Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Genesis Chapter 5 mean?

This is the book of the generations of Adam. Chapter 5 serves to link the history of creation and the earliest of the humans with the time of Noah and the flood. It accomplishes this with a simple genealogy of Adam’s descendants through his son Seth.

The chapter begins by restating an essential truth about God’s creation of humankind. He made men and women in His own likeness and used the name ā’dām, which is literally the Hebrew word for “human.” This likeness isn’t about a physical resemblance to God. It’s about God giving His image to humans as His representatives on earth. It’s about sharing with humanity His responsibility to rule and subdue the rest of creation. Being made in God’s likeness also means that each human life has great value in God’s eyes.

This likeness to God is passed down from one generation to the next in the same way that a father’s likeness is passed down to his son. So as Adam fathers Seth and Seth fathers Enosh, the likeness of God and man are handed down through the years together.

Chapter 5 also reveals key details about the lives of people after the garden, spiritually and physically separated from God and under His curse. First, the lifespans (and reproductive years) of the earliest humans were extraordinarily long. The text gives explicit clues as to whether or not the numbers reported are actual years. However, it is difficult to square a non-literal interpretation with the figures given. Such lengthy lifespans would have been entirely possible on an earth free from pollution and genetic decay. This would have allowed for the earth to be populated very quickly.

Second, we see that though there is great progress—as mortal eyes see it, humanity thrives in this chapter—the curse remained as an oppressive reality in the lives of men. Chapter 4 detailed the lives of Cain’s descendants, some of whom exhibited even more aggression than Cain did (Genesis 4:23–24). In contrast, Noah’s father, Lamech, declares that Noah will provide comfort or rest for him in the painful work of pulling his livelihood out of the ground.

Finally, no matter how long these first generations of humans lived, one theme is constant in their lives: They die. This ultimate consequence of sin becomes the norm. Enoch, commended for walking with God, becomes the exception that proves this rule (Genesis 5:24). His case becomes unique in all of history.

The long lives of these patriarchs also highlight another crucial aspect of the fall of man. According to the numbers given in this chapter, Adam and Seth are both still alive when Lamech, Noah’s father, is born. Methuselah, who dies in the same year as the flood, lived more than 200 years before Adam passed away. The sin and depravity humanity falls into, as chapter 6 describes, is not something which can be blamed on ignorance. Right up to the moment of the flood, humanity had access to men and women who were first-hand eyewitnesses of God’s power and providence. Our decay was not due to simple error, but willful disobedience.

The chapter ends with the birth of Noah’s sons, preparing us for the story of God’s righteous judgment of human sin through the flood.

Chapter Context
Genesis 4 ends with the birth of Seth’s son Enosh, and a statement that people had begun to call on the Lord’s name. Chapter 5 details the generations from Adam through Seth to Noah, connecting the time of Adam and Seth with the time of Noah and his sons as described in chapter 6. This sets the stage for God’s judgment of mankind’s pervasive sin in the flood.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.

Chapter 5 is the beginning of a new section in the book of Genesis. It begins with a brief restating of God’s creation of humanity and then provides a specific genealogy of the descendants of Adam through Seth and the succeeding generations to Noah.

Verse 1 describes this section as a book. In the era of the original writing, this most likely meant a clay tablet. This passage describes itself as “the book of the generations of Adam.” The Hebrew word here is ā’dām, used both for the proper name of the first man, as well as the generic term for those who came after him. The same word used for man or mankind is also translated as Adam when referring to this first man. This, then, is a book of the generations of “man.”

This verse restates the claim of Genesis 1:27 that God created Adam, mankind, in His own likeness. This does not mean that God has some physical form, or that Adam physically resembled God. John 4:24 tells us that God is a spirit. It does mean, however, that God created mankind to stand “in His image.” As His representatives on earth, we rule and subdue His creation. It also carries the idea that humankind is essentially different from all the animals God made. We share with Him the experience of truth, beauty, meaning, will, and reason. Finally, the truth that all humans are made in the likeness of God means that all humans have enormous value and are worthy of great respect (James 3:9).

