The City of God · Character
Shem
Son of Noah, ancestor of the Semitic peoples, through whom the line of Abraham descends.
minor
First appearance: part i book i
Shem shows up with force in Book XVI: The Progress of the Two Cities from Noah to Abraham and Beyond. The page is where that presence becomes real.
Shem, meaning 'named,' is blessed by Noah and is the ancestor from whom Christ was born in the flesh, representing the line of the heavenly city.
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In Book XVI: The Progress of the Two Cities from Noah to Abraham and Beyond: Shem, meaning 'named,' is blessed by Noah and is the ancestor from whom Christ was born in the flesh, representing the line of the heavenly…
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See Shem in part i book iCharacter Web
18 connectionsA slice of how Shem sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Noah's Descendants
- Protagonist
- Patriarchs and Pagan Figures
- Abraham's Family
+13 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This chapter is the dramatic climax because it marks the irreversible psychological and spiritual turning poin…
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Shem appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Book XVI: The Progress of the Two Cities from Noah to Abraham and Beyond
- I
- What was prophetically prefigured in the sons of Noah
- III
- IX
- Chapter X
- XI
- Of the era in Abraham’s life from which a new period in the holy succession begins
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Shem unlock in the free preview.
See Shem in part i book i