asleep, and lay naked in an unseemly manner. When his youngest
son saw this, he came laughing, and showed him to his brethren;
but they covered their father's nakedness. And when Noah was made
sensible of what had been done, he prayed for prosperity to his
other sons; but for Ham, he did not curse him, by reason of his
nearness in blood, but cursed his prosperity: and when the rest
of them escaped that curse, God inflicted it on the children of
Canaan. But as to these matters, we shall speak more hereafter.

4. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the
land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean.
For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the
Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects
Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others.
Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans.
Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud
founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four
sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country
lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and
Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called
Charax Spasini. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was
Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. (18)
Heber begat Joetan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he
was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several
countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now
Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad,
Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael,
Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an
Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it. And this shall
suffice concerning the sons of Shem.