The Strand Study Bible

GENESIS GENESIS 5:1b Moses lists for us here the first ten generations from Adam to Noah (from creation to the Flood). Amazingly, God placed the entire story of the human race and His desire to REDEEM it within the first ten names of the generations of Adam. For example: (Adam) Humanity - (Seth) was appointed - (Enos) a mortal or fatal - (Cainan) acquired sorrow , but the - (MahalaleEL) God of splendor - (Jared) descended , - (Enoch) teaching fallen humanity how to become - (Methuselah) worshipers of God , so that humanity could enjoy a - (Lamech) vigorous - (Noah) rest . 5:4 There are two schools of thought concerning this verse. Because verse 4 appears to suggest that Adam didn’t birth any daughters until after he had begotten Seth, the first school of thought suggests that Cain (Gen 4:16-17) and Seth received their wives from a “second” creation (another creation of humans, created after the creation of Adam and Eve). However, this is not likely since a second creation is never mentioned in Scripture. The second school of thought believes that both Cain and Seth received their wives from among their own sisters. Jewish tradition notes that Adam had fifty-six children, thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters . 1 Because the genetic soundness of early humanity made this more acceptable (that is, before disease and the evils of inbred heredity), there was no law against marriage among family members at that time. That law would come thousands of years later during Moses’ time (Lev 20:11,17 and Deut 22:30 & 27:20,22). 5:5 Before the biblical Flood, men lived very long lives. The earth’s vapor canopy (firmament - Gen 1:6-8) slowed down the aging process by filtering out the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Seeing that people lived hundreds of years and continued to have children most of their lives, it has been calculated that there were around 20 million people on earth at the time of Adam’s death (c. 3070 B.C.). 5:9 Cainan’s name means “acquired sorrow.” His name was derived from Cain who had brought great sorrow to the human race, when he murdered his brother, Abel. He is referred to 1 time in the NT (Lk 3:37). Cainan is the 61st generation from CHRIST . 5:12 MahalaleEL’s name means “God is splendor.” He is referred to 1 time in the NT (Lk 3:37). Mahalaleel is the 60th generation from CHRIST . 5:15 Jared’s name means “descending.” He is referred to 1 time in the NT (Lk 3:37). Jared is the 59th generation from CHRIST . 5:18 Enoch’s name means “teacher.” He is referred to 13 times in the NT (Lk 3:37, Heb 11:5, Jude 14 and Rev 11:3-12). Enoch is the 58th generation from CHRIST . 5:21 Methuselah’s name means “worshiper of God; man of the javelin.” He is referred to 1 time in the NT (Lk 3:37). Methuselah is the 57th generation from CHRIST . 5:24a Enoch may not have known every detail concerning the Gospel of CHRIST ( I Pet 1:10,12 ), but he certainly understood enough of it to be saved (Jude 14 and I Cor 15:1 ). NOTE - Because it is appointed unto all men “ once to die ” (Heb 9:27), and because only two men in Scriptures have yet to die, Enoch (along with Elijah - Mal 4:5-6) will be the two witnesses referred to in Revelation 11:3-12, who will preach Jesus to the Jews during the Tribulation Period. 5:24b The rapture of Enoch ( and he was not ) took place 69 years before the birth of Noah. 5:25 Lamech’s name means “vigorous; strong youth.” He is referred to 1 time in the NT (Lk 3:36). Lamech is the 56th generation from CHRIST . 72

1 Whiston, William. The Works of Josephus , Peabody, MA, Hendrickson Pub 1987. Print.