Genesis 5:15 — Word Study
WLCוַֽיְחִ֣י מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ יָֽרֶד׃
BSAWhen MahalalelMahălalʼêl [a man of praise, praising God] waschâyâh▸ [sixty-five years old, a significant life stage] 65shishshîym years oldshâneh he became the father ofyâlad▸ [lived to be the father of, begat] JaredYered [descendant, one who comes down]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְחִ֣י | and he lived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל | Mahalalel | Noun proper masculine |
| חָמֵ֥שׁ | five | |
| שָׁנִ֖ים | years | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְשִׁשִּׁ֣ים | and sixty | Conjunction |
| שָׁנָ֑ה | year[s] | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| וַיּ֖וֹלֶד | and he fathered | Verb, Hiphil, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| יָֽרֶד׃ | Jared | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared. |
| KJV | ¶ And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: |
| ASV | And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: |
| YLT | And Mahalaleel liveth five and sixty years, and begetteth Jared. |
| WEB | Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared. |
| BBE | And Mahalalel was sixty-five years old when he became the father of Jared: |
Where they part company is יָלַד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence features a main clause followed by subordinate phrases that describe the subject and object, emphasizing the relationship between Mahalalel and Jared.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמַהֲלַלְאֵל
verbחָיָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 5:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Genealogy from Adam to Noahgenerated
Genesis 5:15 presents a brief account of Mahalalel's life, noting his age when he fathered Jared. This genealogical record emphasizes the lineage from Adam to Noah, highlighting the ages and relationships of key figures in the early history of humanity. The context is part of a larger narrative that traces the descendants of Adam, illustrating God's plan through generations.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 1:2 | Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יָלַד, vai.Yo.ledgenerated
The Hebrew verb יָלַד (yalad) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. In this verse, it specifically refers to Mahalalel becoming the father of Jared, marking a continuation of the family line.
This verb is in the Hiphil stem, indicating a causative action, which in this context emphasizes the act of fathering a child rather than simply giving birth. The use of this verb in genealogies often highlights the importance of lineage in the biblical narrative.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וַיּ֖וֹלֶד (vai.Yo.led), meaning 'and he fathered', governs the structure of the verse, with the noun phrases describing Mahalalel and Jared positioned around it. The sequential imperfect tense indicates ongoing action, typical in genealogical accounts.
The sentence structure emphasizes Mahalalel's age at the time of fathering Jared, with the age details presented in a noun phrase before the verb. This order highlights the significance of age in the context of life milestones.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָלַד as ἐγέννησεν (egennēsen), meaning 'he begot'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, preserving the focus on lineage.
The translation reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew, maintaining the same genealogical emphasis found in the original text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 5:15 tells us that when Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared. This verse is part of a genealogy that traces the descendants of Adam, showing how life continued through generations.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Mahalalel means 'praise of God', reflecting his character and significance in the biblical narrative.
Age often indicates milestones in life, such as fatherhood, which is crucial in establishing lineage and fulfilling God's promises.
Jared was the son of Mahalalel and the father of Enoch, an important figure in the biblical genealogies.
Genealogies serve to establish lineage, fulfill prophecies, and demonstrate God's faithfulness through generations.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does Mahalalel's life and lineage teach us about the importance of family?
- How can we see God's faithfulness in our own family histories?
- In what ways do we honor our ancestors and their legacy today?
- What significance do milestones like age and parenthood hold in our lives?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 5:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared. A hundred and sixty, according to the Septuagint version.
Read John Gill on Genesis 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: Jared - descent.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:Ver. 15. And begat Jared,] i.e., One that is going down, sc., to the dust of death: for, to live, is but to lie a-dying: every day we yield somewhat to death, and a man’ s cradle stands in his grave.
Read John Trapp on Genesis 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. Jared] Heb. Yared = “a going down.” Cf. Jordan (Heb. Yardên) = “the going down, or descending, river” (?). The Book of jubilees, written in the latter part of the second century b.c., made use of this Hebrew etymology of the name, and connected it with the descending of angels upon the earth, when “the sons of God saw the daughters of men,” &c., Genesis 6:2. To suppose that it denotes “descent,” in the sense of “deterioration,” is very far fetched.
Read Cambridge on Genesis 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared.
Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, then became the father of Jared.
When Mahalalel was 65 years old, he became the father of Jared.
When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared.
Tyndale line
¶ And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
Mahalaleel also liued sixtie and fiue yeres, and begate Iered.
Strictly literal
And Mahalaleel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.
And Mahalaleel liveth five and sixty years, and begetteth Jared.
And Mahalaleel lives sixty-five years [[or one hundred and sixty-five years]], and begets Jared.
And Mahalalel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared.
When Mahalalel had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared.
From the Latin
And Malaleel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared.
Simplified
When Mahalalel was 65, he had Jared.