Context Summary
Genesis 5:1-32 is a bridge of genealogy connecting the time of Adam and his son Seth to the time of Noah. This brings the Bible’s historical record to the era of the flood. It provides a small, but helpful set of details: early humans lived a long time, had many children, and all died as a result of ubiquitous human sin. Enoch is the exception that proves the rule, commended for walking with God and seemingly taken away before his physical death. Despite the presence of early God-worshippers such as Adam and Seth, man will quickly descend into extraordinary wickedness, as seen in chapter 6. The coming of Noah at the end of this chapter prepares us for God’s response to the sins of humankind.

Verse 2. Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

The previous verse restated the claim of Genesis 1:27: that God made humankind in His own likeness. This verse is specific that “mankind” includes male and female, beginning with Adam and Eve. God blessed our human race and named it. God did this because He was the Creator. He owned humanity, and He claimed responsibility for it. From that position of power, He blessed us and He claimed His right to name us. Together, we, the human race, became “Adam.” The Hebrew words for Adam and man are exactly the same: ā’dām.

Included in God’s blessing is fertility and reproduction. It’s important to remember that God intended man to multiply and fill the earth prior to the fall (Genesis 1:28). Sex, within the context of God’s intended plan of one man and one woman, is part of His “good” creation. God enabled humanity to increase in numbers, to thrive as we began to fill up the earth. The following verses will detail a single generational line of God’s blessing.

Verse 3. When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.

This verse begins a pattern repeated for the remainder of this chapter. In each of these verses, the next notable member of the generation is listed, along with his age when the next son of Noah’s line was born, and his age when he died.

Adam was 130 when Seth was born. This verse connects to the previous two verses in noting that Adam fathered Seth in his own likeness and after his image. In this way, humans continue the pattern established by God when He made man in His own image. The likeness of God continues to be passed down from one generation to the next. The long lifespans described here would have also served another important purpose: keeping witnesses to history alive to personally teach future generations. Looking at numbers given in this chapter, we see that Seth dies only 14 years before the birth of Noah—an extraordinary preservation of the past for the human race prior to the flood.

As we have seen, Seth was not Adam’s firstborn son. Both Cain and Abel were born, grew up, and began their professions before Cain murdered Abel. It is likely Adam and Eve had many, many other children before Seth was born as a replacement for the murdered Abel (Genesis 4:25). Seth’s line, however, is the one that leads to Noah and, through him, to the rest of the human race as we know it today.

Verse 4. The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters.

The previous verse tells us that Adam was 130 years old when he fathered Seth. Now we learn that Adam, having many other children, lived another 800 years after Seth was born. These long lifespans seem amazing, but make sense when one considers a world free from pollution, most diseases, and most genetic disorders.

It would have been necessary, of course, for Adam and Eve to have many, many children. With no other source of humanity yet on the planet, their children would have married each other, had more children, and then continued to intermarry with members of the ever-expanding family.

Later, God would restrict the practice of marrying close relatives. As humanity continued to suffer the consequences of the fall, genetic diseases would have become more likely, and more problematic. As a result, close intermarriage carries a much greater risk of birth defects for the offspring. At this time, however, before that genetic pool had become so diverse, that would not have been an issue.

Verse 5. Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

After revealing in the previous two verses that Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born and then lived 800 years after the fact, this verse reveals the inevitable math: Adam lived to be 930 years old. Could that possibly be true? The Bible’s claim is that these first generations of humans after the garden and before the flood lived extraordinarily long lives, at least by modern standards.

Over the centuries, some scholars have suggested that the ages listed here do not represent actual years as we understand them. Some have suggested these numbers are in months (12 times the actual age), seasons (4 times the actual age), or tenths of years (ten times the actual age). Others have speculated that there is some form of symbolic or metaphorical intent from the author. The text itself, however, gives no explicit answer one way or the other, nor any particular reason to doubt that these were real people who lived extremely long lives.

Scholars have also speculated that the idealized environment of creation before the flood made it possible for human beings to live so many years. This is not only possible, it coordinates with modern understanding of genetics. In short, the lifespan of a living creature is far more dependent on its environment than its design. This means it’s also possible, if not likely, that God’s decree to restrict how long He would allow humans to live was specifically meant to limit the damage they could do with their sinful lives (Genesis 6:3).

Verse 6. When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh.

The pattern of this chapter of genealogy is repeated now for the second of the ten generations from Adam to Noah. Seth fathered his son Enosh at 105 years old.

