<title>Genesis 5: Epilogue</title>
Epilogue may seem to be strange title for today's lesson. After all, we are only on Genesis 5! But herein lies the closing chapter in the lives of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel.
From Adam to Noah
1 This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God.
2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them “Mankind” when they were created.Genesis 5:1-2 (NIV)
v.1 The reason why people lived such long lives in early creation was because, as created directly by God they were physically perfect. Therefore it was natural for them to live such long lives.
v.2. From this we learn that a Man is not a Man unless he is married; God created male and female together and called them “Man”.
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.
4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.
5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.Genesis 5:3-5 (NIV)
v.3. Contrast with v.1 – Here the Torah tells us that Seth was created in the likeness of Adam (In the same 'Noble' state as Adam). This is to differ Seth (whose seed was preserved) from Cain and Abel (whose seeds were not preserved) and possibly Adam's other 'sons and daughters'.
6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father[b] of Enosh. 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.Genesis 5:6-8 (NIV)
Enosh is the third generation. Since Adam lived 800 years after Seth was born, and Seth lived for 912 years, that would mean Seth outlived Adam by 112 years.
9 When Enosh had lived 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 Altogether, Kenan lived a total of 910 years, and then he died.
15 When Mahalalel had lived 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 Altogether, Mahalalel lived a total of 895 years, and then he died.
18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 After he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived a total of 962 years, and then he died.
21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 After he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked faithfully with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived a total of 365 years. 24 Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.Genesis 5:9-24 (NIV)
Kenan was the fourth generation. Mahalalel was the fifth. Jared was the sixth. And Enoch was the seventh generation.
25 When Methu′selah had lived a hundred and eighty-seven years, he became the father of Lamech.
26 Methu′selah lived after the birth of Lamech seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had other sons and daughters.
27 Thus all the days of Methu′selah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.
28 When Lamech had lived a hundred and eighty-two years, he became the father of a son,
29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground which the Lord has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands.”
30 Lamech lived after the birth of Noah five hundred and ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters.
31 Thus all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died.
32 After Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.Genesis 5:25-32 (RSV)
There were ten generations between Adam and Noah:
- Adam (-930)
- Seth (130-1042) [After the time of Seth, people began to do evil. see v.3]
- Enosh (235-1140)
- Kenan (325-1235)
- Mahalalel (395-1290)
- Jared (460-1422)
- Enoch (622-987)
- Methuselah (687-987)
- Lamech (874-1651)
- Noah (1056-2006)
Since Adam died in 930, Lamech would have been the last relative he would have seen before he died.
Note that this Lamech is not the Lamech who killed Cain (see Genesis 4:24-25).
v.24. Why did God take Enoch? The commentary states that although Enoch was a righteous man, he would have gone astray if God had not taken him. Therefore he was taken (was no more; did not finish his allotted years), presumably as a reward for being righteous.
v.29. This is a prophecy about Noah. It is a twofold prophecy; it prophesies Noah would invent farming tools, providing rest from the toil of their hands, and that as a result of his righteousness God would no longer curse the land because of him – providing rest from their work (in the first place) as well.