Genesis 5

Chap. V. Ver. 1—20. The book of the generations of Adam.—The creation of Adam and the birth of Seth, are here again introduced, for the purpose of connecting their names cal Sata a BS RES TE EL serve, that the custom in those times was, to give their children names according to the occurrences of life, or the expectations of their parents. Thus Seth, being a good man, was grieved to see the great degeneracy in other parts, though he endeavoured to preserve his own family from the contagion, and therefore called his son Enos, which signifies sorrowful. Enos, perceiving the posterity of Cain to grow every day worse and worse, was concerned for their iniquity, and began to dread the consequences of it, and therefore called his son Cainan, which denotes lamentation.

Though Cainan had his name from the wickedness of Cain’s family, yet he himself was resolved to maintain the true worship of God in his own; and therefore called his son Mahalaleel, that is, a praiser and worshipper of God. In the days of Mahalaleel, (as tradition tells us,) a defection happened among the sons of Seth, who went down from the mountains where they inhabited, and joined themselves to the daughters of Cain, and therefore he called his son’s name Jared, which signifies descending. Jared, to guard against the general corruption, devoted himself and his descendants more zealously to the service of God, and accordingly called his son Enoch, which means a dedication. Enoch, by the Spirit of prophecy, foreseeing the destruction which would come upon the earth immediately after the death of his son, called his name Methuselah, which imports as much; for Methu signifies death, and Selah, the sending forth of water, &c.

&c. Much of this ingenious trifling may be found among commentators, both ancient and modern, and by many it is greatly admired. Much of it, however, is founded on conjecture; and though Jared might thus dedicate to God his son Enoch, from what motive could Cain give the same name to his son? We only know the motives of a few individuals, and they were often deceived in their anticipations, as in the case of Eve, and her first born. The following anecdote seems to afford a much more useful improvement of this chapter, and is related by Herrey:— aii nen aneen ETE Rar een annanne na dnnityemmmmmnnmnenntnn EY

Notes on the verses

Chap. V. Ver. 3. [Hundred; the chronology, especially in the ages of some of the ante and post-diluvian patriarchs, is very different in the Hebrew text, the Samaritan, the Septuagint, and Josephus. The Septuagint adds 100 years to each of the Patriarchs Adam, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Enoch, before the birth of their sons; while they take twenty from the age of Methuselah, and add six to that of Lamech. Thus the space from the creation to the deluge is made 2242 years, according to the Vatican copy, but 2262 according to the Alexandrine; and the sum total according to Josephus is 2265; according to the Samaritan 1307, and the Hebrew Text, 1656. ‘The sum total from the Deluge to the 70th year of Terah, according to these authorities, is, Heb.

292; Sam 942; Sept. Vat. 1172; Alex, 1072, and Josephus, 1002.’—Bagster. To examine them minutely would be impracticable within the compass of this work, and to solve them satisfactorily at present seems impossible. See Dr. A. Clarke on this chapter. Ver. 6—20. The above ingenious remarks are quoted by Stackhouse from Bedford’s Chronology. Much more of the same sort may be found in the Bibliotheca Biblica, from the ancient fathers, and in modern fathers whom we shall not name. & OF, the whole imagination: The Hebrew word signifies not only the imagination, but also the purposes and desires. “A certain libertine of abandoned character, happened accidentally to stroll into a church, where he heard the 5th chapter of Genesis read, importing that so long lived such and such persons, and yet the conclusion was, ‘they died’ ‘ Seth lived 912 years, and he died; Enos lived 905 years, and he died; Methuselah 969, and he died.’ The frequent repetition of the words ‘he died,’ notwithstanding the great length of years they had lived, struck him so deeply with the thought of death and eternity, that, through divine grace, he became a most exemplary Christian.”

If any person of like character with the above should read this note, may he make the same serious and profitable reflection. Ver. 21—32. Enoch’s character and translation.—Enoch is the second character enrolled in the illustrious catalogue of believers, in the 11th Chap. of Hebrews. The expression here used, ‘Enoch walked with God,” is there quoted as an evidence that he was a believer in divine revelation; not only that God is, but also ‘‘that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Consequently, he believed in a future state of reward and punishment; for, we are told, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.’”

(Jude, ver. 14.) As to the expression, “Walked with God,” it implies communion with him in a state of progressive holiness. Believers are the friends of God. “These (says Bishop Horne) are they who walk with their God, and take sweet counsel with him, as a man does with his friend, in the way of pious dispositions and holy duties, which are so many steps and stages in the road to heaven. And while God speaks to the soul by his word, and she to him by prayer and thanksgiving: while he says, ‘Seek ye my face;’ and she answers, ‘Thy face, Lord, will I seek;’ the conversation is kept up, (and) the stage of the journey is not perceived….. With these comforts and encouragements, the soul walks on in the way of God’s commandments, pressing forward in the course of a holy obedience from one degree of perfection to another—‘from strength to strength;’ till, having passed the valley of death, and ascended the holy hill, she appears before the God of gods in the heavenly Sion.

Whoever walks with God in this manner, will have the testimony given to Enoch, that he pleased him.”—(Horne’s Life of Enoch.) Ver. 24. [He was not: the same expression occurs, ch. xxxvii. 30. xlii. 36. (Jeremiah 31:15). (Matthew 2:18). So Livy says, (lib. 1. c. 16.) Romulus was no longer on the earth.]—Bagster. Ver. 29. The precise number of ten generations from Adam to Noah, corresponds with the traditions of the Chinese, Persians, Egyptians, and other ancient nations. (See (Revelation 5)S. Burder’s Bible.) As does also their longevity: and the Brahmins have a tradition, that human life once lasted for a thousand years. Hesiod says of the Golden Age— “They lived like gods, with even, tranquil soul, From toil exempt, and sorrow.

Even age Was free from suffering.” Even during the Silver Age, the same poet makes a boy remain a hundred years with his mother. Burder’s Orient. Some ridiculous attempts have been made to reduce these years to months; according to which hypothesis, Seth had children under nine years of age, and Enos at seven and a half!—Surely this does not mend the matter! P CuHap. VI. Ver. 2. Sons of God.—Besides the 82nd Psalm, magistrates or rulers are generally supposed to be called gods, (Exodus 21:6). xxii. 8, 28. (1 Samuel 2:25). (Psalms 82:1), &c. “This view of the passage is no new,” says Taylor.) Onkelos and the Targums read, “the sons of the great; the h 08,21. De,29.19, Eze.8.9,12, Mat.15.19, i every day.

j from man unto But Enoch, as a type of Christ, had a peculiar privilege—he was exempt from death, and the only person thus exempt, except Elijah. “He was not,” says Moses; that is, “not found” upon earth, according to the Apostle above quoted, for ‘‘God took him,” and “translated him” to the skies, without seeing death; perhaps publicly, that he might give assurance to that infidel generation of “another and a better world.” —————- ‘Him, the Most High, Wrapt in a balmy cloud, with winged steeds, at Received to walk with God, High in salvation and the climes of bliss, Exempt from Death.”—Milton. Of the other characters here mentioned we have little to remark. The Lamech here mentioned, Noah’s father, was a very different person from the bigamist recorded in the preceding chapter, and seems to have been an industrious farmer; and he called his son Noah, “rest, or comfort,”

as it may be indifferently translated, saying, ‘“‘This same shall comfort us, (or give us rest,) concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.”