We know from the end of chapter 4 that the birth and life of Enosh was something of a turning point: “At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD” (Genesis 4:26). We don’t know exactly what that means, but Enosh helped establish Seth’s line as one characterized by worshipping and depending on God.

Another often-confusing feature of these genealogies are names, or names similar to, those in the lineage of Cain. This is no different from the modern trend of using common names, or derivatives of names. The line leading from Cain and the line leading from Seth are not only separate, they will end in separate dates. Cain’s line will be cut off by the upcoming flood.

Besides faster population growth, another advantage of these long lifespans is the testimony of each generation. In this early world, it was possible for a child to hear directly from someone who had seen and lived the events of centuries past.

Verse 7. Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters.

Population growth is considered “neutral” in areas with low life expectancy when the average woman has three or four children in her lifetime. Imagine a world with much lower rates of disease or war, cleaner food, water, and air, and a dramatically longer natural lifespan. It’s not unreasonable to calculate the population of earth exploding at an explosive rate during the generations described in this chapter.

In this verse, it’s stated that Seth lived for “807 years and had other sons and daughters.” More than likely, Seth had an enormous number of sons and daughters. Due to the long lifespans of these first generations of humans after the garden, the population of the world was likely increasing dramatically. Each couple could likely bear many children over the span of hundreds of years, seeing those children marry and have children and grandchildren and great grandchildren while they continued to have new children of their own.

Verse 8. Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

Seth died at 912 years old, living a slightly shorter life than his father, Adam. Despite living more than nine centuries, Seth did eventually die. In fact, a noteworthy aspect of this chapter is that, in spite of their long lives, we’re repeatedly reminded that each of these men died. Sin had brought death to the world, and death always won. The only apparent exception is that of Enoch, as described in Genesis 5:24.

We’ll also see that human lifespans will begin to decrease. Death will come sooner as the generations get farther removed from Adam, especially following the flood. This is one reason that many scholars attribute the long lives of early man to a pure environment and brand-new, uncorrupted genetics. Over time, as the effects of the fall continued to work, both the biology of man, and the environment of earth, would make it less and less likely for a man to live beyond a few years.

The long lives shown in this chapter also serve to maintain the value of an oral history. Having eyewitnesses survive for centuries and multiple generations, would have made corruption of history all but impossible.

Verse 9. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan.

Seth’s son Enosh now fathers Kenan, bringing us to the fourth generation in Adam’s line through Seth. As with other verses in this passage, lifespans and fertility years are long at this point in human history. The ability of men and women to have large numbers of children, combined with the cleaner environment of the early earth, would have resulted in an explosive growth in population. In addition, mankind’s original genetics would have been free of corruption, so hereditary diseases would have been rare. Over time, both of these factors—genetics and environment—would have contributed to a drop in mankind’s natural lifespan.

The primary purpose of this passage is to document the genealogy of Noah, as a descendant of Seth. Cain’s lineage, separate from that of his younger brother, will be cut off at the flood. The other repeated comment, made explicit by the author, is that all of these men died. At this point in the story of Genesis, the fact that mankind experiences death is the primary consequence of the fall.

Verse 10. Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters.

After fathering Kenan at the age of 90, Enosh lived a further 815 years. We know from Genesis 4:26 that it was during Enosh’s lifetime that people began to call on the name of the Lord. He likely passed this down to Kenan and his other sons and daughters, along with the likeness of God he had inherited from his father.

By modern standards, these lifespans are extraordinary. However, modern science tells us that most living creatures are capable of living, in theory, much longer than they do. Environment, genetic decay, and other factors limit how long people can live. Early in the history of mankind, these factors would have been much friendlier to life. This would have made extensive lifespans much more probable.

These enormous numbers make it easy to miss the more relevant point, one made over and over in this passage: all of these men died. Long or short, each man’s life is destined to end, one way or the other.

Another interesting effect of these long lives would have been the value of oral history. In modern times, eyewitnesses are at best available for several decades. In these earlier days, however, it would have been possible to speak with many people who had seen events of centuries past. This huge overlap of generations would have made it all but impossible for historical truths to be lost.

Verse 11. Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

The fact that man is destined for physical death is, at this point in human history, the most visible impact of the fall. Over and over, this passage will repeat the fate common to all men: “he died.” Whether at the end of centuries, decades, naturally or by some mysterious cause (Genesis 5:24), all men are destined to leave this life and come face-to-face with God.

