However, the descendants of these brothers did not adhere to Noah's agreement; instead, they began to oppress and provoke one another, resulting in verbal disputes, as will become clear later. The righteous Noah lived for 350 years after the flood, reaching the remarkable age of 950. He imparted fatherly counsel to his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons, emphasizing the importance of recognizing their Creator, believing in Him, and engaging in righteous deeds while steering clear of evil actions to avoid inciting God's wrath and facing unforeseen consequences. He also urged them to love one another, to refrain from harming one another, and to cultivate a life of peace and humility. After blessing his family, he passed away in 2592 from the world's inception, and the human race, which had multiplied after the flood, grieved for him. For those wishing to explore the calculations of years in our Russian Bible, refer to Genesis 9:28-29; 11:10-11. Noah lived 350 years post-flood and died; Shem, having fathered Arphaxad two years after the flood, lived for 335 years before passing. Thus, Shem's death occurred thirty years before that of Noah. In the "Word about the Court and the Serpent," attributed to Saint Chrysostom and included in the impressive Moscow Sobornik at page 455, it states that historically, no son died before his father except for Lamech, the son of Methuselah, who lived before the flood. It is recorded that after three thousand three hundred years from creation, Arran died before his father Farrah because God was angry with Farrah for his idolatry and took the life of his third son, Arran. Both Zlatoust and Saint Epiphanius mention this account. Thus, there is speculation that the year calculations in Russian Bibles are inaccurate, suggesting that Shem did not die before his father Noah, but rather Shem outlived his father. Nevertheless, it is certain that Shem was alive at Noah's death and burial and received his father's final blessing, along with the covenant passed down to him. After Noah's death, Shem lived many more years, witnessing the lives of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, before transitioning into eternity. This account is corroborated in Bibles in other languages, including Jerome's translation from Hebrew, which states that Shem lived an additional 500 years after the birth of Arphaxad, fathering more sons and daughters before he died. This suggests Shem's passing occurred many years after Noah's. Those interested are encouraged to investigate and verify these details themselves. If the year calculations in our Russian Bibles are indeed correct, it challenges the claims attributed to Chrysostom in the Sobornik and the understanding of Epiphanius that no son died before his father before the incidents involving Arran, the son of Farrah. Therefore, the claim by the ancient Greek historian George Kedrin that Shem lived for 150 years after Noah's death warrants skepticism, while Kedrin's account of Shem's lifespan, alongside the interpretations of Epiphanius and Saint Chrysostom, deserves significant consideration as credible.
THEOSIS