Draft of Genesis 5:3-32

“Good are the wings of love, the true wings that flew about through the mouths of the apostles, and the wings of fire that spoke the pure word. On these wings Enoch flew..."

Donald Antenen

Mar 30, 2023

I apologize for the lack of posts, but rather than offer excuses, I offer the completion of chapter 5.

These verses are a genealogical record of Adam’s descendants and little else. The description in the Berit Olam commentary puts it this way: “This commentary focuses on the narrative material in the book (i.e., Genesis) and such is lacking here… The only hint of narrative here is the enigmatic reference to Enoch, who ‘walked with God.’”

The strangest thing about the chapter is that the Hebrew text and the Greek text do not agree on the age of Adam when Seth is born. The Hebrew manuscript says 130. The Septuagint gives 230. The Vulgate follows the Hebrew. This is not the only time the Hebrew and Greek differ on ages. The most famous Septuagint age oddity is that, if you do the math, Methuselah survives the Flood! For the ages of Adam and Methuselah in this translation I follow the Hebrew.

The Church Fathers have a lot to say about Chanoch (Enoch). St. Ambrose of Milan: “Good are the wings of love, the true wings that flew about through the mouths of the apostles, and the wings of fire that spoke the pure word. On these wings Enoch flew when he was snatched up to heaven.”

St. Ephrem the Syrian: “Some say that while Adam was looking [at Enoch] God transported him to paradise lest Adam think that Enoch was killed as was Abel and so be grieved. This was so that Adam might also be comforted by this just son of his and that he might know that for all who were like this one, whether before death or after the resurrection, paradise would be their meeting place.” St. John Cassian and St. Augustine, following St. Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews (11:5), say that Chanoch (Enoch) avoided death. Tertullian gives a different explanation: “Enoch and Elijah were transported hence without suffering death, which was only postponed. The day will come when they will actually die that they may extinguish Antichrist with their blood. There was a legend that St. John the Evangelist was to live till the second coming, but he died.”

Rashi offers this: “He (Enoch) was a righteous man, but his mind was easily induced) to turn from his righteous ways and to become wicked. The Holy One, blessed be He, therefore took him away quickly and made him die before his full time. This is why Scripture uses a different expression when referring to his death by writing ואיננו “and he was not”, meaning, he was not in the world to complete the number of his years.”

The chapter ends with the prophecy that Noach will be a comfort from the curse of Adam in 3:17. Rashi gives a practical explanation for how Noach will help: “For until Noah came people had no agricultural instruments and he prepared such for them.” I like the idea of Noach inventing the plough or the hoe before building his ship, but I’m not sure how that reading makes sense after we read about Tubal-Cain making bronze and iron tools in 4:22.

Onto the translation:

Adam was one-hundred thirty
  when born
    to him
    in his image
    like him
      Seth
So were the days of Adam
  after Seth
    eight-hundred years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Adam's life
    nine-hundred thirty years
Then he died

Seth was one-hundred five
  when born
    to him
      Enosh
Then to Seth after Enosh
  eight-hundred and seven years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Seth's life
    nine-hundred and twelve years
Then he died

Enosh was ninety
  when born
    to him
      Kaynan
Then to Enosh
  after Kaynan
    eight-hundred and fifteen years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Enosh's life
    nine-hundred and five years
Then he died

Kaynan was seventy
  when born
    to him
      Mahalalel
Then to Kaynan
  after Mahalalel
    eight-hundred and forty years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Kaynan's life
    nine-hundred and ten years
Then he died

Mahalalel was sixty-five
  when born
    to him
      Jared
Then to Mahalalel
  after Jared
    eight-hundred and thirty years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Mahalalel's life
    eight-hundred and ninety-five years
Then he died

Jared was one-hundred sixty-two
  when born
    to him
      Chanoch
Then to Jared
  after Chanoch
    eight-hundred years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Jared's life
    nine-hundred and sixty-two years
Then he died

Chanoch was sixty-five
  when born
    to him
      Metushalach
Chanoch went with God
  after Metushalach
    three-hundred years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Chanoch's life
    three-hundred and sixty-five years
Chanoch went with God
  until he was no longer
    because God took him

Metushalach was one-hundred eighty-seven
  when born
    to him
      Lemech
Then to Metushalach
  after Lemech
    seven-hundred eighty two years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Metushalach's life
    nine-hundred and sixty-nine years
Then he died

Lemech was one-hundred eighty-two
  when born
    to him
      a son
        whom he called
          Noach
          announcing
        "This boy will be succor
            from the toil and pain
              of our hands
            from the soil
              cursed by the Lord"
Then to Lemech after Noach
  five-hundred ninety-five years
He had sons and daughters

In all the days
  of Lemech's life
    seven-hundred and seven-seven years
Then he died

Noach was five-hundred
  when born
    to him
      Shem 
      Cham 
      Yaphet.

If this translation and commentary is interesting to you, please share and:

Cotter, D. W., Genesis (ed. J. T. Walsh – C. Franke – D. W. Cotter) (Berit Olam Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry; Collegeville, MN 2003) 47.

Louth, A. – Conti, M. (ed.), Genesis 1–11 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; Downers Grove, IL 2001) 119-121.