SHEM
“renowned”.
One of Noah’s two oldest sons (Gen. 10:21; cf. 9:24), and probably the firstborn (Gen. 5:32).
Shem and his descendants are listed last in Gen. 10, based on the way of acting of the author of Genesis: he places the secondary genealogies before the main line of God’s people.
Shem was born around the year 500 of Noah’s life (see NOAH). At the time of the Flood he was already married, but had not yet had any children (Gen. 7:7; 1 Pet. 3:20).
After the cataclysm, Shem testified to filial respect towards his father, who had become drunk. Noah gave this son a blessing that implied that Shem’s descendants would perpetuate the worship of the true God (Gen. 9:23, 27).
Shem was the ancestor of the peoples who occupied Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram (Gen. 10:21, 22).