The Theological Significance

In Old Testament times the first son had the right of preeminence, the right to inherit the best of what his father owned. As first-born son of Noah, Shem and his descendants had that right. As first-born Son of Jah, Yashua has that right. In Ezekiel, e.g., 5:5-7 Jah condemns Israel, saying that it has been more unfaithful than the Gentiles. Yet Yashua was entitled to the best the Father had. During the period from Noah to the Cross, Jah was preparing for His only Son a worthy inheritance. Also, regarding Israel, Jah had covenanted with Abraham:

Genesis 17:7-8 "[7] I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your Jah and the Jah of your descendants after you. [8] The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their Jah.

 It has also been noted:

The prophesy of the moral and spiritual history of the nations in Genesis 9 furnishes an indispensable introduction to the principle that underlies the table of the nations in Genesis 10. The principle is that in divine dealings the moral character of a thing cannot be understood unless its source is known. Israel was in Jah's mind the medium of redemptive blessing to the world, and it was necessary for the nation to understand the source from which the various nations that surrounded her sprang, in order that she might have an insight into their character, thereby to guide her attitude and conduct toward them. This moral and spiritual principle underlying Genesis 10 makes it unique. (Summary of Near Eastern History by R.P. Nettelhorst, Chapter: "Prehistory: The Flood", Quartz Hill School of Theology) [emphasis added]

 Jah used the Hamitic descendants in Egypt and Babylon and the Japhethic descendants in Rome to train and castigate Israel, to "bring it through the fire" and "remove the dross". (In metallurgy, certain metals are refined by melting them. Impurities rise to the top and are skimmed off.  This layer of impurities is known as 'dross'.)

Jah used the Shemitic and Japhethic descendants to fulfill Noah's curse on Canaan and His promise to Abraham, giving the land of Canaan's descendants to Israel and destroying the Phoenicians with Alexander the Great (Tyre) and Rome (Carthage).

At the Tower of Babel mankind tried to make itself great independent of Jah, so Jah confused man's language. At Pentecost, Jah showed that men, even descendants of Canaan, can only be brought together in Him.

Jah used Yashua, a descendant of cursed Canaan, to redeem the Elect, showing that people need not be bound by generational curses if they trust and rely on Jah for deliverance.