Enosh died at 905 years old, compared to his father Seth at 912 years old and his grandfather Adam at 930 years old. As stated repeatedly in this chapter, these are not the only sons (or daughters) of these men. That, combined with long lives, means that children of this time had access to an extremely long line of ancestors. By the time we arrive at verse 32, we will see that Noah’s father, Lamech, was born before Adam died. This means Noah, and his son Shem, had the opportunity to speak with someone who was just one step removed from a direct eye-witness to the origins of mankind!

Verse 12. When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel.

Kenan, the fourth generation from Adam, lived just 70 years before he fathered Mahalalel. In the context of this passage, this seems to be a fairly early fatherhood! Then again, genealogies such as these don’t mention every single child. On the contrary, it’s said over and over that these men had other children. These are not necessarily a list of firstborn, but are only those in the line from Adam to Noah.

Also interesting about this passage is how the different generations overlap. Based on what’s described in this passage, prior to the flood, humanity had continued access to the very first and second generation of man, up until right before the flood. In fact, Noah’s father, Lamech, would have been born 56 years before Adam died. In other words, Noah and Shem both lived at the same time as someone who was a contemporary of the very first man.

This is another important aspect of the Genesis genealogies: showing that mankind had an unbroken, clear understanding of their own history prior to the flood.

Verse 13. Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters.

During Kenan’s 840 years after fathering Mahalalel, he could have fathered many, many other sons and daughters. The long lifespans and extended fertility of this era would have resulted in explosive population growth. Those lifespans were most likely the result of near-perfect food, air, and water, and our brand-new genes. Over time, genetic disease and the effects of the fall would make it less and less likely for man to live more than a few years.

Beyond that, God seems to have instituted a deliberate shortening of man’s average lifespan, seen just after the flood (Genesis 6:3).

Interestingly, Kenan’s life overlaps that of Adam by nearly 600 years. This is an important point to keep in mind when reading the early chapters of Genesis. The history of the world, to that point, was not something lost to dozens of prior generations. It was alive in first-hand, or at worst, second-hand form, right up to the moment of the flood.

Verse 14. Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

Kenan, the fourth generation from Adam, dies at the age of 910 years old. The final ages of those listed thus far are as follows: Adam-930, Seth-912, Enosh-905, and Kenan-910. Based on the ages given in this passage, Kenan lived several hundred years in common with Adam, and quite a few years in common with Noah. This, again, supports the idea that mankind had a clear and unbroken understanding of their own history in the years leading up to the flood.

This makes the sin and evil prevalent in the days of Noah all the more despicable. When the flood came, there were men and women alive who had spoken with Adam and his immediate children. The real history of man had not been lost, and there were still those alive who knew what the world was like when it was very young. But, as the next two chapters will explain, only Noah and his family were going to be spared from judgment.

Verse 15. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared.

Mahalalel fathered Jared at the relatively spritely age of 65 years old. Jared becomes the sixth in line from Adam. Of the nine patriarchs preceding Noah, Jared will be the last who dies well in advance of the flood. Enoch will be taken by God in some way, prior to his natural death (Genesis 5:24), while Methuselah and Lamech will die immediately prior to the near-total-destruction of mankind.

Along with Enosh and Kenan, Mahalalel and Jared will also live many years concurrently with Noah. It’s critical to notice that all four of these men lived hundreds of years in parallel with Adam. In fact, according to this passage, the first patriarch born after Adam’s death is Noah himself. The eyewitness testimony of God, and His relationship to mankind, was still alive up to the moment of the flood.

The long life spans in this chapter are attributed to various factors. Cleaner food, water, and air would contribute greatly to longer lives. In addition, human genes had not been as effected by the corruption of the fallen world. Particularly after the flood, life expectancies will drop off dramatically. This change also reflects a deliberate act by God, as explained in Genesis 6:3.

Verse 16. Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters.

Mahalalel had more sons and more daughters and lived another 830 years after fathering Jared. The fact that he is listed as having additional children is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it reminds us that the names listed here are not necessarily the firstborn of any of these men. This passage is meant to trace the lineage of Noah, from Adam. As such, it only lists those names which are in that direct line. Some of these might have been firstborn, while some might have been later.

