A figure in the Genesis genealogy from Shem to Abraham, son of Arphaxad.
Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Hebrew Bible (Genesis), with other tellings (Masoretic Text (Hebrew Bible), Septuagint (Greek translation), Jewish and Christian rabbinic and patristic tradition) noted where relevant.
Shelah is a figure in the genealogy of Genesis 11, tracing the line from Shem through Arphaxad to Abraham, recorded as the son of Arphaxad.
Genesis 11 records Shelah's age at the birth of his son and total lifespan, following the same formal pattern used in Genesis 5 for the earlier line from Adam to Noah, though with shorter total lifespans than the pre-flood generations.
This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.