5:1 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam [REB: “This is the list of Adam’s descendents”]. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.
This record restates that God made man as a physical representation of Himself.
5:2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, He called them "man." [KJV: “called their name Adam” = “of the ground”] (NIV)
This is a brief synopsis of 1:26-28.
5:3 When Adam had lived 130 years [3854 B.C.], he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. (NIV)
The same term is used here about Adam reproducing himself as in verse 1 where God created man. These two verses, when combined, show that God's intent is to reproduce Himself.
Antediluvian Genealogy
According to 4:25, Seth was the "appointed” replacement or "compensation" for Abel in the mind of Eve. His name literally means “appointed”.
5:4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. (NIV)
Adam lived 800 more years after Seth was born, and had more children with Eve than just the three sons mentioned by name. All of these children were born after Cain and Abel, and some before Seth.
5:5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. (NIV)
God told Adam and Eve that in the day they sinned they would die. Moses comprehended that God was speaking of a day of 1000 years (PSA 90:4). God has never allowed any man to reach that age. To gain a perspective of the influence Adam had prior to the Flood, we should realize that Methuselah was 243 years old when Adam died in 3054 B.C., and Noah would be born 125 years after Adam's death.
5:6-8 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. (NIV)
The only descendant of Seth mentioned is Enosh [meaning “mortal”], because it was through his line that Noah descended. Noah was 13 years old when Seth died in 2942 B.C., and one-sixth of human history had elapsed by the time of his death.
5:9-11 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan [meaning “sorrow”]. And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. (NIV)
Noah was 85 years old when Enosh died.
5:12-14 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel [“blessed of God”]. And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died. (NIV)
Noah was 180 when Kenan died in 2749 B.C.
5:15-17 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared [“descend”]. And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died. (NIV)
Noah was 235 when Mahalalel died in 2694 B.C.
5:18-20 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch [“teaching”]. And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.
Noah was 367 when Jared died in 2562 B.C.
5:21-23 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years.
Short Life
Enoch was put to death 68 years before the birth of Noah, when his son Methuselah was 300. The record shows that Enoch’s lifespan was cut short. His death came in 2997 B.C.
5:24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. (NIV)
Enoch was living by faith, a witness against the sins of the world in his time. "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: 'See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (JUD 14-15, NIV).
Enoch directed much of his message, as a preacher of righteousness, against the activity of Lamech, the father of Tubal-cain. As we saw earlier in 4:23, Lamech's gloating may have been in reference to Enoch’s early death. HEB 11:5, 13–-“By faith, Enoch was translated [removed] that he should not see death [2nd death: JOH 8:51 – “he that keeps My sayings shall never see death”]; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God...These all were still living by faith when they died, not having received the promises…." (NIV)
God later took Moses and buried him (DEU 34:6), therefore, “translated” or “removed” may be a reference to a removal of Enoch's body so that it would not be mutilated, or a possible reference to God moving him to another location before Enoch died, as He would later do with Elijah in the days of Jehoram (2KI 2:11; 2CO 21:12).
5:25-27 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. (NIV)
Methuselah’s Death & The Flood
Methuselah was the 8th generation from Adam through Seth. According to Josephus, "this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue, for seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers, and did neither pay those honours to God which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do justice towards men. But for what degree of zeal they had formerly shewn for virtue, they now shewed by their actions a double degree of wickedness, whereby they made God to be their enemy..." (Antiquities, I.III.1).
This means that Methuselah went bad, probably after the death of Enoch, when Methuselah was 300 years old. His was the longest recorded life, but it ended in the year of the Flood, possibly in the Flood! The name “Methuselah” means “his death will bring,” which indicates that God had revealed to Enoch He would destroy that world upon the death of his son.
5:28 When Lamech [“lamenting” or “despairing”] had lived 182 years, he had a son. (NIV)
Lamech’s Namesake
It is interesting that Lamech was named the same as Cain's descendant; it would almost seem that the evil Lamech was idolized by Methuselah. Lamech was 113 years old when his grandfather, Enoch, was killed.
5:29-31 He named him Noah [“rest,” “comfort,” or “consolation”] and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed." After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died. (NIV)
Lamech died 4 years before the Flood in 2333 B.C.
5:32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth. (NIV)
Birth Order of Noah’s Sons
This verse simply states that Noah did not father these three sons until he reached the age of 500; and it does not say he fathered them all at the same time. It seems that Japheth was born when Noah was 500, since he is called “Japheth the elder” in 10:21. The Flood came when Noah was 600; Shem was 100 when he fathered Arphaxad two years after the Flood, which means he was 3 years younger than Japheth. The Bible does not indicate whether Ham was born before or after Shem, unless the names are given in an ascending order.
Names Announce How Man’s Salvation Is Made Possible
God revealed through the creation of the first week the steps He would take in reproducing Himself. He prophesied of a coming Messiah in 3:15, and emphasized the need for the shedding of blood to gain forgiveness of sin in 4:4.
Names Meaning of the Names
|
Adam |
Man |
|
Seth |
Appointed |
|
Enosh |
Mortal |
|
Kenan (Cainan) |
Sorrow |
|
Mahalaleel |
Blessed of God |
|
Jared |
Descend |
|
Enoch |
Teaching |
|
Methuselah |
His Death Will Bring |
|
Lamech |
Despairing |
|
Noah |
Rest |
In this chapter God uses the names contained within the genealogy to show the connection between the Messiah, the shedding of blood and salvation. The meanings of the names are taken from the root Hebrew words of which they are composed. In order the meanings of the names say:
Man [is] Appointed Mortal Sorrow (death). [The] Blessed of God [shall] Descend Teaching [that] His death will bring [the] Despairing Rest (salvation).
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