(O) Shem And Terah’s Descendants

Genesis 11:10–32
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The great Christian devotionals writer, Oswald Chambers, once wrote, “Laughter and weeping are the two most intense forms of human emotion, and these profound wells of human emotion are to be consecrated to God.” In Psalms 126:2 it says, “Our mouths were filled wit … More

Transition

In the last half of this chapter Moses brings us back to Abram’s family tree (vv. 10-32). He traces Abraham’s line from Noah through Seth. It was in this line that God reveals a man upon whose daring faith the rest of the Bible is made to hinge. In fact the story of Abraham is so important that God devotes 25 percent of the book of Genesis to its details. Abraham lived in Ur of the Chaldees which was an important city in Babylonia. It was a city of attainment, and a center of moon worship. Abraham, his father Terah, his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot at God’s prompting leave Ur and travel north to Haran (v 31). Haran like Ur was devoted to worship of the moon god. At this spot the whole pilgrimage bogged down for approximately 25 years and did not move forward till Terah died (v. 32). Then Abraham began to take great steps forward.

It is at the end of this chapter that the book of Genesis and for that matter the whole Bible takes a turn. The first 11 chapters have recorded four great events:

* Creation- Gen. 1-2

* The Fall- Gen. 3-4

* The Flood- Gen. 5-9

* The Tower of Babel- Gen. 10-11

With chapter 12 the emphasis turns from four great events to four important personalities:

* Abraham- Gen. 12-23

* Isaac- Gen. 24-26

* Jacob- Gen. 27-36

* Joseph- Gen. 37-50

Application

Some say that Abraham’s stay in Haran, to please his father Terah, was wasted time. However, this was a transition time in Abraham’s life and a time of preparation for the future. God may give me times of waiting and learning to better prepare me to serve Him in the future.

Genesis 11:10-32 (English Standard Version)

These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. And Shem lived after he fathered Arpachshad 500 years and had other sons and daughters. When Arpachshad had lived 35 years, he fathered Shelah. And Arpachshad lived after he fathered Shelah 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Shelah had lived 30 years, he fathered Eber. And Shelah lived after he fathered Eber 403 years and had other sons and daughters. When Eber had lived 34 years, he fathered Peleg. And Eber lived after he fathered Peleg 430 years and had other sons and daughters. When Peleg had lived 30 years, he fathered Reu. And Peleg lived after he fathered Reu 209 years and had other sons and daughters. When Reu had lived 32 years, he fathered Serug. And Reu lived after he fathered Serug 207 years and had other sons and daughters. When Serug had lived 30 years, he fathered Nahor. And Serug lived after he fathered Nahor 200 years and had other sons and daughters. When Nahor had lived 29 years, he fathered Terah. And Nahor lived after he fathered Terah 119 years and had other sons and daughters. When Terah had lived 70 years, he fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Now these are the generations of Terah. Terah fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran fathered Lot. Haran died in the presence of his father Terah in the land of his kindred, in Ur of the Chaldeans. And Abram and Nahor took wives. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. Now Sarai was barren; she had no child. Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.

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