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From Adam to Noah

This is the record[a] of the family line[b] of Adam.

When God created humankind,[c] he made them[d] in the likeness of God. He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.”[e]

When[f] Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth. The length of time Adam lived[g] after he became the father of Seth was 800 years; during this time he had[h] other[i] sons and daughters. The entire lifetime[j] of Adam was 930 years, and then he died.[k]

When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of[l] Enosh. Seth lived 807 years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had[m] other[n] sons and daughters. The entire lifetime of Seth was 912 years, and then he died.

When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after he became the father of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters. 11 The entire lifetime of Enosh was 905 years, and then he died.

12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters. 14 The entire lifetime of Kenan was 910 years, and then he died.

15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after he became the father of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters. 17 The entire lifetime of Mahalalel was 895 years, and then he died.

18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. 20 The entire lifetime of Jared was 962 years, and then he died.

21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God[o] for 300 years,[p] and he had other[q] sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared[r] because God took[s] him away.

25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after he became the father of Lamech, and he had other[t] sons and daughters. 27 The entire lifetime of Methuselah was 969 years, and then he died.

28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 He named him Noah,[u] saying, “This one will bring us comfort[v] from our labor and from the painful toil of our hands because of the ground that the Lord has cursed.” 30 Lamech lived 595 years after he became the father of Noah, and he had other[w] sons and daughters. 31 The entire lifetime of Lamech was 777 years, and then he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old, he[x] became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 5:1 tn Heb “book” or “roll.” Cf. NIV “written account”; NRSV “list.”
  2. Genesis 5:1 tn Heb “generations.” See the note on the phrase “this is the account of” in 2:4.
  3. Genesis 5:1 tn The Hebrew text has אָדָם (ʾadam).
  4. Genesis 5:1 tn Heb “him.” The Hebrew text uses the third masculine singular pronominal suffix on the accusative sign. The pronoun agrees grammatically with its antecedent אָדָם (ʾadam). However, the next verse makes it clear that אָדָם is collective here and refers to “humankind,” so it is preferable to translate the pronoun with the English plural.
  5. Genesis 5:2 tn The Hebrew word used here is אָדָם (ʾadam).
  6. Genesis 5:3 tn Heb “and Adam lived 130 years.” In the translation the verb is subordinated to the following verb, “and he fathered,” and rendered as a temporal clause.
  7. Genesis 5:4 tn Heb “The days of Adam.”
  8. Genesis 5:4 tn Heb “he fathered.”
  9. Genesis 5:4 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  10. Genesis 5:5 tn Heb “all the days of Adam which he lived”
  11. Genesis 5:5 sn The genealogy traces the line from Adam to Noah and forms a bridge between the earlier accounts and the flood story. Its constant theme of the reign of death in the human race is broken once with the account of Enoch, but the genealogy ends with hope for the future through Noah. See further G. F. Hasel, “The Genealogies of Gen. 5 and 11 and their Alleged Babylonian Background,” AUSS 16 (1978): 361-74; idem, “Genesis 5 and 11, ” Origins 7 (1980): 23-37.
  12. Genesis 5:6 tn Heb “he fathered.”
  13. Genesis 5:7 tn Heb “he fathered.”
  14. Genesis 5:7 tn Here and in vv. 10, 13, 16, 19 the word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  15. Genesis 5:22 sn With the seventh panel there is a digression from the pattern. Instead of simply saying that Enoch lived, the text observes that he “walked with God.” The rare expression “walked with” (the Hitpael form of the verb הָלָךְ, halakh, “to walk” collocated with the preposition אֶת, ʾet, “with”) is used in 1 Sam 25:15 to describe how David’s men maintained a cordial and cooperative relationship with Nabal’s men as they worked and lived side by side in the fields. In Gen 5:22 the phrase suggests that Enoch and God “got along.” This may imply that Enoch lived in close fellowship with God, leading a life of devotion and piety. An early Jewish tradition, preserved in 1 En. 1:9 and alluded to in Jude 14, says that Enoch preached about the coming judgment. See F. S. Parnham, “Walking with God,” EvQ 46 (1974): 117-18.
  16. Genesis 5:22 tn Heb “and Enoch walked with God, after he became the father of Methuselah, [for] 300 years.”
  17. Genesis 5:22 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  18. Genesis 5:24 tn The Hebrew construction has the negative particle אֵין (ʾen, “there is not,” “there was not”) with a pronominal suffix, “he was not.” Instead of saying that Enoch died, the text says he no longer was present.
  19. Genesis 5:24 sn The text simply states that God took Enoch. Similar language is used of Elijah’s departure from this world (see 2 Kgs 2:10). The text implies that God overruled death for this man who walked with him.
  20. Genesis 5:26 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  21. Genesis 5:29 sn The name Noah appears to be related to the Hebrew word נוּחַ (nuakh, “to rest”). There are several wordplays on the name “Noah” in the story of the flood.
  22. Genesis 5:29 tn The Hebrew verb יְנַחֲמֵנוּ (yenakhamenu) is from the root נָחָם (nakham), which means “to comfort” in the Piel verbal stem. The letters נ (nun) and ח (khet) pick up the sounds in the name “Noah,” forming a paronomasia on the name. They are not from the same verbal root, and so the connection is only by sound. Lamech’s sentiment reflects the oppression of living under the curse on the ground, but also expresses the hope for relief in some way through the birth of Noah. His words proved to be ironic but prophetic. The relief would come with a new beginning after the flood. See E. G. Kraeling, “The Interpretations of the Name Noah in Genesis 5:29, ” JBL 48 (1929): 138-43.
  23. Genesis 5:30 tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.
  24. Genesis 5:32 tn Heb “Noah.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons.