The idea of these man having other children also supports the idea of a rapid growth in human population. In a modern environment, a population where women average 3 to 4 children each is capable of growing very quickly. In a scenario where people can have children over several centuries, rather than two or three decades, this means an incredibly fast explosion in population.

Verse 17. Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

The ages at death of the patriarchs listed in this book of Adam thus far are as follows: Adam-930, Seth-912, Enosh-905, Kenan-910, and now Mahalalel-895. The presence of physical death is, so far, the most obvious consequence of the fall. Regardless of how long these early patriarchs lived, they all died. The only exception seems to be Enoch, who found himself gone from this life and face-to-face with God all the same (Genesis 5:24). The repetitive comment, “and he died” is no accident.

When one lines up the birth and death dates of these patriarchs, it becomes clear that there is a significant overlap. In fact, other than Enoch, the only men in this line who are not still alive when Noah is born are Adam and his son, Seth! And, as we will see later on, Noah’s father, Lamech, was born more than 50 years before Adam’s death. This is crucial for understanding how deep the effects of sin were in the pre-flood world. Despite having eyewitnesses to God’s creation, or their direct descendants, mankind will spiral out of control until God removes nearly everyone (Genesis 6:5–8).

Verse 18. When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch.

Jared fathers Enoch at the age of 162. Enoch becomes the seventh generation from Adam through the line of Seth. Jared and Enoch will be the last of the patriarchs to depart well in advance of the flood. The next two men in line, Methuselah and Lamech, will both pass shortly before—or, in the case of Methuselah, possibly when (Genesis 5:27)—God sends His epic judgment to earth.

Given the long lifespans of these patriarchs, most of the men listed died a (relatively) short time after their fathers. Jared and Enoch are the notable exception, in that Enoch will be “taken” by God in some way long before Jared’s death (Genesis 5:24).

The next verses will repeat the common themes of this chapter. Jared will have more sons and daughters than just Enoch, meaning the population of earth must have grown extremely quickly. Also, Jared will die, like all men since the fall. The only patriarch not explicitly said to die will be Enoch, and even he will be “taken” by God. Regardless of long life, each person is destined to meet God someday.

Verse 19. Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters.

Jared fathered more sons and daughters during his 800 years after fathering Enoch. Judging by what we’ll see of Enoch’s life in the next few verses, it’s very possible that Jared (or his father or grandfather) passed on to those sons and daughters what it meant to live in relationship to God. The fact that Enoch was so close to God might be due to godly parenting on the part of Jared.

On the other hand, Jared’s grandson and great-grandson, Methuselah and Lamech, will both be alive in the years shortly before the flood. At that point in time, the state of mankind is best described as “evil” (Genesis 6:5). Looking at the lifespans given in this chapter, it stands to reason that many, if not most, of Enoch’s peers were probably not followers of God. It’s possible, if not likely, that at least a few of Enoch’s brothers and sisters, and certainly many of his nieces and nephews, were killed when God sent destruction to remove that evil.

Verse 20. Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

The ages at death of those listed in this book of Adam, so far, are as follows: Adam-930, Seth-912, Enosh-905, Kenan-910, Mahalalel-895, and Jared-962. Whether by coincidence or by design, Jared’s life is the longest (so far) in Genesis, while his son Enoch’s is the shortest, at 365. However, Jared’s record for longevity won’t stand. His grandson, Methuselah, will become the go-to punchline for old age, living to 965 years.

Just prior to the flood, God will make a deliberate decision to drastically limit human lifespans (Genesis 6:3). This is probably meant to limit the amount of evil man is capable of. With only a few decades of active life, rather than several centuries, it’s much harder for one man to gain the power required to commit wide-spread carnage. Sadly, as history has shown, this abuse is merely harder, not impossible.

The phrase “and he died” is repeated for every one of the patriarchs leading to Noah, other than Enoch (Genesis 5:24). This is the most immediate effect of the fall: physical death. This was the main consequence God gave to Adam (Genesis 2:17) regarding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and it is repeated over and over here, for that very reason.

Verse 21. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah.

Aside from Adam, Seth, and Noah, two of the most famous names in this chapter of genealogy are Enoch and Methuselah. Enoch fathered Methuselah at the age of just 65, a relatively young age for this passage. Methuselah’s name has a dual meaning: it can be interpreted as “man of the dart,” or as “his death brings judgment.” According to this chapter, Methuselah will die in the same year as the flood.

