Shem
Before Israel Son of Noah; ancestor of the Semitic peoples · Creation & Patriarchs · Old Testament
- Also called
- Sem
- Name means
- Name; renown
- Role
- Son of Noah; forefather of Abraham
- When
- After the Flood
What they did
Survived the Flood with his father. He covered his father's nakedness with his brother Japheth and received Noah's blessing.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
God's line of promise ran through Shem to Abraham, Israel and Christ (Luke 3:36).
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. Genesis 9:26 (KJV)
Bible references
And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. Genesis 9:26-27 (KJV)
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. Genesis 10:21-22 (KJV)
These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: Genesis 11:10 (KJV)
Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, Luke 3:36 (KJV)
Family
- Father
- Noah
- Children
- Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram
- Brothers / sisters
- Ham, Japheth
Genesis 11:10-26 traces his line to Abram.