The third unit of the chapter takes up the descendants of Shem, the first of Noah’s sons and the one selected to be the ancestor of Abraham. Unlike verses 2 and 6, which give the names of sons of Japheth and Ham, verse 21 refers to Shem as the father of Eber’s children and as the older brother of Japheth. Nothing is said regarding Shem’s relation to Ham. So Shem’s section has a double introduction (verses 21-22), attributed by many scholars to the combining of two sources.

Interpreters generally see the Hebrew text of verse 21 as fragmented. For example, there is no subject for the passive form of the verb yeled “to be born.” Revised Standard Version and others supply “children.” Inserted are two statements, father of all the children of Eber and elder brother of Japheth. Shem could not be the father of Eber’s children according to verse 25; therefore father must be taken to mean “ancestor” or something similar. Translators wishing to make verse 21 clear must often restructure it more than Revised Standard Version has done. For example, Bible en français courant says “Shem, the older brother of Japheth, also had sons. He was the ancestor of Eber and all his descendants.” Good News Translation is similar, but saying “was the ancestor” assumes that he had sons, and so Good News Translation does not repeat this information. New English Bible translates “Sons were born also to Shem, elder brother of Japheth, the ancestor of all the sons of Eber.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy follows the same pattern by saying “Shem, who was the older brother of Japheth, also had sons. All the sons of Eber were Shem’s descendants.” All of these are suitable models for translating.

Translators should note that Good News Translation renders Eber as “the Hebrews.” Speiser says pointedly “Eber is the eponymous [one whose name is applied] ancestor of the Hebrews.” However, in his translation Speiser uses “Eber” in both verse 21 and verse 24. Westermann and others do not find the arguments for identifying Eber with the Hebrews as valid. Most modern translations use Eber and not “the Hebrews,” and this is the recommendation of the Handbook.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .