Bible Dictionary: Shem

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Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Shem

name; 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

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.

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

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

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 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4590.htm - 6k

742. Arphaxad -- Arphaxad, a son of Shem and an ancestor of Christ
... Arphaxad, a son of Shem and an ancestor of Christ. Part of Speech: Proper Noun,
Indeclinable Transliteration: Arphaxad Phonetic Spelling: (ar-fax-ad') Short ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/742.htm - 6k

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 ...
/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

Library

Of the Genealogy of Shem, in Whose Line the City of God is ...
... Book XVI. Chapter 10."Of the Genealogy of Shem, in Whose Line the City of
God is Preserved Till the Time of Abraham. It is necessary ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/chapter 10 of the genealogy of.htm

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
... THE BLESSINGS OF NOAH UPON SHEM AND JAPHETH. (Gen. ix. 18-27.). Ver.20. "And
Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the blessings of noah upon.htm

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 of Shem. ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxiv how the lands.htm

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 of Shem, his eldest son. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 3 of the generations of.htm

Now of These one Fell under a Curse, and the Two Others Inherited ...
... But Shem and Japheth, his brothers, because of their piety towards their father
obtained a blessing. ... For first of them was Shem blessed in these words: ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 20 now of these.htm

The Blessings, and Also the Curse, Pronounced by Noah were ...
... [2480] Now, in what he said, he foretold that the descendants of Shem would keep
in retention the property and dwellings of Canaan: and again that the ...
/.../chapter cxxxix the blessings and also.htm

Christ Our High Priest.
... If we do not misinterpret the law of the priesthood of that age, this could
have been none other than Shem. Shem was then living ...
/.../xi christ our high priest.htm

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 ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 2 what was prophetically prefigured.htm

The Promise.
... Noah was therefore inspired to prophesy that Canaan, the son of the undutiful Ham,
should be accursed, and a servant of servants; that Shem should especially ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson i the promise.htm

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
of Shem, who each founded a nation, Heber is first mentioned, although he ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 11 that the original language.htm

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. ...
/s/shem.htm - 15k

Shem'uel (1 Occurrence)
Shem'uel. Shemuel, Shem'uel. Shemu'el . Multi-Version Concordance
Shem'uel (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 7:2 And the ...
/s/shem'uel.htm - 6k

Shem'inith (1 Occurrence)
Shem'inith. Sheminith, Shem'inith. Shemiramoth . Multi-Version
Concordance Shem'inith (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 15 ...
/s/shem'inith.htm - 6k

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 of Shem" (22). ...
/j/japheth.htm - 15k

Arphaxad (10 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Son of Shem, born the year after the Deluge. ... Genesis
10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. ...
/a/arphaxad.htm - 10k

Arpach'shad (9 Occurrences)
... Genesis 10:22 The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram.
(See RSV). ... (See RSV). Genesis 11:10 These are the generations of Shem. ...
/a/arpach'shad.htm - 8k

Begetteth (52 Occurrences)
... daughters. (YLT). Genesis 5:32 And Noah is a son of five hundred years,
and Noah begetteth Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (YLT). Genesis ...
/b/begetteth.htm - 19k

Begot (119 Occurrences)
... Genesis 5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and
Japheth. ... Genesis 6:10 And Noah begot three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ...
/b/begot.htm - 30k

Semitic
... (a.) Of or pertaining to Shem or his descendants; belonging to that division of
the Caucasian race which includes the Arabs, Jews, and related races. Int. ...
/s/semitic.htm - 28k

Semites
... sem'-its, sem-it'-ik, 1. Biblical References 2. The Five Sons of Shem 3. Original
Home of the Semites 4. Confusion with Other Races 5. Reliability of Genesis ...
/s/semites.htm - 27k

Bible Concordance

Shem (17 Occurrences)

Luke 3:36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
(WEB WEY ASV BBE WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 5:32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 6:10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 7:13 In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ship;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 9:18 The sons of Noah who went forth from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 9:23 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn't see their father's nakedness.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 9:26 He said, "Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 9:27 May God enlarge Japheth. Let him dwell in the tents of Shem. Let Canaan be his servant."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 10:1 Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 10:21 To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 10:22 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 10:31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, after their nations.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 11:10 This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 11:11 Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of sons and daughters.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:17 The sons of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arpachshad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 1:24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Shem

Shem: Called Sem (Av)

Shem: Descendants of

Shem: His Filial Conduct

Shem: Preserved in the Ark (Ship)

Related Terms

Shem'uel (1 Occurrence)

Shem'inith (1 Occurrence)

Japheth (12 Occurrences)

Arphaxad (10 Occurrences)