And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse, seemingly a simple genealogical statement, highlights that even amidst a world consumed by wickedness, life and lineage continued through Noah and his sons. It underscores that God's plan for humanity's future, even the lineage leading to the Messiah, was preserved not through the powerful or renowned, but through a righteous man and his family, continuing even in the face of total corruption.
And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As humanity's wickedness escalates to a point where God grieves over His creation, Noah is presented as an exception, finding favor with God. The text then introduces Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who will become the progenitors of the post-flood world. This lineage is mentioned just before God reveals His intention to destroy all life due to the pervasive violence and corruption filling the earth.
Just before Noah's family is highlighted, the Bible paints a grim picture of humanity's state. What made this generation so exceptionally wicked?
The text in Genesis 6 describes a world utterly consumed by evil. It wasn't just outward actions, but the very imagination of people's hearts that was constantly set on wickedness.
Pervasive Corruption
Violence and Loss of Order
In the midst of overwhelming wickedness, one man and his family stood apart. What made Noah and his sons the chosen few to carry humanity forward?
While the rest of the world plunged into corruption, Noah and his immediate family represent a stark contrast. Their inclusion in the narrative right before the flood highlights their crucial role.
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The Future of Humanity
While this verse simply names Noah's sons, it’s placed at a pivotal moment in history. The lineage of Noah, and specifically these three sons, becomes the foundation for all humanity after God’s drastic intervention to cleanse the earth from overwhelming wickedness and violence. Their birth marks the continuation of God’s plan even amidst profound judgment.
c. 10560 BC
Early Human Population Growth
Humanity begins to multiply and spread across the earth, leading to increased social interaction and the development of distinct societal groups.
c. 10500 BC - c. 9500 BC
Emergence of 'Sons of God' and 'Daughters of Men'
Scholarly interpretation suggests a period where distinct groups, possibly representing a more godly lineage (sons of God) and the general populace (daughters of men), begin to intermingle.
c. 9500 BC
Increased Wickedness and Violence
A marked increase in human wickedness, violence, and corruption is observed across the earth, corrupting societal norms and individual hearts.
c. 9500 BC
God's Sorrow and Decision for Judgment
God expresses sorrow over humanity's deep corruption and resolves to bring a devastating flood to cleanse the earth.
c. 9500 BC
Noah Found Favor
Noah, a righteous man, finds favor in God's sight, setting him apart from the general corruption.
c. 9500 BC— this verse
Birth of Noah's Sons
Noah, already a father, has three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who will become progenitors of humanity after the flood.
c. 9500 BC
Divine Command to Build the Ark
God instructs Noah to build a great ark as a means of preservation for himself, his family, and pairs of all living creatures.
This passage also introduces Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, serving as a foundational mention of his lineage before the narrative of the Flood unfolds in chapter 6.
Luke 3:36This New Testament passage traces Jesus' genealogy back to Noah, naming Shem, Ham, and Japheth as key figures in the lineage, highlighting their continued significance in God's plan.
Genesis 9:18This verse directly references Noah's three sons again, emphasizing their role as the progenitors of all nations after the Flood, thus connecting their birth in Genesis 6 to their immense post-diluvian importance.
1 Peter 3:20Peter refers to the 'eight souls' saved in the ark, which includes Noah, his wife, his three sons, and their wives, directly linking the family unit introduced in Genesis 6 to their salvation through the flood.
calvinGenesis 6:1-22: "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,"
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Gigantes fuerunt in terra in diebus illis: et etiam postquam ingressi sunt filii Dei ad filias hominum, genuerunt eis: isti sunt potentes, qui a saec…
gillGenesis 6:10: "And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth."
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. When he was five hundred years of age, and before the flood came upon the earth; and when it was so wicked as is next described: of these sons of his, and of the order in which they are placed; see Gill on Genesis 5:32 .
This verse, seemingly a simple genealogical statement, highlights that even amidst a world consumed by wickedness, life and lineage continued through Noah and his sons. It underscores that God's plan for humanity's future, even the lineage leading to the Messiah, was preserved not through the powerful or renowned, but through a righteous man and his family, continuing even in the face of total corruption.
As humanity's wickedness escalates to a point where God grieves over His creation, Noah is presented as an exception, finding favor with God. The text then introduces Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who will become the progenitors of the post-flood world. This lineage is mentioned just before God reveals His intention to destroy all life due to the pervasive violence and corruption filling the earth.
As humanity's wickedness escalates to a point where God grieves over His creation, Noah is presented as an exception, finding favor with God. The text then introduces Noah's three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who will become the progenitors of the post-flood world. This lineage is mentioned just before God reveals His intention to destroy all life due to the pervasive violence and corruption filling the earth.
"And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth." — This verse, seemingly a simple genealogical statement, highlights that even amidst a world consumed by wickedness, life and lineage continued through Noah and his sons. It underscores that God's plan…
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Last reviewed October 2026