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Genesis 10:31 — Word Study

Depth

WLCאֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־ שֵׁ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם לְגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

BSATheseʼêl-leh [specific descendants, the ones mentioned] are the sonsbên [descendants, offspring] of ShemShêm [the eldest son of Noah] according to their clansmishpâchâh [family, tribal, family groups, tribes] languageslâshôwn [tongues, native speech] landsʼerets [countries, territories, earth] and nationsgôwy [Gentile groups, large groups of people]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 10
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 31 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (le.go.ye.Hem) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 10:31quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse lists the descendants of Shem, detailing their clans, languages, lands, and nations.
Who is speakingThe narrator of Genesis, outlining the genealogical record.
Where we areIn the genealogical section of Genesis, tracing the lineage of Noah's sons.
The hard wordשֵׁ֔ם
Take awayThe descendants are categorized by their social and cultural identities.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Ellicott, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectאֵלֶּה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 10:31

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Descendants of Noahgenerated

29Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were sons of Joktan.
30Their territory extended from Mesha to Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
31These are the sons of Shem, according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.
32All these are the clans of Noah’s sons, according to their generations and nations. From these the nations of the earth spread out after the flood.

Genesis 10:31 presents the sons of Shem, highlighting their family structures and cultural identities. This verse is part of a larger genealogical narrative that traces the lineage of Noah’s sons and illustrates how these groups spread across the earth after the flood. The context emphasizes the significance of familial and tribal connections in the ancient world, as seen in the preceding verses that detail the descendants of other sons of Noah.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Genesis 10:5–20From these, the maritime peoples separated into their territories, according to their languages, by clans within their nations.
2Acts 17:26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.Genesis 10:5–20 Acts 17:26

The Key Word שֵׁם, Shemgenerated

The name שֵׁם (Shem) refers to the eldest son of Noah, whose lineage is significant in biblical history. The root of the word relates to 'name', indicating a connection to identity and legacy. Shem's descendants are considered the ancestors of various Semitic peoples, which is crucial for understanding the ethnic and cultural divisions presented in the Bible.

Shem is not only a personal name but also represents a broader category of descendants, linking back to the early history of humanity. This verse highlights the importance of Shem's lineage in the context of the nations that emerged from his descendants.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause of the verse is governed by the subject אֵ֣לֶּה, these, followed by a noun phrase that identifies the subject as the sons of Shem. The structure then includes several prepositional phrases that describe the characteristics of these sons, emphasizing their clans, languages, lands, and nations.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the specific descendants of Shem, with the prepositional phrases providing essential details about their identities and social structures.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates אֵ֣לֶּה as οὗτοι, meaning 'these', which maintains the specificity of the Hebrew term. This choice reinforces the focus on particular descendants.

The Greek translation captures the essence of the Hebrew while adapting it to the linguistic and cultural context of its audience, emphasizing the significance of Shem's lineage.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 10:31 tells us about the sons of Shem, who are identified according to their family groups, languages, lands, and nations. This verse fits into a larger narrative that traces the descendants of Noah and shows how they spread across the earth after the flood.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

Who are the sons of Shem?

The sons of Shem are the descendants mentioned in this verse, who represent various clans and nations.

What does it mean to categorize them by clans and languages?

Categorizing them by clans and languages highlights their social structures and cultural identities.

Why is Shem significant in biblical genealogy?

Shem is significant as the eldest son of Noah and the ancestor of many Semitic tribes, playing a crucial role in the biblical narrative.

How does this verse connect to the broader context of Genesis?

