to be so great and rich that words cannot fully express it or do justice to it.” As the Scripture unfolds the history of God’s kingdom (that is, of his gracious ruling among men), we witness the fulfillment of this prophecy. The whole line of Shem is first designated as the chosen line. Then in the tenth generation this is narrowed down to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their descendants, the people of Israel, as the genealogy of Shem in 11:10–27 shows. In all the twists and turns of Israel’s history,