Shem is listed first among Noah’s sons in Genesis’s account of the Ark’s passengers. Genesis names Shem, Ham, and Japheth as Noah’s sons who entered the Ark with their wives.
The three sons are central to the post-Flood genealogy in Genesis 10. The chapter, often called the Table of Nations, traces peoples and territories through their descendants. Shem is also presented as an ancestor in the line leading to Abraham in the biblical genealogy.
The order of names does not always settle every question about birth order. Genesis 5:32 names Noah’s sons as Shem, Ham, and Japheth, while later passages contain wording that has prompted discussion about their relative ages.
The Ark passenger list also includes Noah’s wife, his sons’ wives, and the animals. A common mistake is to answer Japheth because some passages mention him last or because traditions differ about birth order.