Shemite of Hebrew Note: Son of Shem, born the year after the Deluge . He died at the age of 438 years (Gen. 11:10-13 ; 1 Chr. 1:17, 18; Luke 3:36). He dwelt in Mesopotamia, and became, according to the Jewish h istorian Josephus, the progenitor of the Chaldeans. The tendency is to recognize in the wor d the name of the country nearest the ancient domain of the Chaldeans. Some regard the word a s an Egypticized form of the territorial name of Ur Kasdim, or Ur of the Chaldees.