Bible CommentariesGary H. Everett's Study Notes on the Holy ScripturesGenesis 5
Verses 1-8
The Genealogy of Adam - The second genealogy found in the book of Genesis is entitled "The Genealogy of Adam" ( Genesis 5:1 to Genesis 6:8), which emphasizes the fact that God preserved for Himself a righteous seed in Noah ( Genesis 5:1-32) while mankind in general became exceedingly wicked until God repented that He had made man as a part of His creation ( Genesis 6:1-8). Hebrews 11:5-6 reveals the central message of this genealogy that stirs our faith in God when it describes Enoch's translation into Heaven and his acceptance by God. Adam's destiny, whose name simply means "mankind," was to begin the multiplication of mankind, which divine commission is seen in Genesis 5:2, "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." Of course, God's plan was for Adam to produce a godly offspring. Thus, we see in the genealogy of Adam this seed of righteous men whom he fathered ( Genesis 5:1-32), in which the author of Hebrews particularly Enoch as a fulfillment of this divine commission, who walked with God ( Hebrews 11:5), and which list in Genesis closes with Noah, another blessed man ( Genesis 5:29-32). Adam's genealogy also reveals that many other people were born during this time-period who became exceedingly wicked ( Genesis 6:1-8), particularly from the seed of Cain; however, this list emphasizes the fulfillment of God's divine commission to bless Adam and his offspring, who were to father righteous offspring. Thus, the fulfillment of Adam's genealogy is found in the man Noah, whom God would use to repopulate the earth after destroying all of mankind for their wickedness. In a sense, we have to look far down the generations to see how Adam fulfilled his destiny in the man Noah, so that Adam succeeded in populating the earth with a righteous seed. Outline - Here is a proposed outline: 1. The Descendants of Adam — Genesis 5:1-32 2. The Depravity of Mankind — Genesis 6:1-8
Verses 1-32
The Descendants of Adam - In Genesis 5:1-32 we find the genealogy of Adam, which covers a period of 1 ,556 years (from Adam to the birth of Noah's sons). The manner in which this genealogy is given reveals how God preserved a righteous seed in each generation in order to preserve the coming of the promised "seed of woman" ( Genesis 3:15) while the rest of mankind grows exceeding wicked ( Genesis 6:1-8). This genealogy says that each man lived a certain amount of years and bore a son. Then he lived so many more years before he died. Thus, the emphasis on this genealogy is different from any other genealogy in the Scriptures in that it reveals the destiny of each of these men, which was to produce a righteous seed. There were many events that took place during each of the lives of these individuals, but the event that is recorded in the Scriptures is the birth of a righteous Song of Solomon , and this event reveals the destiny of each of these fathers. Their destiny was to keep a seed of righteousness upon this world. Each one fulfilled this destiny. All other events were secondary to this issue and so were not recorded in Scripture. The Age of Man Before the Flood- Note that the average age of the patriarchs prior to the Flood was nine hundred years. After the flood, man's lifespan was greatly reduced by the Lord to one hundred twenty years ( Genesis 6:3). Genesis 6:3, "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with Prayer of Manasseh , for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." The Patriarchs Begin Each Millennium- From Adam to the birth of Noah was 1056 years. This means that Adam began the first millennium; Noah began the second millennium; Abraham began the third millennium; David began the fourth millennium; Jesus began the fifth millennium. It can be observed that the greatest men of the Bible each began a new millennium. The Meaning of the Names in the Genealogy of Adam- Some Bible teachers have placed an important significance upon the meanings of these ten names listed in the genealogy of Adam. I have heard one teacher interpret the following meaning of these names as a progression of prophetic redemptive events that God would bring upon the earth. The name Adam means " Prayer of Manasseh ," for God placed man in the Garden of Eden to fulfill His plan for this earth. When man failed, God had to find a substitute (Seth), a second Adam, in the form of His Son Jesus Christ. His Son would come as a mortal man (Enos). He would come as Emmanuel and make his dwelling on earth (Cainan) with mankind. He would be born of the tribe of Judah, and become the praise of God (Mahalaleel). He would descend from heaven to earth (Jared), a sacrifice that God initiated (Enoch) and not man. He will be pierced on the Cross (Methuselah) and be made low (Lamech). With His resurrection, Jesus will then lead God's people into eternal rest (Noah). Another proposed sequence of the meanings of these names is as follows: Adam (man); Seth (appointed); Enos (mortal); Cainan (sorrow); Mehalaleel (blessed of God); Jared (shall come down); Enoch (teaching); Methuselah (his death shall bring); Lamech (the despairing); Noah (rest). Thus, the prophetic message is derived that says, "A man is appointed, a mortal man of sorrow, and the blessed of God shall come down teaching that his death shall bring the despairing rest and comfort." 112] 112] Darryl Woodson, " Genesis 4-5: An Acceptable Sacrifice," Victory City Church Ntinda, Kampala, Uganda, 13June 2010. A Comparison of Variant Readings of the Hebrew, Samaritan and LXX Texts - A. Dillmann provides a chart that compares the variant readings of the Hebrew, Samaritan, and LXX texts. He acknowledges the difficulty in reconciling these variant readings. 113] 113] A. Dillmann, Genesis Critically and Exegetically Expounded, vol 1, trans. Wm. B. Stevenson (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clarke, 1897), 217.
Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created Prayer of Manasseh , in the likeness of God made he him; Genesis 5:1 — "This is the book of the generation of Adam" - Comments- Luke 3:36-38 lists the same genealogy as is found in Genesis 5:1-32. Luke 3:36-38, "Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan, Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." Genesis 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. Genesis 5:2 — Word Study on "Adam" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "adam" ( אָדָם) (H 120) means, " Prayer of Manasseh , human race." Strong says it means, "ruddy, human being, mankind," and "Adam" (H 121), and comes from the word ( אָדַם) (119), which means, "to show blood (in the face), flush or rosy." The Enhanced Strong says this word is used 552times in the Old Testament, and it is translated " Prayer of Manasseh ," or "person," in all but twenty-two occurrences, where it is translated "Adam." Most of these twenty-two occurrences are in the first five chapters of Genesis. Comments- This is an interesting phrase where God calls both Adam and Eve by the one name of "Adam." Oral Roberts reads Genesis 2:24 as a key verse that God used in his marriage because it talks about them leaving their parent's house and clinging to one another. He said that the Lord spoke to him and said, "When I see you and Evelyn, I do not see you as two people, but as one person." 114] Thus, God could call them "Adam" because He saw them as one. 114] Oral Roberts, interviewed by Benny Hinn, This is Your Day, on Trinity Broadcasting Network (Santa Ana, California), television program. Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." In Mark 10:6 Jesus says, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." He did not say God made men and women; rather, He said that God made this couple as a male and a female, stressing the single bond of marriage. Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament - A reference to Genesis 5:2 and Genesis 1:27 is found in the following New Testament passages. Genesis 1:27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Matthew 19:4, "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female," Mark 10:6, "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." Genesis 5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: Genesis 5:3 — Word Study on "Seth" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "Seth" ( שֵׁת) (H 8352) is derived from "placing, setting (in the stead of another)." Strong says it means, "put, or substituted," and it comes from the primitive verb ( שִׁית) (H 7896), which means, "to place, or to appoint." The Enhanced Strong says this word is used 9 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as "Seth 7, Sheth 2." This same Hebrew verb is used in Genesis 4:25 and is translated "hath appointed," because God appointed another Prayer of Manasseh -child to take the place of Abel. Comments- There is only one individual in the Scriptures by this name. Eve gave Seth this name because she saw that God had appointed her with, or compensated her with, another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain killed. Genesis 4:25, "And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a Song of Solomon , and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew." Genesis 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:4 — Comments - Scholars generally agree that Cain and Seth married their sisters, the daughters of Adam and Eve, in order to procreate their seed upon the earth. Genesis 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died. Genesis 5:5 — Comments- An interesting description of Adam's death is found in The Book of Jubilees, which says that Adam was not allowed to fulfill the lifespan of one thousand years because God had said that a thousand years are as one day, and God had told Adam in the Garden of Eden that "on the day that ye eat thereof ye shall die." Therefore, Adam fell short of living for a thousand years. "And at the close of the nineteenth jubilee, in the seventh week in the sixth year 930 A.M.] thereof, Adam died, and all his sons buried him in the land of his creation, and he was the first to be buried in the earth. He lacked seventy years of one thousand years; for one thousand years are as one day in the testimony of the heavens and therefore was it written concerning the tree of knowledge: ‘On the day that ye eat thereof ye shall die.' For this reason he did not complete the years of this day; for he died during it." (The Book of Jubilees 429-31) Genesis 5:6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: Genesis 5:6 — Word Study on "Enos" - Gesenius says the Hebrew word "Enos" ( אֳנוֹשׁ) (H 583) means, "a Prayer of Manasseh , multitude." Strong says it means, "a mortal, a Prayer of Manasseh ," and comes from ( אָנַשׁ) (H 605), which means, "to be frail, feeble," and figuratively, "melancholy." BDB says it means, " Prayer of Manasseh , mankind." The Enhanced Strong says this name is found 