Learn, Live in Christ” website by joan-berry.comO
Live in Chris
Book of Noah
Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text. (1957). Lamsa, G. M. (trans). New York, NY: Harper –Collins Pub.
Josephus: The Complete Works. (1998). (trans.) Wm. Whiston, A. M. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson
Kaffi, A. (2000). Rethinking the significance of the Black Presence in the Pentateuch for Translation Study Bible.
Kass, L.P. (1992 & 2001). Seeing the Nakedness of His Father: Part 1. American Community, Vol. 3, Is. 93, 7p.
Life Application study Bible. (NIV, 2005). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton, Illinois
New King James Version Study Bible. (2007). Pub. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Sadler, R.S. Jr. (n.d.). Can a Cushite Change His Skin Color? “Racial Othering” and the Hebrew Bible. Charlotte, NC: Union-PSCE.
The Amplified Bible. (1987). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House
The Torah and its Commentary (Revised Ed.) (2005). New York, NY: Union for Reform Judaism
Williams, T. D. (2018). The Bible is Black History ISBN-13: 978-1792125881 ISBN-10: 1792125887
Books used from Bibles: Genesis, I Chronicles, Psalms 105: 23, 27; 106: 22.
Map courtesy of Bible History/Old Testament