And Mahalalel was sixty-five years old when he became the father of Jared:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree in the overall structure of the verse, though the Samaritan Pentateuch uses the word יוליד (bear) instead of the Masoretic יָלַד. This indicates a slight variation in wording but not in meaning.
וַֽיְחִ֣י מַֽהֲלַלְאֵ֔ל חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וְשִׁשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ יָֽרֶד׃
5 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ויחי מהללאל חמשׁ שׁנים ושׁשׁים שׁנה ויוליד את ירד
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: יוליד (bear)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 5:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חָיָה (chayah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to live or have life, encompassing both literal and figurative senses. It includes various nuances such as reviving, preserving life, and restoring health. The entries detail its use in different stems, with Qal focusing on living and being quickened, while Piel and Hiphil emphasize giving life and reviving. No specific verse references are provided.
חָיָה 283 vb. live
Qal 203
live
be quickened, revive
Pi.
preserve alive, let live
give life
quicken, revive, refresh
Hiph.
preserve alive, let live
quicken, revive
base
H2421 חָיָה live .. live
. be quickened, revive
. . preserve alive, let live
. give life
. quicken, revive, refresh
. . preserve alive, let live
. quicken, revive
2421 chayah khaw-yaw'
a primitive root (compare 2331, 2421); to live, whether
literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:--keep
(leave, make) alive, X certainly, give (promise) life, (let,
suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken,
recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, (X God) save
(alive, life, lives), X surely, be whole.
see HEBREW for 02331
see HEBREW for 02421
חָיָה (cha.yah) — to live.
1) to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to live
1a1a) to have life
1a1b) to continue in life, remain alive
1a1c) to sustain life, to live on or upon
1a1d) to live (prosperously)
1a2) to revive, be quickened
1a2a) from sickness
1a2b) from discouragement
1a2c) from faintness
1a2d) from death
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to preserve alive, let live
1b2) to give life
1b3) to quicken, revive, refresh
1b3a) to restore to life
1b3b) to cause to grow
1b3c) to restore
1b3d) to revive
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to preserve alive, let live
1c2) to quicken, revive
1c2a) to restore (to health)
1c2b) to revive
1c2c) to restore to life
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
מַהֲלַלְאֵל (Mahalal'el) means 'praise of God' and refers to two individuals in the Old Testament: an antediluvian patriarch, the great-grandson of Seth, and a man from Judah mentioned in Nehemiah. The name is derived from roots meaning 'to praise' and 'God.' It appears in Genesis 5:12 and Nehemiah 11:4.
מַהֲלַלְאֵל n.pr.m. (praise of God)
great-grandson of Seth
a man of Judah
base
H4111 מַהֲלַלְאֵל (praise of God) . great-grandson of Seth
. a man of Judah
4111 Mahalal'el mah-hal-al-ale'
from 4110 and 410; praise of God; Mahalalel, the name of an
antediluvian patriarch and of an Israelite:--Mahalaleel.
see HEBREW for 04110
see HEBREW for 0410
מַהֲלַלְאֵל (ma.ha.lal.el) — Mahalalel.
A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.5.12;
son of: Kenan (H7018);
father of: Jared (H3382); also called Mahalaleel (NIV: Mahalel) at Luk.3.37;
Also named: Maleleēl (Μαλελεήλ "Mahalaleel" G3121)
§ Mahalaleel = "praise of God"
1) son of Cainan and the 4th in descent from Adam in the line of Seth
2) a descendant of Perez, the son of Judah
מַהֲלַלְאֵל (ma.ha.lal.el) — Mahalalel.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.4;
father of: Shephatiah (H8203N)
§ Mahalaleel = "praise of God"
1) son of Cainan and the 4th in descent from Adam in the line of Seth
2) a descendant of Perez, the son of Judah
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
fiv (chamesh; pente).
See NUMBER.
שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.
שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])
base
H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])
8141 shaneh shaw-neh'
(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year
(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,
year(X -ly).
see HEBREW for 08138
שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.
1) year
1a) as division of time
1b) as measure of time
1c) as indication of age
1d) a lifetime (of years of life)
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
N-fs — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
שִׁשִּׁים (shishshiym) means 'sixty' in Hebrew. It is a numeral derived from the root associated with the number 8337. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament to denote the quantity of sixty, also referred to as 'three score.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, שִׁתִּין (shit.tin), which also means sixty.
שִׁשִּׁים 59 n.indecl. sixty
base
H8346 שִׁשִּׁים sixty
8346 shishshiym shish-sheem'
multiple of 8337; sixty:--sixty, three score.
see HEBREW for 08337
שִׁשִּׁים (shish.shim) — sixty.
sixty, three score
Aramaic equivalent: shit.tin (שִׁתִּין "sixty" H8361)
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Acmpa
siks'-ti (shishshim; hexekonta).
See NUMBER.
שָׁנָה (shaneh) means 'year' and is derived from the root meaning to change or revolve. It encompasses various aspects of time, including divisions of time, measures of age, and even a lifetime. The Aramaic equivalent is שְׁנָה (she.nah), also meaning 'year'.
