SHEM [shem] (renown)

SHEM [shem] (renown) — the son of Noah and brother of Ham and Japheth. Shem was born after Noah became 500 years old (Gen. 5:32). He was one of eight people who entered Noah’s ark and survived the Flood (Gen. 7:7, 13). Shem was married at the time of the Flood but had no children. After the Flood he became the father of Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram (usually identified by scholars as Persia, Assyria, Chaldea, Lydia, and Syria, respectively). Thus Shem was the ancestor of the people of the ancient Near East generally, and the Hebrews specifically.

Shem died at the age of 600 (Gen. 11:10–11). He is listed by Luke as an ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:36; Sem, KJV).