Charles Ellicott Commentary Genesis 5

This is the book of the generations of Adam. —See on Genesis 2:4, and Excursus on the Books of Generations.

In the likeness of God. —Man is now a fallen being, but these words are repeated to show that the Divine likeness was not therefore lost, nor the primeval blessing bestowed at his creation revoked. As man’s likeness to God does not mainly consist in moral innocence , it was not affected by the entrance into the world of sin, except insofar as sin corrupted the vessel in which this great gift was deposited (Compare to 2 Corinthians 4:7).

In his own likeness, after his image. —That is, Adam handed down to his posterity that Divine likeness which he had himself received.

Seth. —See on Genesis 4:25.

The days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years. —The numbers in the Bible present great difficulty, due to the Hebrew method of numeration, which involves attaching numerical values to letters and adding them together. Since the words formed this way are meaningless, they are easily corrupted. Therefore, there is a significant discrepancy in the numbers as specified by the three main authorities: the Hebrew text states the length of time from the expulsion from Paradise to the flood as 1656 years, the Samaritan text as only 1307, and the Septuagint as 2262. However, in almost all cases, they agree on the duration of the lives of the various patriarchs.

However, the calculations in the Septuagint appear unreliable, while the Samaritan transcript must be ranked as having almost equal authority with the Hebrew text itself. St. Jerome, however, says that the best Samaritan manuscripts in his time agreed with the Hebrew, but no such manuscripts have come down to us.

Not only is there no doubt that the Bible represents human life as vastly prolonged before the flood, while afterwards it grew rapidly shorter, but it also teaches us that in the Messianic age life is to be prolonged again, so that a century will be the duration of childhood, and a grown man’s ordinary age will be as the age of a tree (Isaiah 65:20, 22). On the other hand, we may accept the assertion of physiologists that for humans as they are currently constituted, a period of 120 to 150 years is the utmost possible duration of human life, and that no strength of constitution, temperance, or vegetable diet could add many years to this limit.

Therefore, many have supposed that in the early biblical genealogies, races or dynasties were meant, or that at a time when the only modes of writing were engraved cylinders, marks scratched on stones, or impressions on bricks, only a few names were selected, each of whom, by the length of years assigned to him, represented an indefinitely protracted period. As proof that there was something artificial in these genealogies, they point to the fact that the tôldôth of Adam are arranged in ten generations and that the same number of generations composes the tôldôth of Shem (Genesis 11:10–26). Moreover, in our Lord’s genealogy, names are admittedly omitted to produce three series, each of fourteen names.

It is also undeniable that in Hebrew genealogies it was the rule to omit names. Thus, the genealogy of Moses contains only four individuals: Levi, Kohath, Amram, and Moses (1 Chronicles 6:1–3), while for the same period, eleven descents are given in the genealogy of Joshua (1 Chronicles 7:23–27). All this is sufficient to convince every thoughtful person that we must not use these genealogies for chronological purposes. They were not compiled with any such intention, but to trace the line of primogeniture and show who held the birthright.

However, the longevity of the antediluvian people does not depend on these genealogies alone but is part of the very substance of the narrative. It also has in its favor the evidence of all ancient tradition, yet it is one of the mysteries of the Bible. We learn, however, from Genesis 6:3 that this longevity did not prove to be a blessing, and we are possibly to understand that a change took place in human physical constitution at the time of the flood, by which the duration of life was gradually limited to 120 years.

We should also add that modern scholarship has demonstrated the common origin of the names for numbers up to ten in the three great families of human language. Beyond ten, these number names have nothing in common. It seems to follow, therefore, that primeval humans before the confusion of tongues had no way of expressing large numbers. Consequently, in these lists, the generations are limited to ten, and this also highlights the need for caution when considering the mystery that underlies the protracted lives of the patriarchs.

Enos lived ninety years. —This proves that the years could not have been mere revolutions of the moon, as some have supposed. So Cainan was only seventy years of age at the birth of his son, and Mahalaleel sixty-five. In the Septuagint no patriarch has a son until he is at least 162 years of age, so that the supposition there would be more tenable.

Jared. —Hebrew, Yered. This name is supposed to mean the descent, especially of water. Therefore, many have endeavored to show that he is the Indian water-god Varuna; but competent modern commentators regard all such Aryan expositions as refuted. Mr. Sayce tells us that the word in Assyrian means servant (Chaldean Genesis, page 311), but this is not quite satisfactory. Until, however, this very ancient Semitic dialect is thoroughly explored, we are scarcely in a position to speak with certainty about these old names.

Further, he was 162 years of age when he fathered Enoch. It is probable from this that Enoch was not the eldest son, but that the birthright became his because of his special excellencies. It is also to be observed that Enoch holds the seventh place from Adam, seven being the number of perfection; that he attains the highest rank among the patriarchs; and that he passes into immortality without death.