Gen. 11:10, 27-32, From Noah to Abraham

We begin with Shem, the son of Noah of whom Moses records that he worshiped Yahweh (Gen. 9:26).  Jewish tradition speaks highly of Shem, as a prophet and as having great influence in the ancient (antediluvian, but pre-Abrahamic) world.  One matter of interest is that Shem was still living when Abram was born.

What is recorded in Gen. 11:10-32 is the genealogy of Shem that leads to Abraham, and thus, to the Messiah.  Again, the numbers are the date since the creation of Adam.  Gen. 11:10 indicates Shem was born 98 years before the flood.

1558 Shem
1658	Arphaxad
2158	1693	Salah
	2096	1723	Eber
		2126	1757	Peleg
			2187	1787	Reu
				1996	1819	Serug
					2026	1849	Nahor
						2049	1878	Terah
							1997	1948	Abram, Nahor, Haran
								2083

The more detailed genealogy of Noah’s sons is recorded in Gen. 10 in the “table of nations.”   Here is part of what is said of the line of Shem:

²¹ And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. ²² The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 

His great-grandson was “(H)eber” from which come the “Hebrews.”  The sons of Noah are always given in the order of “Shem, Ham and Japheth.”  Thus, it seems Japheth was the youngest.  Being called the “elder” likely refers to his spiritual depth, shown in the story recorded in Gen. 9:20-27.  Shem’s sons are the fathers of the “Semite” tribes (Elamites, Assyrians, Lydians and Arameans/Syrians).  Arphaxad settled the area of the Fertile Crescent that included “Ur of the Chaldeans,” family home of Abraham before he left for Canaan.