This verse connects to the broader context of Genesis by illustrating the genealogical lines that lead to the nations after the flood.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What can we learn about the importance of family and cultural identity from this verse?
  2. How do the clans and languages of Shem's descendants reflect the diversity of human societies?
  3. In what ways does understanding Shem's lineage help us comprehend the biblical narrative?
  4. How can we see the influence of Shem's descendants in today's world?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 10:31 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

These are the sons of Shem,.... His sons, and grandsons, and great grandsons, in all twenty six, no doubt but there were many more, but these are only mentioned; for none of the sons of Elam, Ashur,

Read John Gill on Genesis 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. These are the sons of Shem.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(26-31) Joktan.—“The little one,” as being a younger son. Of the thirteen divisions of his family, few are of any importance, though several of the names are curious from their connection with the Arabic language. The Joktanite country was Arabia Felix, or Yemen, and as the people led a pastoral life without founding cities, the traces of their tribal names are insignificant. Those worth noting are Almodad, because it has the full form of the article, retained as Al in Arabic, but shortened in Hebrew into Ha. Hazarmaveth, “the court of death,” so called because of the unhealthiness of its climate, is now Hadramaut. Abimael means “the father of Mael.” While in Hebrew and Syriac men took the…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31. These are, &c.] Cf. Genesis 10:5; Genesis 10:20.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 10 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

These are the sons of Shem, according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

These are the sons of Shem, by their families, according to their languages, lands, and nations.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These are the sons of Shem, according to their clans, languages, lands, and nations.

NETBNew English Translation2006

These are the sons of Shem according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, and according to their nations.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

RVARevised Version, American1894

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

These are the sonnes of Shem according to their families, according to their tongues, in their countreis and nations.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

These [are] sons of Shem, by their families, by their tongues, in their lands, by their nations.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

These [are] sons of Shem, by their families, by their tongues, in their lands, by their nations.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

These were the sons of Shem, according to their clans and their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

These are the children of Sem according to their kindreds and tongues, and countries in their nations.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These were the sons of Shem, according to their tribes, languages, lands, and nations.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

These, with their families and their languages and their lands and their nations, are the offspring of Shem.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clausesubjectאֵ֣לֶּהthesenoun phrase · predicateבְנֵי[were].the.sonsשֵׁ֔םof.Shemprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖clansםtheirprepositional phraseלִtonoun phraseלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑languagesםtheirprepositional phraseבְּinnoun phraseאַרְצֹתָ֖landsםtheirprepositional phraseלְtonoun phraseגוֹיֵnationsהֶֽםtheir

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is supported by the Septuagint, which matches six of the seven words. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in three words: it uses משׁפחותם (clan), לשׁנותם (tongue), and ארצותם (earth), indicating variations in the terminology used for family and language.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

אֵ֣לֶּה בְנֵי־ שֵׁ֔ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לִלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑ם בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖ם לְגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֵ֣לֶּהοὗτοιבְנֵי־υἱοὶשֵׁ֔םσημלִלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑םαὐτῶνבְּאַרְצֹתָ֖םἐνלְגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃ἔθνεσιν

6 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

אלה בני שׁם למשׁפחותם ללשׁנותם בארצותם לגויהם

3 words differ from the Masoretic Text: משׁפחותם (clan), לשׁנותם (tongue), ארצותם (earth)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 10:31אֵ֫לֶּהthesetheseאֵ֫לֶּהבֵּן[were] [the[were] [the] soבֵּןשֵׁםShemShemשֵׁםמִשְׁפָּחָהto clans thto clans theirמִשְׁפָּחָהלָשׁוֹןto languageto languages thלָשׁוֹןאֶ֫רֶץin lands thin lands theirאֶ֫רֶץגּוֹיto nations to nations theiגּוֹיאֵלthesetheseאֵלבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהשָׁפָהbe barebe bareשָׁפָהלָשַׁןto slanderto slanderלָשַׁןשֵׁםnamenameשֵׁםגֵּוָהbackbackגֵּוָהתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתאַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןיֶ֫פֶתJaphethJaphethיֶ֫פֶתחָםHamHamחָםחֵךְpalatepalateחֵךְהָגָהto mutterto mutterהָגָהכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםעָצוּםmightymightyעָצוּםמַמְלָכָהkingdomkingdomמַמְלָכָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 10:31

