Shem is traditionally regarded as the ancestor of the Semitic peoples. Genesis identifies Shem as one of Noah’s three sons and traces a genealogy through him after the Flood.
The biblical genealogy in Genesis 10–11 connects Shem’s line with figures including Arpachshad, Eber, and Terah. The term “Semitic” was later formed from Shem’s name and became a linguistic and historical classification.
Modern scholarship uses “Semitic” chiefly for a branch of the Afroasiatic language family, including languages such as Arabic, Hebrew, Amharic, and Akkadian. The linguistic category is not identical to a simple biblical family tree, so the traditional association should not be treated as a complete modern account of population history.
Ham and Japheth are the other two sons named in Genesis. Canaan is listed among Ham’s descendants, not as one of Noah’s sons.