7 times in the Old Testament, being translated in the KJV as "Enos 6, Enosh 1." Genesis 5:7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. Genesis 5:9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: Genesis 5:9 — Word Study on "Cainan" - Gesenius says the Hebrew name "Cainan" or "Kenan" ( קֵינָן) (H 7018) means, "possession." Strong says it means, "fixed," and it comes from the primitive root ( קָנַן) (H 7077), which means, "to erect, to build or occupy as a nest." Comments - Wenham tells us that the name "Qenan" is usually understood as "a variant form of ‘Cain.'" 115] 115] Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 16-50, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD- Romans , vol 2, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas: Word Inc, 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v 21c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp, 2000-2004), comments on Genesis 5:12-14. Genesis 5:10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. Genesis 5:12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel: Genesis 5:12 — Word Study on "Mahalaleel" - Gesenius, Strong, BDB, and A. Dillman 116] say the Hebrew name "Mahalaleel" ( מַהֲלַלְאֵל) (H 4111) means, "praise of God." Strong says it comes from two Hebrew words, ( מַהֲלָל) (H 4110), meaning, "praise" and ( אֵל) (H 410), meaning, "the Almighty." 116] A. Dillmann, Genesis Critically and Exegetically Expounded, vol 1, trans. Wm. B. Stevenson (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clarke, 1897), 215. Genesis 5:13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. Genesis 5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: Genesis 5:15 — Word Study on "Jared" - Gesenius and Strong say the Hebrew name "Jared" ( יֶרֶד) (H 3382) means, "a descent." Strong says it comes from the primitive root ( יָרַד) (H 3381), which means, "to descend, or to bring down." A. Dillman says it means, "descent, declension." 117] 117] A. Dillmann, Genesis Critically and Exegetically Expounded, vol 1, trans. Wm. B. Stevenson (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clarke, 1897), 215. Comments- The Book of Jubilees (415-16) tells us that the name was given to him because in his days the angels of the Lord descended upon the earth, which were called "watchers." There duty was to instruct men in the ways of righteousness. The watchers are also mentioned in the book of 1Enoch. Genesis 5:16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. Genesis 5:18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: Genesis 5:18 — Word Study on "Enoch" - Gesenius says the Hebrew name "Enoch" ( חֲנוֹךְ) (H 2585) means, "initiated, initiating." Strong says it means, "initiated." Strong says it comes from the primitive root ( חָנַן) (H 2603), which means, "to bend or stoop, to favor, to bestow." Genesis 5:19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. Genesis 5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: Genesis 5:21 — Word Study on "Methuselah" - Strong and BDB say the Hebrew name "Methuselah" ( מְתוּשֶׁלַח) (H 4968) means, "man of a dart." Strong says it comes from two Hebrew words, ( מַת) (H 4962), which means, "an adult, a Prayer of Manasseh ," and ( שֶׁלַח) (H 7973), which means, "a missile of attack, a spear, a shoot of growth, or a dart." A. Dillman says it means, "man of the dart or arrow." 118] 118] A. Dillmann, Genesis Critically and Exegetically Expounded, vol 1, trans. Wm. B. Stevenson (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clarke, 1897), 215. Genesis 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: Genesis 5:23 — Comments- Enoch lived on earth 365 years. This is the same number as the days in a year: easy to remember. Genesis 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Genesis 5:24 — "and he (was) not" - Comments- Genesis 42:13; Genesis 42:32 uses a similar phrase, "and one (is) not," in order to refer to the death or loss of someone. Genesis 42:13, "And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not." Genesis 42:32, "We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan." Jacob could have just as easily used the phrase, "his brother is dead," as in Genesis 42:38, but he did not. Genesis 42:38, "And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave." This phrase is also used to mean that someone is no longer present. In Genesis 42:36, it means "Simeon was not present with him." Genesis 42:36, "And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me." Thus, this verse in Genesis 5:24 means that Enoch was no longer with the people on earth. Genesis 5:24 — Comments- Irenaeus (A.D 130 to 200) tells us that the translations of Enoch and Elijah were in anticipation of the coming rapture of the saints spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. 