Shem is traditionally considered the ancestor of the Israelites. In Genesis, Shem is one of Noah's three sons, and the genealogy in Genesis 11 traces the line from Shem through Arpachshad to Terah and Abraham.
The name “Semite” was later formed from Shem's name and became associated with peoples speaking Semitic languages. In traditional biblical genealogies, the line of Abraham—and therefore the Israelites—belongs to Shem's branch. The genealogical purpose is to connect the post-Flood world with the patriarchal narratives that follow.
Ham and Japheth are also presented as ancestors of other peoples in Genesis's Table of Nations. Canaan is Ham's son, not one of Noah's sons, which makes him a common source of confusion. These genealogies are religious and literary traditions; they should not be treated as modern genetic classifications of human populations.