Genesis 11:20

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

Complete Jewish Bible:

Re‘u lived thirty-two years and fathered S’rug.

Berean Standard Bible:

When Reu was 32 years old, he became the father of Serug.

American Standard Version:

And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Reu^{H7466} lived^{H2421} two^{H8147} and thirty^{H7970} years^{H8141}, and begat^{H3205} Serug^{H8286}:

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 11:20

Genesis 11:20 is part of the genealogy from Shem to Abram (later Abraham), which connects the post-flood world to the patriarch of the Israelite people. This verse specifically mentions Reu, a descendant of Shem, who fathered Serug at the age of 32. The genealogy is set in the context of the Table of Nations (Genesis 10), which outlines the dispersal of Noah's descendants after the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel, an event that is said to have led to the diversity of human languages and the spread of peoples across the earth.

Themes present in this genealogy include:

1. **Divine Providence**: The lineage from Shem to Abram is highlighted, suggesting God's providential plan for humanity, with Abram eventually becoming the father of the Israelite nation and a key figure in the biblical narrative.

2. **Human Longevity**: The ages of the patriarchs at the birth of their firstborn sons are notably high, reflecting a time when humans lived much longer than in subsequent generations, according to the biblical account.

3. **Historical Continuity**: The genealogy provides a link between the primeval history of Genesis (including creation, the fall, the flood, and Babel) and the stories of the patriarchs, which lead into the narrative of the formation of Israel as a nation.

4. **Post-Diluvian World**: This verse is situated after the great flood, illustrating the repopulation of the earth by Noah's descendants, and sets the stage for the calling of Abram in Genesis 12, which marks a new phase in God's relationship with humanity.

5. **The Spread of Nations**: The context of Genesis 11:20 is the dispersion of peoples following the Tower of Babel incident, emphasizing themes of human diversity, migration, and the beginnings of distinct nations and cultures.

The historical context of this verse is part of the early history of the world as understood by the ancient Israelites, reflecting their understanding of the origins of different peoples and the divine direction in human history. It is important to note that while these genealogies are part of the faith tradition of Judaism and Christianity, they are not supported by historical or archaeological evidence outside of the biblical text.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H7466
   There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: רְעוּ
   Transliteration: Rᵉʻûw
   Pronunciation: reh-oo'
   Description: for רְעִי in the sense of רֵעַ; friend; Reu, a postdiluvian patriarch; Reu.
   
2. Strong's Number: H2421
   There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָיָה
   Transliteration: châyâh
   Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.
   
3. Strong's Number: H8147
   There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁנַיִם
   Transliteration: shᵉnayim
   Pronunciation: shen-ah'-yim
   Description: dual of שֵׁנִי; feminine שְׁתַּיִם; two; also (as ordinal) twofold; both, couple, double, second, twain, [phrase] twelfth, [phrase] twelve, [phrase] twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
   
4. Strong's Number: H7970
   There are 164 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׁלוֹשִׁים
   Transliteration: shᵉlôwshîym
   Pronunciation: shel-o-sheem'
   Description: or שְׁלֹשִׁים; multiple of שָׁלוֹשׁ; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth; thirty, thirtieth. Compare שָׁלִישׁ.
   
5. Strong's Number: H8141
   There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׁנֶה
   Transliteration: shâneh
   Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
   Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly).
   
6. Strong's Number: H3205
   There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָלַד
   Transliteration: yâlad
   Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
   Description: 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).
   
7. Strong's Number: H8286
   There are 5 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שְׂרוּג
   Transliteration: Sᵉrûwg
   Pronunciation: ser-oog'
   Description: from שָׂרַג; tendril; Serug, a postdiluvian patriarch; Serug.