1 Chronicles 1:17

(Genesis 10:22-23). The Sons of Shem

17. The sons of Shem These occupied the middle geographical "zone."

Elam "Semites neither in blood nor in speech" (Sayce, Higher Criticism, p. 122). If this be so, the reason of their being reckoned to Shem must be that they were in the geographical zone which belonged to the Semites.

Asshur The Assyrians, who spoke a Semitic dialect and were doubtless Semites.

Arphaxad R.V. Arpachshad. The second half of the word ("chshad") contains the name of the Casdim, the "Chaldeans" or "Chaldees" of the A.V.

Lud Perhaps the Lydians. In 1 Chronicles 1:11, which is an extract from an earlier document ("J"), Ludim ("the Lydians") are reckoned as the children of Mizraim (Egypt). Lydia itself was in the Japhetic "zone," but the people may have been recognised as Semites independently of their geographical position.

Aram the "Syrians" of the A.V.; better called Aramaeans. In Damascus they held an independent power for centuries and were constantly at war with Israel. Further north they seem to have been under the hegemony of the Hittites.

Uz From Genesis 10:23 it appears that in Chron. the words "And the children of Aram [1] " have dropped out, so that "Uz" etc. appear as the immediate descendants of Shem.

[1] The Alexandrine MS (A) of the LXX. has the words.

Neither Uz nor the three following names have been satisfactorily identified. For "Meshech" Genesis 10:2 (Heb. notLXX.) reads "Mash."