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
אֵ֣לֶּה'E.leh these H428 Particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Amplified meaning
specific descendants, the ones mentioned
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these

in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

428 'el-leh ale'-leh

prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one

sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,

thus, which, who(-m).

see HEBREW for 0411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
בְנֵי־ve.nei- [were] [the] sons of H1121 Noun common · masculine plural construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendants, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural construct
HNcmpc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SON, SONS.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
שֵׁ֔םShem Shem H8035 Noun proper masculine
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shem was Noah's eldest son, mentioned in Genesis 5:32, and the ancestor of many Semitic tribes. He had several sons, including Asshur and Aram, and is an important figure in biblical genealogy. Shem's story is part of the early history of humanity.
Amplified meaning
the eldest son of Noah
Tyndale gloss
Shem
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) refers to Shem, the first son of Noah, and is associated with his descendants, the Semitic tribes. The word also means 'name' in Hebrew. It appears in the context of the genealogies in Genesis, specifically noted in Genesis 5:32.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם n.pr.m. first son of Noah

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8035 שֵׁם first son of Noah

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8035 Shem shame

the same as 8034; name; Shem, a son of Noah (often includ.

his posterity):--Sem, Shem.

see HEBREW for 08034

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — Shem.

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.5.32;

son of: Noah (H5146);

brother of: Ham (H2526) and Japheth (H3315);

father of: Asshur (H0804H), Elam (H5867C), Arpachshad (H0775), Lud (H3865) and Aram (H0758)

Also named: Sēm (Σήμ "Shem" G4590)

§ Shem = "name"

the eldest son of Noah and progenitor of the Semitic tribes

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shem (shem; Sem):

1. Position in Noah's Family: His Name:

The eldest son of Noah, from whom the Jews, as well as the Semitic ("Shemitic") nations in general have descended. When giving the names of Noah's three sons, Shem is always mentioned first (Ge 9:18; 10:1, etc.); and though "the elder" in "Shem the brother of Japheth the elder" (Ge 10:21 margin) is explained as referring to Shem, this is not the rendering of Onkelos. His five sons peopled the greater part of West Asia's finest tracts, from Elam on the East to the Mediterranean on the West. Though generally regarded as meaning "dusky" (compare the Assyr-Babylonian samu--also Ham--possibly = "black," Japheth, "fair"), it is considered possible that Shem may be the usual Hebrew word for "name" (shem), given him because he was…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Shem

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).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(name), the eldest son of Noah. (Genesis 5:32) He was 98 years old, married, and childless at the time of the flood. After it, he, with his father, brothers, sisters-in-law and wife, received the blessing of God, (Genesis 9:1) and entered into the covenant. With the help of his brother Japheth, he covered the nakedness of their father and received the first blessing. (Genesis 9:25-27) He died at the age of 630 years. The portion of the earth occupied by the descendants of Shem, (Genesis 10:21,31) begins at its northwestern extremity with Lydia, and includes Syria (Aram), Chaldaea (Arphaxad), parts Of Assyria (Asshur), of Persia (Elam), and of the Arabian peninsula (Joktan).…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A son of Noah, Ge 5:32 6:10, always named before Ham and Japheth, as the eldest son; or, as some think, because he was the forefather of the Hebrews. In Ge 10:21, the word elder may be applied to Shem, instead of Japheth. He received a blessing from his dying father, Ge 9:26, and of his line the Messiah was born. He had five sons, and their posterity occupied the central regions between Ham and Japheth, and peopled the finest provinces of the East. The languages of some of these nations are still called the Shemitic languages, including the Hebrew, Chalee, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, etc.; but in this general class are found several languages spoken by nations descended from Ham.

these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖םle.mish.pe.cho.Tam to clans their H4940 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
303× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Amplified meaning
family, tribal, family groups, tribes
Tyndale gloss
family
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mishpachah) refers to a clan or family, encompassing a circle of relatives and extending to tribes or peoples. It can also denote a class of persons, species of animals, or kinds of things. The entries highlight its various uses, including guilds and aristocrats, but do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

clan

= guild

= species, kind

pl. = aristocrats

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4940 מִשְׁפָּחָה clan . clan

. = guild

. = species, kind

. pl. = aristocrats

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4940 mishpachah mish-paw-khaw'

from 8192 (compare 8198); a family, i.e. circle of relatives;

figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or

sort (of things); by extens. a tribe or people:--family,

kind(-red).

see HEBREW for 08192

see HEBREW for 08198

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁפָּחָה (mish.pa.chah) — family.

