Genesis 10 · Verse 21

Genesis 10:21

Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
Genesis 10:21, King James Version

Genesis 10:21 in other translations

BSBAnd sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.
WEBChildren were also born to Shem (the elder brother of Japheth), the father of all the children of Eber.
ASVAnd unto Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.
YLTAs to Shem, father of all sons of Eber, brother of Japheth the elder, he hath also begotten:
DARBYAnd to Shem — to him also were sons born; he is the father of all the sons of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder.
BBEAnd Shem, the older brother of Japheth, the father of the children of Eber, had other sons in addition.
WebsterTo Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

What does Genesis 10:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
21. Unto Shem--The historian introduces him with marked distinction as "the father of Eber," the ancestor of the Hebrews.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber - It is generally supposed that the Hebrews derived their name from Eber or Heber, son of Shem; but it appears much more likely that they had it from the circumstance of Abraham passing over (for so the word עבר abar signifies) the river Euphrates to come into the land of Canaan. See the history of Abraham, Gen 14:13 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 10:15-32

The posterity of Canaan were numerous, rich, and pleasantly seated; yet Canaan was under a Divine curse, and not a curse causeless. Those that are under the curse of God, may, perhaps, thrive and prosper in this world; for we cannot know love or hatred, the blessing or the curse, by what is before us, but by what is within us. The curse of God always works really, and always terribly. Perhaps it is a secret curse, a…

Read the full comment on Genesis 10:15-32 →

Genesis 10:21 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וּלְשֵׁ֥םul.Shemand to ShemH8035
יֻלַּ֖דyu.Lad<it> was bornH3205
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
ה֑וּאHu'heH1931
אֲבִי֙'a.Vi[the] father ofH1
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
בְּנֵי\־be.nei-[the] sons ofH1121
עֵ֔בֶר'E.verEberH5677
אֲחִ֖י'a.Chi[the] brother ofH251
יֶ֥פֶתYe.fetJaphethH3315
הַגָּדֽוֹל\׃ha.ga.Dol<the> oldH1419

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 10:21

  • Numbers 24:24

    And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

  • Genesis 11:10-26

    These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Shem.Shem signifies name or renown; and his, indeed, was great both in a temporal and spiritual sense, inasmuch as he was destined to be the lineal ancestor of the promised Seed of the woman, to which Noah might allude in his pious ejaculation, ch. 9:26.
the father.
11:10-26
Eber.
Nu 24:24
the brother.
2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 10:20

    These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

  • Genesis 10:21

    Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

  • Genesis 10:22

    The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

Read all of Genesis 10

Genesis 10:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		También le nacieron hijos á Sem, padre de todos los hijos de Heber, y hermano mayor de Japhet.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et à Sem, père de tous les fils d’Héber, et frère de Japheth, l’aîné, à lui aussi il naquit des fils.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und dem Sem, dem Vater aller Söhne Hebers, dem Bruder Japhets, des ältesten, auch ihm wurden Söhne geboren.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		De Sem quoque nati sunt, patre omnium filiorum Heber, fratre Japheth majore.