Here we find the genealogy of Shem running all the way to Abraham. It shows us who the ancestors of Israel and of the Christ are. We therefore also find here a part of the genealogy of the Lord Jesus; see also in this regard Luke 3:34–38. The first translation of the Old Testament, the Greek Septuagint, inserts the name of Cainan in between Arpachshad and Shelah. This translation of the Old Testament already existed prior to Christ’s birth, which is why we also find this name in Luke 3.
All these names mentioned in the genealogy lead up to Abraham who occupies a very special place in the history of God’s people.
10 These are the generations of Shem. When Shem was 100 years old, he fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood.