1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, he made him in God's likeness.
2 He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam,{"Adam" and "Man" are spelled with the exact same consonants in Hebrew, so this can be correctly translated either way.} in the day when they were created.
3 Adam lived one hundred thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
4 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters.
5 All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred thirty years, then he died.
6 Seth lived one hundred five years, and became the father of Enosh.
7 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
8 All the days of Seth were nine hundred twelve years, then he died.
9 Enosh lived ninety years, and became the father of Kenan.
10 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
11 All the days of Enosh were nine hundred five years, then he died.
12 Kenan lived seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel.
13 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters
14 and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred ten years, then he died.
15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared.
16 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
17 All the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety-five years, then he died.
18 Jared lived one hundred sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch.
19 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
20 All the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty-two years, then he died.
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah.
22 Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
23 all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years.
24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
25 Methuselah lived one hundred eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech.
26 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
27 All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty-nine years, then he died.
28 Lamech lived one hundred eighty-two years, and became the father of a son,
29 and he named him Noah, saying, "This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed."
30 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters.
31 All the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy-seven years, then he died.
32 Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 5
Commentary on Genesis 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Ge 5:1-32. Genealogy of the Patriarchs.
1. book of the generations—(See Ge 11:4).
Adam—used here either as the name of the first man, or of the human race generally.
5. all the days … Adam lived—The most striking feature in this catalogue is the longevity of Adam and his immediate descendants. Ten are enumerated (Ge 5:5-32) in direct succession whose lives far exceed the ordinary limits with which we are familiar—the shortest being three hundred sixty-five, [Ge 5:23] and the longest nine hundred sixty-nine years [Ge 5:27]. It is useless to inquire whether and what secondary causes may have contributed to this protracted longevity—vigorous constitutions, the nature of their diet, the temperature and salubrity of the climate; or, finally—as this list comprises only the true worshippers of God—whether their great age might be owing to the better government of their passions and the quiet, even tenor of their lives. Since we cannot obtain satisfactory evidence on these points, it is wise to resolve the fact into the sovereign will of God. We can, however, trace some of the important uses to which, in the early economy of Providence, it was subservient. It was the chief means of reserving a knowledge of God, of the great truths of religion, as well as the influence of genuine piety. So that, as their knowledge was obtained by tradition, they would be in a condition to preserve it in the greatest purity.
21. 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.
24. 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 instruction had failed to accomplish, gave a palpable proof to an age of almost universal unbelief that the doctrines which he had taught (Jude 14, 15) were true and that his devotedness to the cause of God and righteousness in the midst of opposition was highly pleasing to the mind of God.
26. Lamech—a different person from the one mentioned in the preceding chapter [Ge 4:18]. Like his namesake, however, he also spoke in numbers on occasion of the birth of Noah—that is, "rest" or "comfort" [Ge 5:29, Margin]. "The allusion is, undoubtedly, to the penal consequences of the fall in earthly toils and sufferings, and to the hope of a Deliverer, excited by the promise made to Eve. That this expectation was founded on a divine communication we infer from the importance attached to it and the confidence of its expression" [Peter Smith].
32. Noah was five hundred years old: and … begat—That he and the other patriarchs were advanced in life before children were born to them is a difficulty accounted for probably from the circumstance that Moses does not here record their first-born sons, but only the succession from Adam through Seth to Abraham.