Both men represent an interesting extreme within this chapter.

Enoch’s lifespan is the shortest recorded for these patriarchs. At “only” 365 years, he was on earth less than half as long as others in his family. However, Enoch’s is the only story which does not end with the repeated phrase, “and he died.” Rather, verse 24 simply says that God “took” Enoch. While we’re not entirely sure what it means, the contrast to every other man listed in this genealogy is striking. Most likely, this was an event similar to what happens to Elijah at the end of his ministry: taken bodily by God prior to a natural death (2 Kings 2:9–12).

Methuselah, on the other hand, is credited with the longest lifespan of any person in the Bible: 969 years! Methuselah will also be the first of the patriarchs listed here to live until the year of the great flood.

Each generation continues to pass on to the following one the image of God, as well as their own human likeness, as Adam did with Seth and his other sons and daughters (Genesis 5:3). In addition, this line of Seth seems to be passing on a commitment to walking with and worshiping God. This is important in the context of the upcoming flood. The only people saved from that catastrophe were those of this very line.

Verse 22. Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters.

This verse is the first to break with the pattern seen so far. As usual, we are given the number of years that a man lived after fathering the son who would lead to Noah and his children. This time, though, we’re told something about that man: Enoch “walked with God,” a fact that will be repeated in the surprising verses to follow. In the Bible, the expression “walked with God” refers to someone who is obedient and devoted to the Lord, resulting in His favor. In Enoch’s case, this was so vital a point that it’s mentioned twice: both here and in verse 24.

This passage is primarily intended to explain the family tree from Adam to Noah, so there are few other details given. We really don’t know much about Enoch. However, we do know that God chose to remove him from earth prior to his natural death. Enoch is the first of the men listed in this chapter whose story does not end with the phrase “and he died.” This was probably an event similar to the end of Elijah’s ministry, when he was taken bodily by God into heaven (2 Kings 2:9–12).

Verse 23. Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years.

According to this verse, all of the days of Enoch were 365 years. To this point, the youngest listed age at death has been 895 years old. What happened? The Bible gives no details, other than God was the one responsible, and Enoch did not die. The next verse will tell us what little there is to know. One important piece of information comes from what the Bible doesnot say about Enoch. All the prior men of Noah’s heritage were described with the same basic information, including the concluding phrase, “and then he died.” Physical death was the primary, and most obvious effect of the fall of man.

Enoch, however, will not be described using that phrase. Rather, as the next verse shows, he seems to have been taken, prior to death, by God directly. This is probably similar to what happened at the end of Elijah’s ministry (2 Kings 2:9–12).

Verse 24. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

This is one of the most mysterious verses in the Bible. Considering how amazing and unusual this event is, we might have hoped for more details. And yet, every word of the Bible is focused on a particular purpose. In this case, the real purpose is to explain the genealogy from Adam to Noah, through Seth. So far as that is concerned, exactly what happened to Enoch is beside the point.

What we do know is that Enoch “walked with God.” In fact, this is such a crucial part of who Enoch was that it’s repeated twice: here, and in verse 22. To walk with God means to make a relationship with God part of your everyday lifestyle, to honor God with your choices in every aspect of life. His case is unusual in all of Scripture and, possibly, in all of human history. The only other event which seems similar is when God did something similar to Elijah, who was taken to heaven by a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:9–12).

What does it mean that Enoch “was not, for God took him”? Apparently, in response to Enoch’s walking with God, God prevented Enoch from dying. God just took him away, instead. Hebrews 11:5 says this: “By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.” This life of faith, Hebrews tells us, pleased God so much God prevented Enoch from passing from this life in the normal way.

Verse 25. When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech.

The prior verses, describing the life of Enoch, were an unusual break from the normal pattern of this passage. Enoch is said—twice—to have “walked with God,” indicating a deep and obedient relationship. Then, unique among all the men of this genealogy, Enoch is not given the summary phrase “and he died.” Rather, he is taken by God prior to his natural death. This occurs at the relatively young age of 365 years, making Enoch’s life the shortest recorded in this chapter. Interestingly, the shortest life recorded in Genesis chapter 5 is that of the father of the longest life recorded in the entire bible: his son, Methuselah.