119] 119] Irenaeus writes, "For Enoch, when he pleased God, was translated in the same body in which he did please Him, thus pointing out by anticipation the translation of the just. Elijah, too, was caught up [when he was yet] in the substance of the [natural] form; thus exhibiting in prophecy the assumption of those who are spiritual, and that nothing stood in the way of their body being translated and caught up. For by means of the very same hands through which they were moulded at the beginning, did they receive this translation and assumption." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, 55) The concept of being rapture in the heavens is not unique to Hebrew literature. The Roman historian Livy (65 B.C. to A.D 17) records the tradition of Romulus being caught up in a storm and taken to heaven. 120] 120] Livy writes, "Having accomplished these works deserving of immortality, while he was holding an assembly of the people for reviewing his army, in the plain near the Goat"s pool, a storm suddenly came on, accompanied by loud thunder and lightning, and enveloped the king in so dense a mist, that it entirely hid him from the sight of the assembly. After this Romulus was never seen again upon earth…though they readily believed the words of the fathers who had stood nearest him, that he had been carried up to heaven by the storm (The History of Rome 116) See Titus Livius, Roman History, trans. John Henry Freese, Aldred John Church, and William Jackson Brodribb, in The World's Greatest Books, ed. Rossiter Johnson (New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1898), 18-19. If we are to partake of the first resurrection and meet Jesus in the sky, we are going to have to walk with God, according to His Word. Genesis 5:24 — Old Testament Quotes in the New Testament - Note the New Testament reference to this event: Hebrews 11:5-6, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Genesis 5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: Genesis 5:25 — Word Study on "Lamech" - BDB says the Hebrew name "Lamech" ( לֶמֶךְ) (H 3929) means, "powerful." PTW says the name means, "strong youth, overthrower." Genesis 5:26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. Genesis 5:27 — Comments- Methuselah lived the longest life in the Bible at nine hundred sixty-nine (969) years old. He was born six hundred eighty-seven years (687) after Adam, and he lived nine hundred sixty-nine years (969), which adds up to one thousand six hundred fifty-six (1 ,656) years. This means that Methuselah died the year of the Flood. Thus, all of these men died prior to the Flood, leaving Noah and his sons with the divine calling to go through the Flood and carry the seed of woman, the promised Messiah. Genesis 5:28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: Genesis 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed. Genesis 5:29 — Comments- Strong says the Hebrew name "Noah" ( נׂחַ) (H 5146) means "rest." Genesis 5:29 gives a two-fold prophecy in that both Jesus and Noah fulfilled it. Jesus fulfilled it by bring the Church into rest ( Hebrews 4:9-10). Hebrews 4:9-10, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." Matthew 11:28-30, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." In Genesis 3:19 Noah's father prophesied over him that he would bring comfort to the earth. How did this comfort come? God removed the curse from ground ( Genesis 8:21). Noah fulfilled this prophecy by giving man rest from the curse of the ground that God placed on them in Genesis 3:17. Also, through Jesus, man's curses are removed. Genesis 3:17, "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;" Genesis 8:21, "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man"s sake; for the imagination of man"s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done." Noah was an Old Testament type and figure of Jesus Christ, the captain of our salvation, who led us into the ark or (abode) which he went to prepare for us ( John 14:2). John 14:2, "In my Father"s house are many mansions: if it were not Song of Solomon , I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." Genesis 5:30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: Genesis 5:31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. Genesis 5:31 — Comments - Lamech would have died five years before the Flood. Genesis 5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Genesis 5:32 — Word Study on "Shem" - Strong tells us that the Hebrew name "Shem" ( שֵׁם) (H 8035) means, "name," and that it is derived from the same Hebrew primitive root ( שֵׁם) (H 8034), which means, "name, reputation, fame, glory, memorial, monument." Genesis 5:32 — Word Study on "Ham" - Strong tells us that the Hebrew name "Ham" ( חָם) (H 2526) means, "hot," and that it is derived from the same Hebrew primitive root ( חָם) (H 2525), which means, "hot, warm." Genesis 5:32 — Word Study on "Japheth" - Strong tells us that the Hebrew name "Japheth" ( יֶפֶת) (H 3315) means, "expansion," and is derived from the primitive root ( פָּתָה) (H 6601), which means, "to be spacious, be open, be wide." Genesis 5:32 — Comments- The genealogy for the sons of Noah is given in Genesis 10:1-32.
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