NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible | Page 29
Genesis 5:22 | 33
4:23 p Ex 20:13;
Lev 19:18
4:24 q Dt 32:35 r ver 15
4:25 s Ge 5:3 t ver 8
4:26 u Ge 12:8;
1Ki 18:24; Ps 116:17;
Joel 2:32; Zep 3:9;
Ac 2:21; 1Co 1:2
5:1 v Ge 1:27;
Eph 4:24; Col 3:10
5:2 w Ge 1:27; Mt 19:4;
Mk 10:6; Gal 3:28
5:3 x Ge 1:26;
1Co 15:49
5:5 y Ge 3:19
z
5:18 Jude 1:14
5:22 a ver 24; Ge 6:9;
17:1; 48:15; Mic 6:8;
Mal 2:6
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed p a man for wounding me,
a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged q seven times, r
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, a s
saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, s ince Cain killed him.” t 26 Seth
also had a son, and he named him Enosh.
At that time people began to call on b the name of the Lord. u
From Adam to Noah
5
This is the written account of Adam’s family line.
When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. v 2 He created them
male and female w and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” c when they were
created.
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; x
and he n
amed him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam l ived 800 years and had other sons
and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died. y
6 When Seth had l ived 105 years, he became the father d of E
nosh. 7 After he became the
father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Altogether, Seth
lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.
9 When Enosh had l ived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 After he became
the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Altogether,
Enosh lived a total of 905 years, and then he died.
12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13 After he became
the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Alto
gether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.
15 When Mahalalel had l ived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 After he became
the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Alto
gether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.
18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. z 19 After he became
the father of E
noch, Jared l ived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether,
Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.
21 When E
noch had l ived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he be
came the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God a 300 years and had other
a 25 Seth probably means granted. b 26 Or to proclaim c 2 Hebrew adam d 6 Father may mean ancestor; also
in verses 7-26.
4:23 killed a man for wounding me. This is
not the later “eye for eye” of the law (Exod
21:23 – 25; Lev 24:20; Deut 19:21 – 22) but is in-
citing violence.
4:24 seventy-seven times. The anger is
spelled out. As God promised sevenfold ven-
geance for any who tried to kill Cain (v. 15),
Lamech’s arrogance increases the vengeance
another ten times in addition to the first
seven. Cf. Matt 18:22, where Jesus transforms
vengeance into forgiveness and uses the
same number for how many times one must
forgive.
4:25 Seth. The word sounds like the Hebrew
of “granted” in the phrase “granted me an-
other child in place of Abel.” In chs. 4 – 5, two
lines of descendants are contrasted — one
negative, the other positive. One is associ-
ated with violence, which links with the rea-
son for the flood. The other leads to Noah.
The positive comments associated with
the birth of Seth — another seed in place of
Abel — suggest some connection with the
seed of the woman (see 3:15 and note).
4:26 Enosh. Hebrew for “man,” similar to a
meaning of Adam. God provides a new line
of hope. call on the name of the Lord. An
expression used elsewhere for prayer (12:8;
26:25; 1 Kgs 18:24; 2 Kgs 5:11; Joel 2:32).
5:1 – 32 From Adam to Noah. In contrast
with the line of Cain (4:17 – 24), the regular-
ity of Seth’s line, its positive notes of God’s
blessing — Enoch (vv. 21 – 24) and Lamech
(vv. 28 – 31) — and its extension beyond the
seventh generation to Noah identify this as
the line of hope.
5:1 account. See note on 2:4. These headings
structure Genesis (2:4; here; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10,27;
25:12,19; 36:1,9; 37:2). the likeness of God.
This reaffirms the presence of God’s image
in humanity (see 1:26 – 28 and note on 1:26),
despite the sin that has taken place since
humanity’s creation. It anticipates 9:6, which
expands the sense of the image of God.
5:2 – 3 Mankind . . . Adam. “Mankind” and
“Adam” translate the same Hebrew word
( ʾ ādām). See note on 1:26.
5:5 930 years. Adam’s life span and the life
spans of others mentioned in this line far
exceed today’s human life span. Whether
the long life spans are literal or serve a liter-
ary purpose, or both, the life spans of Enoch
and Lamech may be symbolic (see notes on
vv. 23,31). The ten names in this genealogy
may suggest a selection of the line as in
ch. 11 (cf. Luke 3:36, where the name Cainan is
added to the line in Gen 11). Three kings listed
in the Sumerian King List as ruling before the
flood have reigns that add up to 72,000 years,
and thus exaggerate these numbers. The con-
nection with the line of hope (and not with
Cain’s line) suggests that God’s blessing was
on this line.
5:9 Kenan. Means “little Cain.”
5:12 Mahalalel. Means “praising God.”
5:15 Jared. Means “(God) has descended (from
heaven).” This name given at birth may con-
fess God’s aid in a safe delivery.
5:18 Enoch. Means “dedicate; dedication.”
5:21 Methuselah. Means perhaps “man/devo-
tee of the spear/missile.”