Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 11:5

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God:" — Hebrews 11:5 (ASV)

The NT refers to Enoch only in Lk 3:37,Jude 14, and here. The Hebrew OT says nothing of the manner of his departure from this life, only that God “took” him (Genesis 5:24). But our author follows LXX in speaking of him as “transferred,” which indicates that he did not die, a truth made explicit in the words “he did not experience death.” God “had taken him away” (GK 3572). On “was commended,” see comment on previous verse. Testimony was borne to him, the content of the testimony being that he was “one who pleased God” (cf. Genesis 5:22, 24).