1 This is the record#tn Heb “book” or “roll.” Cf. NIV “written account”; NRSV “list.” of the family line#tn Heb “generations.” See the note on the phrase “this is the account of” in 2:4. of Adam.

When God created humankind,#tn The Hebrew text has אָדָם (’adam). he made them#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 (’adam). 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. in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female; when they were created, he blessed them and named them “humankind.”#tn The Hebrew word used here is אָדָם (’adam).

3 When#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. Adam had lived 130 years he fathered a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and he named him Seth. 4 The length of time Adam lived#tn Heb “The days of Adam.” after he became the father of Seth was 800 years; during this time he had#tn Heb “he fathered.” other#tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons. sons and daughters. 5 The entire lifetime#tn Heb “all the days of Adam which he lived” of Adam was 930 years, and then he died.#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.

6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father#tn Heb “he fathered.” of Enosh. 7 Seth lived 807 years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had#tn Heb “he fathered.” other#tn Here and in vv. 10, 13, 16, 19 the word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons. sons and daughters. 8 The entire lifetime of Seth was 912 years, and then he died.

9 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#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, ’et, “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. for 300 years,#tn Heb “and Enoch walked with God, after he became the father of Methuselah, [for] 300 years.” and he had other#tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons. sons and daughters. 23 The entire lifetime of Enoch was 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared#tn The Hebrew construction has the negative particle אֵין (’en, “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. because God took#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. 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#tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons. 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,#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. saying, “This one will bring us comfort#tn The Hebrew verb יְנַחֲמֵנוּ (yÿnakhamenu) is from the root נָחָם (nakham), which means “to comfort” in the Piel verbal stem. The letters נ (nun) and ח (heth) 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. 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#tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons. sons and daughters. 31 The entire lifetime of Lamech was 777 years, and then he died.

32 After Noah was 500 years old, he#tn Heb “Noah.” The pronoun (“he”) has been employed in the translation for stylistic reasons. became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 5

1This is the book of the genealogy of Aḏam. In the day that Elohim created man, He made him in the likeness of Elohim.

2Male and female He created them, and He blessed them, and called their name ‘Aḏam’ in the day they were created.

3And Aḏam lived one hundred and thirty years, and brought forth a son in his own likeness, after his image, and called his name Shĕth.

4And after he brought forth Shĕth, the days of Aḏam were eight hundred years. And he brought forth sons and daughters.

5So all the days that Aḏam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died.

6And Shĕth lived one hundred and five years, and brought forth Enosh.

7And after he brought forth Enosh, Shĕth lived eight hundred and seven years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

8So all the days of Shĕth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died.

9And Enosh lived ninety years, and brought forth Qĕynan.

10And after he brought forth Qĕynan, Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

11So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died.

12And Qĕynan lived seventy years, and brought forth Mahalal’ĕl.

13After he brought forth Mahalal’ĕl, Qĕynan lived eight hundred and forty years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

14So all the days of Qĕynan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died.

15And Mahalal’ĕl lived sixty-five years, and brought forth Yereḏ.

16And after he brought forth Yereḏ, Mahalal’ĕl lived eight hundred and thirty years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

17So all the days of Mahalal’ĕl were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and he died.

18And Yereḏ lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and brought forth Ḥanoḵ.

19And after he brought forth Ḥanoḵ, Yereḏ lived eight hundred years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

20So all the days of Yereḏ were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died.

21And Ḥanoḵ lived sixty-five years, and brought forth Methushelaḥ.

22And after he brought forth Methushelaḥ, Ḥanoḵ walked with Elohim three hundred years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

23So all the days of Ḥanoḵ were three hundred and sixty-five years.

24And Ḥanoḵ walked with Elohim. Then he was no more, for Elohim took him.

25And Methushelaḥ lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and brought forth Lemeḵ.

26And after he brought forth Lemeḵ, Methushelaḥ lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

27So all the days of Methushelaḥ were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died.

28And Lemeḵ lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and brought forth a son,

29and called his name Noaḥ, saying, “This one does comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which יהוה has cursed.”

30And after he brought forth Noaḥ, Lemeḵ lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and brought forth sons and daughters.

31So all the days of Lemeḵ were seven hundred and seventy-seven years, and he died.

32And Noaḥ was five hundred years old, and Noaḥ brought forth Shĕm, Ḥam, and Yapheth.

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Genesis 5

Berĕshith (Genesis) 5