17. Give some examples of the high moral standard observed by the faithful members of Shem’s line.

¹⁷ But not all those post-Flood families were infected with this bad spirit. In the line of Noah’s son Shem the truth persisted, with hope in God’s promise of a “seed” that would deliver mankind, as foretold in Genesis 3:15, where God said: “I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.” These men did not live perfectly, it is true, because of being offspring of sinful Adam, but they obeyed God. They still spoke the original language and preserved the true way of life. They observed God’s law regarding murder (Gen. 9:6), and they recognized that fornication (Gen. 34:2, 31), adultery (Gen. 38:24), stealing (Gen. 31:30-32) and kidnapping (Gen. 42:21, 22) were not in accord with God’s righteous ways. They had a high regard for the other person’s rights, and did not insist on their own rights to the point of causing trouble or fights. (Gen. 13:5-11; 26:15-31)

18. What did the Law covenant do for the nation of Israel?

¹⁸ Then, because of love for his friend Abraham, God organized his offspring the nation of Israel under the Law covenant. Did this bring hardships or calamity upon them? The Law given through the prophet Moses bound Israel together in unity; it protected the nation from idolatry, human sacrifices, filthy moral practices and was a health safeguard.​—Ex. 19:1 to 20:17.