Matthew Henry Commentary Genesis 5
Matthew Henry Commentary
Genesis 5
Matthew Henry Commentary
Genesis 5
"This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; male and female created he them, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: and the days of Adam after he begat Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters. And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died." — Genesis 5:1-5 (ASV)
Adam was made in the image of God; but when he fell, he fathered a son in his own image, sinful and defiled, frail, wretched, and mortal, like himself. This son was not only a man like Adam, consisting of body and soul, but also a sinner like him. This was the reverse of the divine likeness in which Adam was made; having lost it, he could not pass it on to his descendants.
Adam lived, in all, 930 years; and then he died according to the sentence passed upon him: To dust thou shalt return. Though he did not die on the day he ate the forbidden fruit, yet on that very day he became mortal. Then he began to die; his whole life afterward was but a reprieve, a forfeited, condemned life; it was a wasting, dying life. Human life is but dying by degrees.
"And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh: and Seth lived after he begat Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died. And Enosh lived ninety years, and begat Kenan. and Enosh lived after he begat Kenan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years: and he died. And Kenan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalalel: and Kenan lived after he begat Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died. And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: And Mahalalel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died. And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two years, and begat Enoch: and Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died." — Genesis 5:6-20 (ASV)
Concerning each of these, except Enoch, it is said, and he died. It is good to observe the deaths of others.
They all lived very long; not one of them died until he had reached almost eight hundred years, and some lived much longer—a long time for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in a house of clay.
The present life surely was not such a burden to them as it commonly is now; otherwise, they would have grown weary of it. Nor was the future life as clearly revealed then as it is now under the gospel; otherwise, they would have been eager to depart to it.
All the patriarchs who lived before the flood, except Noah, were born before Adam died. From him they could have received a full account of the creation, the fall, the promise, and the Divine precepts concerning religious worship and a religious life. Thus, God maintained in his church the knowledge of his will.
"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." — Genesis 5:21-24 (ASV)
Enoch was the seventh from Adam. Godliness is walking with God: this shows reconciliation to God, for two cannot walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). It includes all the parts of a godly, righteous, and sober life. To walk with God is to set God always before us, to act as always under His eye. It is to care constantly, in all things to please God, and in nothing to offend Him.
It is to be followers of Him as dear children. The Holy Spirit, instead of saying, Enoch lived, says, Enoch walked with God. This was his constant care and work; while others lived to themselves and the world, he lived to God. It was the joy of his life. Enoch was removed to a better world.
As he did not live like the rest of mankind, so he did not leave the world by death as they did. He was not found, because God had translated him (Hebrews 11:5). He had lived but 365 years, which, as men's ages were then, was but the midst of a man's days. God often takes those soonest whom He loves best; the time they lose on earth is gained in heaven, to their unspeakable advantage.
See how Enoch's removal is expressed: he was not, for God took him. He was no longer in this world; he was changed, as the saints shall be, who are alive at Christ's second coming. Those who begin to walk with God when young may expect to walk with Him long, comfortably, and usefully. The true Christian's steady walk in holiness, through many a year, until God takes him, will best recommend that religion which many oppose and many abuse.
And walking with God well agrees with the cares, comforts, and duties of life.
"And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: and Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died. And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: and he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, [which cometh] because of the ground which Jehovah hath cursed. And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died. And Noah was five hundred years old: And Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth." — Genesis 5:25-32 (ASV)
Methuselah signifies, “he dies, there is a dart,” or “a sending forth,” namely, of the deluge, which came the year that Methuselah died. He lived 969 years, the longest that any man ever lived on earth; but the longest liver must die at last. Noah signifies rest; his parents gave him that name with a prospect of his being a great blessing to his generation. Observe his father's complaint about the calamitous state of human life, due to the entrance of sin and the curse of sin.
Our whole life is spent in labor, and our time is filled with continual toil. God having cursed the ground, it is as much as some can do, with the utmost care and pains, to get a hard livelihood and comfort us. This signifies not only that desire and expectation which parents generally have about their children—that they will be comforts to them and helpers, though they often prove otherwise—but it also signifies a prospect of something more. Is Christ ours?
Is heaven ours? We need better comforters under our toil and sorrow than the dearest relations and the most promising offspring; may we seek and find comforts in Christ.
Jump to: