Genesis 5:6 — Word Study
WLCוַֽיְחִי־ שֵׁ֕ת חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃
BSAWhen SethShêth [the appointed one, third son of Adam] waschâyâh▸ [a hundred and five] 105mêʼâh years oldshâneh he became the father ofyâlad▸ [lived to be, was the father of] EnoshʼĔnôwsh [mortal man, son of Seth]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַֽיְחִי־ | and he lived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| שֵׁ֕ת | Seth | Noun proper masculine |
| חָמֵ֥שׁ | five | |
| שָׁנִ֖ים | years | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וּמְאַ֣ת | and one hundred | 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 |
| אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃ | Enosh | Noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | When Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh. |
| KJV | And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: |
| ASV | And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh: |
| YLT | And Seth liveth an hundred and five years, and begetteth Enos. |
| WEB | Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh. |
| BBE | And Seth was a hundred and five years old when he became the father of Enosh: |
Where they part company is יָלַד — see How Translations Differ.
The structure of the sentence is straightforward, with one main clause followed by a subordinate clause providing additional information about Seth's role.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Whedon & more — read them ›
clause
subjectשֵׁת
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 5:6
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 of Adamgenerated
Genesis 5:6 is part of the genealogical record that traces the descendants of Adam through Seth. This lineage is significant as it establishes the continuity of humanity after the events surrounding Cain and Abel. Seth, as the appointed one, carries on the family line, which ultimately leads to the fulfillment of God's promise to humanity.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 4:26 | And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 1 reference, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַיּ֖וֹלֶד, vai.Yo.ledgenerated
The Hebrew word יָלַד (yalad) means to bear or beget, referring specifically to the act of giving birth or fathering a child. In this verse, it indicates Seth's role in continuing the lineage by fathering Enosh.
This verb is in the Hiphil stem, which emphasizes the causative action of bringing forth life. It highlights the importance of Seth in the genealogical narrative, marking a significant moment in the biblical history of humanity.
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 governs the entire verse — and he fathered — with two noun phrases preceding it: one indicating Seth's age and the other identifying his lineage. The structure of the sentence places emphasis on Seth's life and his role as a father.
The order of the Hebrew words highlights the significance of Seth's age before introducing the act of fathering Enosh, creating a clear narrative flow that connects life and lineage.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates יָלַד with ἐγέννησεν, which means 'he begot' or 'he generated.' This choice reflects a direct connection to the act of fathering, maintaining the focus on lineage.
The use of ἐγέννησεν emphasizes the generative aspect of Seth's role, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning while also fitting the Greek linguistic context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 5:6 tells us that when Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh. This verse is part of the genealogy that shows the descendants of Adam and Eve, emphasizing the continuation of life through Seth.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve, born after Abel's death, and is significant in the biblical lineage.
It indicates the age at which he became a father, highlighting the long lifespans noted in early biblical genealogies.
Enosh is noted as a significant figure in the lineage of Adam, representing the continuation of humanity and is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus.
It implies that Seth was responsible for bringing Enosh into the world, continuing the family line established by Adam.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does Seth's age tell us about the lifespans mentioned in the genealogies?
- How does the concept of lineage play a role in the biblical narrative?
- In what ways does the act of fathering connect to the broader themes of life and legacy in the Bible?
- What can we learn from the genealogies about God's plan for humanity?
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 5:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos. Not that this was his firstborn, no doubt but he had other children before this time; but this is only mentioned, because it carried the
Read John Gill on Genesis 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: And Seth lived an hundred and five years.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 5:6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:Ver. 6. And begat Enos,] that is, Sorry-man, which was appellatio a dolore. Nomen cure re convenit. Homo enim est animal aerumnis plenum, imo ipsa aerumna, et calamitas, ut est apud Herodotum .
Read John Trapp on Genesis 5 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible6. Enos — This word signifies man, and may denote that the race begins anew from Seth. For the meaning of the other names in the list, see above, page 110.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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 Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh.
Seth lived one hundred five years, then became the father of Enosh.
When Seth was 105 years old, he became the father of Enosh.
When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.
Tyndale line
And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh:
And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enosh:
And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
And Sheth liued an hundreth and fiue yeeres, and begate Enosh.
Strictly literal
And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh.
And Seth liveth an hundred and five years, and begetteth Enos.
And Seth lives one hundred and five years [[or two hundred and five years]], and begets Enos.
And Sheth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enosh.
When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh.
From the Latin
Seth also lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enos.
Simplified
When Seth was 105, he had Enosh.
And Seth was a hundred and five years old when he became the father of Enosh:
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 closely, with the Samaritan version differing only by using the verb יוליד (to bear) instead of the Masoretic יָלַד. The Septuagint matches five of the nine words in the Masoretic Text.
וַֽיְחִי־ שֵׁ֕ת חָמֵ֥שׁ שָׁנִ֖ים וּמְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה וַיּ֖וֹלֶד אֶת־ אֱנֽוֹשׁ׃
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 שׁת חמשׁ שׁנים ומאת שׁנה ויוליד את אנושׁ
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 5:6
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
שֵׁת (Sheth) refers to the third son of Adam and Eve, mentioned in Genesis 4:25. The name is derived from a root meaning 'put' or 'substituted.' It is also noted that שֵׁת can be spelled as 'Sheth' in some contexts, and the name is associated with the meaning 'compensation.'
שֵׁת n.pr.m. third son of Adam
base
H8352 שֵׁת third son of Adam
8352 Sheth shayth
from 7896; put, i.e. substituted; Sheth, third son of
Adam:--Seth, Sheth.
see HEBREW for 07896
שֵׁת (shet) — Seth.
A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.25;
son of: Adam (H0121) and Eve (H2332);
brother of: Cain (H7014B) and Abel (H1893);
father of: Enosh (H0583); also called Sheth (Ketiv: buttock) at Num.24.17;
§ Seth = "compensation"
1) the 3rd son of Adam by Eve
1a) also 'Sheth'
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Seth
Appointed; a substitute, the third son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4:25; 5:3). His mother gave him this name, “for God,” said she, “hath appointed me [i.e., compensated me with] another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.”
(compensation), (Genesis 4:25; 6:3; 1 Chronicles 1:1) the third son of Adam, and father of Enos. (B.C. 3870.) Adam handed down to Seth and his descendants the promise of mercy, faith in which became the distinction of God’s children. (Genesis 4:26)
The first son of Adam after the death of Abel, Ge 4:25,26; 5:3,6,8, and ancestor of the line of godly patriarchs.
put; who puts; fixed
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
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
Conj | Adj — ConjunctionHC/Acfsc
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
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
The Hebrew word אֱנוֹשׁ (*'Enowsh*) refers to Enosh, the son of Seth, and is noted in Genesis 4:26. It is linked to the meaning 'man' and is also called Enos in the New Testament. The entries consistently identify Enosh as a significant figure in the genealogy from Seth.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.pr.m. son of Seth
base
H583 אֱנוֹשׁ son of Seth
583 'Enowsh en-ohsh'
the same as 582; Enosh, a son of Seth; --Enos.
see HEBREW for 0582
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — Enosh.
A man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.4.26;
son of: Seth (H8352);
father of: Kenan (H7018); also called Enos at Luk.3.38;
Also named: Enōs (Ἐνώς "Enos" G1800)
§ Enos = "man"
son of Seth
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Same as ENOS. (1 Chronicles 1:1)