Noah was the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
- KJV And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
- BSB And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
- NKJV And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
- NASB And Noah fathered three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
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
Noah fathers three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Through them the post-flood world will be repopulated.
Overview
This brief genealogical note prepares for the family that will survive the flood and become the ancestors of all nations. Shem in particular is significant, for the line of promise leading to Abraham and ultimately to Christ runs through him. The verse quietly advances God's plan to preserve a people through whom blessing will come.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- Gen 5:32Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
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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 6:10 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.