ENOCH e’ nək (חֲנֹ֑וכְ, LXX ̓Ενώχ, meaning not certain; perhaps dedicated one, or one trained up from the root “to train up a youth” [cf. Prov 22:6]). The name of four different individuals in the Old Testament.

1. The son of Cain (Gen 4:17, 18) for whom the first city which Cain built was named.

2. The son of Jared of the godly line of Seth, who walked with God and was translated to heaven without dying (Gen 5:18-24; 1 Chron 1:3). As a hero of faith (Heb 11:5) he is known as a man who pleased God, while Jude 14 and 15 refer to the tradition that Enoch prophesied against ungodly men (cf. The Book of Enoch). There can be no question that the clause “and he was not, for God took him” (Gen 5:24) refers to translation; the same expression is used of Elijah’s translation (2 Kings 2:11).

3. A son of Midian, the son of Abraham by Keturah; this Enoch was father of one of the tribes of Midianites (Gen 25:4; 1 Chron 1:3).

4. The first son of Reuben, the son of Jacob (Gen 46:8, 9; Exod 6:14; Num 26:5; 1 Chron 5:3).