Shem

Shem was the eldest of Noah's three sons, born when Noah was five hundred years old. He grew up in a world so wicked that God determined to destroy it with a flood. Along with his father, his brothers Ham and Japheth, and their wives, Shem entered the ark and was preserved through the catastrophic deluge that covered the earth.

After the flood waters receded, Noah planted a vineyard and became drunk. When Ham saw his father's nakedness and told his brothers, Shem and Japheth responded with exemplary respect. They took a garment, laid it upon their shoulders, and walked backward to cover their father without looking upon his shame. This act of honor earned Shem a special blessing from Noah.

Noah's blessing upon Shem was uniquely theological: "Blessed be the Lord God of Shem." This identified Shem's line as the one through which the knowledge of the true God would be preserved. The genealogies of Genesis trace the line from Shem through Eber (from whom the term "Hebrew" derives) down to Abraham and ultimately to Jesus Christ.

According to the biblical chronology, Shem lived six hundred years—long enough to have been a contemporary of Abraham. Jewish tradition identifies Shem with the mysterious Melchizedek, the priest-king of Salem who blessed Abraham, though Scripture does not explicitly confirm this connection. What is clear is that Shem's faithful character and his honored lineage made him one of the most significant patriarchs in redemptive history.