Bede : From Shem were also born the fathers of all the sons of Heber, the brother of Japheth the elder. He calls him the brother of Japheth, but does not mention him being the brother of Ham, because he understands those who are united in the faith of piety to be rightly called brothers; but he shows that the faithless one, though born of the same parents, is estranged from the brotherly society of the righteous. However, it seems that by this sentence it is indicated that although many sons born of Shem begot many peoples, that progeny specifically followed his faith and piety, which through Heber descended to Abraham and the Hebrew people; hence they are properly called the fathers of all the sons of Heber. Finally, alone in the construction of the tower, as Scripture says, the language of the whole earth remained in the house of Heber, who was at that age, as will be read in subsequent texts, the original speech of the human race, which the names of the men of the following age clearly prove to be Hebrew, as is to be believed by merit, because following the faith of his ancestor Shem with his house, he kept himself immune from the conspiracy of the arrogant work. Nor was it in vain that Abraham chose to be called a Hebrew; but because he knew how to imitate the life of this Seth, he wished to have and leave his name as a nickname to himself and to his descendants for the future. — Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron) Josephus : Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean. For Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city Nineve; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram had the Aramites, which the Greeks called Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now called Lydians. Of the four sons of Aram, Uz founded Trachonitis and Damascus: this country lies between Palestine and Celesyria. Ul founded Armenia; and Gather the Bactrians; and Mesa the Mesaneans; it is now called Charax Spasini. Sala was the son of Arphaxad; and his son was Heber, from whom they originally called the Jews Hebrews. (18) Heber begat Joetan and Phaleg: he was called Phaleg, because he was born at the dispersion of the nations to their several countries; for Phaleg among the Hebrews signifies division. Now Joctan, one of the sons of Heber, had these sons, Elmodad, Saleph, Asermoth, Jera, Adoram, Aizel, Decla, Ebal, Abimael, Sabeus, Ophir, Euilat, and Jobab. These inhabited from Cophen, an Indian river, and in part of Asia adjoining to it. And this shall suffice concerning the sons of Shem. — Antiquities of the Jews - Book I, Chapter 6, Sections 4