Topical Encyclopedia
Introduction:Shem is a significant figure in the Bible, known as one of the three sons of Noah. His lineage is crucial in the biblical narrative, as it is through Shem that the Semitic peoples, including the Israelites, are descended. The name "Shem" means "name" or "renown" in Hebrew, reflecting his importance in biblical history.
Biblical References:Shem is first mentioned in the Book of Genesis. After the flood, Noah's sons are listed: "The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Shem was the father of all the sons of Eber" (
Genesis 10:1). This passage highlights Shem's role as the progenitor of the Semitic line.
Genealogy and Descendants:Shem's descendants are detailed in the Table of Nations in
Genesis 10. His lineage includes notable figures such as Eber, from whom the term "Hebrew" is derived. The genealogy of Shem is further elaborated in
Genesis 11:10-26, tracing the line to Abram (later Abraham), a central figure in the biblical narrative: "This is the account of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad" (
Genesis 11:10).
Role in the Biblical Narrative:Shem's significance extends beyond his genealogical contributions. In
Genesis 9:26-27, Noah blesses Shem, saying, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the servant of Shem." This blessing underscores the special relationship between Shem and God, setting the stage for the covenantal relationship that God would later establish with Abraham and his descendants.
Theological Significance:Shem is often associated with the spiritual and covenantal promises of God. His line is seen as the chosen line through which God would reveal Himself to humanity. The blessing of Shem is interpreted as a foreshadowing of the coming of the Messiah, who would ultimately fulfill God's promises to Abraham and his descendants.
Cultural and Historical Impact:The descendants of Shem, known as the Semites, include several ancient peoples such as the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Elamites, and Arameans, in addition to the Israelites. The term "Semitic" is derived from Shem's name and is used to describe languages and cultures associated with these peoples.
Conclusion:Shem's role in the Bible is foundational, as his lineage is central to the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Through Shem, the narrative of God's chosen people begins, leading to the establishment of Israel and the eventual coming of Jesus Christ, who is seen as the fulfillment of the promises made to Shem's descendants.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Shemname; renown
Smith's Bible Dictionary
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]
ATS Bible Dictionary
ShemA 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. InGenesis 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.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
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).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SHEMshem (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.
SeeHAM;JAPHETH; TABLE OF NATIONS.
T. G. Pinches
Greek
4590. Sem --Shem, a son of Noah...Shem, a son of Noah. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration:
Sem Phonetic Spelling: (same) Short Definition:
Shem Definition:
Shem, a son of
...742. Arphaxad -- Arphaxad, a son ofShem and an ancestor of Christ
... Arphaxad, a son ofShem and an ancestor of Christ. Part of Speech: Proper Noun,
Indeclinable Transliteration: Arphaxad Phonetic Spelling: (ar-fax-ad') Short...
Strong's Hebrew
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
...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.
758. Aram -- Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son ofShem...
... 757, 758. Aram. 759 . Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son of
Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and an Israelite. Transliteration...
5867. Eylam -- a son ofShem, also his desc. and their country
... 5866, 5867. Eylam. 5867a . a son ofShem, also his desc. and their country.
Transliteration: Eylam Phonetic Spelling: (ay-lawm') Short Definition: Elam. Elam...
775. Arpakshad -- third son ofShem, also the region settled by...
... Arpakshad. 776 . third son ofShem, also the region settled by him. Transliteration:
Arpakshad Phonetic Spelling: (ar-pak-shad') Short Definition: Arpachshad....
3865. Lud -- a son ofShem, also his desc. and their land
... 3864, 3865. Lud. 3866 . a son ofShem, also his desc.... Word Origin probably
of foreign origin Definition a son ofShem, also his desc....
5677. Eber -- "region beyond," a descendant ofShem, also the name...
... "region beyond," a descendant ofShem, also the name of several Israelites.
Transliteration: Eber Phonetic Spelling: (ay'-ber) Short Definition: Eber....
7974. Shelach -- a descendant ofShem
... Shelach. 7975 . a descendant ofShem. Transliteration: Shelach Phonetic Spelling:
(sheh'-lakh) Short Definition: Shelah.... ofShem NASB Word Usage Shelah (9)....
