ir minds! And all this is judgment upon
their contempt for marriage, which God himself has designed to be a
remedy for the corruption of nature.

94. Another reason why Noah refrained from marriage has been
mentioned. He did not condemn marriage, nor did he consider it to be a
profane or impure manner of life; but he saw that the descendants of
the elder patriarchs had degenerated to the level of the ungodly
generation of the Cainites. Such children as these he felt he could
not endure; he rather waited, in the fear of God, the end of the
world. When afterwards he did enter into marriage, and begat children,
he no doubt did it by reason of some particular admonition and command
of God.

95. Here a question naturally arises concerning the order in which
Noah's sons were born. It will be worth our while to inquire into this
matter, so that our computation of the years of the world may have a
reliable basis. The common opinion is that Shem was the first-born of
Noah, because his name is mentioned first in order. The testimony of
Scripture, however, compels us to conclude that Japheth was the
first-born, Shem the second, and Ham the last. The truth of this is
proved in the following manner: Shem begat his son Arpachshad two
years after the flood, when he was 100 years old, Gen 11, 10. Hence
Shem was 98 years old when the flood came, and Noah, when Shem was
born, was 498 years old. But Japheth was evidently born before Shem,
for he was the elder brother, Gen 10, 21. It plainly follows,
therefore, that only Ham, the youngest brother, was born when Noah was
500 years old.

96. The reason why Shem is mentioned before Japheth is not because he
was first circumcised, as the Jews, who always are hunting carnal
glory, falsely claim, but because it was through him that Christ, the
promised seed, was to come. For the same reason, Abraham, the
youngest, is given precedence to his brothers, Haran and Nahor.

97. But you will perhaps say, How does this agree with the text which
positively says, "Noah was five hundred years old; and Noah begat
Shem, Ham and Japheth"? Harmony is restored if you make out of the
preterit a pluperfect, and read the passage thus:--When Noah was five
hundred years old he had begotten Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Moses does
not record the particular year in which each son was born, but merely
mentions the year in which the number of sons born to Noah reached
three. Thus the biblical record is reduced to harmony