Here, in verse 25, the genealogy resumes its normal pattern. Enoch’s son, Methuselah, fathered his son Lamech at the age of 187 years old. It’s important to note that this Lamech, though he shares the same name as one of Cain’s descendants, is not the same man. The man described as a murderer with two wives (Genesis 4:23–24), Lamech’s lineage was through Cain, Enoch (also not the same as the Enoch of this chapter), Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael (Genesis 4:17–18). Then, as now, most people were given names similar or identical to those others already had.

However, this common name also creates in interesting contrast. Cain’s descendant will revel in his own sin, while Seth’s descendant will mourn over the suffering caused by the fall of man (Genesis 5:29).

Verse 26. Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters.

Methuselah is an important and poignant aspect of this part of the Genesis story line. Methuselah will survive until the very same year as the flood. In fact, at the time Methuselah was born, every one of his paternal ancestors was still alive! According to the ages given in this passage, Adam did not die until Methuselah was more than 200 years old. And, his son, Lamech, was also born just prior to the death of Adam. This means that there was an unbroken line of eyewitness history still thriving in the world. The wicked, evil world of Noah’s day knew exactly what their history was. There were men and women walking the earth who had lived in direct contact with Adam himself.

Methuselah lives another 782 years after fathering Lamech, giving him time to father many, many other sons and daughters. This is also important, for a much sadder reason. It speaks to how widespread the corruption of man was by the time of Noah’s birth. Cain’s descendants celebrated their own sin (Genesis 4:23–24). Seth’s line walked with God (Genesis 5:22–24), and grieved the state of the fallen world (Genesis 5:29). Sadly, at this point in the history of man, most people are not walking with God. The vast majority of Methuselah’s family line are going to reject their Creator, and be destroyed in judgment.

Methuselah’s name, in fact, might have been a prophecy. It can be translated either as “man of the dart,” or as “his death brings judgment.” Using calculations from this chapter, the flood occurs in the same year as Methuselah’s death.

Verse 27. Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

Methuselah’s status as the oldest person recorded in the Bible is the reason his name is often a punchline. Modern people sometimes jokingly refer to a very old person as “Methuselah.” At 969 years, Methuselah not only lived more than 200 years in parallel with Adam, he saw the world as it was just prior to the great flood.

The long lifespans of this chapter can be attributed to many possible effects. The earth of this era would have been free from most diseases and pollution. Nearly perfectly-clean air, food, and water would have been the norm. And, humanity had not yet suffered the effects of long-term genetic decay. So, given that both human biology and human environments were “brand new,” it’s not shocking to imagine people surviving to extraordinary old age. Even today, modern biology suggests that length of life is far more influenced by biology and environment than anything else: living things die because of corruption.

In some respects, Methuselah’s story is just like the others recorded in this genealogy. His story ends with the common phrase, “and he died.” He is said to have fathered many sons and daughters. However, there are some aspects of his life which are remarkable. Among these, of course, are his long life, and the unusual fate of his father, Enoch (Genesis 5:24). Methuselah also outlives his son, Lamech, who will die five years before him.

Methuselah’s name has a dual interpretation. It can be taken to mean “man of the dart,” or “his death brings judgment.” As it turns out, according to the ages given in this chapter, Methuselah will die in the same year as the flood. This, combined with the fact that Methuselah was born prior to the death of Adam, is especially important. Right up the point of destruction, mankind still had access to (at worst) second-hand accounts of the origins of our entire race. Genesis chapter 6 describes humanity at the end of Methuselah’s life as deeply depraved (Genesis 6:5). And yet, the history of mankind was not lost or obscure. There were men and women walking the earth who had seen, personally, what had happened in the past, and who God was. This makes the depth of sin during Noah’s era all the more tragic.

What’s also intriguing about Methuselah are questions about his life, and his character. Clearly, most of his children were not followers of God—only his grandson Noah would be rescued by God. Strictly speaking, we don’t know anything about Methuselah or his relationship with God. He might have been devout like his father, or he might not. The fact that he dies in the same year as the flood could even mean he was killed by it. We simply do not know.