3355. Yoqtan -- a descendant ofShem and ancestor of several...
... Yoqtan. 3356 . a descendant ofShem and ancestor of several Arabian tribes.
Transliteration: Yoqtan Phonetic Spelling: (yok-tawn') Short Definition: Joktan....
804b. Ashshur -- the second son ofShem, also the people of Asshur...
... 804a, 804b. Ashshur. 805 . the second son ofShem, also the people of Asshur,
also the land of Assyr. Transliteration: Ashshur Short Definition: Assyria....
Library
Of the Genealogy ofShem, in Whose Line the City of God is...
... Book XVI. Chapter 10."Of the Genealogy ofShem, in Whose Line the City of
God is Preserved Till the Time of Abraham. It is necessary...
The Blessings of Noah UponShem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
... THE BLESSINGS OF NOAH UPONSHEM AND JAPHETH. (Gen. ix. 18-27.). Ver.20. "And
Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards...
How the Lands from which the Canaanites were Expelled, had Been...
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter XXIV. How the lands from which the
Canaanites were expelled, had been assigned to the seed ofShem....
Of the Generations of the Three Sons of Noah.
... But Assur, father of the Assyrian, was not one of the sons of Ham, Noah's
son, but is found among the sons ofShem, his eldest son....
Now of These one Fell under a Curse, and the Two Others Inherited...
... ButShem and Japheth, his brothers, because of their piety towards their father
obtained a blessing.... For first of them wasShem blessed in these words:...
The Blessings, and Also the Curse, Pronounced by Noah were...
... [2480] Now, in what he said, he foretold that the descendants ofShem would keep
in retention the property and dwellings of Canaan: and again that the...
Christ Our High Priest.
... If we do not misinterpret the law of the priesthood of that age, this could
have been none other thanShem.Shem was then living...
What was Prophetically Prefigured in the Sons of Noah.
...Shem, of whom Christ was born in the flesh, means "named." And what is of greater
name than Christ, the fragrance of whose name is now everywhere perceived, so...
The Promise.
... Noah was therefore inspired to prophesy that Canaan, the son of the undutiful Ham,
should be accursed, and a servant of servants; thatShem should especially...
That the Original Language in Use among Men was that which was...
... And therefore, as I have already mentioned, when an enumeration is made of the sons
ofShem, who each founded a nation, Heber is first mentioned, although he...
Thesaurus
Shem (17 Occurrences)...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).
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
SHEM.
...Shem'uel (1 Occurrence)
Shem'uel. Shemuel,Shem'uel. Shemu'el . Multi-Version Concordance
Shem'uel (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 7:2 And the...
Shem'inith (1 Occurrence)
Shem'inith. Sheminith,Shem'inith. Shemiramoth . Multi-Version
ConcordanceShem'inith (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 15...
Japheth (12 Occurrences)
... After the Flood the earth was re-peopled by the descendants of Noah, "the sons of
Japheth" (Genesis 10:2), "the sons of Ham" (6), and "the sons ofShem" (22)....
Arphaxad (10 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Son ofShem, born the year after the Deluge.... Genesis
10:22 The children ofShem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram....
Arpach'shad (9 Occurrences)
... Genesis 10:22 The sons ofShem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram.
(See RSV).... (See RSV). Genesis 11:10 These are the generations ofShem....
Begetteth (52 Occurrences)
... daughters. (YLT). Genesis 5:32 And Noah is a son of five hundred years,
and Noah begettethShem, Ham, and Japheth. (YLT). Genesis...
Begot (119 Occurrences)
... Genesis 5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begotShem, Ham, and
Japheth.... Genesis 6:10 And Noah begot three sons,Shem, Ham, and Japheth....
Semitic
... (a.) Of or pertaining toShem or his descendants; belonging to that division of
the Caucasian race which includes the Arabs, Jews, and related races. Int....
Semites
... sem'-its, sem-it'-ik, 1. Biblical References 2. The Five Sons ofShem 3. Original
Home of the Semites 4. Confusion with Other Races 5. Reliability of Genesis...
Resources
Who was Shem in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the biblical account of Shem, Ham, and Japheth? | GotQuestions.orgWho were the sons of Noah, and what happened to them and their descendants? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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