Shem Summary
STEPBible TIPNR
Shem, one of Noah's three sons and the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
son of Noah (GEN 5:32)
Lineage: God › Adam › Seth › Enos › Cainan › Mahalaleel › Jared › Enoch › Methuselah › Lamech › Noah › Shem
Names
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en
Shem
name; renown
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en
Sem
· Also called same as Shem
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en
Shem
· Also called · H8035 G4590 · GEN 5:32 name, fame
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he
שֵׁ֖ם
shem · H8035 · GEN 5:32 name, fame
- he שֵׁם · H8035
- el Σημ Sem · G4590 · GEN 5:32
- el Σήμ · G4590
- bg Сим
Birth
Death
Mentioned in (17)
SDA Books
Awaiting permission to publishLinked through an explicitly cited Bible passage
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Age · ≈ 600
Calculated from Scripture · Calculated from the years stated in the verses. Chronological estimates and co-regencies can produce different absolute dates.
100 + 500 = 600
Source calculation and assumptions
The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560
The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160
The Flood began when Noah was 600 (GEN 7:11). Two years after the Flood ended, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ended, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Shem lived 100 years BEFORE Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years AFTER Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years of life.
Dates and sources (14)
Absolute years are conditional chronological estimates. A biblical passage may state an age or event, but does not by itself establish a BCE year. Different calendar systems are preserved separately.
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Birth Theographic Matches the current date; this is not historical verificationTheographic signed year:
-2446· Calendar interpretation is unverified; the raw value is shown.Person mentions; these are not evidence for this date: 17
Source record and calculation
shem_2613·birthYeartheographic/People.csv· record 2599SHA-256:a6068cd41358f79c52f9fd7cca41abd9ccb1120388568eadaba76b90795fd7de -
Birth BibleData Alternative estimateBibleData BCE year:
2402→ ≈ 2402 BCSource record and calculation
Birth_Shem_1·bce_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 20The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood ENDED when Noah was 601 (GEN 8:13). Two years after the Flood ENDED, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ENDED, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Unless they were triplets (unlikely) and all born when Noah was 500 years old (GEN 5:32), Noah's sons were born in different years AFTER he reached the age of 500. Genesis 9:22, 24 state that Ham is the youngest. However, neither the Hebrew and Greek texts of Genesis 10:21 are clear as to whether Shem or Japheth is the elder son. Ussher has Japheth as the elder son born when Noah is 500 years old in 1556 AM/2448 BCE [Shulman date p15] [Ussher date p19]SHA-256:fefc1d2ea96ce4889f49213cdf20977ed1401e7880ee39695e5b04900f1322a1 -
Birth BibleData Alternative estimateAH with conditional Ussher anchor:
1560→ ≈ 2445 BCSource record and calculation
Birth_Shem_1·event_year_ahbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 20The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood ENDED when Noah was 601 (GEN 8:13). Two years after the Flood ENDED, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ENDED, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Unless they were triplets (unlikely) and all born when Noah was 500 years old (GEN 5:32), Noah's sons were born in different years AFTER he reached the age of 500. Genesis 9:22, 24 state that Ham is the youngest. However, neither the Hebrew and Greek texts of Genesis 10:21 are clear as to whether Shem or Japheth is the elder son. Ussher has Japheth as the elder son born when Noah is 500 years old in 1556 AM/2448 BCE [Shulman date p15] [Ussher date p19]SHA-256:fefc1d2ea96ce4889f49213cdf20977ed1401e7880ee39695e5b04900f1322a1 -
Birth BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversionShulman AM:
1556· No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.Source record and calculation
