Shem

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Men in the Old Testament, Noah

Scholars are not sure whether Shem is Noah’s eldest or youngest son.
In Genesis 5, Shem is listed first, leading scholars to think he’s the eldest.
Five chapters later, he is last on the list.
Proponents of either scenario have explanations for the differences.
Some say Shem’s mentioned last in chapter 10 because the genealogy follows his descendants.
Or, some argue he’s the youngest son but is mentioned first because he is the most important one.
Some translations of Genesis 10:21 read, “Sons were also born to Shem, whose older brother was Japheth; Shem was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.
Others render this line, “To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born.”
Shem’s name means “name.” This could mean making a name as in “fame,” or a “mark” or a “brand.” Its origin is unknown.
When Noah is 500 years old, he fathers three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japeth.
“Noah is a righteous man, blameless in his generation; he walks with God.”
Because the people around him are corrupt, Noah is told by God to build an ark.
God then tells Noah to go into the ark with his whole household and pairs of all the animals.
Noah does as God instructs.
Noah and his sons and their wives all go into the ark.
Seven days later, God sends rain upon the earth.
The rain lasts for 40 days.
Noah is 600 years old by this time, so his sons are roughly 100.
Yet, Genesis 11:10 states that Shem is 100 when he becomes the father of Arphaxad two years after the flood.
When the earth is dry, Noah and his sons and all their wives leave the ark.
The first thing Noah does is build an altar to give thanks.
Then God blesses Noah and his sons, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.”
He also establishes a covenant with them that “never again will all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”
The sign of the covenant will be a rainbow in the sky.
Sometime later, Noah plants a vineyard and drinks so much that he passes out.
Ham sees his father’s nakedness in the tent.
He goes outside and tells his two brothers, Shem and Japheth.
They take a garment, lay it on their shoulders, walk backward into the tent, and cover their father.
Not once do they look at him.
When Noah awakens, he knows what Ham has done.
For that, Ham is cursed.
To Shem he says, “Blessed by the Lord my God be Shem; and let Canaan be his slave.
Canaan is another term for Ham.
In addition to Arphaxad, Shem has other sons: Elam, Asshur, Lud, and Aram. He also has daughters, but they remain nameless.
Abraham is a ninth generation descendant of Shem through Arphaxad.
According to Genesis 11:10, Shem lives 500 more years after the flood.
Shem’s descendants are the progenitors of the Moabites, Israelites, Ammonites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, Midianites, Assurites, Leturites, and Luemites.
More than 26 countries and languages can be traced back to Shem.
Abram, whose name was later changed to Abraham, is born when Shem is 390 years old.
There are many legends involving Shem.
Some identify him as a prophet.
Others think he is Melchizedek, the High Priest and King of Salem, who approaches Abram (Abraham) after battling the four kings and rescuing Lot, Abram’s nephew.
Other legends claim that Shem founded a school in which the Torah was taught.
Supposedly, Jacob was a student there.
The teaching of Shem’s school provides the basis for the laws of the day.
Shem is the one who asked God to give the priesthood to Abraham.
Nothing is known about his burial.

Bible Characters