The Line of Seth

These are the family[a] records(A) of the descendants of Adam. On the day that God created man,[b] He made him in the likeness of God; He created them male and female. When they were created, He blessed them and called them man.[c]

Adam was 130 years old when he fathered a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. Adam lived 800 years after the birth of Seth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. So Adam’s life lasted 930 years; then he died.

Seth was 105 years old when he fathered Enosh. Seth lived 807 years after the birth of Enosh, and he fathered other sons and daughters. So Seth’s life lasted 912 years; then he died.

Enosh was 90 years old when he fathered Kenan. 10 Enosh lived 815 years after the birth of Kenan, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 11 So Enosh’s life lasted 905 years; then he died.

12 Kenan was 70 years old when he fathered Mahalalel. 13 Kenan lived 840 years after the birth of Mahalalel, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 14 So Kenan’s life lasted 910 years; then he died.

15 Mahalalel was 65 years old when he fathered Jared. 16 Mahalalel lived 830 years after the birth of Jared, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 17 So Mahalalel’s life lasted 895 years; then he died.

18 Jared was 162 years old when he fathered Enoch. 19 Jared lived 800 years after the birth of Enoch, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 20 So Jared’s life lasted 962 years; then he died.

21 Enoch was 65 years old when he fathered Methuselah. 22 And after the birth of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God(B) 300 years and fathered other sons and daughters. 23 So Enoch’s life lasted 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was not there because God took him.(C)

25 Methuselah was 187 years old when he fathered Lamech. 26 Methuselah lived 782 years after the birth of Lamech, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 27 So Methuselah’s life lasted 969 years; then he died.

28 Lamech was 182 years old when he fathered a son. 29 And he named him Noah,[d] saying, “This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”(D) 30 Lamech lived 595 years after Noah’s birth, and he fathered other sons and daughters. 31 So Lamech’s life lasted 777 years; then he died.

32 Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 5:1 Lit written family
  2. Genesis 5:1 Or Adam
  3. Genesis 5:2 Or Adam
  4. Genesis 5:29 In Hb, the name Noah sounds like the phrase “bring us relief.”