Question: Of which son of Noah was Abraham a descendant?
Answer: Shem. (Genesis 11:10-26)
Comments: Abraham descended from Noah’s son Shem. Based upon the genealogical records of Genesis 11, it is possible that the two even met. Though Shem precedes Abraham by nine generations and several hundred years, Shem outlives him!.
In fact, rabbis identify Shem as the esoteric Melchizedek of Genesis 14. This is an apology against the Book of Hebrews which uses the priesthood of Melchizedek to usurp the superiority of the Aaronic priesthood. In equating Melchizedek with Shem, the rabbis attempt to reassert the precedence (and as such superiority) of the Aaronic priesthood.
The correlation is first made by R. Ishmael, a contemporary of R. Akiba; (ca. 110-135 CE), transmitted by R. Zechariah (probably 4th cent.) (b. Nedarim 32b).
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