וּלְשֵׁ֥ם יֻלַּ֖ד גַּם־ה֑וּא אֲבִי֙ כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵ֔בֶר אֲחִ֖י יֶ֥פֶת הַגָּדֹֽול׃
(Genesis 10:21)
And to Shem also was born, he too, the father of all the sons of ʿEver, the brother of Yephet the elder.
Genesis 10:21 stands at a subtle but decisive turning point within the Table of Nations. Grammatically, the verse is compact; syntactically, it is dense; theologically, it is loaded. Unlike many genealogical notices that simply list descendants, this verse uses emphasis markers, passive verbal forms, and layered appositional phrases to single out Shem in a way that anticipates later biblical developments. The Hebrew grammar does not merely record ancestry, it signals significance.
The Fronted Dative: וּלְשֵׁם
- וּלְשֵׁם: Conjunction וְ + preposition לְ + proper noun “Shem” — “And to Shem”.
The verse opens not with a verb, but with a fronted dative phrase. This is syntactically marked. Instead of saying simply “Shem fathered…”, the text says “to Shem was born…”. Hebrew frequently front-loads prepositional phrases for emphasis, and here the effect is unmistakable: Shem is placed in focus before any action is described.
This construction subtly contrasts with earlier genealogical notices. The grammar signals that something more than routine descent is being introduced. Shem is not merely another son of Noah; he is being set apart by syntactic prominence.
The Passive Birth Formula: יֻלַּד
- יֻלַּד: Pual perfect 3ms of ילד, “was born / was caused to be born”.
The verb יֻלַּד is in the Pual stem, a passive-intensive form. Rather than stating that Shem “fathered” children, the text states that something was born to him. This grammatical choice removes Shem as the active agent and shifts attention to the event itself.
In biblical Hebrew, passive birth formulas often carry theological overtones. They allow space—grammatically—for divine agency. The birth is not merely biological; it is presented as something that happens to Shem, not something he controls. This aligns with later biblical patterns where key lineages are framed as gifts rather than achievements.
The Emphatic Apposition: גַּם־הוּא
- גַּם־הוּא: Particle גַּם (“also / indeed”) + pronoun “he”.
This small phrase carries disproportionate weight. גַּם־הוּא functions as an emphatic aside: “he too” or “indeed, he himself.” Grammatically, it is parenthetical; rhetorically, it is pointed.
The phrase implies comparison. Shem is being aligned with, and yet distinguished from, others already mentioned—especially Yephet. The grammar suggests: Shem, no less than his brother, has a distinguished role. Yet the verse will soon clarify that his distinction lies in lineage, not in age or territorial spread.
The Construct Chain of Identity: אֲבִי כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵבֶר
- אֲבִי: Construct form of אָב, “father of”.
- כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵבֶר: “all the sons of ʿEver”.
This is the semantic core of the verse. Shem is defined not by geography, not by political power, but by relational lineage. The construct chain אֲבִי כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵבֶר does not merely describe biological descent; it establishes Shem as the ancestral source of a specific people-group.
The name עֵבֶר is crucial. Linguistically, it is connected to the root עבר (“to cross over”). The grammar thus embeds a conceptual metaphor: Shem is the father of those who are “from the other side,” those marked by transition, movement, and later covenant identity.
From a grammatical standpoint, the construct chain compresses identity into a single syntactic unit. Shem’s significance is not narrated—it is encoded.
Appositional Clarification: אֲחִי יֶפֶת הַגָּדֹל
- אֲחִי: Construct form of “brother of”.
- יֶפֶת: Proper noun “Yephet”.
- הַגָּדֹל: Adjective with article, “the elder / the great”.
This final phrase is syntactically appositional, clarifying Shem’s position relative to Yephet. Importantly, הַגָּדֹל grammatically modifies יֶפֶת, not Shem. The text explicitly identifies Yephet as the elder brother.
This resolves a potential ambiguity: Shem’s prominence is not due to primogeniture. The grammar carefully prevents that conclusion. By placing אֲחִי יֶפֶת הַגָּדֹל at the end of the verse, the text ensures that readers do not mistake Shem’s genealogical importance for a claim of seniority.
The syntax thus creates a deliberate tension: Shem is younger, yet central; not first in birth, yet first in theological trajectory.
Structural Overview
| Segment | Hebrew | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Fronting | וּלְשֵׁם | Focus and emphasis |
| Passive action | יֻלַּד | Birth framed as event, not agency |
| Emphasis | גַּם־הוּא | Comparative highlighting |
| Identity | אֲבִי כָּל־בְּנֵי־עֵבֶר | Covenantal lineage marker |
| Clarification | אֲחִי יֶפֶת הַגָּדֹל | Denial of primogeniture |
Grammar as Theological Signal
Genesis 10:21 demonstrates how biblical Hebrew uses grammar not merely to inform but to direct interpretation. Every syntactic decision—fronting, passive voice, apposition—guides the reader toward a theological conclusion without stating it overtly.
Shem’s importance is not proclaimed; it is structured. The verse teaches readers how to read the unfolding story: the line of promise will not follow age, power, or territorial dominance, but a grammatically marked lineage that begins quietly here.
The Quiet Beginning of a Chosen Line
There is no covenant yet in Genesis 10:21. No promise, no land, no command. And yet the grammar prepares the ground. Through restrained syntax and carefully layered phrases, the verse plants a seed that will later grow into the Abrahamic narrative.
In biblical Hebrew, election often begins not with thunder, but with grammar.
