1 Chronicles 1:17
The sonnes of Shem: Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, & Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. 1 Chronicles 1:17 (KJV)
Chronicles 1:17 is part of a genealogical record found in the book of Chronicles, specifically in the chapter that lists the descendants of Adam and follows the lineage of Shem, one of Noah’s sons. This genealogy traces the generations from Adam to Abraham and provides historical and genealogical information that establishes the foundation for the Israelite nation.
In this particular verse the focus is on the descendants of Shem. The names mentioned are Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. Elam was a region in ancient Persia, also known as Susiana, and the Elamites are an ancient civilization referenced in Jeremiah 49:34‑39 and Isaiah 22:6. Asshur is the eponymous ancestor of the Assyrian people; the Assyrians became a powerful empire in the ancient Near East with Nineveh as their capital, and they play a significant role throughout the Old Testament. Arphaxad was a direct descendant of Shem and the father of Shelah; his line eventually leads to Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation, and he is also listed in the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3:36. Lud is believed to represent an ancient region or people associated with Lydia in modern‑day Turkey and is mentioned in Ezekiel 27:10 as a trading nation with Tyre.
Aram refers to the ancient region of Aram or Syria, whose people, the Arameans, were a Semitic group frequently mentioned in Scripture; notable Aramean figures include Naaman (2 Kings 5) and Hazael (2 Kings 8). Uz is likely a region linked to Edom or a descendant of Shem; the Book of Job identifies its inhabitant as Job, though its precise location remains uncertain. Hul, Gether, and Meshech are less well‑known; Hul and Gether may denote regions or peoples about which little specific information survives, while Meshech is often associated with the ancient Mushki or Moschoi of what is now Turkey. According to the surrounding verses, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech are listed in 1 Chronicles 1:18 as the sons of Aram, making them grandsons of Shem.
