Matthew Poole and continuators on Genesis 10:21

21. Unto Shem also the Father of all the Children of Eber , the Brother of Iapheth the Elder , even to him were Children born.

(i. e.) Of the Hebrews, the only Church and People of God when Moses wrote, who are called Eber, Numb. 24. 24. as here, the Children of Heber. And he is here called the Father of them peculiarly, though he had other Children, because he was their Father not only by natural Generation, but also in respect of the Promise of God, which was conveyed to them through Shems hands, and of that Faith and Holiness, wherein he was their Predecessor and eminent pattern: Even as Ham, though he had other Sons, is specially called the Father of Canaan, Gen. 4. 22. Because his Fathers curse rested upon him, v. 25. Object. Eber had many other Children here Recorded, and therefore in that sense Shem was not the Father of all the Children of Eber. Answ. Though Eber had other Children, yet none are called in Scripture the Children of Eber, or which is all one, the Hebrews, but Abrahams Posterity; even as though Abraham had divers other Children, yet the Israelites are in many places peculiarly called the Children of Abraham. And the ungodly Jews when they degenerate from God and Godliness, God takes away their name and denyeth them to be Iews, Rom. 2. 28. and calls them Sodomites, Esa. 1. 10. And therefore no wonder, if Ioktan and his Posterity having, as it is probable, forsaken their Fathers God, and turned Idolaters, be here disowned as Bastards, and blotted out of the honourable Catalogue of the Children of Heber. See Rom. 9. 8.

Iapheth alone is here mentioned as his Brother, and not Ham, because he was deservedly shut out from Shems blessing pronounced by Noah, and was accursed of God, whereas Iapheth was partaker with Shem both in the piety exercised towards their Father, and the blessing thereupon pronounced. The word Brother being often applied to persons alike in condition, disposition, or manners. See Gen. 49. 5.

Though the words in Hebrew may seem ambiguous, yet other Texts make it probable that Iapheth was the Elder. For Noah began to beget Children in his five hundredth year, Gen. 5. 32. And Shem was not born till two years after the Flood, Gen. 11. 10. Therefore he was not the Eldest. And Ham is concluded not to be Eldest from Gen. 9. 24. Of which see the notes there, if so, Iapheth must be the Eldest. And Shem is generally named first, not because he was the First-born, but because he had the priviledges of the First-born, and was chief in Dignity and Authority in the Church of God.

Marginal references: Or, the Elder Brother, &c.