Genesis 5 KJV
The Descendants of Adam
Genesis Chapter 5: The Descendants of Adam
The opening verses recapitulate humanity's creation in God's image from chapter 1, deliberately bridging the fall and its consequences to the ongoing Sethite lineage that preserves the divine likeness.
1his is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
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:
4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
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.
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
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Did You Know?
The opening verses recapitulate humanity's creation in God's image from chapter 1, deliberately bridging the fall and its consequences to the ongoing Sethite lineage that preserves the divine likeness.
Enoch's unique description of 'walking with God' for 300 years after fathering Methuselah uses language later applied to Noah, implying covenantal fellowship that exempts him from death as a theological sign of possible restoration beyond the curse.
Lamech's naming of Noah explicitly invokes relief from the ground cursed in Genesis 3:17, embedding an early prophetic expectation of deliverance within the genealogy itself rather than in a separate oracle.
Methuselah's lifespan of 969 years positions his death in the precise year of the flood according to the chronology, creating a narrative hinge where the last antediluvian patriarch's passing coincides with judgment and new beginning.
The repeated formula 'and he died' after each lifespan functions as a literary drumbeat underscoring mortality's dominion, yet its deliberate omission for Enoch creates a structural exception that anticipates future biblical themes of translation and resurrection.
Commentary & Study Notes Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871) ยท Public Domain book of the generations โ (See Ge 11:4). Adam โ used here either as the name of the first man, or of the human race generally.
Classic verse-by-verse commentary on Genesis 5 from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (1871). Covers: Genealogy of the patriarchs.
- 1
- book of the generations โ (See Ge 11:4). Adam โ used here either as the name of the first man, or of the human race generally.
- 5
- all the days... Adam lived โ The most striking feature in this catalogue is the longevity of Adam and his immediate descendants. Ten are enumerated (Ge 5:5-32) in direct succession whose lives far exceed the ordinary limits with which we are familiar โ the shortest being three hundred sixty-five, [Ge 5:23] and the longest nine hundred sixty-nine years [Ge 5:27]. It is useless to inquire whether and what secondary causes may have contributed to this protracted longevity โ vigorous constitutions, the nature of their diet, the temperature and salubrity of the climate; or, finally โ as this list comprises only the true worshippers of God โ whether their great age might be owing to the better government of their passions and the quiet, even tenor of their lives. Since we cannot obtain satisfactory evidence on these points, it is wise to resolve the fact into the sovereign will of God. We can, however, trace some of the important uses to which, in the early economy of Providence, it was subservient. It was the chief means of reserving a knowledge of God, of the great truths of religion, as well as the influence of genuine piety. So that, as their knowledge was obtained by tradition, they would be in a condition to preserve it in the greatest purity.
Read all 6 notes on Genesis 5 โ