The sons of Shem
This phrase introduces the lineage of Shem, one of Noah's three sons. In Hebrew, "Shem" means "name" or "renown," signifying the importance of his descendants in biblical history. Shem is traditionally considered the ancestor of the Semitic peoples, including the Israelites, and his lineage is crucial for understanding the genealogical context of the Hebrew Bible. The mention of Shem here underscores the continuity of God's covenantal promises through specific family lines.

Elam
Elam is one of Shem's sons, and his name is associated with the ancient Elamite civilization, located in what is now southwestern Iran. Historically, Elam was a significant kingdom, often interacting with Mesopotamian cultures. The inclusion of Elam in this genealogy highlights the interconnectedness of various ancient Near Eastern peoples and the broad scope of Shem's descendants.

Asshur
Asshur is another son of Shem, and his name is linked to the Assyrian Empire, one of the most powerful empires in ancient history. The Assyrians played a significant role in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of the Northern Kingdom of Israel's exile. The mention of Asshur here serves as a reminder of the complex relationships between the Israelites and their neighbors.

Arphaxad
Arphaxad is a key figure in the genealogy, as he is an ancestor of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelite nation. The name Arphaxad may be related to a region or people group in ancient Mesopotamia. His inclusion in the genealogy emphasizes the direct line from Shem to Abraham, reinforcing the theme of divine election and promise.

Lud
Lud is another descendant of Shem, and his name is often associated with the Lydians, an ancient people in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). The mention of Lud reflects the wide geographical spread of Shem's descendants and the diverse cultures that emerged from this lineage.

Aram
Aram is a significant name in the Bible, often associated with the Arameans, a Semitic people who lived in the region of modern-day Syria. The Arameans frequently interacted with the Israelites, and their language, Aramaic, became widely used in the Near East. Aram's inclusion in the genealogy highlights the cultural and linguistic ties between these ancient peoples.

The sons of Aram
This phrase introduces the next generation of Aram's descendants, indicating the continuation of his lineage and its importance in the biblical narrative.

Uz
Uz is one of Aram's sons, and his name is famously associated with the land of Uz, the setting for the Book of Job. The mention of Uz here connects the genealogical record to the broader biblical story, illustrating the interconnectedness of various biblical figures and narratives.

Hul
Hul is another son of Aram, though little is known about him from the biblical text. His inclusion in the genealogy serves to complete the record of Aram's descendants, emphasizing the thoroughness of the chronicler's account.

Gether
Gether is listed as a son of Aram, and like Hul, there is limited information about him in the Bible. His presence in the genealogy underscores the chronicler's intent to preserve the full lineage of Shem's descendants.

Meshech
Meshech is the final son of Aram mentioned in this verse. The name Meshech is also associated with a people group mentioned elsewhere in the Bible, often linked to regions in Anatolia or the Caucasus. The inclusion of Meshech highlights the diverse and widespread nature of Shem's descendants, reflecting the broad impact of this lineage on the ancient world.

THE SONS OF SHEM, OR THE SEMITES (1Chronicles 1:17-23).

(17) Blam.--The Elamtum of the Assyrian inscription, the classic Susiana, a mountainous land eastward of Babylonia, to which it was subject in the days of Abraham (Genesis 14). The names Assur-, Elam-, Kass-, and Accad- occur together in an old Assyrian list of nations. ?lama, from which the Assyrian and Hebrew names are derived, is Accadian. The native designation was Ansan. The Sargonide kings of Assyria had frequent wars with Elam.

Asshur.--Assyria proper, i.e., a district on the Tigris, about twenty-five miles long, between the thirty-sixth and thirty-seventh parallels of latitude. Asshur was the name of its older capital and tutelar god. The Semitic Assyrians appear to have been settled at Asshur as early as the nineteenth century B.C. They were emigrants from Babylonia (Genesis 10:11). The original name was A-usar, "water-meadow."

Arphaxad apparently means Babylonia, or, at least, includes it. Babylonian monarchs styled themselves "King of the Four Quarters" (of heaven); and Arphaxaa may perhaps mean land of the four quarters or sides, and be derived from the Assyrian arba-kisadi "four sides" (Friedrich Delitzsch). More probably it is Arph-chesed, "boundary of Chaldea."

Lud, usually identified with the Lydians (Assyrian Luddi), perhaps their original home in Armenia. The name has also been compared with Rutennu, the Egyptian name of the Syrians (I and r being confused in Egyptian). But comp. Ezekiel 27:10; Ezekiel 30:5. . . .

Verses 17-27. - D. THE LIST OF SHEM'S DESCENDANTS TO ABRAM. This list is broken in two; it pauses a moment exactly halfway to Abram, at the name Peleg, to mention Peleg's brother Joktan and Joktan's thirteen sons. Then, repeating the first five names of lineal descent, and picking up the thread at Peleg, the list gives the remaining five to Abram. In the first half of this list, we have apparently the names of nine sons of Shem, but, as Genesis explains, really the names of five sons, and through Aram, the last of them, the names of four grandsons. Another grandson, through Arphaxad the third son, follows, and through this grandson two consecutive lineal descents bring us, in the name Peleg, half-way to Abram. It is here the lineal table pauses to give Joktan and his thirteen sons. The names then in this portion of the list are twenty-six in number. In the Authorized Version they correspond with those in Genesis, except that Meschech (וָמֶשֶׁך) here is called Mash (וָמַשׁ) there; Shelah here is spelled Salah there; and Ebal (עֵיבָל) here is written Obal (עובָל) there. The difference between the Hebrew texts justifies the first and last of these variations in the Authorized Version, but in all other respects those texts are in entire accord with one another, for this paragraph. The Septuagint gives very little of this portion of the list. It corresponds, whether with the Hebrew or the Authorized Version, only as far as to the name Arphaxad, after which it carries down the line at once to Abram by the remaining eight names as given in our twenty-fourth to twenty-seventh verses. Nor is it in agreement with its own version in Genesis, which has points of important variation with the Hebrew text also. It is then at this break of the list that, after the names of Joktan's sons, we have in Genesis these words, "And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lauds, after their nations. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the Flood." Upon this follows the account of Babel, in nine long verses, and then a chronological summary is furnished in lineal descent only from Shem to Abram. It is with the names in this chronological summary that those in this second part of our list (vers. 24-27) are found to agree. But any attempt at reproduction of the chronology found in Genesis is again absent here. At this point a significant stage of these genealogies is reached. The ever-broadening stream of population now narrows again. Two thousand years have flown by, then Abraham appears on the stream and tide of human life. Of that long period the life of Adam himself spanned nearly the half. So far we learn without partiality of all his descendants in common. But henceforth, the real, the distinct purpose of the genealogy becomes apparent, in that the line of the descendants of Abraham, and that by one family, alone is maintained, and proves to be a purpose leading by one long straight line to Christ himself. With Abraham "the covenant of innoceney," long forfeited in Adam, is superseded by the everlasting "covenant of grace," and we lose sight in some measure of Adam, the "common father of our flesh," to think of a happier parentage found in Abraham, the "common father of the faithful."

Parallel Commentaries ...


The sons
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Shem:
שֵׁ֔ם (šêm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8035: Shem -- 'name', oldest son of Noah

Elam,
עֵילָ֣ם (‘ê·lām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5867: Elam -- a son of Shem, also his descendants and their country

Asshur,
וְאַשּׁ֔וּר (wə·’aš·šūr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 804: Ashshur

Arphaxad,
וְאַרְפַּכְשַׁ֖ד (wə·’ar·paḵ·šaḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 775: Arpachshad -- third son of Shem, also the region settled by him

Lud, and Aram.
וְל֣וּד (wə·lūḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3865: Lud -- a son of Shem, also his descendants and their land

The sons of Aram:
וַאֲרָ֑ם (wa·’ă·rām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

Uz,
וְע֥וּץ (wə·‘ūṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 5780: Uz -- a son of Aram, also a son of Nahor, also an Edomite, also perhaps a district East of Palestine

Hul,
וְח֖וּל (wə·ḥūl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2343: Hul -- a son of Aram

Gether,
וְגֶ֥תֶר (wə·ḡe·ṯer)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1666: Gether -- a descendant of Shem

and Meshech.
וָמֶֽשֶׁךְ׃ (wā·me·šeḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4902: Meshech -- a son of Japheth, also his descendants and their land


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OT History: 1 Chronicles 1:17 The sons of Shem: Elam and Asshur (1 Chron. 1Ch iCh i Ch 1 chr 1chr)