Movatterモバイル変換

Genesis 11:27
Now theseare the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

Genesis 10:21,22
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him werechildren born…

1 Chronicles 1:17-27
The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech…

Two years after the flood,
The flood is a pivotal event in Genesis, marking God's judgment on a corrupt world and His covenant with Noah. The timing here situates Shem's lineage in the new world God established post-flood. This period is crucial as it represents a fresh start for humanity, with Noah's family tasked with repopulating the earth.

when Shem was 100 years old,
The ages of the patriarchs in Genesis often reflect their significance and the divine blessing of longevity. Shem's age at this time underscores the historical nature of these genealogies, providing a timeline for the early post-flood generations. It also highlights the rapid population growth necessary to fulfill God's command to "be fruitful and multiply."

he became the father of Arphaxad.
Arphaxad is an important figure as he continues the line that leads to Abraham. His name is often linked to the region of Arpachshad, possibly located in northern Mesopotamia, suggesting a geographical context for the early Semitic peoples. This lineage is crucial for understanding the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham and the eventual coming of the Messiah through this line.

• The phrase signals a fresh “toledot” (family record) in Genesis, moving the narrative focus from Noah to his son Shem (Genesis 2:4; 5:1; 10:1).

• By opening with genealogy, Scripture highlights God’s ongoing faithfulness to His promise that the earth would be repopulated through Noah’s sons (Genesis 9:1).

• Shem’s line is singled out because it will eventually lead to Abraham (Genesis 11:26) and, through him, to the Messiah (Luke 3:34–36).

• This time-stamp anchors the genealogy in real history, linking it directly to the cataclysmic judgment recorded inGenesis 6–9.

• It underscores God’s mercy: judgment did not end His plan; life continues on the renewed earth (Genesis 8:21–22).

• The detail helps trace the post-flood timeline, matching other chronological notes (Genesis 7:11; 8:13).

• Shem’s age marks him as a mature patriarch, affirming the longevity common before Babel (compareGenesis 5:32; 11:11).

• The verse shows Shem’s life span bridging two eras—pre- and post-flood—underscoring continuity of God’s covenant with his family (Genesis 9:8–9).

• His century of life before fatherhood highlights God’s sovereign timing in raising each generation.

• Arphaxad is the key link from Shem to Abraham (Genesis 10:22; 11:12–26).

• By naming him, Scripture traces the promised “seed” line that will bless all nations (Genesis 12:3;Galatians 3:16).

• The birth points to God’s purposeful design: every descendant, recorded by name, moves salvation history forward (1 Chronicles 1:17;Luke 3:36).

Genesis 11:10 is more than a genealogical footnote; it deliberately anchors post-flood humanity in Shem’s line, time-stamps God’s ongoing plan, emphasizes the reality of historical events, and sets the stage for Abraham and ultimately Christ. In a single verse, God’s word testifies that His promises survive judgment, His timing guides generations, and His redemptive plan moves forward through specific, traceable individuals.

(10-26)These are the generations of Shem.--Here also, as in Genesis 5, there is a very considerable divergence between the statements of the Hebrew, the Samaritan, and the Septuagint texts. According to the Hebrew, the total number of years from Shem to the birth of Abram was 390, according to the Samaritan, 1,040, and according to the LXX., 1,270. These larger totals are obtained by adding, as a rule, one hundred years to the age of each patriarch before the birth of his eldest son, and the LXX. also insert Cainan between Arphaxad and Salah. The virtual agreement of two authorities, coming from such different quarters as the Samaritan transcript and the LXX. version is remarkable, but scholars have long acknowledged that these genealogies were never intended for chronological purposes, and that so to employ them leads only to error.

Like the genealogy of Seth, in Genesis 5, theToldoth Shemalso consists of ten generations, and thus forms, according to Hebrew ideas respecting the number ten, a perfect representation of the race. With the exception of Arphaxad (for whom seeGenesis 10:22), the names in this genealogy are all Hebrew words, and are full of meaning. Thus--

Salahmeansmission,the sending out of men in colonies to occupy new lands.

Eberis thepassage,marking the migration of the head-quarters of the race, and the crossing of some great obstacle in its way, most probably the river Tigris. With this would begin the long struggle between the Semitic and Hamitic races in Mesopotamia.

Peleg,division,may be a memorial of the separation of the Joktanite Arabs from the main stem, but see Note onGenesis 10:25. Through him the rights of primogeniture passed to the Hebrews.

Reu,friendship,seems to indicate a closer drawing together of the rest after the departure of Joktan and his clan, which probably had been preceded by dissensions.

Serug,intertwining,may denote that this friendship between the various races into which the family of Shem was by this time divided was cemented by intermarriage. . . .