The Torah · Old Testament

Genesis 5

Generations that lead to Noah

General context

The genealogy begins by recalling humanity's creation in God's likeness and the blessing of male and female. It then follows a line from Adam through Seth. Most entries give an age at the birth of a named son, further years with sons and daughters, and the length of a life. Death repeatedly closes the entries. Enoch's account differs: he walks with God, and God takes him. Near the end, Lamech names Noah while speaking of comfort amid work and toil on the cursed ground. The chapter closes by naming Noah's sons Shem, Ham and Japheth.

Cited passages: Genesis 5:1, Genesis 5:2, Genesis 5:3, Genesis 5:4, Genesis 5:5, Genesis 5:6, Genesis 5:7, Genesis 5:8, Genesis 5:9, Genesis 5:11, Genesis 5:12, Genesis 5:14, Genesis 5:15, Genesis 5:17, Genesis 5:18, Genesis 5:20, Genesis 5:21, Genesis 5:22, Genesis 5:23, Genesis 5:24, Genesis 5:25, Genesis 5:27, Genesis 5:28, Genesis 5:29, Genesis 5:30, Genesis 5:31, Genesis 5:32

Genesis 5 (KJV)

¹This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

²Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.

³And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

⁴And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

⁵And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

⁶And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

⁷And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

⁸And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

⁹And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:

¹⁰And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:

¹¹And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

¹²And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

¹³And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

¹⁴And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

¹⁵And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

¹⁶And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:

¹⁷And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

¹⁸And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

¹⁹And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

²⁰And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

²¹And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

²²And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

²³And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

²⁴And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

²⁵And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:

²⁶And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

²⁷And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

²⁸And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

²⁹And 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.

³⁰And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

³¹And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

³²And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

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Historical context

This is introduced as the record of Adam's generations. It traces Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech and Noah, while also acknowledging other sons and daughters. These family links distinguish this Enoch, Jared's son, and this Lamech, Methuselah's son, from the same-named people in Cain's family in the preceding chapter. The account gives long lifespans, including Adam's 930 years and Methuselah's 969 years. Lamech's speech at Noah's naming refers to labour on ground cursed by the Lord, connecting the genealogy with the earlier garden account.

Cited passages: Genesis 5:1, Genesis 5:3, Genesis 5:4, Genesis 5:5, Genesis 5:6, Genesis 5:9, Genesis 5:12, Genesis 5:15, Genesis 5:18, Genesis 5:21, Genesis 5:25, Genesis 5:27, Genesis 5:28, Genesis 5:29, Genesis 5:30, Genesis 4:17, Genesis 4:18, Genesis 3:17, Genesis 3:18, Genesis 3:19

Literary context

A repeated pattern of birth, further children, total years and death gives the genealogy its rhythm. The opening language of God's likeness is followed by Seth being born in Adam's likeness, linking successive generations through that repeated image. Enoch's walking with God and being taken interrupt the usual death notice without a description of what being taken involved. Lamech's naming speech breaks the list again with an expectation of comfort from toil. The final naming of Noah's three sons points beyond a single named descendant.

Cited passages: Genesis 5:1, Genesis 5:2, Genesis 5:3, Genesis 5:4, Genesis 5:5, Genesis 5:6, Genesis 5:7, Genesis 5:8, Genesis 5:21, Genesis 5:22, Genesis 5:23, Genesis 5:24, Genesis 5:25, Genesis 5:26, Genesis 5:27, Genesis 5:28, Genesis 5:29, Genesis 5:30, Genesis 5:31, Genesis 5:32

Key moments

Creation and blessing recalled (Genesis 5:2). The genealogy recalls the creation and blessing of male and female.
Adam’s life is counted (Genesis 5:5). Adam’s life is recorded as 930 years, followed by the notice of his death.
Enoch walks with God (Genesis 5:24). The account says that Enoch walks with God and is no longer there because God takes him.
Noah receives his name (Genesis 5:29). Lamech names Noah while expressing an expectation of comfort concerning work and toil.

For reflection

What stands out when Enoch’s walking with God and Lamech’s words about comfort interrupt the repeated notices of death?

People in this chapter

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