The title makes it sound like some epic climax, and in some ways it is. But for the most part, the next step in the direction of this final son, Shem, is really an entire journey all to himself. For starters, I finally finished the Canaanites. I never thought that dissecting the past of the Canaanites would have been so difficult. But with their number, and holding to the fact that “the Canaanite tribes scattered,” I should have recognized the warning.

But now I am starting on the final son of Noah. I say final because he is the last listed within the table of nations, but it is highly unlikely that he was the last born son. What is more likely is that he was the second born after Japheth and Ham was his younger brother. But his description of descendants is left for last in the table of nations. This makes the most sense as his genealogy is of great importance within the Scriptures. After all, it is from his line that the Christ was from. Following the account of the Tower of Babel, the line from Shem is continued through his son Arphaxad to Abram, the man who was the father of Israel and in the genealogy of Christ.

Unlike the other descendants of Japheth and Ham, those of Shem generally stayed in one general location, and that is within the middle East. He had five sons: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. Like many other nations, the people and nations that came from them were also named after them. Elam became the Elamites. They dwelled south of Madai, who became the Medes, and the Elamaites became the Persians. Together they would end up conquering Babylon. Asshur, possibly the most apparent of the group, fathered the Assyrian Empire, which was named after him. Lud has yet to be fully discovered, but likely his people lived in southern Anatolia. Aram is also something of a mystery, and yet, there is a group within the Middle East called Arameans who may be his descendants. While Arphaxad is clearly the father of Israel, Abram’s family came from Ur of the Chaldeans. While this is sometimes the name used for Babylon, this people might have come from Arphaxad. But then again, I have yet to find the links to each of these groups. And thus, the search begins!

So as has been the case for the last few months (and years), the research continues. But, now I am something like a third done with the book. Of course, a lot of editing and intro-conclusion work is yet to be started. Still, the idea of being nearly a third done with the draft and it only being about half-way through the year, I am rather excited.

Blessings to you and yours,

~Rose