References (12)
[A total of 26 descendants of Shem are mentioned. The sons of Shem ("Semites") include the Hebrews (descendants of Eber, see ), the Arameans, the Assyrians, and others. The areas they move to are mainly to the east and correspond to Mesopotamia and Arabia. The introduction to Shem is different from that of his brothers Japheth and Ham (verses 2 and 6), where it simply says "the sons of Japheth" and "the sons of Ham." Here, this part of the family tree is emphasized by the longer wording "to Shem were born children." It is through Shem, Arppacheshad, Shelach, Eber, and Peleg that Abraham will be born. Already in the introduction, Eber is emphasized as the fourth generation from Noah, the lineage that will lead to Abraham and the Messiah.]
Children were also born to Shem. Shem was the ancestor of all Eber's children [four generations ahead, see verses 24-25, the word means "to cross over" and has given rise to the word "Hebrew"] and Japheth's older brother.
[Literally, the Hebrew sentence ends with "brother Japheth older". It is possible to interpret the Hebrew adjective ha´gadol to mean "Japheth was the older brother". This is how the Greek translation Septuagint and many Jewish rabbis interpret it. Others interpret the phrase as "Japheth's older brother" and that it is Shem who is Japheth's older brother. A similar formulation is found in , where Kenaz is Caleb's younger brother. The Syriac, Latin, and many modern translations choose this interpretation. The Core Bible leans toward and , where it appears that Japheth is the eldest; see also .]
Arppacheshad [Chem's third son, see ] had:
Shelach.
Shelach had:
Eber (Hebr. Ever) ["the Hebrews", from the word ivri which means "one who crosses over".].
Two sons were born to Eber:
The name of one was Peleg [similar to the word for "divided"], for in his days the earth was divided (Hebr. pilag), and his brother's name was Joktan.
[Peleg's lineage continues in and leads to Abraham's father Terah. Peleg means division. It could very well be that what is written here, that the earth was divided in his days, refers to the division of Pangea into the different continents with oceans between them, as we know them today. In that case, this division occurred about 100 years after the flood. See also the end of .]
And Shelach lived 30 years before he became the father of Eber.
And Shelah lived 403 years [3 years and 400 years] after he became the father of Eber.
And he became the father of sons and daughters. [Shelah lived 433 years.]
And Eber lived 34 years before he became the father of Peleg.
And Eber lived 430 years [30 years and 400 years] after he became the father of Peleg.
And he became the father of sons and daughters. [Eber lived to be 463 years old.]
But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim
and they shall afflict Assyria
and afflict Eber
and he also will come to destruction."
Arpakshad became the father of Shelah, and Shelah became the father of Eber.
Eber had two sons. One was named Peleg [similar to the word for "divided"], because in his time the earth was divided [Hebr. pilag] [; ]. His brother was named Joktan.
son to Serug,
son of Reu,
son of Peleg,
son of Eber,
son of Shelah (Shelach),