1) clan, family

1a) clan

1a1) family

1a2) tribe

1a3) people, nation

1b) guild

1c) species, kind

1d) aristocrats

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
לִלְשֹׁנֹתָ֑םlil.sho.no.Tam to languages their H3956 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
117× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The tongue, used for eating, speaking, or describing a language. In the Bible, it appears in many books, including Genesis 11:1 and Acts 2:4.
Amplified meaning
tongues, native speech
Tyndale gloss
tongue
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word לָשׁוֹן (*lashon*) primarily means 'tongue,' referring to both the organ of speech in humans and animals. It can also denote 'language' and has figurative uses, such as a 'tongue-shaped' wedge or bay. The entries highlight its literal and metaphorical applications, but do not present any significant disagreements among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לָשׁוֹן n.m. and (more oft.) f. tongue

tongue of men

= language

tongue of animals

tongue of fire

= (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold

= (tongue-shaped) bay of sea

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3956 לָשׁוֹן tongue . tongue of men

. = language

. tongue of animals

. tongue of fire

. = (tongue-shaped) wedge of gold

. = (tongue-shaped) bay of sea

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3956 lashown law-shone'

or lashon {law-shone'}; also (in plural) feminine lshonah

{lesh-o-naw'}; from 3960; the tongue (of man or animals), used

literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech),

and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame, a cove of

water):--+ babbler,bay, + evil speaker, language, talker,

tongue, wedge.

see HEBREW for 03960

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue.

: tongue/words

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue: language.

: language

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

לָשׁוֹן (la.shon) — tongue: bar.

: bar/projection/bay

1) tongue

1a) tongue (of men)

1a1) tongue (literal)

1a2) tongue (organ of speech)

1b) language

1c) tongue (of animals)

1d) tongue (of fire)

1e) wedge, bay of sea (tongue-shaped)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
בְּאַרְצֹתָ֖םbe.'ar.tzo.Tam in lands their H776 Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Amplified meaning
countries, territories, earth
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncfpc/Sp3mp
these [were] [the] sons of Shem to clans their to languages their in lands their to nations their
לְגוֹיֵהֶֽם׃le.go.ye.Hem to nations their H1471 Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
561× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Amplified meaning
Gentile groups, large groups of people
Tyndale gloss
Gentile
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גּוֹי (goy) refers to a nation or people, often indicating non-Hebrew groups, but can also encompass descendants of Abraham and Israel. It may figuratively describe a swarm of locusts or animals. The plural form, גּוֹיִם (goyim), is noted as a proper noun referring to the people of Goim, specifically mentioned in Genesis 14:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גּוֹי 661 n.m. nation, people

base

גּוֹיִם n.pr.gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1471a גּוֹי nation, people H1471b גּוֹיִם n. pr. gent. Tid‛al king of Goim

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1471 gowy go'-ee

rarely (shortened) goy {go'-ee}; apparently from the same

root as 1465 (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation;

hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a

flight of locusts:--Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

see HEBREW for 01465

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גּוֹי (goy) — nation.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

גּוֹיִם (go.yim) — Goiim.

People descended from Goy(?), first mentioned at Gen.14.1

§ Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

גּוֹי (goy) — Gentile.

1) nation, people

1a) nation, people

1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people

1a2) of descendants of Abraham

1a3) of Israel

1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.)

1c) Goyim? = "nations"

Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)

גּוֹי (goy) — (Harosheth)-hagoyim.

Goyim (Tidgal, king of)

Combined with cha.ro.shet (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת "Harosheth" H2800)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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