Commentary for Genesis 6:10

SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH. It appears to me that Japheth was the oldest, as it is said, the brother of Japheth the elder,²⁰Genesis 10:21. and so in counting their generations, Scripture mentions the children of Japheth first.²¹Ibid., 10:2. Ham was the youngest of all, as it is said, And [Noah] knew what his youngest son had done unto him.²²Ibid., 9:24. Here, however, Scripture mentions Shem first because of his superiority and then Ham, for they were born in that order. Thus Japheth is left at the end. But Scripture did not want to say, “Shem and Japheth and Ham,” because in that case all of them would have been mentioned out of the order of their birth, and Japheth had no outstanding quality to merit that the order of birth be dispensed with on his account. Shem, however, is mentioned here first because of his superiority even though in the account of the generations he is last.²⁰Genesis 10:21. Similarly, [we find the verses]: The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael;²³I Chronicles 1:28. Here too Isaac is mentioned first because of his superiority although Ishmael was older. And I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau.²⁴Joshua 24:4. This also is similar to the above case.

ויולד נח, as soon as he began to rebuke his fellowmen he was granted children

ויולד נח שלשה בנים. Noach fathered three sons. Why did the Torah have to repeat here that Noach fathered three sons when we have been told this already in 5,32? The mention of the number "three" seems quite superfluous in view of the fact that the Torah tells us the name of each son. Surely we can count up to three! Why did Noach's name have to be repeated? No one else is the subject here! The word בנים, sons, also seems superfluous. All the Torah had to write was: "Noach fathered Shem, Cham, and Yephet." Why did the Torah add the word את in front of each of the names?