Shem

name; renown

Shem

(name), the eldest son of Noah. (Genesis 5:32) He was 98 years old, married, and childless at the time of the flood. After it, he, with his father, brothers, sisters-in-law and wife, received the blessing of God, (Genesis 9:1) and entered into the covenant. With the help of his brother Japheth, he covered the nakedness of their father and received the first blessing. (Genesis 9:25-27) He died at the age of 630 years. The portion of the earth occupied by the descendants of Shem, (Genesis 10:21,31) begins at its northwestern extremity with Lydia, and includes Syria (Aram), Chaldaea (Arphaxad), parts Of Assyria (Asshur), of Persia (Elam), and of the Arabian peninsula (Joktan). Modern scholars have given the name of Shemitic or Semitic to the languages spoken by his real or supposed descendants. [HEBREW LANGUAGE]

Shem

A son of Noah, Genesis 5:32 6:10, always named before Ham and Japheth, as the eldest son; or, as some think, because he was the forefather of the Hebrews. In Genesis 10:21, the word elder may be applied to Shem, instead of Japheth. He received a blessing from his dying father, Genesis 9:26, and of his line the Messiah was born. He had five sons, and their posterity occupied the central regions between Ham and Japheth, and peopled the finest provinces of the East. The languages of some of these nations are still called the Shemitic languages, including the Hebrew, Chalee, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, etc.; but in this general class are found several languages spoken by nations descended from Ham.

SHEM

shem (shem; Sem):

1. Position in Noah's Family: His Name:

The eldest son of Noah, from whom the Jews, as well as the Semitic ("Shemitic") nations in general have descended. When giving the names of Noah's three sons, Shem is always mentioned first (Genesis 9:18; Genesis 10:1, etc.); and though "the elder" in "Shem the brother of Japheth the elder" (Genesis 10:21 margin) is explained as referring to Shem, this is not the rendering of Onkelos. His five sons peopled the greater part of West Asia's finest tracts, from Elam on the East to the Mediterranean on the West. Though generally regarded as meaning "dusky" (compare the Assyr-Babylonian samu-also Ham-possibly = "black," Japheth, "fair"), it is considered possible that Shem may be the usual Hebrew word for "name" (shem), given him because he was the firstborn-a parallel to the Assyr-Babylonian usage, in which "son," "name" (sumu) are synonyms (W. A. Inscriptions, V, plural 23, 11, 29-32abc).

2. History, and the Nations Descended from Him:

Shem, who is called "the father of all the children of Eber," was born when Noah had attained the age of 500 years (Genesis 5:32). Though married at the time of the Flood, Shem was then childless. Aided by Japheth, he covered the nakedness of their father, which Ham, the youngest brother, had revealed to them; but unlike the last, Shem and Japheth, in their filial piety, approached their father walking backward, in order not to look upon him. Two years after the Flood, Shem being then 100 years old, his son Arpachshad was born (Genesis 11:10), and was followed by further sons and daughters during the remaining 500 years which preceded Shem's death. Noah's prophetic blessing, on awakening from his wine, may be regarded as having been fulfilled in his descendants, who occupied Syria (Aramaic), Palestine (Canaan), Chaldea (Arpachshad), Assyria (Asshur), part of Persia (Elam), and Arabia (Joktan). In the first three of these, as well as in Elam, Canaanites had settled (if not in the other districts mentioned), but Shemites ruled, at some time or other, over the Canaanites, and Canaan thus became "his servant" (Genesis 9:25, 26). The tablets found in Cappadocia seem to show that Shemites (Assyrians) had settled in that district also, but this was apparently an unimportant colony. Though designated sons of Shem, some of his descendants (e.g. the Elamites) did not speak a Semitic language, while other nationalities, not his descendants (e.g. the Canaanites), did.

See HAM; JAPHETH; TABLE OF NATIONS.

T. G. Pinches

A name; renown, the first mentioned of the sons of Noah (Genesis 5:32; 6:10). He was probably the eldest of Noah's sons. The words "brother of Japheth the elder" in Genesis 10:21 are more correctly rendered "the elder brother of Japheth," as in the Revised Version. Shem's name is generally mentioned first in the list of Noah's sons. He and his wife were saved in the ark (7:13). Noah foretold his preeminence over Canaan (9:23-27). He died at the age of six hundred years, having been for many years contemporary with Abraham, according to the usual chronology. The Israelitish nation sprang from him (Genesis 11:10-26; 1 Chronicles 1:24-27).

8035. Shem -- "name," oldest son of Noah
... << 8034, 8035. Shem. 8036 >>. "name," oldest son of Noah. Transliteration:
Shem Phonetic Spelling: (shame) Short Definition: Shem. Word ...
/hebrew/8035.htm - 6k

8034. shem -- a name
... << 8033, 8034. shem. 8035 >>. a name. Transliteration: shem Phonetic Spelling:
(shame) Short Definition: name. ... << 8033, 8034. shem. 8035 >>. Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8034.htm - 6k

758. Aram -- Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son of Shem ...
... << 757, 758. Aram. 759 >>. Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son of
Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and an Israelite. Transliteration ...
/hebrew/758.htm - 6k

5867. Eylam -- a son of Shem, also his desc. and their country
... << 5866, 5867. Eylam. 5867a >>. a son of Shem, also his desc. and their country.
Transliteration: Eylam Phonetic Spelling: (ay-lawm') Short Definition: Elam. Elam ...
/hebrew/5867.htm - 5k

775. Arpakshad -- third son of Shem, also the region settled by ...
... Arpakshad. 776 >>. third son of Shem, also the region settled by him. Transliteration:
Arpakshad Phonetic Spelling: (ar-pak-shad') Short Definition: Arpachshad. ...
/hebrew/775.htm - 6k

3865. Lud -- a son of Shem, also his desc. and their land
... << 3864, 3865. Lud. 3866 >>. a son of Shem, also his desc. ... Word Origin probably
of foreign origin Definition a son of Shem, also his desc. ...
/hebrew/3865.htm - 6k

5677. Eber -- "region beyond," a descendant of Shem, also the name ...
... "region beyond," a descendant of Shem, also the name of several Israelites.
Transliteration: Eber Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-ber) Short Definition: Eber. ...
/hebrew/5677.htm - 6k

7974. Shelach -- a descendant of Shem
... Shelach. 7975 >>. a descendant of Shem. Transliteration: Shelach Phonetic Spelling:
(sheh'-lakh) Short Definition: Shelah. ... of Shem NASB Word Usage Shelah (9). ...
/hebrew/7974.htm - 6k

3355. Yoqtan -- a descendant of Shem and ancestor of several ...
... Yoqtan. 3356 >>. a descendant of Shem and ancestor of several Arabian tribes.
Transliteration: Yoqtan Phonetic Spelling: (yok-tawn') Short Definition: Joktan. ...
/hebrew/3355.htm - 6k

804b. Ashshur -- the second son of Shem, also the people of Asshur ...
... << 804a, 804b. Ashshur. 805 >>. the second son of Shem, also the people of Asshur,
also the land of Assyr. Transliteration: Ashshur Short Definition: Assyria. ...
/hebrew/804b.htm - 5k