Gênesis 5
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Gênesis 5:1-2
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS Genesis 5 has been described as the death chapter, but Gen. 5:21-24 holds out great hope for the redemption of mankind in the "translation" of Enoch. The same terms are used for Elijah in 2 Kgs. 2:3,5,9,10. There are three ways the Bible describes how humans come into God's presence/realm: physical death translation (i.e., Enoch and Elijah) resuscitation: brings back physical life, but only for a period of time (i.e., Lazarus) 5:1 "the generations of" This term (BDB 410) is repeated ten times in Genesis (cf. Gen. 2:4; 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10,27; 25:12,19; 36:1; 37:2). This seems to imply a written cuneiform document (probably clay tablets). In ancient Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets, a term or phrase was used to link several clay tablets together as a literary whole (i.e., colophon). I believe that Moses used oral traditions from the Patriarchs written sources from the Patriarchs direct revelation to write the Pentateuch This phrase often closes a context. It can function as a closing literary marker. ▣ "In the day when God created man" This may start another separate cuneiform stone tablet because it summarizes Genesis 1-2. ▣ "He made him in the likeness of God" This is a major theological statement, alluding to Gen. 1:26-27. Also note the "re-creation" after the flood in Gen. 9:6. Humanity (i.e., male and female, Gen. 5:2) are unique creatures of the planet. They were created (see word study on bara at Gen. 1:1) for fellowship (i.e., Gen. 3:8). If as John Walton asserts, this planet is YHWH's Temple, then humans are His physical image in that Temple! 5:2 "named them man" Notice that this is the generic use of "adam" (BDB 9), as Gen. 5:3,4,5. This generic use is another affirmation of the mutuality between men and women in Genesis 1-2. ▣ "in the day" This is the use of "day," not as a twenty-four hour period of time, but an age or period of time. This same usage can be seen in Gen. 2:4; Ps. 90:4. SPECIAL TOPIC: DAY (Yom)
Gênesis 5:3-5
5:3 "Adam . . . became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image" Here, "Adam" is a proper name as in Gen. 4:24. There are two possible interpretations of this phrase: like other earthly animals, Adam produced offspring after his own kind (cf. Gen. 1:11) this shows that God's image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) is still in mankind even after the fall ▣ "and named him Seth" Genesis 4:25-26 really should go with Genesis 5. Seth (BDB 1011, KB 1667 II) is the new beginning of a godly line (cf. Luke 3:38). The meaning of the name "Seth" is uncertain (KB 1666-1667). Cain's line will be completely destroyed in the flood. 5:5 "all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years" There has been much discussion about the length of human life before and immediately after the great flood (i.e. the antediluvian period). Some have asserted that it is figurative they calculated years differently sin had simply not pervaded the earth as it has today the large numbers were used to show honor for previous leaders as in the Sumerian lists of ten ancient kings The Sumerian kings before the flood lived much longer than the kings after the flood, much as in the genealogies of the Bible. So these "years" may be an idiomatic way of denoting prestige or fame. See NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 654-662, "Genealogy in the OT," pp. 654-662, for the specific discussion of the length of their lives, p. 659.
Gênesis 5:6-8
This is referred to earlier in Gen. 4:26.
Gênesis 5:9-11
5:10 "Kenan" This can mean: "possessor" "child" "created thing" "young man" "spear-man" (BDB 884) It is obvious with this many options (as is so often the case) that we simply do not know its meaning (BDB 884, KB 1098).
Gênesis 5:12-14
It is obvious that these are paralleled or standardized literary statements.
Gênesis 5:15-17
5:15 "Mahalalel" This means "praise of El" or "El is shining" (BDB 239, KB 553). ▣ "Jared" This means "descending" (BDB 434, KB 435). NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: GENESIS 5:18-20 18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and became the father of Enoch. 19 Then Jared lived eight hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years, and he died. 5:18 "Enoch" This name possibly could mean "beginner" "dedicated" "initiator" (BDB 335) See note at Gen. 4:17b for similarity in the names between Cain's line (i.e., chapter 4) and Seth's line (i.e., chapter 5).
Gênesis 5:21-24
5:21 "Methuselah" This could mean either (1) "man of the javelin" or (2) "man of weapons" (BDB 607), but all suggestions of the meaning of these early names are speculation. He is said to have lived longer than any other person in the Bible but no reason or emphasis is attached to this fact. Rabbinical Midrash says that the flood came on the day that Methuselah died. 5:22 "Enoch walked with God" This Hebrew VERB (BDB 229, KB 246, Hithpael IMPERFECT with waw) in the Hithpael stem denotes intimate fellowship almost to the connotation of "to live with." As with all these ancient Hebrew names, we are simply not sure of their exact meaning ("Enoch," BDB 335). Hebrews 11:5 describes Enoch's walk of faith. The only other person this phrase is used for is Noah in Gen. 6:9. 5:24 "for God took him" These same words (BDB 542, KB 534, Qal PERFECT) are used to describe Elijah in 2 Kgs. 2:3,5,9,10. This implies translation into God's presence without facing physical death (i.e., translated, not resurrected). Enoch's relationship with God resulted in intimate personal fellowship. In a chapter replete with the phrase "and he died" this is a refreshing example of hope of the love of God for all who trust in Him For a brief discussion on the hope of a life after death, see Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, "Afterlife," pp. 17-20 and "Immortality," pp. 568-570.
Gênesis 5:25-27
5:26 "Lamech" This name possibly means: "strong" "youth" "warrior" "conqueror" (BDB 541) KB mentions an Arabic root meaning "very powerful man." This name is also found in Cain's line (cf. Gen. 4:18ff). This implies the name was common there is some connection between the two genealogies
Gênesis 5:28-31
5:28 What a contrast are the two Lamechs. One is boastful of violent revenge (Cain's line); the other is hopeful of the mercy of God (Seth's line)! 5:29 "Noah" This name (BDB 629) is a popular, not a philological, etymology of the term "rest" or "resting place" (BDB 629). This seems to express Lamech's faith, that through Noah, a significant reversal of the curse of Gen. 3:17 would take place. This is Lamech's statement of faith. SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)
Gênesis 5:32
5:32 "Shem" This term may mean "renown" or "name" (BDB 1028, KB 1551 II). ▣ "Ham" This term may mean "to be hot" or "to be dark" (BDB 325, KB 325 III). ▣ "Japheth" This term may mean "beauty" or "spreading" (BDB 834, KB 424).