Limitless Word
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
Parallel translations
  • WEB Children were also born to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth.
  • BSB And sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth; Shem was the forefather of all the sons of Eber.
  • NKJV And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder.
  • NASB Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth, children were born.
  • NLT Sons were also born to Shem, the older brother of Japheth. Shem was the ancestor of all the descendants of Eber.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Children were also born to Shem, the ancestor of all the children of Eber. Shem's line is introduced as especially significant.

Overview

Shem is highlighted as the father of Eber's descendants, from whom the Hebrews and the line of promise come. This emphasis signals that the redemptive thread runs through Shem. The verse points forward to Abraham and the covenant people, and ultimately to Christ, who descends from the line of Shem and Eber.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • Num 24:24And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
  • Gen 11:10–26These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Genesis videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Genesis 10:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on GenesisMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.

How Genesis 10:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.