Genesis 5. Adam’s Descendants to Noah

Adam’s Descendants to Noah

• If you like ancient writings, it is interesting how Genesis 5 compares to the ancient Sumerian King List. They share the same pattern (one highlighting humanity, the other kings).
  • Both include a great Flood. 
  • Both describe a line of people who lived before the Flood.
  • Both record exceptionally long lifespans or reigns before the Flood, followed by much shorter ones afterward.
  • image below from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumerian_King_List

 

This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. ² Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created. ³ When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. ⁴ The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵ Thus all the days that Adam lived were 930 years, and he died.

• From here to Moses, we see marriages between close relatives (assuming here brothers and sisters were reproducing, Abraham with his half sister, Jacob with his cousins, etc.). It isn’t until Leviticus 18 we see this prohibited.
• Some theologians say that this was contrary to what God wanted, but He allowed it for the world to multiply. My question is, what was God’s plan if sin never occurred?

⁶ When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. ⁷ Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. ⁸ Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.

⁹ When Enosh had lived 90 years, he fathered Kenan. ¹⁰ Enosh lived after he fathered Kenan 815 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹ Thus all the days of Enosh were 905 years, and he died.

¹² When Kenan had lived 70 years, he fathered Mahalalel. ¹³ Kenan lived after he fathered Mahalalel 840 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴ Thus all the days of Kenan were 910 years, and he died.

¹⁵ When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he fathered Jared. ¹⁶ Mahalalel lived after he fathered Jared 830 years and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷ Thus all the days of Mahalalel were 895 years, and he died.

¹⁸ When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch. ¹⁹ Jared lived after he fathered Enoch 800 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰ Thus all the days of Jared were 962 years, and he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived 65 years, he fathered Methuselah. ²² Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. ²³ Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. ²⁴ Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.

• Enoch is the 7th from Adam (7 meaning complete)
• See Hebrews 11:5 and Jude 1:14 showing his faithful walk and how he was a prophet.
• Why does it say he walked with God after he fathered Methuselah?
• The Hebrew here is interesting. The two words for God in verse 24 are different. The first one says “the elohim” which is grammatically plural (-im).  The second word for God says Elohim without “the”.  
  • ha’elohim (“the Elohim”) can refer to YHWH.
  • I will CAUTIOUSLY also hint that some say it could refer to members of the heavenly realm (the divine council). 

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he fathered Lamech. ²⁶ Methuselah lived after he fathered Lamech 782 years and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷ Thus all the days of Methuselah were 969 years, and he died.

• Methuselah is oldest human mentioned at 969 years old.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 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.” ³⁰ Lamech lived after he fathered Noah 595 years and had other sons and daughters. ³¹ Thus all the days of Lamech were 777 years, and he died.

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

• נֹחַ Noah comes from the word for “rest”
• If these genealogies have no gaps, Noah would have been alive during Enosh, Adam’s grandchild.

See https://bibleproject.com/classroom/adam-to-noah/sessions/28