The name Arphaxad (Hebrew: ’Arpakshad) is of uncertain meaning, but it is a historically and theologically critical name in the Book of Genesis. He is recorded as the third son of Shem, one of the three sons of Noah who survived the Great Flood, and is an immediate post-Diluvian ancestor of the Hebrew people.
1. The Post-Diluvian Patriarch
Arphaxad’s birth is recorded immediately after the Flood, establishing him as one of the patriarchs responsible for the repopulation of the earth. His life and lineage serve as the foundational link between Noah and the emergence of Abraham’s family.
He is first introduced in the genealogies of Genesis 10:22 as a son of Shem:
“The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.” (KJV, emphasis added).
The details of his life are provided in the precise chronological record of Genesis 11, which tracks the generations leading to Abraham. Genesis 11:10 states:
“These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:” (KJV, emphasis added).
This places Arphaxad as a figure born shortly after the Ark landed on Mount Ararat, marking the beginning of the new world era.
2. The Link to Eber and the Hebrews
Arphaxad’s role as a direct ancestor of the Hebrew people is confirmed through his descendants. He is recorded as the father of Salah, who in turn fathered Eber—the ancestor from whom the name “Hebrew” is derived.
Genesis 11:12-13 records this direct line:
“And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:” (KJV, emphasis added).
Arphaxad lived for 403 years after he begat Salah, adding to his longevity before his death. His connection to Eber is crucial because it firmly places the family line chosen by God—the line of promise leading to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—within the lineage of Shem, one of the three righteous families saved in the Ark.
3. Arphaxad in Later Scripture
The importance of Arphaxad is reaffirmed in the New Testament, where his name is included in the genealogy of Jesus Christ recorded by Luke. The purpose of this genealogy is to trace Jesus’s physical ancestry all the way back to Adam, demonstrating His complete humanity and His fulfillment of the promises made to the fathers.
Luke 3:36 lists him as a key ancestor:
“…Which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech…” (KJV, emphasis added).
This inclusion validates the Old Testament genealogical account and establishes Arphaxad as an essential link in the Messianic line.
4. Extra-Biblical Tradition
While the Bible is concise, some historical and geographical traditions link Arphaxad to the geographical region of Chaldea or southern Mesopotamia. His descendants are often credited as being the inhabitants of the area that would later become known as the land of the Chaldeans, which is the region from which Abraham himself was called by God (Genesis 11:31).
In conclusion, Arphaxad is one of the most foundational patriarchs after the Flood. His life marks the beginning of the generation that would lead directly to the Hebrews, making him a crucial and indispensable link in the chain of God’s redemptive history and the ancestry of the promised Messiah.