Birth_Shem_1·shulman_am_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 20The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood ENDED when Noah was 601 (GEN 8:13). Two years after the Flood ENDED, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ENDED, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Unless they were triplets (unlikely) and all born when Noah was 500 years old (GEN 5:32), Noah's sons were born in different years AFTER he reached the age of 500. Genesis 9:22, 24 state that Ham is the youngest. However, neither the Hebrew and Greek texts of Genesis 10:21 are clear as to whether Shem or Japheth is the elder son. Ussher has Japheth as the elder son born when Noah is 500 years old in 1556 AM/2448 BCE [Shulman date p15] [Ussher date p19]SHA-256:fefc1d2ea96ce4889f49213cdf20977ed1401e7880ee39695e5b04900f1322a1 -
Birth BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversionUssher AM:
1558· No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.Source record and calculation
Birth_Shem_1·ussher_am_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 20The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood ENDED when Noah was 601 (GEN 8:13). Two years after the Flood ENDED, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ENDED, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Unless they were triplets (unlikely) and all born when Noah was 500 years old (GEN 5:32), Noah's sons were born in different years AFTER he reached the age of 500. Genesis 9:22, 24 state that Ham is the youngest. However, neither the Hebrew and Greek texts of Genesis 10:21 are clear as to whether Shem or Japheth is the elder son. Ussher has Japheth as the elder son born when Noah is 500 years old in 1556 AM/2448 BCE [Shulman date p15] [Ussher date p19]SHA-256:fefc1d2ea96ce4889f49213cdf20977ed1401e7880ee39695e5b04900f1322a1 -
Birth BibleData Alternative estimateUssher BCE year:
2446→ ≈ 2446 BCSource record and calculation
Birth_Shem_1·ussher_bce_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 20The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood ENDED when Noah was 601 (GEN 8:13). Two years after the Flood ENDED, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ENDED, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Unless they were triplets (unlikely) and all born when Noah was 500 years old (GEN 5:32), Noah's sons were born in different years AFTER he reached the age of 500. Genesis 9:22, 24 state that Ham is the youngest. However, neither the Hebrew and Greek texts of Genesis 10:21 are clear as to whether Shem or Japheth is the elder son. Ussher has Japheth as the elder son born when Noah is 500 years old in 1556 AM/2448 BCE [Shulman date p15] [Ussher date p19]SHA-256:fefc1d2ea96ce4889f49213cdf20977ed1401e7880ee39695e5b04900f1322a1 -
Birth BibleData Alternative estimateAH with conditional Ussher anchor:
1560→ ≈ 2445 BCSource record and calculation
Life_of_Shem_1·start_year_ahbibledata/BibleData-Epoch.csv· record 13The year of Shem_1's birth is the year his father, Noah_1, was born (1057) + the age of his father at Shem_1's birth (503) = 1560The Flood began when Noah was 600 (GEN 7:11). Two years after the Flood ended, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ended, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Shem lived 100 years BEFORE Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years AFTER Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years of life.SHA-256:d4c927ff0373dd9b3b5de2b3caba17985341f61b82cd7498a4d5b88dc8b42100 -
Death Theographic Matches the current date; this is not historical verificationTheographic signed year:
-1846· Calendar interpretation is unverified; the raw value is shown.Person mentions; these are not evidence for this date: 17
Source record and calculation
shem_2613·deathYeartheographic/People.csv· record 2599SHA-256:a6068cd41358f79c52f9fd7cca41abd9ccb1120388568eadaba76b90795fd7de -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateBibleData BCE year:
1802→ ≈ 1802 BCSource record and calculation
Death_Shem_1·bce_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 64The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160100 years up to Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years after Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years total [Shulman date p18] [Ussher date p27]SHA-256:2cb77fa9c370fffb40ce4315f241910ec122612b3e783301724a6728f860e5a3 -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateAH with conditional Ussher anchor:
2160→ ≈ 1845 BCSource record and calculation
Death_Shem_1·event_year_ahbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 64The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160100 years up to Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years after Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years total [Shulman date p18] [Ussher date p27]SHA-256:2cb77fa9c370fffb40ce4315f241910ec122612b3e783301724a6728f860e5a3 -
Death BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversionShulman AM:
2158· No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.Source record and calculation
Death_Shem_1·shulman_am_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 64The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160100 years up to Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years after Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years total [Shulman date p18] [Ussher date p27]SHA-256:2cb77fa9c370fffb40ce4315f241910ec122612b3e783301724a6728f860e5a3 -
Death BibleData Unverified estimate without an established conversionUssher AM:
2158· No established conversion to a BCE/CE year.Source record and calculation
Death_Shem_1·ussher_am_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 64The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160100 years up to Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years after Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years total [Shulman date p18] [Ussher date p27]SHA-256:2cb77fa9c370fffb40ce4315f241910ec122612b3e783301724a6728f860e5a3 -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateUssher BCE year:
1846→ ≈ 1846 BCSource record and calculation
Death_Shem_1·ussher_bce_yearbibledata/BibleData-Event.csv· record 64The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160100 years up to Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years after Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years total [Shulman date p18] [Ussher date p27]SHA-256:2cb77fa9c370fffb40ce4315f241910ec122612b3e783301724a6728f860e5a3 -
Death BibleData Alternative estimateAH with conditional Ussher anchor:
2160→ ≈ 1845 BCSource record and calculation
Life_of_Shem_1·end_year_ahbibledata/BibleData-Epoch.csv· record 13The year of Shem_1's death is the year his son, Arpachshad_1 was born (1660) + the years Shem_1 lived after his son's birth (500) = 2160The Flood began when Noah was 600 (GEN 7:11). Two years after the Flood ended, Noah was 603 years old. (math) Two years after the Flood ended, Shem is 100 years old and sires Arpachshad (GEN 11:10). This means that Shem was born 100 years prior, in the 503rd year of Noah's life. Shem lived 100 years BEFORE Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:10) + 500 years AFTER Arpachshad's birth (GEN 11:11) = 600 years of life.SHA-256:d4c927ff0373dd9b3b5de2b3caba17985341f61b82cd7498a4d5b88dc8b42100
Took part in (11)
- Birth of Shem · c. 2446 BC
- Lifetime of Shem · c. 2446 BC – 1846 BC
- The Great Flood · c. 2348 BC – 2347 BC
- The Great Flood begins · c. 2348 BC
- Water covers the earth · c. 2348 BC
- Leaving the Ark · c. 2347 BC
- The flood subsides · c. 2347 BC
- Birth of Arphaxad · c. 2346 BC
- Noah gets drunk and Canaan is cursed · c. 2346 BC
- Shem's life during Isaac's lifetime · c. 1895 BC – 1845 BC
- Death of Shem · c. 1846 BC
Belonged to (1)
Shem Article
STEPBible TIPNR
Shem was one of the three sons of Noah, along with Ham and Japheth (Gen.5.32; 6.10). He and his wife were among the eight people who survived the great flood in the ark (Gen 7:13). After the flood, Shem and his brothers became the ancestors of the nations that repopulated the earth (Gen.9.18,19; 10.1).
Shem was the ancestor of the Semitic peoples, including the Elamites, Assyrians, Arameans, and Hebrews (Gen 10:21-31). He was also the ancestor of Abraham and, therefore, of the Israelites (Gen 11:10-26; 1Ch 1:17-27). In the New Testament, Shem is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Luk 3:36.
Shem and Japheth showed respect for their father by covering his nakedness when he became drunk (Gen 9:23). As a result, Noah blessed Shem, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem" (Gen 9:26). This blessing implied that Shem's descendants would have a special relationship with God. Shem lived for 600 years (Gen 11:10-11).
Shem Dictionary
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
A name; renown, the first mentioned of the sons of Noah (Gen. 5:32; 6:10). He was probably the eldest of Noah’s sons. The words “brother of Japheth the elder” in Gen. 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 (Gen. 11:10-26; 1 Chr. 1:24-27).
Sources: BibleData (CC BY 4.0, Shem_1) · STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0, Shem@Gen.5.32-Luk) · Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0, shem_2613)