Genesis
Genesis 5
1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God’s likeness. 2He created them male and female, and blessed them. On the day they were created, he named them Adam. 3Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of other sons and daughters. 5All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
6Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh. 7Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 8All of the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
9Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan. 10Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 11All of the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
12Kenan lived seventy years, then became the father of Mahalalel. 13Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters 14and all of the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
15Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared. 16Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 17All of the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
18Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, then became the father of Enoch. 19Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 20All of the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
21Enoch lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Methuselah. 22After Methuselah’s birth, Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and became the father of more sons and daughters. 23All the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. 24Enoch walked with God, and he was not found, for God took him.
25Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, then became the father of Lamech. 26Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 27All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
28Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, then became the father of a son. 29He named him Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, caused by the ground which Yahweh has cursed.” 30Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of other sons and daughters. 31All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
32Noah was five hundred years old, then Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Commentary
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What others are saying
5 commentators · 50 notes on this chapter
Matthew Henry5
Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.
Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.
The first words of the chapter are the title or argument of the whole chapter: it is the book of the generations of Adam; it is the list or catalogue of the posterity of Adam, not of all, but only of the holy seed who were the substance thereof (Isa 6:13)…
We have here all that the Holy Ghost thought fit to leave upon record concerning five of the patriarchs before the flood, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared. There is nothing observable concerning any of these particularly, though we have reason to…
The accounts here run on for several generations without any thing remarkable, or any variation but of the names and numbers; but at length there comes in one that must not be passed over so, of whom special notice must be taken, and that is Enoch, the…
John Gill32
The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.
Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.
This is the book of the generations of Adam,.... An account of persons born of him, or who descended from him by generation in the line of Seth, down to Noah, consisting of ten generations; for a genealogy of all his descendants is not here given, not of…
Male and female created he them,.... Adam and Eve, the one a male, the other a female; and but one male and one female, to show that one man and one woman only were to be joined together in marriage, and live as man and wife for the procreation of posterity…
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years,.... The Septuagint version, through mistaken, gives the number two hundred and thirty years: and begat a son; not that he had no other children during this time than Cain and Abel; this is only observed to show how…
Adam Clarke6
The linguist of this set. Expect Hebrew and Greek word study, oriental custom, and geography — and an Arminian reading of grace and free will where Gill or Henry would read election. Note one real divergence: Clarke denied the eternal sonship of Christ, a position most of the tradition rejects, so read him closely on the person of Christ.
Why this voice is here: Where you want to know what a word actually says, Clarke is the one who will tell you — with the caveat above on Christ’s sonship.
The book of the generations - ספר sepher, in Hebrew, which we generally translate book, signifies a register, an account, any kind of writing, even a letter, such as the bill of divorce. Here It means the account or register of the generations of Adam or his…
And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, etc. - The Scripture chronology especially in the ages of some of the antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs, has exceedingly puzzled chronologists, critics, and divines. The printed Hebrew text, the Samaritan, the…
And Enoch walked with God - three hundred years - There are several things worthy of our most particular notice in this account: 1. The name of this patriarch; Enoch, from חנך chanack, which signifies to instruct, to initiate, to dedicate. From his subsequent…
Keil & Delitzsch2
The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.
Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.
The heading in Gen 5:1 runs thus: "This is the book (sepher) of the generations (tholedoth) of Adam." On tholedoth, see Gen 2:4. Sepher is a writing complete in itself, whether it consist of one sheet or several, as for instance the "bill of divorcement" in…
As Adam was created in the image of God, so did he beget "in his own likeness, after his image;" that is to say, he transmitted the image of God in which he was created, not in the purity in which it came direct from God, but in the form given to it by his…
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown5
The concise option. Three authors split the canon, so the voice shifts between sections. Expect brief, sober, conservative notes that resolve difficulties rather than dwelling on them — useful for orientation, thinner than Gill or Clarke where a passage is genuinely contested.
Why this voice is here: The quickest way to see what the mainstream Reformed reading of a passage is. Start here, then go to Gill or Clarke when it matters.
all the days . . . Adam lived--The most striking feature in this catalogue is the longevity of Adam and his immediate descendants. Ten are enumerated (Gen. 5:5-32) in direct succession whose lives far exceed the ordinary limits with which we are familiar--the…
Enoch . . . begat Methuselah--This name signifies, "He dieth, and the sending forth," so that Enoch gave it as prophetical of the flood. It is computed that Methuselah died in the year of that catastrophe.
And Enoch walked with God--a common phrase in Eastern countries denoting constant and familiar intercourse. was not; for God took him--In Heb 11:5, we are informed that he was translated to heaven--a mighty miracle, designed to effect what ordinary means of…
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