Text -- Genesis 10:21 (NET)

10:21 And sons were also born to Shem (the older brother of Japheth), the father of all the sons of Eber.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Gen 10:21

¹ tn Heb “And to Shem was born.”

² tn Or “whose older brother was Japheth.” Some translations render Japheth as the older brother, understanding the adjective הַגָּדוֹל (haggadol, “older”) as modifying Japheth. However, in Hebrew when a masculine singular definite attributive adjective follows the sequence masculine singular construct noun + proper name, the adjective invariably modifies the noun in construct, not the proper name. Such is the case here. See Deut 11:7; Judg 1:13; 2:7; 3:9; 9:5; 2 Kgs 15:35; 2 Chr 27:3; Neh 3:30; Jer 13:9; 36:10; Ezek 10:19; 11:1.