Verse 28. When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son

Lamech is the ninth generation from Adam, despite being born many hundreds and hundreds of years after Adam. Using the ages given in this chapter, Adam was still alive when Lamech was nearly sixty years old! That’s an important part of the context of this passage. The next chapter will describe mankind as deeply depraved, causing God to send the flood (Genesis 6:5). Clearly, humanity could not blame their sins on forgetfulness, or having lost their heritage. At the time of the flood, there would have been men and women alive who personally knew Adam, or his sons and daughters. The evil of mankind was not because we had forgotten about God, but because we had chosen to reject Him.

This verse also breaks the normal pattern of the chapter, adding Lamech’s prophetic comments about his son, Noah, in the next verse.

Lamech is the first of the patriarchs to actually “die” before his father. While his grandfather, Enoch, was only on earth for 365 years, he was taken by God prior to death. Lamech will die at the age of 777, five years before his father, Methuselah.

Verse 29. and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”

This verse introduces the second major patriarch in the book of Genesis: Noah. Lamech’s comments in this verse show a strong contrast between the lineage of Seth, and that of Cain. One of Cain’s descendants was also named “Lamech,” but he is recorded as bragging about his sin (Genesis 4:23–24). The Lamech described here, a descendant of Seth, is mourning the struggles humanity has faced since the fall. This results in him giving his son the name Noah, which sounds very much like the Hebrew word for “rest or comfort.”

In addition, Lamech speaks a prophecy about his son: Out of the cursed ground, Noah would bring relief from the painful work and toil of his people’s hands. Perhaps Lamech just meant that Noah would bring relief from God’s curse on men by sharing in the painful work of getting crops from the ground. We don’t know what Lamech had in mind. What God had in mind for Noah’s lifetime, though, would bring a very specific kind of relief to the world in the form of a devastating flood that would wipe out the effects of so much human sin.

Verse 30. Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters.

As with most of the other men listed in this chapter, verses 30 and 31 describe Lamech as having additional children, and then passing away. According to the numbers given in this passage, Lamech lived 595 more years after Noah was born. Since we’re told in Genesis 7:6 that Noah was 600 years old when the floodwaters came on the earth, this means Lamech died just 5 years before the flood.

As with Methuselah, there is a sad aspect to reading about Lamech’s many children. One way or another, only Noah, his wife, and their family would be rescued from the flood. The rest of Lamech’s offspring will not survive. One also has to wonder how Lamech felt about the state of mankind. According to Genesis 6:5, the human race was rapidly decaying into horrific evil. And yet, men like Lamech had lived on earth at the same time as men like Adam and Seth. The contrast between these eras would have been especially clear to someone like him.

Verse 31. Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

At 777 years old, Lamech’s lifespan is more than one hundred years shorter than any of his fathers, dating back to Adam. The only exception is his grandfather, Enoch, who did not die. Was this a gift of mercy to Noah? We don’t know, since the details of this passage are few and far between. However, looking at the ages given in this passage, Lamech lived 595 years after fathering Noah. The floodwaters came on the earth when Noah was 600 years old (Genesis 7:11). And so, Noah would have had the comfort of knowing that his father would not be killed in the flood that would take so many other lives.

The passing of Lamech and his father, Methuselah, also marks a sad occasion for the human race. With their deaths come the end, in a general sense, of those who walked the earth at the same time as Adam and Seth. At least among the names of this chapter, Lamech is the last to be born prior to death of Seth. Noah, on the other hand, was born just after these men departed. In a very literal sense, humanity after the flood would have to live, for the first time, without any direct memories of our earliest ancestors.

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

This chapter of genealogy ends with the birth of three more sons. The quick, detail-free nature of this chapter is on full display here, as we are only given the rough age when Noah fathered these particular sons. We are not told specifically how old Noah was when each of his sons were born, only that they were all born after he was 500 years old. This is not meant to imply that they were triplets, or that Noah’s wife had all three within a twelve-month span. For the purposes of the story, all that matters is knowing that, around that age, Noah had the three offspring who would accompany him on the ark.

Interestingly, Noah is the first patriarch who is not explicitly described as having other sons and daughters. Technically, the Bible does not say that Noah did not have other children. And yet, all the other men listed were said to have had multiple other offspring. This might have been an act of mercy by God, along with the death of Noah’s father, Lamech, prior to the flood. It would have been merciful, indeed, to spare Noah the pain of seeing any of his children killed in God’s judgment.

Noah’s birth will serve as introduction to the next chapter. There, God will respond to the pervasive, depraved evil of mankind (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 6:11).

End of Chapter 5.

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