In the Genesis account, Shem is named first among Noah’s three sons.
Genesis 5:32 and later passages list Noah’s sons as Shem, Ham, and Japheth. The three brothers enter the Ark with Noah and their wives in the Flood narrative. Their names are also used in the genealogical material that follows the Flood, including the account of nations descended from Noah’s family.
The order of names can be confused with questions about age. Genesis 10:21 calls Shem the ancestor of the sons of Eber and includes wording that has generated translation and interpretation debates about whether he was the older brother or an elder relative. The simple textual order in the standard list remains Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Lamech is not Noah’s son; he is identified as Noah’s father in Genesis’s genealogy. Keeping those relationships separate avoids a common mix-up when reading the names surrounding the Ark story.