1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Shem (Hebrew: שֵׁם, Šēm)
• Meaning: “Name” or “renown”; often interpreted as representing dignity, legacy, or identity—possibly linked to the idea of preserving the name or reputation of God

2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Eleventh generation from Adam; first generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Noah – survivor of the flood and recipient of the covenant
• Son: Arphaxad – continues the post-flood Messianic line
• Lineage Role: Chosen son among Noah’s descendants through whom the Abrahamic and ultimately Messianic promises would be transmitted (Genesis 11:10–26; Luke 3:36)

3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• Survived the flood in the ark; witnessed both God’s judgment and restoration
• Blessed by Noah for honouring his father during the incident involving Ham (Genesis 9:26–27)
• His descendants formed the Semitic peoples, including the Hebrews, Assyrians, and Arameans
• Lifespan: 600 years (Genesis 11:10–11)

4. Theological and Christological Significance
• Blessed by Noah with a prophetic role: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem” (Genesis 9:26), indicating divine favour upon Shem’s line
• His lineage includes Abraham, David, and ultimately Christ—central to redemptive history
• Typologically associated with covenantal inheritance and priestly honour, themes fulfilled in Christ’s identity as both king and priest

5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Foundational ancestor of the Semitic line, from which Israel and the Messiah would emerge
• Honoured in Jewish tradition as a righteous patriarch
• Sometimes identified with Melchizedek in later Jewish writings (e.g., Targums, rabbinic midrash), though not explicitly supported by Scripture
• No major textual or genealogical disputes; consistently affirmed in biblical genealogies

6. Summary Insight
• Shem stands as the covenant-bearing son of Noah, blessed to carry the divine name and chosen to preserve the Messianic line through faithful descent.

7. Biblical References
• Genesis 5:32; 6:10; 7:13; 9:18–27; 10:21–31; 11:10–11
• 1 Chronicles 1:4, 17–27
• Luke 3:36