שָׁנָה 877 n.f. year (etym. v. √[v.ek.aa])
base
H8141 שָׁנָה year (etym. v. √[8138a])
8141 shaneh shaw-neh'
(in plura or (feminine) shanah {shaw-naw'}; from 8138; a year
(as a revolution of time):--+ whole age, X long, + old,
year(X -ly).
see HEBREW for 08138
שָׁנָה (sha.neh) — year.
1) year
1a) as division of time
1b) as measure of time
1c) as indication of age
1d) a lifetime (of years of life)
Aramaic equivalent: she.nah (שְׁנָה "year" H8140)
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
The Hebrew word יָלַד (*yalad*) means to bear, bring forth, or beget, and it encompasses various forms of childbirth and lineage declaration. It can refer to both the act of giving birth and the role of a midwife. The entries also note its use in contexts of distress and wicked behavior, as well as in reference to birthdays.
יָלַד 497 vb. bear, bring forth, beget
Qal
bear, bring forth
less often beget
of both parents
Niph. be born
Pi. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
Pu. be born
Hiph.
beget (a father a child)
bear
Hoph. day of one's being born = birthday
Hithp. declared their pedigree
base
H3205 יָלַד bear, bring forth, beget .. bear, bring forth
. less often beget
. of both parents
. be born
. cause (or help) to bring forth, viz., assist or tend as midwife
. be born
. . beget (a father a child)
. bear
. day of one's being born = birthday
. declared their pedigree
3205 yalad yaw-lad'
a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget;
medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show
lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring
forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be
delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch,
labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be
the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
יָלַד (ya.lad) — to beget.
1) to bear, bringforth, beget, gender, travail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to bear, bring forth
1a1a) of child birth
1a1b) of distress (simile)
1a1c) of wicked (behaviour)
1a2) to beget
1b) (Niphal) to be born
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to cause or help to bring forth
1c2) to assist or tend as a midwife
1c3) midwife (participle)
1d) (Pual) to be born
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to beget (a child)
1e2) to bear (fig. -of wicked bringing forth iniquity)
1f) (Hophal) day of birth, birthday (infinitive)
1g) (Hithpael) to declare one's birth (pedigree)
Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhw3ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
יֶ֫רֶד (Yered) refers to two individuals in the Bible: one is an antediluvian figure, son of Mahalalel and father of Enoch, while the other is a descendant of Judah, son of Mered. The name means 'descent.' The first mention is in Genesis 5:15, and the second in 1 Chronicles 4:18.
יֶ֫רֶד n.pr.m.
son of Mehall’ēl, fourth generation from Seth
man of Judah
base
H3382 יֶ֫רֶד . son of Mehall’ēl, fourth generation from Seth
. man of Judah
3382 Yered yeh'-red
from 3381; a descent; Jered, the name of an antediluvian, and
of an Israelite:--Jared.
see HEBREW for 03381
יֶ֫רֶד (ye.red) — Jared.
A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.5.15;
son of: Mahalalel (H4111);
father of: Enoch (H2585H)
Also named: Iared (Ἰάρεδ "Jared" G2391)
§ Jered or Jared = "descent"
1) son of Mahalaleel and father of Enoch in the 4th generation from Seth
2) a descendant of Judah and father of Gedor
יֶ֫רֶד (ye.red) — Jered.
A man of the tribe of Judah(?) living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.18;
son of: Mered (H4778) and Jehudijah (H3057);
brother of: Heber (H2268I) and Jekuthiel (H3354);
half-brother of: Miriam (H4813H)(?), Shammai (H8060I)(?) and Ishbah (H3431)(?)
§ Jered or Jared = "descent"
1) son of Mahalaleel and father of Enoch in the 4th generation from Seth
2) a descendant of Judah and father of Gedor
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ja'-red (yeredh, "descent"; pausal form, yaredh, in Ge 5:15; 1Ch 1:2, hence, English Versions of the Bible "Jared" for "Jered"; Iared): In Ge 5:15-20; 1Ch 1:2; Lu 3:37, son of Mahalaleel and father of Enoch. The King James Version has "Jered" in 1Ch 1:2.
The name is supposed by Budde to denote a degeneration of the human race, the first five generations being righteous, their successors not, except Enoch and Noah. The name has been identified with that of Irad (iradh), Ge 4:18. See Skinner, Gen, 117, 129, 131.
Jared
Descent. (1.) The fourth antediluvian patriarch in descent from Seth (Gen. 5:15-20; Luke 3:37), the father of Enoch; called Jered in 1 Chr. 1:2.
(2.) A son of Ezra probably (1 Chr. 4:18).
(descent), one of the antediluvian patriarchs, and further of Enoch (Genesis 5:15,16,18-20; Luke 3:37) In the lists of Chronicles the name is given in the Authorized Version JERED.
a ruling; commanding; coming down